THE HISTORY OF OKWUZI

THE ORATOR
ENGR. EZIHE EVIDENCE

LOCATION

Okwuzi oruamara is a community located in Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni local government area of Rivers State Nigeria.

Bounded in the north by Abaezi and Abacheke communities of Egbema in imo state, in the south by Obrikom community in Ogba land, in the east by Mgbede and Aggah communities of Egbema rivers state and in the west by Ndoni community in rivers state and abacheke in egbema Imo State.

THE HISTORY

The history of Okwuzi community is traced back to the old Benin kingdom at about the 16^th century; as a result of inter tribal wars which led the migration of many people including the Egbema Alinso people presently known as Egbema kingom balkanized politically but traditionally one.

Okwuzi came to be a community when two brothers’ Ofeke and Ntia landed at Ali-Upah and settled there. During the great flood of that time Ofeke as a hunter met a fisherman called Okoroshi who showed him a forest full of Uzhi trees as upland. Ofeke yielding to his brother’s advice pinned his Ofor in the Uzhi forest and offered sacrificies there presently known as the Ihu-Ali. The act made Ofeke the automatic owner of the Uzhi forest which led to a disagreement between him (Ofeke) and Okoroshi the fisherman though the disagreement was settled. While Ofeke remain the main owner of the land Okoroshi became a sub owner. As Ofeke continued to offer sacrifices in the Ihu-Ali, Okoroshi owns the right to control the activities in the Ihu-Ali before and after Ofeke’s sacrifice.

Ofeke later begot three sons called AGBURUGA, OKORONKWO AND OSUGO whom their descendants are now called the umu- nwadiali or Ofeke while the descendants of Okoroshi still performs rights and duties as their fathers did.

Presently Okwuzi has eight villages that make her a community namely: AGBURUGA, OKORONWO, OSUGO, OKOROSHI, OHUU, AKURU, OSUTA, AND EBCOHA respectively.

LEADERSHIP

Okwuzi oruamara belongs to Egbema kingdom with a king known and addressed as the “NZE OBI” of Egbema kingdom. This is a first class stool in Egbema kingdom while Okwuzi has a paramount ruler called, known and addressed as the “EZE ORUAMARA OF OKWUZI”. The EZE ORUAMARA has the EZE EZHIES as his council of chiefs and the EZE OLUMARA as service chiefs.

OTHER LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY INCLUDE:

1.    THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS

2.    OKEYI-ALI

3.    OKEYI-NWADIALI

4.    OKPANMA

5.    OKEYI-EZHI

6.    OKPARA UMU-NNA

7.    THE CDC and many others.

CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS

Okwuzi oruamara is rooted in cultures and traditions and are pleasant and accommodating. These customs and traditions include:

1.    Igwaji (the new yam festival) and the Orije dance

2.    idu-maduo (our greeting)

3.    ilunwanyi

4.    Okoroshi masquerade

5.    Iku-abara (fishing festival) and others too many to mention.

OCCUPATION

The people of Okwuzi were mainly farmers, fishermen and hunters but exploration of crude oil in her soil which brought a rapid development has diverted the mind of people in white cola jobs.

Nowourdays, a lot have change negatively as the Okwuzi oruamara once known for peace and holiness (Ali-Nso) has become a war zone, taboos are no longer treated with great concern as before, hatred, cultism, selfish political ambitions and sabotage have taken over the once loving community.

The question now is where are we heading to?

This history was drawn from an unpublished book titled “EGBEMA ALINSO OUR HISTORY AND LEGACY.