User:Okosisi/Umuoji

Umuoji

Umuoji is a town in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria. It is located at aproximately eight miles northeast of the commercial city of Onitsha. Legend has it that a man named Okodu is the ancestral father of Umuoji. Several key facts are settled about Okodu, and they are:

1) That Okodu was once a residence of Nri (either as native-born or migrant)

2) That Okodu’s wife was an Nri woman

3) That Okodu and his wife migrated to an uninhabited piece of land that is know today as Abatete

4) That Okodu and his wife had three sons namely Omaliko, Oji and Dimudeke

5) That Omaliko, the first son was the progenitor of Abatete, Oji progenited Umuoji, and Dimudike’s progeny is Nkpor (originally known as Umudim)

The legend goes on to state that, in conformity with Igbo customs, Omaliko, the first son of Okodu, became the sole inheritor of Okodu’s piece of land. The reality of Omaliko’s exclusive inheritance resulted in Oji and Dimudeke having to depart to find their own separate settlements.

This legend that is generally accepted by Umuojians continues that Oji had four sons namely Eziora, Ifiteora, Dimechem and Akala, in birth order. These four sons of Oji Okodu constitute the four loosely administrative quarters in Umuoji. Each of Oji’s four sons begot several sons of their own, and each of their sons individually originated one of the twenty-three villages in Umuoji. The traditional history further narrates that Oji’s sons and grandsons had such large families that their population soon eclipsed those of Omaliko and Dimudeke combined.

It is said that old Okodu, who must have been blessed with longevity, was so impressed with the multitude that descended from his second son, Oji, that he proudly referred to them as “Igwulube Okodu”, literally interpreted to mean “Okodu’s swam of locusts.” Listed below, in order of seniority, are the four sons of Oji and their children who were the progenitors of the constituent twenty-three villages in Umuoji.

1. EZIORA Abor, Umuobia, Ire, Ekwulu, Amoji and Urueze

2. IFITEORA Ifite, Urudeke, Umuazu and Umuoli

3. DIMECHEM Aguma Elum, Umuoma, Uruaneke, Urumkpu, Ideoma, Dianokwu, Dimboko, and Umuechem

4. AKALA Aguma, Uruegbe, Akala Etiti, Anaogu and Abidi