Umunze
Encyclopedia
Umunze is an Igbo
-speaking town in south eastern Nigeria
. It is the headquarters of Orumba South
local government area of Anambra State
. Its geographic coordinates are 5" 58' 0 North, 7" 13' 0 East.
Umunze people are said to pe partly Igbo and partly Tiv people who migrated to the area around 1476 during the time of extreme draft in search of aerable and fertilie farm land for food. The Tiv later had misundersatnding with the host over marriage of the Tiv daughters while the Tiv married the daughters of their host(1). A major proof of this is the love of women, meat and jolly life (alcoholic drinks)by some parts of Umunze people when compared to the rest of the Igbos. The Umunze people and environs where the remnants of Tiv abound who refused to migrate upwards with their fellow Tivs, are also noted for extreme tallness and lanky physique similar to that of Tivs and different from the rest of the Igbos.
There are many towns that migrated to join Umunze and form the town. A good example is parts of (Umualaoma) Isuokpu when the famous wars with Izuogu and Iheme (notorious inglorious slave trader and murderer from Arochukwu and Awka respectively) who they hosted benevolently and innocently and who stabbed Isuokpu people at the back by going to bring mercenaries from Abam to fight the Isuokpu in order that Izuogu and Iheme could take their land and settle at the time of abolition of slave trade by the British. Parts of Isieke and Obinohia people in Umuallaoma who migrated to Umunze to escape one type of punishment or the other are now part and parcel of Umunze. Ihite Umuenze (now Ihite) is rich in people from Umualaoma who ran from wars and humiliations from punishments from other types of deed or the other. One powerful man from Isuokpu (Umualaoma) called Ezerioha Udensi (father of Ezeagwula Ezerioha) of Obiokwara (Umudim), Obinihu was responsible for keeping the dangerously advancing Aros and their slaves in a "fight of life for land" in check. He organized Isuokpu, Umunze and Ihite people and neighbours to form a powerful militia group that restricted the advance of the Aros from Okigwe area. At the same time Ezerioha Udensi charistimatically encouraged some communities in the present Okigwe and Orlu Divisions to allocate the Aros some land since the Aros and their slaves could not go to nowhere having being blocked at Okigwe by the white man who ensured that slave trade was stopped. Using this stategy Ezerioha Udensi stopped the numerous wars and gueirilla warfares against the Aros and ensured the survival of many indegenous communities and that the Aros didnot reach Umunze.
Umunze maintains a special relationship with the Obiokwara Obinihu people, shown by excahnge of goodwill at Obi Ezerioha in Isuokpu masquerade ceremonies and at Nkwo Umunze or palace of Abalikete (up to Ugochukwu reign)at Okuka and other ceremonies. The neighbours of Umunze are Umualaoma in Imo State; Eziagu, Isulo, Ezira, Ihite, Ogbunka
and Umuchu
in Anambra State. Its people are mainly farmers and traders. Its seven villages are Amuda, Ururo, Lomu, Ubaha, Ugwunano, Ozara and Nsogwu. The traditional ruler is called Abalikete and its people Nze, hence the name "Umunze".
The current traditional ruler is Chief Promise Eze, Abalikete II of Umunze. He became the new ruler after the death of Abalikete I, Chief MN Ugochukwu. The kingship is rotational, among the villages, and every male is eligible to contest. Some of its prominent sons and daughters includes Chief Jona Eze, Chief Fabian Enemuoh, Profs Ukaejiofor, Ubahakwe and Aniebo, Col(Rtd) Augustine Aniebo, Ben Oranusi,Sir Sylvanus Madueke(KSJ), Dr. and Mrs. Eric Sibeudu, Ms. Nkiru Ugochukwu, Sir and Lady Ajuluchukwu Ekemezie, Barrister Nwachukwu C Okafor, Dr. Oliver Ezechi, Christian Amah, Drs. L.O. Nwankwo, Okoli and Ubahakwe, Echezona Okechi,Late Emma Okeke(Ide),Mr. Michael Achugbu Madueke(a retired principal of schools), Diala Ernest Ekemezie, Ojimgba Nwankwo, Barrister Nkemka, Chief Raph Amaechina, Eto Amaechina (Prof), Engr. James Ezechi, Late Onyido , Reuben Onyejeaka, Late Chief Julius Umeadi Arinze,Chief Sir Felix .O. Mbogu (a retired educationist and author of the book"The Coming of Christianity in Umunze"), Prince Obiora Ugochukwu,Mr Emmanuel Onyinye Mbogu, (an author of many books and the Public Relations Officer of Federal College of Education umunze),Dr Vin.C. Ofoegbu(ENT Specialist) Emeka Sibeudu - Deputy Governor Anambra State, Nigeria etc.
Umunze is home of the Nkpokiti International Cultural Dance Group, a group of skilled Atilogwu dancers,Igba egwurugwu masquerade/dancers, Nkwo Umunze and the Federal College of Education (Technical)which has recently been upgraded to award Degrees).
Igbo 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...
-speaking town in south eastern 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 headquarters of Orumba South
Orumba South
Orumba South is a Local Government Area in Anambra State, south-central Nigeria. Umunze is the headquarters of Orumba South. Other towns that make up the local government are Akpu, Umuomaku, Eziagu, Ezira, Ubaha,Ihite, Nkerehi, Nawfija, Ogboji, Ogbunka, Owerre-Ezukala, Agbudu, Onneh, Isulo,...
local government area of Anambra State
Anambra State
Anambra is a state in south-eastern Nigeria. Its name is an anglicized version of the original 'Oma Mbala', the native name of the Anambra River. The Capital and the Seat of Government is Awka. Onitsha and Nnewi are the biggest commercial and industrial cities, respectively. The state's theme is...
. Its geographic coordinates are 5" 58' 0 North, 7" 13' 0 East.
Umunze people are said to pe partly Igbo and partly Tiv people who migrated to the area around 1476 during the time of extreme draft in search of aerable and fertilie farm land for food. The Tiv later had misundersatnding with the host over marriage of the Tiv daughters while the Tiv married the daughters of their host(1). A major proof of this is the love of women, meat and jolly life (alcoholic drinks)by some parts of Umunze people when compared to the rest of the Igbos. The Umunze people and environs where the remnants of Tiv abound who refused to migrate upwards with their fellow Tivs, are also noted for extreme tallness and lanky physique similar to that of Tivs and different from the rest of the Igbos.
There are many towns that migrated to join Umunze and form the town. A good example is parts of (Umualaoma) Isuokpu when the famous wars with Izuogu and Iheme (notorious inglorious slave trader and murderer from Arochukwu and Awka respectively) who they hosted benevolently and innocently and who stabbed Isuokpu people at the back by going to bring mercenaries from Abam to fight the Isuokpu in order that Izuogu and Iheme could take their land and settle at the time of abolition of slave trade by the British. Parts of Isieke and Obinohia people in Umuallaoma who migrated to Umunze to escape one type of punishment or the other are now part and parcel of Umunze. Ihite Umuenze (now Ihite) is rich in people from Umualaoma who ran from wars and humiliations from punishments from other types of deed or the other. One powerful man from Isuokpu (Umualaoma) called Ezerioha Udensi (father of Ezeagwula Ezerioha) of Obiokwara (Umudim), Obinihu was responsible for keeping the dangerously advancing Aros and their slaves in a "fight of life for land" in check. He organized Isuokpu, Umunze and Ihite people and neighbours to form a powerful militia group that restricted the advance of the Aros from Okigwe area. At the same time Ezerioha Udensi charistimatically encouraged some communities in the present Okigwe and Orlu Divisions to allocate the Aros some land since the Aros and their slaves could not go to nowhere having being blocked at Okigwe by the white man who ensured that slave trade was stopped. Using this stategy Ezerioha Udensi stopped the numerous wars and gueirilla warfares against the Aros and ensured the survival of many indegenous communities and that the Aros didnot reach Umunze.
Umunze maintains a special relationship with the Obiokwara Obinihu people, shown by excahnge of goodwill at Obi Ezerioha in Isuokpu masquerade ceremonies and at Nkwo Umunze or palace of Abalikete (up to Ugochukwu reign)at Okuka and other ceremonies. The neighbours of Umunze are Umualaoma in Imo State; Eziagu, Isulo, Ezira, Ihite, Ogbunka
Ogbunka
Ogbunka is a town in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria.It has five villages: Awuka, Umunobe, Akwuoba, Agbala and Isiokpu.History of Ogbunka...
and Umuchu
Umuchu
Umuchu is the second largest town in Aguata local government of Anambra State, Nigeria. Anambra is the cradle of Igbo people of eastern Nigeria. Umuchu shares boundary in the north with Achina and Enugwu-Umuonyia communities . Umuchu is bordered in the south by Akokwa town in Imo State...
in Anambra State. Its people are mainly farmers and traders. Its seven villages are Amuda, Ururo, Lomu, Ubaha, Ugwunano, Ozara and Nsogwu. The traditional ruler is called Abalikete and its people Nze, hence the name "Umunze".
The current traditional ruler is Chief Promise Eze, Abalikete II of Umunze. He became the new ruler after the death of Abalikete I, Chief MN Ugochukwu. The kingship is rotational, among the villages, and every male is eligible to contest. Some of its prominent sons and daughters includes Chief Jona Eze, Chief Fabian Enemuoh, Profs Ukaejiofor, Ubahakwe and Aniebo, Col(Rtd) Augustine Aniebo, Ben Oranusi,Sir Sylvanus Madueke(KSJ), Dr. and Mrs. Eric Sibeudu, Ms. Nkiru Ugochukwu, Sir and Lady Ajuluchukwu Ekemezie, Barrister Nwachukwu C Okafor, Dr. Oliver Ezechi, Christian Amah, Drs. L.O. Nwankwo, Okoli and Ubahakwe, Echezona Okechi,Late Emma Okeke(Ide),Mr. Michael Achugbu Madueke(a retired principal of schools), Diala Ernest Ekemezie, Ojimgba Nwankwo, Barrister Nkemka, Chief Raph Amaechina, Eto Amaechina (Prof), Engr. James Ezechi, Late Onyido , Reuben Onyejeaka, Late Chief Julius Umeadi Arinze,Chief Sir Felix .O. Mbogu (a retired educationist and author of the book"The Coming of Christianity in Umunze"), Prince Obiora Ugochukwu,Mr Emmanuel Onyinye Mbogu, (an author of many books and the Public Relations Officer of Federal College of Education umunze),Dr Vin.C. Ofoegbu(ENT Specialist) Emeka Sibeudu - Deputy Governor Anambra State, Nigeria etc.
Umunze is home of the Nkpokiti International Cultural Dance Group, a group of skilled Atilogwu dancers,Igba egwurugwu masquerade/dancers, Nkwo Umunze and the Federal College of Education (Technical)which has recently been upgraded to award Degrees).