Ndeminyi
DR. EGWU E. NKAMA [MBBS,FWACS (Author)]
INTRODUCTION:
Ndemiyi Itim people is a proud member of the federation of communities that make up what is known and called UNWARA which is a clan in Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. Lore has it that during the exodus, Umu Itim was part of a group, who were convivial – jolly- good fellows noted for their legendary merry making and getting noticed where ever they lived; that is UNARA. It was this predisposition to conviviality that led to their being referred to as the UNARA PEOPLE which got corrupted over the years to read UNWARA.
It is not known when the ancestral founding fathers adopted Unwara instead of Unwara as a name, but what is known is that in the early 1880s, the Scottish Christian Missionaries christened the community- UNWANA – meaning LIGHT in the language of their Efik guides. The people belong to a community which is one of the bilineal communities with a kinship system that is culturally more significantly matrilineage. This double descent community has a kinship and age grade system and covenanted relationship with the people of Ohafia, Abiriba, Edda, Afikpo, Amasiri, Nkporo, Mpu, amongst others.
Therefore, Unwana community as it became widely known is a federation of four distinct and autonomous villages (ISIOGOs) in name, ancestral founding fathers and hereditaments. The four constituents are: NDEMYI, AMAGU, UHUETITI and AMAEKWU. It is the right of being isiogo that affords every Nde Ichina from any of the constituents to sit only on their ‘ugbo’ at ‘obu Nnam Ezeke, obu adigbua ochu ka agwiagwa’ at Amaekwu. Compounds or Ezi does not have such prerogative.
GENEALOGY:
Ndemiyi Itim – Unwara people as they are today referred to and called, are the gallant and proud progeny of ITIM NNAOFOR and IBINA NNAOFOR – the grand patriarch of UMU MBARIRE and the supreme commander of UMU IBINA respectively. Both Itim and Ibina were themselves begotten by PA OFOR OKAA which has led to Ndemiyi people being fondly referred to as UMU OFOR OKAA. The other ancestral founding fathers who led the ITIM Unwara people during the exodus into their present place of abode include but not limited to the following people: ECHE IMO, NGELE IMO, EZE CHIMA, EGELE EZE, EGELE ECHE, IMO OFORNTA, ENI IKOR, NNAA EKOR, ALUU EGWU, AGHA ENYOKA UGO, NNAM AGHA, etc.
THE EXODUS:
During the exodus, lore has it that the Itim group of the Unara nay Unwara clan lived at Nkana near Arochukwu in the present day Abia State. They intermingled with other non Igbo speaking tribes especially the Ibibios of today’s Akwa Ibom State. It was because of internecine wars and unhealthy political rivalry, that Umu Itim and the other Unwara group migrated northwards passing through Ohafia and Nkporo, while settling temporarily at Nguzu before moving camp to Leelu which was later anglicized to Letu. It was while Umu Itim was at Letu that NZUZU UYIM episode occurred at Edda. Nzuzu Uyim which will be a subject of another discussion is suspected to have happened around 1300 circa at Edda. It will be recalled that the Unwara group settled at various points at Edda such as Nguzu, Ekoli, Ogwuma, Letu, Libolo, etc. until the attack of Nzuzu uyim.
After the attack, Umu Itim left Letu to take a temporary refuge at a hill they later called Ugwu Nkakwu, while some other Unwara group took refuge at their palm plantation they called Ebo Unwara. After a while at Nkakwu, a splinter Itim group in furtherance of their search for a more arable and habitable land, found one which they quickly called Leelu – Unwara in commemoration of their last settlement at Edda, before the internecine skirmishes that led to their exit there. The brothers they left at Nkakwu later named the settlement – ITIM EDDA - in memory of their patriarch – ITIM NNAOFOR. At Leelu – Unwara, the Itim group, claimed that their god has favoured them with the gift of perennial sources of potable water – hence – their new name- NDEMIYI – meaning “Itim nde mini dere”. This is because Leelu – Unwara, the acclaimed first settlement of Umu Itim at Unwana is a land sandwiched by two major streams of ITARA and UBEYI with a confluence at OGBUAKPU.
However, the continued search for more arable and pastoral land for farming and livestock on one hand, skirmishes and political disputes with some unknown tribes on the other hand, made the Itim group to move to adjourning upland thereby founding some other settlements such as: ICHIAKARA, EBE – OGWUTA, NNE MGBO IKPIGHIKPIGHI, AMUNCHA, AKPUNKOKO, NDURUKPA, ORJI NDEMIYI, EFU – UGBALA, ACHI NDE NNAM, OHIA UGBAGHA, EZI NNAA EKOR – where the biggest and most revered Ogo enclosure in Unwana – the OGO UKWU NDEMIYI nay Unwana is located till this day in history. The Itim group’s continued quest for a more suitable and excellent habitation led them to move camp once more to their present settlement of EZI ECHE and EZI ALUU atop a plateau overlooking the greenery and alluvium deposits of the river Cross River. In all, the Ndemiyi Itim Unwara people were said to have inhabited a total of twenty-seven (27) villages, some of which has now gone extinct.
In a related development, it is without equivocation that during the exodus, some other immigrants joined the Itim group in this settlement from Akpa from where they criss – crossed the Oban hills and many villages in the present day Cross River State, including BAHUMONO (IKUMORO) via Ugep before pitching their tent with the Itim group at ACHI NDE NNAM. This group has since been assimilated and acculturated by the Itim group without dichotomy. However, these diverse immigrations had imbued on Ndemiyi Itim people characteristic cultural diversity of monumental proportions. The people from Arochukwu/Edda axis brought with them ‘egbela’ and its associated culture, while the people from Akpa/Ugep/Ikumoro axis brought with them ‘igwomini’ and the associated culture.
However, as the gradual movement of the Itim group to their final settlement was still affording them sources of water supply or streams – for example, iyi efugbala, iyi Ude Ekpala previously at the former netball field, the famous ogbagu Ndemiyi, and the legendary river Cross River – they were still known and called NDEMIYI. Therefore, the meaning of Ndemiyi is a people favoured with sources of water; while Itim is the ancestral name of those with patrilineal blood affinity and covenanted relationship with Ndemiyi Itim people found in EDDA and EHUGBO clans respectively. In the same vein, the sobriquet: NDEM – IYI / NDEM – UBIA means “Itim nde mini dere / Itim nde ubia dere” that is Itim – a people favoured with sources of water / Itim – a people favoured with the first to arrive status.
It is unequivocal among men of good will in Unwana land except those with a penchant for standing history on its head, that Ndemiyi Itim – Unwana group were the first IGBO group to arrive in this enclave who conquered the land and the fullness thereof. Archeologists and anthropologists posit that this settlement may have witnessed human habitation for more than two thousand (2000) years, but the first Igbo settlers- the Ndemiyi Itim group could not have arrived here earlier than AD 1314. This is because the attack of nzuzu uyim at Edda was around 1300 circa. It was said that it took the splinter Itim group at Nkakwu a period of twenty one (21) lunar years which is approximately fourteen (14) calendar years to settle at Leelu – Unwara. It was not until 1462 AD when the Edda clan fanned out in a final vitriolic attack on the remnants of Unwara group, dislodging and dislocating them decisively at Ekoli, Ebo Unwara and environs that the Edda people effectively occupied the enclave till this day in history. Local lore holds that this splinter Unwara group wandered off in different directions looking for prospective habitations and greener pastures. Therefore, any other Igbo group of migrants from the Edda axis could not have arrived this enclave called Unwana earlier than 1462 AD – a clear one and half centuries (150 years) after Ndemiyi Itim – Unwara pitched their tent here. It was in awe and utter admiration of the sheer size (27) villages and organized administrative structure that the new arrivals proclaimed and concurred that Itim Unwara is MBA DIRE leading to their children being referred to as UMU MBARIRE and their wives as INYOM MBARIRE which minstrel acknowledges.
How the Itim group discovered other settlers of Igbo extraction has been well documented elsewhere, but what should be of interest to all was that they instituted a ceremony to commemorate that episode of discovery called IKO. Iko was and is still a celebration of friendship among the jolly – good – fellows who first met in this land without a declaration of war on each other. It was much later that other celebrant for want of something noble to commemorate has since named IKO after their deified ‘heroes’. Also, worthy of note, is that, the location of that historic meeting called Ogo Ukwu Ndemiyi Itim – Unwara is still revered till date with a number of top level cultural observances performed there in deference to its status as primus inter pares, that is, first among equals. Many discernible pundits believe Unwana community as presently constituted was founded at OGO UKWU.
THE ANCIENT ORDER OF UMU MBARIRE AND UMU IBINA:
We restate for the purposes of emphasis without meaning to sound like a broken record for the umpteenth time, that Umu Itim – Unwara at the apogee of their strength and glory had 27 villages. This was a no mean achievement considering that even the entire Unwana as presently constituted is not up to 27 villages. This inspired awe and admiration which led to their being variously referred to as MBA DI IRE meaning – a community of real visionary, potent and valiant people. One of such men of valor that readily comes to mind as a native of Itim is INA AJA – ‘ike onye nkini’. He and his likes did a lot of exploits in the course of our present settlement.
Umu Itim had hitherto sat atop the administrative machinery of this community as the ISI ALI, that is, head of the land by virtue of its first to arrive status. She had paramount rulers – who symbolized the sovereignty of the land - ISI ALI – one of whom in recent memory was EZE CHIMA. He organized the people in the typical Igbo republican society of segmentary village democracies. Sovereignty was vested in the village assembly where decisions are collectively reached. Some of the major roles the paramount ruler performed were, but not limited to the following:
1. Defender of the land in all traditional and social matters.
2. Sources of all orders, rites, ceremonies and social pastimes.
3. Supreme body while in cabinet for redress in all traditional judicial matters, court of last resort.
4. Preserver and protector of the traditions, ancient lore, customs, etc. of the land.
5. Patriarch and grand patron of all social, administrative and economic institutions of the land.
6. Receiving of important visitors from far and near – (in those days of yore, he performs this role by way of ‘ima nzu’- a duty which has now been reserved to ‘isi erusi ogo’ in order to make it attractive to egbela votaries.
On the other hand, IBINA against the advice of their father – Pa Ofor Okaa, that he and ITIM should not superintend over the wrathful ‘egbela’ religion adopted from their sojourn at Edda, but should rather leave its high priesthood to stranger elements among them because of the attendant fatal consequences associated with it; he (Ibina) plunged into it belt and braces, and was fatally dealt with. Ibina’s pioneering role in egbela worship established an ancient order of traditional leadership headed by NDEICHINA who are the priests of the egbela god. However, Umu Itim has studiously adhered to their patriarch’s advice, and had only played nominal roles in the affairs of egbela, while egbela priests and votaries alike have unanimously adopted Ibina as their foster parent – hence, all male children who has undergone initiation into egbela cult regard themselves as the children of IBINA – Umu Ibina or Nwoke Ibina.
From antiquity, Umu Itim has consistently demonstrated their indifference to the headship of egbela as ‘amadi’- the true sons-of-the-soil; such that no sooner had they met other Unwara constituents than they left the egbela headship to them without ado, even conceding the role of ‘ima nzu’ to them to make it attractive. The following facts will suffice to buttress the point: Umu Itim-Unwara were only too willing to hand over the Ibina baton of egbela high priesthood without prompting to the first stranger elements they met in this enclave – Amaekwu people, who themselves handed over the baton to Uhuetiti people, who much later surrendered a part of that erusi ogo baton to Amagu. It is instructive to note that like the Itim-Unwara group who left the ill advised headship of egbela to the junior partner – Ibina, the other groups followed the same pattern as follows: the Okoro Inya group in Amaekwu left egbela high priesthood for their Amata Alum junior brothers. In the same vein, the Anuma Ija group of Uhuetiti despite being the first to arrive among their brethren left egbela for the junior Ujaa Nlia Ukor and his Nlia Owora brothers to superintend as high priest. Likewise, the Amagu group left egbela high priesthood to Nde Egwu Uduma and Uwa Nwachi of the Umu Inya Ali paternal family who are a junior partner to the Nde Agha Inya group. In the same vein, the following personalities have benefitted from the largess of ‘ima nzu’ for their respective communities: Inya Ama Inya a.k.a. Inya nwa Ama Inya oma nzu bu eze from Amaekwu. Thereafter, when isi erusi ogo went to Uhuetiti, High Priest Ariko was within living memory the last performer of that role, before providence inadvertently thrust it into the hands of Amagu constituents via Inya Ogeri of Ezi Otinya.
However, to compensate the high priests for the associated high risks involved, young maidens among the egbela votaries pays an annual tribute of a tuber of yam each before the commencement of Obioro ballad for the high priests’ upkeep. This tradition is referred to as ACHIKWAJI; and only maidens of Ndemiyi Itim extraction are exempted from this practice in deference to their amadi status.
Therefore, the ancient order of Umu Ibina ably symbolized by the NDEICHINA CABINET has its principal officers in hierarchical order of seniority as follows:
1. Isi Elom / Isi Mbe / Isi Otosi-----------------------Amaekwu
2. Isi Erusi ogo / Omumu-------------------------------Uhuetiti
3. Ekpa Isi ali / Erusi ogo / Arua Agha---------------Amagu
4. Isi Njoku Oha / Ajaa----------------------------------Ndemiyi
However, in administration, both Ekpa Isi Ali and Njoku Oha are senior aides to the paramount ruler – the ISI ALI. Their functions within the Ndeichina cabinet are as may be delegated by the paramount ruler. Principal Officers as well as paternal representatives of the Ndeichina cabinet are all chiefs responsible for specific aspects of cultural leadership while sovereignty lies with the people led by the ‘onye isi’ or head of Umu Itim cum Umu Mbarire – the defacto ISI ALI Unwara.
Today in Unwana community administration, the traditional / paramount ruler is the titular and ceremonial king who is called EZEOGO and the dejure head of UMU MBARIRE – the ISI ALI UNWARA. A close study of the leadership continuum shows that the founding fathers of Unwana as presently constituted did not establish hereditary rule or dynasty. As a result the founding patrilineage performs specific roles as a subset of a set without right to rule others. That is why they ruled through a council of elders whose membership was drawn from the various Unwana villages – ‘isiogos’. The king (Ezeogo) is ably assisted by the Ndeichina – in – council with Njoku Oha and Ekpa Isiali (the bag carrier for the king) as his senior administrative aides within the council. The Ndeichina cabinet is assisted by the Ukeogo cadre as advisory council, while the Uke Etor cadre runs errands for the community outside the community. It should be noted that members of Ndeichina, Ukeogo and Uke Etor referred to as the Unwana Council of Elders are usually from the traditionally retired age grades who had performed the INO UCHE ceremony in Unwara. All the active age grades assist the community in the performance of manual labour, security or vigilante duties and other sundry developmental services, and are headed by the UKE OZI. While town or village unions like Nzuko Unwana or Ndemiyi Itim Development Union is a socio-cultural organizations which assist the community to articulate their development potentials.
Therefore, the ancient leadership order that had existed in Unwara and as instituted by the Itim – Unwara group are:
v The order of Umu Mbarire which was the highest administrative order headed by Umu Itim – the defacto – Isiali Unwara.
v The second ancient order is the order of Umu Ibina which is the highest traditional order routed in egbela which is headed by Ndechina cabinet as a symbol of Ibina and his foster children.
EZE CHIMA AND LEELU – UNWARA:
Eze Chima who was also called Eze Ukwu by his admirers, was one of the most powerful paramount rulers of Ndemiyi Itim – Unwara. He lived at Leelu-Unwara. He reigned when Ndemiyi-Itim was comprised of twenty seven villages. This legendary icon of the Ibu Omaka Inya matrilineal family generously provided for his Ibu Omaka brethren with Ndemiyi agnate lands in the spirit of being ones brothers’ keeper. He, it was who accommodated the other Unwara group who settled at Ebo Unwara Edda, when they were subsequently attacked and chased out of the place by the present day occupants. Lore has it that the Ebo group wandered off from the Ebo Unwara in search of habitable abode and greener pastures passing through the then ngele uburubo to Agbafia, Adim, Abini, etc. After a long period of fruitless wandering, the group led by Agha Inya and his brother Otuu Inya came back to this enclave when the land had been effectively occupied by the earlier settlers of Igbo extraction. However, the leaders were themselves of the Ibu Omaka Inya matrilineal kindred, and were accommodated by Eze Chima and the other Ibu Omaka families here present. Little wonder therefore, Nde Agha Inya’s first place of abode in this clime was on a piece of land donated by the Ibu Omaka family at Ahonta (Ebeke Ude) and environs, from where they moved camp to their present abode, a hitherto leopard infested area – hence their name – Amagu.
Eze Chima reigned for a long time until he was brutally murdered by his slaves who threw him into a bon fire at his Leelu home. This dastardly act led to a profound and prolonged mourning by Umu Itim so much so that in anger they left the Leelu grounds to remain permanently desolate. It indeed was desolate until matrilineal families scrambled for and partitioned it among themselves. This was how the Ndemiyi agnate lands at Leelu became matrilineal family lands till this day in history. The effect of the gruesome murder of Eze Chima was that the Itim population at Leelu – Unwara began to witness emigration as those who could not stomach such man’s inhumanity to man left Leelu in their numbers to establish other settlements such as: Kpoghirikpo, Enohia Itim, Enohia Nkalu, Mgbom, Amuro amongst others at Ehugbo. It should be recalled, that ISU NKALU whose exploits was legendary during the IGBO – EGU – NKALU war of AD 1600 circa, migrated from Enohia Itim to Enohia Nkalu, while his parents were said to have migrated from Leelu-Unwara. The other effect was that there was a drastic reduction in the land mass of Ndemiyi Itim following this massive exodus out of Leelu.
It should also be noted that leaders of Umu Itim after Eze Chima followed his foot steps of making generous land provisions for members of their matrilineal families. For instance, EGELE EZE, one of the Ndemiyi patriarchs after Eze Chima, lavishly donated Ndemiyi agnate lands to his IBU UDU maternal family in the spirit of being ones brothers’ keeper. Lore has it that the Ibu Ezeke Mgbomiyi matriarch was one of the beloved daughters of Eze Chima from one of his preferred and privileged wives. This was said to account for why these families have choice maternal family lands near Ndemiyi agnate lands with very thin lines of demarcation. However, Ndemiyi Itim had since partnered with other Unwana constituents of Amagu and Uhuetiti to acquire some other communal lands in the course of their expansion.
THE OKPAA ARUA SAGA:
The story of Ndemiyi Itim will not be complete without the mention of the “okpaa arua” saga. The okpaa arua was said to be “opiwa man who came and decapitated many dimkpas at Ndemiyi”. This was how the white man described ‘okpaa arua’. Of a truth, okpaa arua was just a murderous gang of enemies within who were masquerading as friends. They repaid Ndemiyi Itim’s benevolence with uncommon wickedness because of envy and jealousy.
The effect of okpaa arua episode on Ndemiyi was a further depletion of their population to ridiculous level so much so that there is an insidious attempt to dominate them by the perpetrators of the okpaa arua saga except that the antecedents and pedigree of Umu Itim will not allow it as God is on our side; and our name can never be lost – AHAMEFULA. Secondly, a nominal and innocuous office of an aide to the king – the ekpa isiali – a chief in the Ndeichina cabinet, which was inherited from Ndemiyi Itim by a paternal family of Amagu extraction for their actions or inaction during the infamous okpaa arua saga is being surreptitiously elevated to a ridiculous level of eminence that has no historical base. That family prior to okpaa arua episode had no role in the traditional value chain. Thirdly, Iko a hitherto celebration of friendship among the early arrivals, had been turned into a commemorative celebration of the deified hero of the monstrous okpaa arua gang. Thus iko was subsequently christened as follows:
Ø IKO ARUA AGHA/AMAGU – in commemoration of the deified okpaa arua hero whose head was said to have been buried at UBURU OGO.
Ø IKO OMUMU/UHUETITI – a feast of procreation in commemoration of Anuma Ija’s feat at eliminating infant mortality through the potency of his juju. Anuma Ija, it should be recalled was an itinerant dibia or traditional medicine man from ACHA near Uturu whose skills encompassed herbal medicine, mysticism, divination, and magic.
Ø IKO AJA/NDEMIYI – in commemoration of Ndemiyi’s coming back to their good old convivial self after the protracted mourning of the gruesome murder of Eze Chima one of their legendary paramount rulers.
Finally, due to the acclaimed reduction in the population of the Itim-Unwara people, the hitherto large expanse of land acquired by them could no longer be effectively occupied by them leading to wanton donations of their agnate lands to maternal families by succeeding leaders, and other sundry audacious encroachments by some later day arrivals. It is indubitable that Unwana land had been effectively occupied by the early arrivals leaving non as ownerless property or bona vacantia, to be deforested by later arrivals. Also because of okpaa arua some people of Ndemiyi extraction migrated from Ndemiyi to Amaekwu for safety. They have since become full fledged Amaekwu natives of the Nde Ndukwe Amadi kindred, who only fraternize with their Ndemiyi kiths and kin during Oji Ndemiyi appeasement rituals at ‘adobamgba’.
THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND MISSION:
Prior to the coming of the Christian Missionaries, the Unwara traditions and cosmology was dominated by “egbela” ancient world views, perspectives and customs. The new arrivals, the Scottish Missionaries of a new religion, Christianity, had already “conquered” the Calabar heartland in 1846 led by Rev. Hope M. Waddell, and were expanding their footprint to Igbo land and the rest of Southern Nigeria with their potent, irresistible tonic of evangelism and education. By October 25, 1888 they secured a foothold at Unwana, when the first Church of Scotland Mission was established under the leadership of Rev. John P. Gertshore. Aside from Elder James Inya Agha who was the first Christian convert in Unwana (who was baptized in 1886) and his Amagu brother in the person of Elder Egwu Idam; Ndemiyi natives were on hand to embrace the new religion. These natives who were among the early converts are: Chief James Egwu Nkama, Elder Moses Oko Nnam, Elder Emmanuel Agha Egwu, Agha Ikwor and Mr. Samuel Anuma Egwu who was called Sam Gardner after the Rev. J. A. Gardner, amongst others. Ndemiyi’s vantage position on the Unwana plateau, her large expanse of land coupled with her hospitable disposition to strangers made her the natural host to the missionaries. Thus, it was the lot of Ndemiyi to host the mission church, the school, the church manse, and the mission compound/hill which was a small colony of the early converts who left their respective villages of birth because of the pervasive persecution against them by their heathen brethren. Thus, Ekoma whose first inhabitant was ‘Ezeogo’ Uguba Ibiam was also allocated to the early converts. Ndemiyi nay Unwana thus, became the No. 1 Scottish Mission Station in the whole of the Igbo heartland.
It was at the Presbyterian Manse at Unwana that other northern Cross River and Igbo communities, including those in the egbela enclave were converted. It was at Unwana that a formidable column of British – led troops fanned out in 1901 to their final assault on Aro-chukwu to destroy the dreaded Ibina Ukpabi – the long juju (Nwafor, 1988:6). During this military expedition, James Egwu Nkama served Dr. Rattery’s team as an interpreter (Agha, 1988:56). It was still in 1901 that the trio of James Inya Agha, Egwu Idam and James Egwu Nkama from Unwana had been considered sufficiently educated to join other Igbo men at Egbu, Owerri for the translation of the Holy Bible and Hymn Book from English to Igbo. It was also from the Presbyterian Manse at Unwana that a British military force led by Major W. C. G. Heneker assisted by a host of other officials and Unwana men set out on 28th December, 1902 to attack and defeat Ehugbo Omakaejali at Iyioka – Enohia axis (Aja, 2005:225). This paved the way for the establishment of the No. 2 mission station at Ukpa/Amaechara – Afikpo in 1923.
THE INDIRECT RULE AND THE TRADITIONAL INSTITUTION:
The amalgamation of the Southern and Northern protectorates in 1914 by Lord Fredrick Lugard had inextricably complicated Nigeria’s destiny. Animists, Muslims, and Christians alike were held together by a delicate, some say artificial lattice (Achebe, 2012:2). Some founding fathers had variously expressed their misgivings over this forced union. The likes of, Malam Ahmadu Bello – the Sarduana of Sokoto described it” as the mistake of 1914”. In a related development, Chief Obafemi Awolowo had described Nigeria as “a mere geographical expression”.
The Berlin – West African Conference chaired by the German Chancellor, Otto Von Bismarck in 1885 without an African representation led to the scramble for and the partitioning of the African continent among the colonial powers. The British colonial power effectively occupied the territory called Nigeria. The administration of the colony was uneasy and ineffective sequel to language barriers, poor road network, hostilities and fierce resistance by the natives in some areas, adverse weather conditions, insect infections, etc. Consequently, the British government resorted to engage native hands in the administration of the colonies, a policy they referred to as the INDIRECT RULE SYSTEM in Nigeria as against the French policy of ASSIMILATION in the French colonial territories in Africa.
Britain’s indirect rule was a great success in northern and western Nigeria, where affairs of state within this new dispensation continued as had been the case for centuries, with one exception – there was a new sovereign, the Great Britain, to whom all vassals pledged fealty and into whose coffers all taxes were paid. Indirect rule in Igbo land proved far more challenging to implement. Colonial rule functioned through a newly created establishment of “warrant chief” – a deeply flawed arrangement that effectively confused and corrupted the Igbo democratic spirit. It was even more worrisome, as the appointment of the warrant chiefs were neither selective nor adhered to the cultural norms of the Igbo group, but were indiscriminately done. Only those who came near the White man were appointed, and were not necessarily the accredited recognized natural rulers of the villages. The appointment was, based on the whims and caprices of the colonial administrator. The British colonial power has thus, been accused of creating artificial chiefs in Igbo land, decorated with foreign authority called “warrant”, and empowered to masquerade as traditional rulers (Aja: 2005:226). It is on record that the colonial Ordinance of 1916 created the warrant chiefs in the South East. The fierce resistance to these artificial chiefs’ penchant to impose arbitrary levies and taxes culminated in the Aba Women’s Riot in 1929.
In Unwana, like all of Igbo land, the appointment of these artificial chiefs to assist the colonialists in the administration of their domain altered the ancient administrative institution permanently. Thus, the head of the Umu Mbarire became a dejure – Isiali with Britain as the new sovereign. For all intents and purposes, the Isiali became only ceremonial and titular, which institution is not hereditary or a dynasty; but open to all bonafide natives from NDEMIYI, AMAGU, UHUETITI and AMAEKWU, who are bold and daring enough as to offer themselves for selection/appointment. However, the Ibina ancient order was unaffected as they continued to exercise their gerontocratic system of administration, taking collective decisions in the Igbo democratic spirit, republicanism and egalitarianism. This was so, because the egbela (IBINA institution) was a religion on its own which Christianity set out to destroy and annihilate. The adherents fought back and held sway within their enclave. Thus, the Ibina leaders were accepted only as presiding officers in the council of elders.
The then, titular and ceremonial head in that colonial dispensation of artificial chiefs was the legendary Ezeogo Ibiam Utom from Ezi Ibiam in Uhuetiti who was said to have been appointed the first ‘warrant chief’ during the colonial epoch. At the dawn of independence in 1960, the Eastern Regional Government replaced the colonial warrant chiefs with CLAN HEADS, who became Divisional representatives in the erstwhile inane Eastern Regional House of Chiefs. The late Chief William Aka Ugwumba represented Unwana in that capacity. In the same vein, the recent titular and ceremonial heads of the community – Ezeogo Isiali Unwara, was a creation of the then Imo State Military Government Whitepaper – GPE 017/776/2500, of 10th September, 1975 which paved the way for the creation of autonomous communities in the state. Thus, Ezeogo, Elder Dr. Akanu Ibiam, became the EZEOGO ISIALI 1 of Unwana Autonomous Community under that arrangement. He as the titular head reigned, while Ndechina as the foster children of Ibina Nnaofor (UMU IBINA) rules as princes of the egbela cult. This is the system that had traverse the colonial epoch, the regional government, Imo State, Abia State and now subsists in Ebonyi State.
ITARA UNWARA:
The Itara stream and the chief deity for which it is named is the only deity native to Unwana. The Itara is a female symbolized by a crocodile, which according to legend purified the land of evil, heals adherents of sundry ailments and offers general protection. Local lore holds that it was discovered by an Itim woman who accidentally fell into the stream, but instead of drowning was found afloat with all her wares inclusive of a steel axe. The people who witnessed that spectacle were amazed, and had since respectfully worshipped the deity. Umu Itim had been presiding over the annual worship service of the deity as its priests and is acclaimed to know the secret associated with the ageless log bridge (akwa Itara) that is its trade mark. An adherent who consults the deity is required to make a pledge which must be redeemed on the successful answer of the benevolent prayers sought, failure of which is visited with unpleasant consequences. All aquatic animals within the immediate vicinity of the Itara log bridge are regarded as sacred and are forbidden from consumption.
OUR VALUES:
Ndemiyi Itim – Unwana people are noted for their hospitality, faithfulness, honesty, respect for the human person, forthrightness to mention but a few positive character traits. It was the abiding faith Ndemiyi people have in the Almighty God that prompted them to prepare to cook the meat of python without even seeing it, thus, the sobriquet – “Ndemiyi ahughu eke sibe ite”. The Holy book instructed us that “blessed are those who believe without seeing”. Also Ndemiyi people are noted for their legendary hospitality as can be attested to, by a legion of people who had adopted her as their village of abode. Respect, reliability and dependability are all natives of Ndemiyi. The other constituents of Unwana should learn from Ndemiyi the art of treating discordance with respect, even when there was a strong disagreement. We do not engage in the rat game of scattering what we cannot eat. Mentoring is a value we attach so much importance to, in the same way that our pattern of naming is reflective of generational continuity and identity. We thank God for not blessing us, with misguided restive youths in the hue of “Ovrikpo” and “Mallam Musa” of this world whose stock in trade is destruction.
MARRIAGE:
As earlier stated, Unwana community is one of the bilineal communities with a kinship system that is culturally more significantly matrilineage. No where is this system more pronounced than in marriage. In this double descent community, intra-maternal (IKWU) family marriages are a taboo.
FATTENING ROOM (INO NHIHA):
As egbela initiation in this enclave is an informal manhood training period for the boys, the fattening room is the period the girls usually the first born (Ada) receive their womanhood training.
The fattening room called INO NHIHA in Unwana is usually undertaken by the first daughter in a family on each mother’s side, while subsequent daughters are married off as they are due without the privilege of nhiha. The maiden of a fattening room age starts it on her first menstrual period which indicates her maturity into womanhood. It becomes incumbent on her mother and other women within the compound to educate the girls on the duties of an ideal woman as a house wife and a mother. They are taught how to cook, take care of the husband and the children when they start coming. She will be kept in seclusion within the period. As the maiden commences the fattening room procedure, her head will be shaved clean of hairs. Her mother will slaughter a goat for her called EWU NHIHA UBA, whose skin she will be sitting on to grind cam wood ‘uhie’. A rope called ATULA will be plaited round her waist indicating her reaching puberty. Then EGWO will be soaked in a pot of cam wood (nja uhie), which is used to wrap around her loin as well as OSOTO which she will tie around the waist until the fattening room period is completed. This is intended to cover her nudity.
An engaged maiden in a fattening room is entitled to be provided for, by her suitor, with toiletries, kerosene, five tubers of yams and one stick of fish every Eke and Afor market days. Her would be mother – in – law will provide a jar of cam wood (EKWEKA UHIE) which the maiden will be grinding for her use in the fattening room. The ‘uhie’ will be her pomade to give her skin a smooth velvet look. The quality and purity of the ‘uhie’ will be sampled and tested by an experienced elderly woman who will either approve or disapprove its usage. The maiden remains in the fattening room seclusion until her fiancé is ready to undertake all the marital rites.
However, she will go out under the cover of darkness in the night to visit her mother – in – law and friends in the company of a chaperone. She only grinds uhie and cook food while she does her toilet in doors. The fattening room duration is dependent on a fiancé’s capacity to undertake the marital rites.
NHIHA ULA (THE MARRIAGE PROPER):
During the nhiha period the fiancé will perform the marriage rites of wine carrying for both UMUNNA and IKWU. The wine carrying is in sections and stages as follows:
SECTION ONE: a. WINE CARRYING FOR UMUNNA/FATHER-IN-LAW
v Stage 1: MPALA – EKA
v Stage 2: IMARI ULO/NKUMA ADAKWAM
v Stage 3: i. NTUYE/IBUMAYI
ii. Dressing the father in-law
iii. The cost of three (3) years labour – bush cutting, heap making, building of ban/fence etc. paid in cash which is subject to negotiation/consultation between the groom and father-in-law.
SECTION ONE: b. WINE CARRYING FOR IKWU/MOTHER-IN-LAW
The wine carrying for the bride’s Ikwu is an abridged version and a one- stage-affair of that performed for the Umunna. Also the cost of three (3) years labour is collected after due consultation between the groom and the mother-in-law.
SECTION TWO: IBU ULO
Stage 1: Ibu Ulo/Dressing the mother-in-law.
Stage 2: Ibu Ulo/Dressing the bride.
The complete attire for the bride depends on the taste and choice of the groom.
NOTE: The complete list of the requirements for every section and stage of the marriage rite will be obtained from the Umunna via the father-in-law by the groom or his representative. Also, what is called ‘igba nkwu’ is simply a traditional marriage reception in Unwana community.
The rite having been completed, a date will be agreed by the groom and his father-in-law, when his wife will be escorted to his house for marital consummation. When a bride is taken to her marital home, she will first stay with her mother-in-law for an interim period, although she is expected to sleep with her husband in the night. This period is called NHIHA ULA which in those days takes place during OKWU period.
The first conjugal night with her husband, is when the ATULA she wore during her first menstrual period will be removed by the husband, signifying that her husband was the first to deflower her. This is why a man is not allowed to hold a woman by the waist because she will ask you, if you are the one that broke her virginity (IGBABURUM ATULA). During Nhiha Ula, the woman can now cook, fetch water and do her toilet in public, but will not go to farm.
APUTA NHIHA ULA is the day the new bride will have her hair specially tied and arranged upwards. It is the time she will tie wrapper for the first time, and proceed to her husband’s farm also for the first time covering herself with an umbrella, while other women will file behind her. This first outing to the farm is usually on Orie market day. On the Afor day immediately after the farm outing, she will move into her husband’s apartment as well as leave her mother-in-law’s apartment for good. This is the day she will start her own matrimonial kitchen known in our parlance as IMO EKWU.
IMO EKWU:
This phenomenon is a traditional covenanted relationship between a newly married wife and her husband, who sets her up in her own kitchen. It involves the groom buying some yams of ‘akiri’ specie and soup condiments which will be handed over to an elderly woman within the ‘ezi’ who has never been divorced or separated from her own husband before, to prepare a white soup called ‘oho saara’. Only the bride and groom with the elderly woman will eat the food, thereby entering into the marital covenant with the woman as a witness. The significance of ‘imo ekwu’, is that it checks adultery and other forms of immorality on the part of the woman whose infraction is visited with fatal consequences by ‘maa obu’- the deity of fertility; and requires an atonement ritual to remedy.
In conclusion, Unwana people from antiquity celebrate womanhood via marriage and the attendant fidelity and piety arising there from. Today in this Christian era, there are other forms of marriage outside the traditional one, which includes: white wedding (church marriage) and registry marriage (court marriage).
SOCIO – ECONOMIC AND TRADITIONAL LIFE ORDINANCES OF THE PEOPLE – THE UNWANA CULTURAL CALENDAR:
The people of Ndemiyi Itim nay Unwara have their own unique way of calculating the times of the year before the coming of Christianity and the advent of the English calendar in this locale. The very idea of a twelve calendar months was novel to them. Hence, the natives still go by their traditional way of calculating the lunar year. Below are catalogues of the events that culminate into their cultural cum lunar calendar:
ü NEW YAM FESTIVAL – this event marks the New Year in Unwana. It usually takes place on the last ‘eke’ market day in the month of August.
ü AMANKUMA (Amaekwu and Uhuetiti).
ü UTUJI – Ndemiyi first on Eke market day, while others perform later on an Afor market day.
ü ISU UTARA UTUJI – eight (8) market days later.
ü ACHIKWA JI/OBIORO
ü ANOBA ULO ISUGWU/ANUMA IYAA/NCHA NCHA HORO HORO.
ü IGBA EKO ISIJI/ANOBA OGO ISIJI/IPU OGO ISIJI/APUTA OGO ISIJI.
ü IJE OHIA – IBU ISUGWU
ü MBE FESTIVALS – MBE MBU and MBE EBUO.
ü IGBA OSO IYA.
ü IGBA AKU.
ü OKUMKPO every other year.
ü IGBA OKE OSO.
ü ISU EHIA/OKU-OCHU/IKOR OKWU/IGBUBU AKANKPO OKPU/NZACHI.
ü IKPA UNWU/ADOBA MGBA NDEICHINA/ADOBA MGBA GENERAL- WRESTLING PERIOD.
ü NJOKU – OHA, this is a top level cultural observance that heralds new entrant of Ndeichina into the cadre.
ü IJE OGO/ACHIRI USU NDEICHINA – one lunar month (izu esa).
ü ANWARI ULO IKEJI – on Afor market day.
ü IBU NKU IKEJI – on Nkwor market day.
ü IKEJI – Eke market day, thus beginning another circle.
NDEMIYI - THE PACESETTER
The name of Ndemiyi Itim – Unwara cannot be lost given the preponderance of their identifiable and verifiable pedigree. It will be akin to a python swallowing a porcupine – “eke lua ebi” which outcome will be a certain death for both. Ndemiyi is the only Unwara constituent with identifiable kiths and kin found in the Edda and Afikpo clans respectively. They are the only privileged group, who regularly at least once every other year, lead other Unwana natives in a carnival of okpaa masquerade to visit their kith and kin at Kpoghirikpo, Enohia Itim and Amuncha to fraternize and inquire from them their state of well being in their new abode as well as update them on the state of affairs at their first ancestral home in Unwana.
Ndemiyi it was who established the premier ogo enclosure – Ogo Ukwu Ndemiyi nay Unwara before others keyed into it. It was this ogo that gave rise to Isiogo which differentiates a village from compounds. All major ancient land marks at Unwara were first established by Itim Unwara before others replicated them in the Igbo spirit of competition. Such land marks are: EBE, OTU, EGWINI – “Ndemiyi si enyi erughu egwini”, OGBAGU, ULO OGO, AJABA, UJI, UTUJI, ITARA, to mention but a few. It is a matter of heritage import that maidens of Ndemiyi do not pay tribute to anybody by way of ACHIKWA JI – the only group with such a privilege. Even though, Itim-Unwara people had left Leelu grounds for good, we thank the Almighty God for using the Ebonyi State Government to restore Leelu as not only the headquarters of Ndemiyi Itim but that of Ubeyi Development Centre, the enclave of Umu Itim and other Unwana constituents. It is a timely restitution!
Indeed, Umu Itim are PACESETTERS whose name can never be lost because “isi enyi anagha ehuhu ite” – the head of an elephant cannot be lost in the pot. It is an aberration for the tail to wag the dog. We have gone down memory lane to bring forth – NDEMIYI ITIM-UNWARA – for all to behold because we shall no longer be the butt of some jaundiced and sectional based pejoratives such as – “wo halagha age”? There is every reason for us to challenge some of this ignorant stereotypes and the time to start has come. This decision is founded on our belief in justice, equity, fairness and total disdain for impunity, and any act that tends to relegate our great Unwana community to the fiefdom of despotic and revisionist trado – cultural mandarins.
RECOMMENDATIONS/CONCLUSION:
An African adage has it that when brooms stick together in a bunch, they are more efficient and formidable than one broom acting alone which can be irretrievably broken into pieces. It therefore behooves on us as Itim Unwara people to continue to stick together because in unity there is strength.
To the larger Unwana clan, there are too many discordant tunes being sung by grand standing supremacists and sectional irredentists to tear us apart. What with, a lot of vitriolic verbal altercations and ‘friendly fire’ coming from different cylinders with its attendant collateral damages? It is a high time we called the truce as no war ever ends in the battle field but at the conference table. It is often said better to lose the saddle than the horse. This is one of the reasons why we have decided to celebrate the Iko Ndemiyi in this manner in order to re-enact the friendship and peaceful co-existence of all Unwana people.
What should we do? Our situation is akin to what obtained in England in the 13th century. To halt the slide that the Great Britain was slipping into, King John of England convened a conference at Runnymede which promulgated the Magna Carta on 15th July, 1215. We should therefore, accept our version of the great charter of equity as proclaimed on 28th December, 2010 in the form of the adopted and signed UNWANA COMMUNITY CONSTITUTION 2010 as prepared by the visionary NZUKO UNWANA. This is because clear – eyed pundits posits that without that constitution there will be no basis for any further relationship among the Unwana constituents, and therefore, to your tents, oh Israel! The constitution is envisioned to afford the community the opportunity of evolving strong institutions which can be presided over by either strong or weak personalities, as against the present order of strong personalities heading very weak or no institutions at all which often die with them. Ndemiyi believe firmly in the rule of law and the processes arising there from than dwelling so much on personalities that are only a means to an end.
Finally, Unwana autonomous community is currently at the cross roads bedeviled by self inflicted injuries orchestrated by the elites who are engaged on what is called hubris. Hubris is the exercise of pride to impose suffering on others. It is rooted in Greek mythology and history, and anyone found guilty of it was punished according to the law. It is not a crime in the modern sense but its damage is no less immense. The opposite of hubris is called nemesis, which means pride goes before a fall. As the elites who are fueling these crises of disunity cannot fall without pulling all of us down the precarious abyss with them, they are called upon as the Igbos that we are, to imbibe the Nri philosophy which implores intellectuals to transform themselves into ”warriors of peace” during periods of crises, with a proclivity for action over rhetoric. It is our belief that any Unwana elite worth his salt who does not stand up to be positively counted in these trying times can only be a footnote or glossary when the event is over. Therefore, let the DIALOGUE BEGIN! TO JAW JAW IS BETTER THAN TO WAR WAR!! HAPPY CELEBRATIONS!!!
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
There is a Chinese adage that says a sailor who does not know which way the wind is blowing, will not know when to set sail. This piece would not have been possible without the pioneering efforts of some visionary and perceptive Ndemiyi icons who consciously recorded Ndemiyi history for posterity. Whilst it is invidious to mention names, we cannot but mention a few. We are appreciative of the pioneering efforts of the pathfinder – Chief Agha Egwu Nkama (DSP rtd.) who compiled the unpublished Ndemiyi Itim-Unwara HISTORICAL NOTES in 1952. Mention should also be made of Ndeichina Nnachi Eni, who in January, 2005, five months before his demise, constituted a committee to update our history headed by late Mr. Ibiam Irem Ude. Other members of the committee were: Omezua Otuu Oko Nnam, Ichie G. O. Dibia, Mr. Ude A. Ude, Mr. Onudinigwe O. Oji, Mr. Ibiam Oko Uwa, Mr. Nnam A. Nnam, Pastor Innocent Enyoka, Mr. Amadi O. Nnam, Hon. Daniel I. Nkama, and Mr. Nkama Ume Inya who compiled the outcome of that exercise with which this piece is anchored on. To them, we say a big thank you for the renaissance. However, it is inconceivable that the entire history of Umu Itim can be squeezed into a short piece like this, we promise a more elaborate one next time.
We are also indebted to Messrs. Agha Ude (Ogbu), Ichie Anuma Egwu, Apostle Nnam Otuu Nnam, Elder Ude A. Nkama, Dr. Egwu E. Nkama, Mr. Idam Aluu and Mr. Inya Ibiam Uche for their invaluable contributions. We are also immensely indebted to the numerous authors of literatures which we have consulted during the making of this work.
ITIM NNAOFOR/IBINA NNAOFOR – KWENU!
UMU ECHE IMO! UMU NGELE IMO – KWENU!!
UMU OFOR OKAA – KWENU!!!
UNWARA KWE ZUA NU!!!!
COMPILED BY:
CENTRAL PLANNING COMMITTTEE
NDEMIYI ITIM – UNWARA DAY CELEBRATION 2013
REFERENCES
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2. Afigbo, A. E. The Warrant Chiefs: Indirect Rule in Southern Nigeria (London 1981)
3. Agha, A. U. Light on a Hill Top: A Contemporary History of the Missionary Work in Unwara 1888 – 1988 (Rumok Publishing House, Aba 1988).
4. Aja, R. O. A History of Afikpo – Circa 1600: (Mbey and Associates, Lagos 2005).
5. Eteng, I. A. (2004), Onye Ajuru Aju Anaghi Aju Onweya: Ndi Igbo in Post-Civil War Crisis of Disunity, Ahiajoku Lecture, Ministry of Information and Culture, Owerri.
6. Nkama, A. E. Historical Notes of Ndemiyi Itim-Unwara, Unpublished 1952.
7. Ottenberg, S. Double Descent in an African Society: the Afikpo Village Group, University of Washington (Seattle 1968).