Umunze
| Umunze |
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Umunze is the headquarters of Orumba south local government area in Anambra state of Nigeria. Its geographic coordinates are 5° 58′ 0″ north, 7° 13′ 0″ east.
History
The name Umunze was derived from the name of the originator "Nze" meaning the descendant of nze in about 1476 during the time of extreme drought. Nze Izo Ezema was a farmer and hunter from ohafia near Arochukwu in the present day Abia State. He wandered the forest of his normal hunting and discoveries when he came across a very fertile land full of arable crops and he liked it. He settled and was very comfortable considering the weather and other climatic factors. He went back to his father and told him about his new home and also ask for wives. His father saw his behaviour and equipped him with necessities. He was given a mother shrine that has a stream known as Izo mmiri (the present Izo in the eke izo square) with two wives and a slave to the Izo. He settled first at Akpu Mgbatiri Okpa situated at Umuizo today. His wives Mrs Lolo and Ijendu. Lolo gave birth to 7 sons and 1 daughter and ijendu had 1 son. Izo was Nze's father's name in Ohahia : Ezema was the family village name in Ohafia.
Lolo gave birth to 7 sons and 1 daughter
1. Nso,d descendants formed Nsogwu
2. Ugwu, , , Ugwunano
3. Uragu, , , Lomu
4. Ishingwu, , Ubaha
5. Cheke, , Ururo
6. Okpontu, , Ozara
7. Diala, , Amuda.
The daughter was married to an immigrant from Isunjaba in the present day Imo State. He became a neighbor to Nze and now the present Isulo (Umunze treats any girl from Isulo as Ada in any ceremony till today). Ijendu the first wife born one child; Dara (1st son), who is the father and founder of Eziagu, a neighboring town, after a family problem.
War separated the two wives after the death of Nze that made Dara (the first son of Nze) to demand absolute control of the empire butwar was waged by the combined forces of his half brothers and they forced him to move out of the empire and enter into Agu which is called IKPA according to Umunze language. Dara blessed with many children which formed the origin of Eziagu, he settled in the western part of the area.
The slave that come with Nze was blessed by Nze but he died and he was regarded as the father since he takes care of the entire kingdom after the death of Nze Izo Ezema. He became the present Umuizo where the entire Umunze gathered.
All the villages have unique features:
- Nsogwu forbids Dog and cannot be charmed when under the guild of nzu ngene.
- Ugwunano forbids hyena (Edi)
- Lomu are guilded by a police incarnated [Ngene Ojii]
- Ubaha have the ability to lay and cleanse charms on farmland (Iwa Ogboro)
- Ozara forbids snail
- Ururo .........
- Amuda
These 7 sons settled at different locations which today formed a town called umunze.The sons as you see today formed the seven villages we are today.
There are many towns that migrated to join Umunze and form the town. A good example is parts of (Umualaoma) Isuokpu when the famous wars with Izuogu and Iheme (notorious inglorious slave trader and murderer from Arochukwu and Awka respectively) who they hosted benevolently and innocently and who stabbed Isuokpu people at the back by going to bring mercenaries from Abam to fight the Isuokpu in order that Izuogu and Iheme could take their land and settle at the time of abolition of slave trade by the British. Parts of Isieke and Obinohia people in Umuallaoma who migrated to Umunze to escape one type of punishment or the other are now part and parcel of Umunze. Ihite Umuenze (now Ihite) is rich in people from Umualaoma who ran from wars and humiliations from punishments from other types of deed or the other. One powerful man from Isuokpu (Umualaoma) called Ezerioha Udensi (father of Ezeagwula Ezerioha) of Obiokwara (Umudim), Obinihu was responsible for keeping the dangerously advancing Aros and their slaves in a "fight of life for land" in check. He organized Isuokpu, Umunze and Ihite people and neighbours to form a powerful militia group that restricted the advance of the Aros from Okigwe area. At the same time Ezerioha Udensi charismatically encouraged some communities in the present Okigwe and Orlu Divisions to allocate the Aros some land since the Aros and their slaves could not go to nowhere having been blocked at Okigwe by the white man who ensured that slave trade was stopped. Using this strategy, Ezerioha Udensi stopped the numerous wars and guerrilla warfare against the Aros and ensured the survival of many indigenous communities and that the Aros did not reach Umunze.
Umunze maintains a special relationship with the Obiokwara Obinihu people, shown by exchange of goodwill at Obi Ezerioha in Isuokpu masquerade ceremonies and at Nkwo Umunze or palace of Abalikete (up to Ugochukwu reign)at Okuka and other ceremonies. The neighbors of Umunze are Umualaoma in Imo State; Aro Ndizuogu in Imo State; Eziagu, Isulo, Ezira, Ihite, Ogbunka, Umuchu, Nneato in Abia State, Umuomaku and Nawfija. Its people are mainly farmers and traders. Its seven villages are Amuda, Ururo, Lomu, Ubaha, Ugwunano, Ozara and Nsogwu. The traditional ruler is called Abalikete and its people Nze, hence the name "Umunze".
The current traditional ruler is Chief Promise Eze, Abilikete II of Umunze. He became the new ruler after the death of Abilikete I, Chief MN Ugochukwu.Before Chief M N Ugochukwu, Chief S.I. Onyido( Agutagburuibeya ) was given Authority and he ruled Umunze for many years. The kingship is rotational, among the villages, and every male is eligible to contest.
Some of its prominent sons and daughters include Chief Jona Eze,Late Chief J.M Uzochukwu(Ekwueme 1)The First Graduate in Umunze.Chief Fabian Enemuoh, Profs Ukaejiofor, Ubahakwe and Aniebo, Col(Rtd) Augustine Aniebo, Sir Onyi Uzochukwu (Avenger)Omeraoha 1of Umunze.Ben Oranusi, Sir Sylvanus Madueke(KSJ),Engr. Emeka Emmanuel Sibeudu(SIBLARK) and Mrs U Sibeudu, Dr. and Mrs. Eric Sibeudu, Ms. Nkiru Ugochukwu, Sir and Lady Ajuluchukwu Ekemezie, Barrister Nwachukwu C Okafor, Dr. Oliver Ezechi, Christian Amah, Drs. L.O. Nwankwo, Okoli and Ubahakwe, Echezona Okechi, Late Emma Okeke(Ide), Mr. Michael Achugbu Madueke(a retired principal of schools), Diala Ernest Ekemezie, Ojimgba Nwankwo, Barrister Nkemka, Chief Raph Amaechina, Eto Amaechina (Prof),Late Chief Theophilus Okeke(Aku ruo uno),Obiajuru Nwazor(MC loph),Flavour Nabbia(Flavour), Engr. James Ezechi, Late Onyido,Late Dr Christian Okeke,Mr Chike Sibeudu, Late Mr. Godfrey Ndubuisi Anyagafu,Sir S Onyegbule( first graduate in Umunze ), Sir/Chief John S M Egwu retired Assistant Comptroller - General of Immigration Service, Mr Ben Okoli, Mr Law Okoli, Sir F. O Oranusi, Sir Chris Okoli, Sir Hyacinth Okoli, Sir John Onunkwo, Reuben Onyejeaka, Late Chief Julius Umeadi Arinze, Chief Sir Felix .O. Mbogu (a retired educationist and author of the book The Coming of Christianity in Umunze), Prince Obiora Ugochukwu, Mr Emmanuel Onyinye Mbogu, (an author of many books and the Public Relations Officer of Federal College of Education umunze),the late Mr.Chukwuma V.Ukaejiofo(one time State Secretary of the Action Congress) Dr Vin.C. Ofoegbu (ENT Specialist) Emeka Sibeudu - Deputy Governor Anambra State, Nigeria, Pastor Ikechukwu Ibe (Region/National overseer of Deeper Life Bible Church), etc.Prof.Dr B.s.c Uzochukwu,the first medical professor.University of Nigeria Nsukka - Enugu Campus.
Umunze is home of the Nkpokiti International Cultural Dance Group, a group of skilled Atilogwu dancers,Igba egwurugwu masquerade/dancers, Nkwo Umunze and the Federal College of Education (Technical) which has been upgraded to award Degrees).