Eluoma
Encyclopedia
Eluoma is a town in Amawu, Isuikwuato
, Abia State
of Nigeria
. It is the largest town in Isuikwuato, having more than 10 distinct villages. It also occupies the largest geographical space in the whole of Isuikwuato
, and has the most varied vegetation
, relief
and drainage
. It shares boundaries with Amiyi Amaokwo, Amiyi Obilohia, Otampa, Umuasua, Umuobiala, Nnunya and Umuahia
. It is a few kilometres from Abia State University
, Uturu, Abia State
and about 45 kilometres from Umuahia
, the capital of Abia State
, in the South Eastern part of Nigeria
. Eluoma people are Igbos by ethnicity and belongs to what was formally called Igbo Union from which the "Central Igbo" was derived.
, Imo State
, but got absolved by the original communities. If this theory is true, it will explain why these villages occupy the most arid
parts of Eluoma. They have to go several kilometres to fetch waters and carry on farming.
Eluoma people settled in their present location long ago, possibly over three hundred years ago as a part of the general migration
that took place at the time. The distribution pattern of the villages was determined by those who arrived first and who chose the choicest parts of the land. The Obus and Eberes came first and settled in the most fertile part of the land. The Okogbuos also settled in a fertile part of the land. The Obodos initially settled in a low-lying lands around Umuezeoka and Ndi Ogu but latter relocated to their present place not too long ago.
Umuebere Nkuma and the Obu people occupy the strip of land where the land produces palm products in abundance, cassava
, yam
and other tropical crops. This portion of land is well watered. It is the food basket of the community. Umuerem and Umuokogbuo people also have a fertile for agriculture.
However, when modern socioeconomic development commenced, it came from the direction of Isuikwuato
where the Obodos, Umusoos, Umuamas and Ekebes live; hence they now occupy the more developed part of Eluoma.
s, Eluoma people never had a single king
or ruler in the time past. Communal issues were settled by elders
delegated from the different villages who decided on the basis of majority votes. “Igbo ama eze” is how Igbos put it. The same applied in the villages. Adult males took the most important decisions while women always had their own government
. Thus decisions were by universal adult male suffrage.
However, in the mid seventies, the Federal Military Government
of Nigeria
, led by people of Northern extraction began to foist their oligarchic system of administration
on the whole country, particularly the East, through the Military Governors whom they appointed. These governors in turn requested for “chiefs” or traditional rulers to be installed. Like all other Igbo
societies, the first generation of chiefs were persuaded to accept the position. The first chief or eze Eluoma had was His Royal Highness, Eze Innocent Eloagu from Ekebe. Interestingly, Ekebe is only arguably one of the last sons of Eluoma but produced the first eze. Later on, the same Eloagu went on to become the first eze in Amawu.
At the moment, Eluoma no longer has any one eze or chief. There are several autonomous communities, following the manipulation of the political class who needed to reduce the powers of traditional rulers. Each village now has its own chief democratically chosen through consultations and recommendation by all adult males.
Eluoma has represented Isuikwuato, perhaps more than any other town, in government political appointments at the state level. It has produced many commissioners in the past. It also produced the Second Republic House Assembly member, Barrister Emeka Uwanna. It also produced a military governor. The only town that has a comparable record is Ovim which produced military governors and Federal Minster/Senator although only two did all these for them.
Of particular note is the maverick scholar, philosopher/poet, Chinweizu
whose influence straddles the globe, particularly the black world. He hails from Eluoma and has been a source of inspiration and pride to Eluoma people. He has debated other scholar like Ali Mazrui
and unmasked Wole Soyinka
's obscurantist writings.cateroy:african writers
for all Eluoma people is Ahonta located between Obodo, Ekebe, Umusoo, Amaeke and Umuebere Aja. This led to the establishment of other social-cultural and economic ventures around Ahonta. A civic centre with a postal agency was constructed in the 70s through communal efforts. Ahonta Market itself was developed into a modern market
in the same 70s by tasking each village to build a block of stalls. There is a health centre and electrification
project that did more to divide Eluoma people than unite them.
The Eluoma Development Union (EDU) co-ordinates socio-cultural development although many have seen its past projects as partial and targeted at marginalising the other villages far away from Ahonta. For example, the electrification
of Eluoma was undertaken as a communal project with each household contributing agreed amounts. The agreement was that the electrification
would be taken to every village. However, once with the contribution of everyone, electricity
got to Ahonta area, the people of Obodo, Ekebe, Umuama and others refused to make any more contribution since they had got power. The other villages are still struggling after over 15 years to have access to electricity
.
Besides, St Agnes Primary School is also popular. Other schools are Uporoto Primary School, Obu-Na-Ebere Primary School and others. There has been some private initiative at establishing secondary schools. Universal Commercial School was founded at Obodo while an Onward Commercial School founded at Ali Ukanze.
, Iri Ji, Ahia Egwu and Onunu Ji. Due to the advance of Christianity
though, the rest apart from Christmas
are taking back seat.
of the land of Eluoma. This entailed a mass return of Eluoma women living outside to Eluoma. Unfortunately, much violation of the fundamental rights
of non-participants has marred any good intention it had. Those who, on ground of conscience
or faith
have refused to take in the pagan-tainted activities have been persecuted to the point of physical molestation and ostracism.
s and a few springs
. Umuebere Nkuma (Obu-Na-Ebere Nkuma) has the largest number of streams and springs. Sharing the great Eze Iyi with others, they also have Adaoma, Ubiyi, Ndoahau, Iyi Ndemgbelu, Agboabo, Agbouhu, Agbocha, Ugwuede, Onuahia, Onuosovaravara, Onu Okpuocha, Onu Ejiofo, Iyi Eke, etc.
is flat from the entrance from Oguduasaa and Umuobiala ends only. From all other entrances, the town is an amalgam of hills and valleys. The great Valley of Umuebere Nkuma marks a major shift in relief and also affects the drainage.
and exportation of few cash crops. Water yam, white yam, Yellow yam, coiling yam, cocoa yam, cassavas, beans (odudu), ugu
, okro, akwukwo oho (oha), ahahara vegetable
and many others keep the people healthy. Bananas of all types, oranges
, pears
, mangoes, cashews, and kola nut
s. There are plenty of vegetables and fruits. Indeed some specie of fruit like nturu, a fruit which, once you lick it, you eat or drink anything and it would taste as if it has sugar in your mouth. It has been speculated that this fruit
could be harnessed and used for diabetic patients in place of sugar
.
Palm produce is about the main export and it sustains many households. The interesting thing is that these palms trees up till now grow wild. There has been no attempt by locals to turn what is natural into organised plantations. The government
too has done nothing to encourage local or foreign investors in this area.
s. In addition, Umuebere has large store of construction stones
and gravels. The Umuokogbuos have construction sand
in abundance.
also called OMU by the community that has attracted people from all over the world for over 7 decades. It is located between Umuebere Nkuma and Eluoma Central School. The cave is called "Omu Ubiyi". Also is the Adaoma river which can pass as a lake with its distinctive setting. In addition, there is a mini water fall in Ezeiyi Umuihuagwu in Obu-Na-Ebere. There are virgin forests for wildlife
tourists and festivals at intervals.
, like all other Igbos but with their distinct dialect
. Even in Isuikwuato
, one can easily pick out an Eluoma person from his tongue. With the coming of the British
as colonial
masters to Nigeria
, Eluoma people adopted English
as their second language
.
ans, Eluoma people were animists and worshiped many gods. These gods included streams like Nneochie, Adaoma, Ubiyi, etc. Some animals also were worshiped as gods, such as Avuala (ajala), that is viper
. Some trees were equally regarded as the abode of the gods. Above all, ancestral worship
was common to every family.
At the beginning of the 20th century, however, Christianity
came to the area. Umuebere Nkuma was the first to be reached through the effort of the Methodist Church which first landed at Ovim in Isuikwuato. Later, the Roman Catholic Church
came from the northern part of Isuikwuato
. In the past 30 years, the religious landscape of Eluoma changed with the arrival of the non-denominational Scripture Union
and the Assemblies of God
. In this 21st Century, Eluoma has Catholics, Methodists, Anglicans and white Garment Churches. There are many Pentecostal churches which drew membership from existing traditional or mainline churches.
is estimated at 30,000. Umuebere Nkuma has the highest number of old people in Eluoma. Some say this is because of the fact that the village is separated from the noisy Ahonta and has vegetables, fruits and natural drinking water in abundance.
Isuikwuato
Isuikwuato is a local government area in Abia State in southeastern Nigeria. It has an estimated population of over 50,000 people. Isuikwuato contains many natural resources like Iron ore, Kaolin etc. Oil lines flow throw Isuikwuato and there have been cases of burst pipe which have had severe...
, Abia State
Abia State
Abia State is a state in southeastern Nigeria. The capital is Umuahia, although the major commercial city is Aba, formerly a British colonial government outpost. The state was created in 1991 from part of Imo State and its citizens are predominantly Igbo people...
of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. It is the largest town in Isuikwuato, having more than 10 distinct villages. It also occupies the largest geographical space in the whole of Isuikwuato
Isuikwuato
Isuikwuato is a local government area in Abia State in southeastern Nigeria. It has an estimated population of over 50,000 people. Isuikwuato contains many natural resources like Iron ore, Kaolin etc. Oil lines flow throw Isuikwuato and there have been cases of burst pipe which have had severe...
, and has the most varied vegetation
Vegetation
Vegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region; it refers to the ground cover provided by plants. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular taxa, life forms, structure, spatial extent, or any other specific botanical or geographic characteristics. It is broader...
, relief
Relief
Relief is a sculptural technique. The term relief is from the Latin verb levo, to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is thus to give the impression that the sculpted material has been raised above the background plane...
and drainage
Drainage
Drainage is the natural or artificial removal of surface and sub-surface water from an area. Many agricultural soils need drainage to improve production or to manage water supplies.-Early history:...
. It shares boundaries with Amiyi Amaokwo, Amiyi Obilohia, Otampa, Umuasua, Umuobiala, Nnunya and Umuahia
Umuahia
Umuahia is the capital of Abia State in southeastern Nigeria. Umuahia is located along the rail road that lies between Port Harcourt to Umuahia's south and Enugu city to its north. Umuahia has a population of 359,230 according to the 2006 Nigerian census. Umuahia's indigenous ethnic group are the...
. It is a few kilometres from Abia State University
Abia State University
Abia State University is one of the state owned universities in Nigeria. These state academic institutions were created to expand admissions and bring professional skills, expertise and modern research facilities close to the city and rural dwellers; and have helped talented students to obtain...
, Uturu, Abia State
Abia State
Abia State is a state in southeastern Nigeria. The capital is Umuahia, although the major commercial city is Aba, formerly a British colonial government outpost. The state was created in 1991 from part of Imo State and its citizens are predominantly Igbo people...
and about 45 kilometres from Umuahia
Umuahia
Umuahia is the capital of Abia State in southeastern Nigeria. Umuahia is located along the rail road that lies between Port Harcourt to Umuahia's south and Enugu city to its north. Umuahia has a population of 359,230 according to the 2006 Nigerian census. Umuahia's indigenous ethnic group are the...
, the capital of Abia State
Abia State
Abia State is a state in southeastern Nigeria. The capital is Umuahia, although the major commercial city is Aba, formerly a British colonial government outpost. The state was created in 1991 from part of Imo State and its citizens are predominantly Igbo people...
, in the South Eastern part of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. Eluoma people are Igbos by ethnicity and belongs to what was formally called Igbo Union from which the "Central Igbo" was derived.
Composition
The villages or communities that make up Eluoma are Umuebere Nkuma (Obu-Na-Ebere Nkuma), Umuebere Aja, Umuama, Ekebe, Obodo, Umusoo, Umuokogbuo, Umuerem, Ndi Ogu, Umuezeoka, Umuihe (formerly, Umu Ohu) and Igidi-Inyim. Apart from Obodo, Umuama, Umusoo and Ekebe, each of the above villages or communities are geographically separated by distances ranging from two kilometres to seven or more kilometres.History
Obu was the first child of Eluoma, followed by Ebere and the Okogbuo. Obu dispatched his children all over the town of Eluoma, thus the Obus are found near both Umuebere Nkume and Umuebere Aja, and in the midst of the other people. There is a school of thought that every other village apart from the three mentioned in this paragraph were migrants who came from the direction of Uturu, near OkigweOkigwe
-See also:Roman Catholic Diocese of Okigwe...
, Imo State
Imo State
Imo State is one of the 36 states of Nigeria and lies to the south of Nigeria with Owerri as its capital and largest city.-History:Imo State came into existence in 1976 along with other new states created under the leadership of the late military ruler of Nigeria, Murtala Muhammad, having been...
, but got absolved by the original communities. If this theory is true, it will explain why these villages occupy the most arid
Arid
A region is said to be arid when it is characterized by a severe lack of available water, to the extent of hindering or even preventing the growth and development of plant and animal life...
parts of Eluoma. They have to go several kilometres to fetch waters and carry on farming.
Eluoma people settled in their present location long ago, possibly over three hundred years ago as a part of the general migration
Human migration
Human migration is physical movement by humans from one area to another, sometimes over long distances or in large groups. Historically this movement was nomadic, often causing significant conflict with the indigenous population and their displacement or cultural assimilation. Only a few nomadic...
that took place at the time. The distribution pattern of the villages was determined by those who arrived first and who chose the choicest parts of the land. The Obus and Eberes came first and settled in the most fertile part of the land. The Okogbuos also settled in a fertile part of the land. The Obodos initially settled in a low-lying lands around Umuezeoka and Ndi Ogu but latter relocated to their present place not too long ago.
Umuebere Nkuma and the Obu people occupy the strip of land where the land produces palm products in abundance, cassava
Cassava
Cassava , also called yuca or manioc, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates...
, yam
Yam (vegetable)
Yam is the common name for some species in the genus Dioscorea . These are perennial herbaceous vines cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania...
and other tropical crops. This portion of land is well watered. It is the food basket of the community. Umuerem and Umuokogbuo people also have a fertile for agriculture.
However, when modern socioeconomic development commenced, it came from the direction of Isuikwuato
Isuikwuato
Isuikwuato is a local government area in Abia State in southeastern Nigeria. It has an estimated population of over 50,000 people. Isuikwuato contains many natural resources like Iron ore, Kaolin etc. Oil lines flow throw Isuikwuato and there have been cases of burst pipe which have had severe...
where the Obodos, Umusoos, Umuamas and Ekebes live; hence they now occupy the more developed part of Eluoma.
Government and politics
Like most IgboIgbo people
Igbo people, also referred to as the Ibo, Ebo, Eboans or Heebo are an ethnic group living chiefly in southeastern Nigeria. They speak Igbo, which includes various Igboid languages and dialects; today, a majority of them speak English alongside Igbo as a result of British colonialism...
s, Eluoma people never had a single king
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
or ruler in the time past. Communal issues were settled by elders
Elder (administrative title)
The term Elder is used in several different countries and organizations to indicate a position of authority...
delegated from the different villages who decided on the basis of majority votes. “Igbo ama eze” is how Igbos put it. The same applied in the villages. Adult males took the most important decisions while women always had their own government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
. Thus decisions were by universal adult male suffrage.
However, in the mid seventies, the Federal Military Government
Military government
Military government can refer to conditions under either Military occupation, or Military dictatorship.-Military Government:Military government is the form of administration by which an occupying power exercises governmental authority over occupied territory.The Hague Conventions of 1907 specify...
of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, led by people of Northern extraction began to foist their oligarchic system of administration
Public administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
on the whole country, particularly the East, through the Military Governors whom they appointed. These governors in turn requested for “chiefs” or traditional rulers to be installed. Like all other Igbo
Igbo people
Igbo people, also referred to as the Ibo, Ebo, Eboans or Heebo are an ethnic group living chiefly in southeastern Nigeria. They speak Igbo, which includes various Igboid languages and dialects; today, a majority of them speak English alongside Igbo as a result of British colonialism...
societies, the first generation of chiefs were persuaded to accept the position. The first chief or eze Eluoma had was His Royal Highness, Eze Innocent Eloagu from Ekebe. Interestingly, Ekebe is only arguably one of the last sons of Eluoma but produced the first eze. Later on, the same Eloagu went on to become the first eze in Amawu.
At the moment, Eluoma no longer has any one eze or chief. There are several autonomous communities, following the manipulation of the political class who needed to reduce the powers of traditional rulers. Each village now has its own chief democratically chosen through consultations and recommendation by all adult males.
Eluoma has represented Isuikwuato, perhaps more than any other town, in government political appointments at the state level. It has produced many commissioners in the past. It also produced the Second Republic House Assembly member, Barrister Emeka Uwanna. It also produced a military governor. The only town that has a comparable record is Ovim which produced military governors and Federal Minster/Senator although only two did all these for them.
Of particular note is the maverick scholar, philosopher/poet, Chinweizu
Chinweizu
Chinweizu is a Nigerian critic, poet, and journalist. Though he has identified himself and is known simply as Chinweizu, he was born Chinweizu Ibekwe at Eluoma in Isuikwuato in the part of Eastern Region that is known today as Abia State, and was educated at Government Secondary School, Afikpo. He...
whose influence straddles the globe, particularly the black world. He hails from Eluoma and has been a source of inspiration and pride to Eluoma people. He has debated other scholar like Ali Mazrui
Ali Mazrui
Ali Al'amin Mazrui is an academic and political writer on African and Islamic studies and North-South relations. He is an Albert Schweitzer Professor in the Humanities and the Director of the Institute of Global Cultural Studies at Binghamton University in Binghamton, New York.-Education:Mazrui...
and unmasked Wole Soyinka
Wole Soyinka
Akinwande Oluwole "Wole" Soyinka is a Nigerian writer, poet and playwright. He was awarded the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature, where he was recognised as a man "who in a wide cultural perspective and with poetic overtones fashions the drama of existence", and became the first African in Africa and...
's obscurantist writings.cateroy:african writers
Social development
The central marketMarket
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
for all Eluoma people is Ahonta located between Obodo, Ekebe, Umusoo, Amaeke and Umuebere Aja. This led to the establishment of other social-cultural and economic ventures around Ahonta. A civic centre with a postal agency was constructed in the 70s through communal efforts. Ahonta Market itself was developed into a modern market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
in the same 70s by tasking each village to build a block of stalls. There is a health centre and electrification
Electrification
Electrification originally referred to the build out of the electrical generating and distribution systems which occurred in the United States, England and other countries from the mid 1880's until around 1940 and is in progress in developing countries. This also included the change over from line...
project that did more to divide Eluoma people than unite them.
The Eluoma Development Union (EDU) co-ordinates socio-cultural development although many have seen its past projects as partial and targeted at marginalising the other villages far away from Ahonta. For example, the electrification
Electrification
Electrification originally referred to the build out of the electrical generating and distribution systems which occurred in the United States, England and other countries from the mid 1880's until around 1940 and is in progress in developing countries. This also included the change over from line...
of Eluoma was undertaken as a communal project with each household contributing agreed amounts. The agreement was that the electrification
Electrification
Electrification originally referred to the build out of the electrical generating and distribution systems which occurred in the United States, England and other countries from the mid 1880's until around 1940 and is in progress in developing countries. This also included the change over from line...
would be taken to every village. However, once with the contribution of everyone, electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
got to Ahonta area, the people of Obodo, Ekebe, Umuama and others refused to make any more contribution since they had got power. The other villages are still struggling after over 15 years to have access to electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
.
Institutions
One of the most famous institutions in Eluoma is the Eluoma Central School, now a ghost of itself former self. Anyone who is anything in Eluoma passed through the school. It was proposed that Eluoma Secondary School, built in the late 70s through communal efforts, should be done at the site of Eluoma Central School but certain political forces conspired to have the new school built in their backyard. In consequence, much financial resources was wasted building on a virgin land. The secondary school could not develop beyond its foundation level.Besides, St Agnes Primary School is also popular. Other schools are Uporoto Primary School, Obu-Na-Ebere Primary School and others. There has been some private initiative at establishing secondary schools. Universal Commercial School was founded at Obodo while an Onward Commercial School founded at Ali Ukanze.
Festivals
The most popular festivals in Eluoma are ChristmasChristmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, Iri Ji, Ahia Egwu and Onunu Ji. Due to the advance of Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
though, the rest apart from Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
are taking back seat.
August meeting
Sometime ago, progressive-minded women of Eluoma began to organise an annual ritual called August Meeting ostensibly for the developmentRegional development
Regional development is the provision of aid and other assistance to regions which are less economically developed. Regional development may be domestic or international in nature...
of the land of Eluoma. This entailed a mass return of Eluoma women living outside to Eluoma. Unfortunately, much violation of the fundamental rights
Fundamental rights
Fundamental rights are a generally-regarded set of entitlements in the context of a legal system, wherein such system is itself said to be based upon this same set of basic, fundamental, or inalienable entitlements or "rights." Such rights thus belong without presumption or cost of privilege to all...
of non-participants has marred any good intention it had. Those who, on ground of conscience
Conscience
Conscience is an aptitude, faculty, intuition or judgment of the intellect that distinguishes right from wrong. Moral judgement may derive from values or norms...
or faith
Faith
Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
have refused to take in the pagan-tainted activities have been persecuted to the point of physical molestation and ostracism.
Drainage
Eluoma is watered by Eze-Iyi, Adaoma, Ubiyi, Nneochie and many other streamStream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
s and a few springs
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
. Umuebere Nkuma (Obu-Na-Ebere Nkuma) has the largest number of streams and springs. Sharing the great Eze Iyi with others, they also have Adaoma, Ubiyi, Ndoahau, Iyi Ndemgbelu, Agboabo, Agbouhu, Agbocha, Ugwuede, Onuahia, Onuosovaravara, Onu Okpuocha, Onu Ejiofo, Iyi Eke, etc.
Relief
The townTown
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
is flat from the entrance from Oguduasaa and Umuobiala ends only. From all other entrances, the town is an amalgam of hills and valleys. The great Valley of Umuebere Nkuma marks a major shift in relief and also affects the drainage.
Economy
Being a rural community, Eluoma survives on subsistence farming and the productionAgriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
and exportation of few cash crops. Water yam, white yam, Yellow yam, coiling yam, cocoa yam, cassavas, beans (odudu), ugu
Telfairia occidentalis
Telfairia occidentalis is a tropical vine grown in West Africa as a leaf vegetable and for its edible seeds. Common names for the plant include Fluted gourd, Fluted pumpkin, and Ugu....
, okro, akwukwo oho (oha), ahahara vegetable
Vegetable
The noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
and many others keep the people healthy. Bananas of all types, oranges
Orange (fruit)
An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
, pears
Pear
The pear is any of several tree species of genus Pyrus and also the name of the pomaceous fruit of these trees. Several species of pear are valued by humans for their edible fruit, but the fruit of other species is small, hard, and astringent....
, mangoes, cashews, and kola nut
Kola nut
Kola Nut is the nut of the kola tree, a genus of trees native to the tropical rainforests of Africa, classified in the family Malvaceae, subfamily Sterculioideae . It is related to the South American genus Theobroma, or cocoa...
s. There are plenty of vegetables and fruits. Indeed some specie of fruit like nturu, a fruit which, once you lick it, you eat or drink anything and it would taste as if it has sugar in your mouth. It has been speculated that this fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
could be harnessed and used for diabetic patients in place of sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
.
Palm produce is about the main export and it sustains many households. The interesting thing is that these palms trees up till now grow wild. There has been no attempt by locals to turn what is natural into organised plantations. The government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
too has done nothing to encourage local or foreign investors in this area.
Minerals
Eluoma is unmapped in terms of minerals but it is believed that the Umuebere Basin has a rich deposit of fossil fuelFossil fuel
Fossil fuels are fuels formed by natural processes such as anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms. The age of the organisms and their resulting fossil fuels is typically millions of years, and sometimes exceeds 650 million years...
s. In addition, Umuebere has large store of construction stones
Rock (geology)
In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
and gravels. The Umuokogbuos have construction sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
in abundance.
Tourism
There is a caveCave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
also called OMU by the community that has attracted people from all over the world for over 7 decades. It is located between Umuebere Nkuma and Eluoma Central School. The cave is called "Omu Ubiyi". Also is the Adaoma river which can pass as a lake with its distinctive setting. In addition, there is a mini water fall in Ezeiyi Umuihuagwu in Obu-Na-Ebere. There are virgin forests for wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
tourists and festivals at intervals.
Language
Eluoma people speak Igbo languageIgbo language
Igbo , or Igbo proper, is a native language of the Igbo people, an ethnic group primarily located in southeastern Nigeria. There are approximately 20 million speakers that are mostly in Nigeria and are primarily of Igbo descent. Igbo is a national language of Nigeria. It is written in the Latin...
, like all other Igbos but with their distinct dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
. Even in Isuikwuato
Isuikwuato
Isuikwuato is a local government area in Abia State in southeastern Nigeria. It has an estimated population of over 50,000 people. Isuikwuato contains many natural resources like Iron ore, Kaolin etc. Oil lines flow throw Isuikwuato and there have been cases of burst pipe which have had severe...
, one can easily pick out an Eluoma person from his tongue. With the coming of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
as colonial
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
masters to Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, Eluoma people adopted English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as their second language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
.
Religion
Before the coming of the EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
ans, Eluoma people were animists and worshiped many gods. These gods included streams like Nneochie, Adaoma, Ubiyi, etc. Some animals also were worshiped as gods, such as Avuala (ajala), that is viper
Viperidae
The Viperidae are a family of venomous snakes found all over the world, except in Antarctica, Australia, Ireland, Madagascar, Hawaii, various other isolated islands, and above the Arctic Circle. All have relatively long, hinged fangs that permit deep penetration and injection of venom. Four...
. Some trees were equally regarded as the abode of the gods. Above all, ancestral worship
Worship
Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. The word is derived from the Old English worthscipe, meaning worthiness or worth-ship — to give, at its simplest, worth to something, for example, Christian worship.Evelyn Underhill defines worship thus: "The absolute...
was common to every family.
At the beginning of the 20th century, however, Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
came to the area. Umuebere Nkuma was the first to be reached through the effort of the Methodist Church which first landed at Ovim in Isuikwuato. Later, the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
came from the northern part of Isuikwuato
Isuikwuato
Isuikwuato is a local government area in Abia State in southeastern Nigeria. It has an estimated population of over 50,000 people. Isuikwuato contains many natural resources like Iron ore, Kaolin etc. Oil lines flow throw Isuikwuato and there have been cases of burst pipe which have had severe...
. In the past 30 years, the religious landscape of Eluoma changed with the arrival of the non-denominational Scripture Union
Scripture Union
Scripture Union is an international, inter-denominational, evangelical Christian movement. It was founded in 1867, and works in partnership with individuals and churches across the world...
and the Assemblies of God
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
. In this 21st Century, Eluoma has Catholics, Methodists, Anglicans and white Garment Churches. There are many Pentecostal churches which drew membership from existing traditional or mainline churches.
Population
There is no official figure as most Eluoma people are living outside the town. However, the populationPopulation
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
is estimated at 30,000. Umuebere Nkuma has the highest number of old people in Eluoma. Some say this is because of the fact that the village is separated from the noisy Ahonta and has vegetables, fruits and natural drinking water in abundance.