User:Ndukaswiki

Umuolu is a small town along the river Niger lying on the neck of the delta, Delta state, Nigeria. To the north, Umuolu is bordered by Okpokirika, oposite, on the other side is Adia-Obiofu, and Adia-Obiaka to the south, going down river. Onogboko is the closest village upland to the west.

Like the people of Aboh, the people of Umuolu speak a variant of present day Ibo, but do not generally like to be associated with either. However, because of the Isoko speaking villages of Onogboko and Adia-Obiaka and Umuti, most of the people can speak Isoko fluently.

During the Nigerian Civil War, the village and indeed families of Umuolu, like so many along the river, found themsleves on both sides of the national conflict purely based on the language civilians spoke to the advancing army. If the Briafrans advanced, they spoke Igbo, but when the Nigerian army advanced, Isoko became the common tongue.

Orignis: It is not clear when the people of Umuolu settled in their present location. There are three main clans in Umuolu, all tracing their lineage and descent from different places. The Ogbe-Aboh (pronounced ogbe'boh) lay claim to first arrival and own most of the land. They trace their lineage to Abi, near Kwale. Most of their religious festivities are closely linked to the Ukwata festival. The other clan, Ugbama,also lay claim to have arrived first migrated from the Ijo provinces of ODI ,the third clan of egeddebiri also trace their roots back to other Ijo settelements inside the niger delta.

The people:

The people are predominantly subsistence farmers and fishermen. When the Niger floods the swampy plains, the women take to fishing crayfish, while the men cast Raga for smaller Jenkinsia Lamprotenia. During the dry seasons, they plant yam, cassava and plaintain and dig pond wells to trap Silurus Glanis. Umuolu is also a major market town where food produce is traded for shipment to Onitsha.

Transportation:

Umuolu is water locked during most part of the year. As a result of the swampy road network, the people rely on bots and canoes to ply the Niger.

Culture:

Umuolu has ties to the Ukwata festival of Abbi, the oru dance of the Ijo people and Mmanwu masquerades from interior Igbo people. The most notable festival, however, is the Ojarito festival.

. The Ojarito festival is a communual festival of peace between the founding fathers of Umuolu and their neighouring village of Umuti, near Onogboko. According to legend, the two villages were in constant attack and retreat until they both agreed never to transgress upon each other's territories. To secure the bond, they created the bi-annual festival dances, hosted in alternate years, to commemorate the peace accord.

Due to the intricate peace deal, citizens of the two villages are not allowed to inter-marry, not out of spite but pure love of brotherhood. Attempts to encourage co-habituation was discouraged in the 1980s when some rebel elements tried to encourage mingling. This attempt withstood strong opposition and they continue to live as friends with no plans to inter-marry or even have children. Surpisingly, the festival and their punitive justice system has proved to be a deterrent from any form of agression or misdemeanour internally and externally. Other neighbouring villages also went on to create similar alliances; some examples are the bonds of Aboh and Afiankwo, and Adia-Obiaka and Adia-Utu.

Schools

ntu Onunu Primary School, Umuolu.

Umuolu Secondary School, Umuolu.

Ndukaswiki (talk) 17:21, 16 February 2009 (UTC)