Draft:Umudora Anam Community

Umudora Anam Community

Umudora Anam also known as (Okpalaukwu Anam) is a town in Anambra west Local government Area in Anambra state, Nigeria. It is located along the omambala river basin with boundaries with umuikwu Anam, Umueze Anam,Mmiata Anam and oroma etiti Anam.

Structure Umudora Anam comprises of five villages Umuene, Umualor, Umunta , Umuagu and Obina-etiti.

HISTORY OF UMUDORA ANAM

BACKGROUND

This is a compilation of the history of Umudora Anam and their important festivals. Firstly, it is based on interviews with people. These are people who were told the history by their parents, grand-parents and great grand-parents who also were told by their own parents, grand-parents and great-grand parents etc. Secondly, huge references were made to earlier history books of Anam written by Anam indigenes.

Therefore, it is important to state that as a result of information passing from one generation to the other in a non-written form, it is possible that some facts may have been lost or twisted in the process, due to the fallibility and inadequacy of the human memory. Usually, knowledge of history presented orally over a long period is unique; in that it represents the perspective, thoughts, opinions and understanding of the individual narrating it.

Purposefully, this study was carried out as a major step towards putting on record and in a written form, historical knowledge that will empower the readers and others to chart an enlightened future that will guarantee an enduring peace, stability, and unity within Umudora; and between Umudora and others. Undoubtedly, research is a continuous process; more facts and findings are discovered from time to time. In this work, different versions of the history as recalled by the people interviewed and materials consulted, are presented.

Most times, people are sceptical and fear that it may trigger crisis when certain aspects of the past or history are revealed in a way never imagined by those affected by it. The readers are urged to keep an open mind as they read through the different versions; taking into account that most of the stories narrated were all in the past. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Gathering information for a book of this nature does not come easy in many regards. Time and financial resources, in addition to courage are required to embark on it. Some consider it a waste of time and resources; some are also sceptical. Therefore, it is worthy of acknowledgement when despite all these envisaged odds, people still provided the necessary resources to see to its success.

Massive appreciations go to the executive and the members of Umudora Anam Global Forum. They are the backbone behind this project, financially and otherwise. Special thanks also go to Chief Anthony Jideani, Dr. Mike Ozoemena, Mr. Stephen Obuora, Chief Anekwe Okonkwo, Ogbuevi Daniel Ilogbune and several others who contributed, immeasurably, in substance and illuminating insights.

AUTHOR/RESEARCHER The book was researched, compiled and edited by Mr. Romanus Okoye, a renowned journalist and a lawyer-in-equity. UMUDORA ANAM Umudora Anam is one of the eight communities in Anam in Anambra West Local Government Area of Anambra State. Today, Umudora is made up of five quarters, namely: Umuene, Umualor, Umuagu, Umunta and Obinetiti quarters. QUARTERS/KINDREDS IN UMUDORA UMUENE: - Umummadioma, Umuoputaliama, Umuosu UMUALOR: -Ndiuchi, Umuorasu, Umungwoba UMUAGU: -Iruosodi, Umuakari, Umuisama, Umunweluo UMUNTA: -Umuodulu, Umuobiala, Umuonwuaniam, Umuodenachi OBINETITI: Umundive, Umujideani, Umummadukolu Like most history passed from generation to generation in a non-written form, there are various versions of Umudora history. These various versions will be presented one after the other; and the presentation in this order, does not give any special regard to any version above the other.

(1) First version This version states that Udora Afom was the father of Umudora people. He married two wives, namely: Mgbeke from Onitsha and Nnebisi from Asaba. Mgbeke gave birth to Alor whose descendants are the people of Umualor. Umualor quarter has its separate Ani which is overseen by the Okpala or the oldest man in the quarter.

Similarly, Nnebisi gave birth to Ene whose descendants are Umuene; Agu whose descendants are Umuagu and Nta whose descendants are Umunta. As at that time, Obinetiti was part of Umunta and Umuene. All these quarters collectively called Umunnebisi have their Okpalas and Adas in that order. In addition, Umunnebisi has one overall Okpala and Ada which is rotated among them. In practice, the overall Okpala or Ada among Umunnebisi is not usually the eldest person; a younger person could be appointed to hold the position. This Okpala Umunnebisi is in charge of Ofo or Ani Umunnebisi. (2) Second version This other version of Umudora history states that Umudora is an amalgamation of people from different places. These people are said to be hunters, warriors, farmers, traders, fishermen etc. Most of them are said to have migrated from Onitsha, Asaba and Nteje. Umualor people who are the descendants of Alor are said to be warriors and hunters who migrated from Ogboli Eke in Onitsha.

This version states that they were the first to settle at Umudora. Their ancestor, Alor migrated with an Alusi called Amanyia which is still worshipped at Umualor till date. In Onitsha, Amanyia is said to also be at Ogboli Eke, till date, thereby suggesting the relationship between Umualor and Onitsha. This in addition to the chanting of Onitsha eehh by Umualor people during events.

This version further states that Umuene are said to be the descendants of Ene who migrated from Umuoneje village in Asaba. Umuene in Umudora and Umuoneje in Asaba are said to still share some cultural and traditional practices. Umuene chants Onoje eeh during events. Same applies to Umuagu, the descendants of Agu who migrated from Umuagu quarters in Asaba. This version states that Umunta are the descendants of Nta who migrated from Umuevi Nteje. It is also said that a small portion of Umunta migrated from Asaba. Umunta chants Igbo eeh or Nteje eeh during events which may prove their relationship with Nteje. In all of these, Obinetiti has always been part of Umunnebisi. They co-habited with Umunta. This version of Umudora history claims that as time passed, some other people migrated and joined the earlier settlers and these people are today fused with different quarters in Umudora.

This version states that originally Umualor was the oldest in Umudora; followed by Umuene, Umuagu and Umunta respectively. According to this version, two incidents led to Umualor being replaced as the most senior. It stated that in two separate occasions, an indigene of Umualor committed murder. First was the killing of an Umunnebisi man during a fishing expedition. As a result, based on tradition, he committed suicide to appease the dead.

On the second occasion, disagreement arose between another Umualor man, Uyebo Mmonwuba and Nganya Amoaso. Nganya Amoasa who is also from Umunnebisi was killed. Again, Uyebo Mmonwuba was required to commit suicide. But this time, Umualor people refused. According to them, these men are their warriors and they could not afford to lose another one. As a result, Umualor people chose to collectively go on exile or serve banishment, which is the only other alternative. This marked the exit of Umualor from Umudora, leaving their lands, ponds etc and relocated to a place between Oroma Etiti and Umuenwelum Anam.

After several years, Umualor had to reunite with the other quarters of Umudora due to certain needs which include creating a formidable team to withstand incessant communal wars etc. It was said that one of the conditions given to Umualor was to relinquish their seniority. They agreed, though with grudges and reluctance. Umualor was led back by Udogu Amulu; and Umuene, being the oldest, at the time in Umudora, received Umualor back into Umudora.

Moreover, it is said that after sometime, Umualor invited Anam people to review the seniority position relinquished to Umuene as a condition for their reunion with Umudora. But Anam reinstated that the condition stands and an oath was taken to cement it. This version claims that the spokesperson of Anam on this occasion, Ogbuevi Edezuno from Umuimeregwu, Umuonuora, Mmiata Anam, however, died under mysterious circumstances after the meeting.

(3) Third version Another version of Umudora history states that originally, Umudora was the oldest of Anam towns. According to this version of Umudora history, Nnebuisi was the first person to settle at Odah Anam. It states that what is called Umudora today is a shortened form of Ndeve Ora which historically was a nickname given to Nnebisi by the different settlers who joined him at Odah in recognition of his generosity.

However, the seniority position was taken from her by Umueze Anam; giving reasons of Umudora's inability to collect fire, urgently needed by the settlers at Odah. Based on this, Umudora was relegated to a second position in terms of Anam’s order of seniority. This version of Umudora history states that Umudora was made up Umuonaje now called Umuene; Umunwagu called Umuagu and Ugbomanta called Umunta. Obinaetiti being the youngest child used to be part of Umunta; because according to history, Nnebisi instructed all his older children to ensure that they protect their younger sibling, Obinetiti who was not old enough, at the time to live on alone.

This version states that Umualor is made up of three business friends with their descendants making up Ndi Uchi from Onitsha -Olona; Umungwoba from Inoma and Umuorasi/Umuamulu which their former origin was not recollected by the narrator. They were said to usually carry Alor which is their symbol of authority. They are said to be traders who engaged in sales of artifacts like Elephant tusks etc and have settled at a place between Oroma Etiti and Umuenwelum. This is long after Umunnebisi had settled at the present Umudora. It is said that at the beginning, Umuene was the one who invited Umualor to join them without the support of Umuagu and Umunta; though they later obliged and Umuagu relinquished its second position to Umualor.

Moreover, it is said that Ezeagu was the first to settle at Ajo Agwu in Umudora because he committed murder while living at Odah with other Anamites and was forced to go on exile. However, because of incessant invasion by Abor, Umuodulu and later other children of Umunnebisi joined Ezeagu. Today, Umudora is made up of Umuene, Umualor, Umuagu, Umunta and Obinetiti in order of seniority.

Continuing, this version states that Nnebisi is a son of Ogbe who hails from Igala speaking area in Kogi State. In the olden days, the Igala people also known as Olu people lived along the banks of River Niger because they were majorly fishermen. They lived in places known today as Onu Umuolu, Omelili Olu and others in Anam, along the river banks. Nnebisi's father married a woman from Umuevi, Nteje who became pregnant but before she gave birth, Nnebisi's father died. So, Nnebisi's mother relocated to her village in Nteje. At Nteje, she gave birth to a baby boy and named him, Nnebisi.

Nnebisi grew up in Nteje as a warrior and was actively involved in all the activities in Nteje. As a grown man and warrior, Nnebisi participated in an initiation into manhood or title taking ceremony. Usually, on the day of the ceremony, the villagers and the initiates would move from one quarter to the other and all the participants would come out with a very strong native cow. The cow would be untied and the initiate/performer would wrestle with the cow; hold the cow down and his relatives would kill the cow and cut its tail. The tail would be given to the initiate/performer who would dance around the town with it. Nnebisi acted as required; he was carried shoulder high in celebration. But he was not given the tail of the cow. He called for it but was not given. Later, he learnt it was an indirect way of passing a strong message to him.

On enquiries, he was directed to consult with his mother who would reveal his paternal origin to him. Before the incident, his mother's relatives had told her, (Nnebisi's mother) what they planned to do. Though Nnebisi was initiated at the ceremony, being a son of their daughter (nwa ada); but his mother's relatives were determined to let him know that he was not from Nteje. Nnebisi was unhappy with the development as it was confirmed to him by his mother that he was not from Nteje. So, he left Nteje with his family; having given birth to the ancestors of Umuene, Umuagu, Umunta and Obinetiti and settled at Odah. While still at Odah as the first settler, his bosom friend, Ezeanyavulukwe from Amadiaba-Nteje, was involved in a murder issue and was mandated to either commit suicide by hanging or go on exile. He located Nnebisi at Odah and pleaded with him to accommodate him. Nnebisi gladly agreed, making Ezeanyavulukwe, the ancestor of Umueze Anam, the next settler at odah after Nnebisi.

After several years of residing at Odah with his children and other Anamites, Nnebisi decided to trace his father's origin as he was directed by his mother. Before he left, he had been given a nickname as Ndeve Ora which later became Umudora (Umu nedeve Ora). He acquired all the charms that could aid his voyage which had the ability to show him the right way, wade off evil spirits, wild animals and other dangers. When he got to the bank of River Niger, there were several versions of how he crossed the river to Asaba. One says, he made incantations, hippopotamus appeared and carried him across. Another says, he made incantations, a canoe appeared and he ferried across. Another says, he made incantations, the river receded and he crossed.

Earlier, he was directed that anywhere the charms he carried on his head, falls, that is the place he should make enquiries about his father's origin. The charm fell at Onishe in Asaba and that is where he later confirmed that his father was buried though his father is from Igala. He went in search of his father’s place in Igala and located it. After celebrations, his relatives married another wife for him before he returned to Onishe Asaba where his father was buried and lived there. SENIORITY BETWEEN UMUEZE AND UMUDORA ANAM There are two versions of how Umueze Anam became the oldest community in Anam and Umudora, the second. Both versions confirm that Umudora was originally the eldest. In the olden days, fire was an extreme rare commodity and a big issue. History has it that Umudora lost its seniority to Umueze Anam because of issues that had to do with provision of fire.

UMUDORA ANAM VERSION: This version states that there was need for fire and everyone went in search of fire. It was said that anyone who brought the fire would eventually become the eldest of Anam communities. Umudora went in search of fire and collected it. But on his way back to Odah, he met Umuziam who begged him to allow him light from the fire which he did. While he was roasting yam for two of them to eat, Umuziam secretly left and presented the fire to other members of the community who now made Umuziam the most senior.

UMUEZE ANAM VERSION: According to another version largely believed by Umueze Anam people. Umueze Anam was founded by one hunter from Amadioba Nteje known as Nwavor in the 17th century. He used to hunt for game around the Omambala River when he found a peaceful peninsula across the river and settled there. Nwavor was accused of having a hand in the death of a relative and in other to free himself from the accusation decided to leave Nteje and settle at Odah. He first arrived at a place called Odah Anam where he found a lot of wildlife and fertile land for agricultural purposes. After settling for about a week he went back and brought his wife and brother, Udora who was a farmer and fisherman to settle in the area. They were first to settle at Odah before other settlers like Mmiata, Oroma, Umuoba, Umuikwu and Iyiora to make up Anam in order of arrival. These initial settlers make up what is called Anam Nkpu Isaa. According to this version, determining who was the eldest man became difficult until a situation came up when there was need for fire. The settlers decided that whoever would be brave enough to fetch fire from the camp at Odene-Nneyi would be crowned the diokpala or the eldest. Nwavor went and brought fire for his brothers to use and was crowned Diokpala (Eze-Anam). Nwavor and his descendants later moved to Aboh area currently called Aboegbu and Mmiata Anam and settled there until the early 19th Century when other Anam communities fled Odah as a result of invasion by Aboh slave warriors. Umueze Anam returned to Odah to protect other Anam communities from further attacks. RELATIONSHIP/ LAND TUSSLE BETWEEN UMUDORA/UMUEZE ANAM AS NARRATED BY CHIEF EMMA NNACHOR It is said that the two villages of Umuziam and Umudora migrated from the same ancestral origin. According to the story, both Aziam and Udora, the ancestors of Umuziam and Umudora left Nteje at the heat of the war between that town and the Edda Warriors. The Edda Warriors were said to be engaged as mercenaries by Awkuzu, to avenge the death of their daughter at the hands of a young man from Nteje. Aziam and Udora together with other people also fleeing from the Edda onslaught crossed Anambra River to settle at Oda, where together with other people, they formed a union called Anagba, from which Anam metamorphosed. Nteje, like other towns in the then Anambra River Basin Area, also evolved from migration and fusion from different settlements. It was possible that both Aziam and Udora were not from the same ancestral origins save for the union acquired from Nteje as a town.

The first point from the above is to knock-off any contention that the grouping of Anam into Ifite and Ezi connotes any blood relationships. If it were so, both Umuziam and Umudora wouldn't have been grouped differently in Ifite and Ezi Anam respectively. This is because all Anam elders agree that the four villages of Mmiata, Umuoba, Umuziam and lyiora make up Ifite Anam while Ezi Anam comprises Umuikwu, Umudora, Oroma Etiti and Umuem. In the olden days when the number of people who attained the "prestigious" Oba tittle (Ogbuevi) was not appreciably high, all Anam villages celebrated Oba festival together shifting the timing and the attendant celebrations from one village to the other in the year.

But until recently, Umuziam and Umudora celebrated Oba Title together. The relationship between Umuziam and Umudora was very cordial. The substantial part of the land (indeed more than half) on which the people of Umuziam live and farm belongs to Umudora.

This occurred after the emigration of Umuziam from Aboh to resettle at Odan in 1902. By that time, Umudora had firmly established at their present-day location, which has the advantage of a higher elevation than the very low-lying position of the lands round and about Odah by the banks of rivers Ezichi and Anambra. It is reasonable to argue therefore, that it was the enhancement of their occupation, and the usage of this vast land that induced Umuziam to cement the bond of their relationship with Umudora.

However, tension started growing between Umueze Anam and Umudora because of some people’s lack of understanding of historical facts. The issue of locating of a petroleum refinery by the Orient Petroleum Resources Limited (OPRL) in Umudora Anam was one big matter. This is because Umueze Anam have occupied the land, partly for settlement and largely for agricultural proposes.

The arguments (mainly from youths) of the two villages are summarized below:

Umudora: Umudora people are of the opinion that by frustrating the concluded agreement between them (Umudora) and OPRL, Umueze people are impliedly trying to use their education, wealth, enlightenment and connections, to confiscate their (Umudora’s) land. The aim is to deprive them of the royalty due to them as land owners.

Umueze: Umueze Anam on their part feel that by siting the project very close to their village, only their people would bear the brunt of the negative aspects of the proposed project; more than any other village in Anam. That because of their effective occupation and usage of the land in question for about a century now, and the fact that their people have built up structures and planted economic trees on the land, they (Umueze) should contribute effectively to how best to cushion off the impact of the project.