THE HISTORY OF ENUGU-EZIKE, SINGLE LARGEST AFRICAN COMMUNITY

Enugu-Ezike reputed as the largest single community in black Africa is located in Igbo Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State of Nigeria. It has a population of about 259,431 with 36 villages in addition to some other newly created political autonomous communities.

Enugu-Ezike has common boundaries with Benue and Kogi States of Nigeria. On the North is Ette, a non-Igbo speaking community in Igbo Eze North Local Government Area. On the East is Ofante and Idoma while the North West flank are Amaka and Akpanya communities of Benue State. To the South West is Ibagwa, Alor Agu, Unadu and Itchi. To the South East of Enugu-Ezike are Obollo Afor, Iheaka and Ovoko.

Enugu Ezike is renowned for her palm wine, practice of traditional medicine and African Traditional Religion (ATR).

As to the origin of Enugu-Ezike, various writers and researchers have come up with varied opinions about that. However, the one that appealed to me most has it that Enugu-Ezike originated from Benin Kingdom in the present Edo State of Nigeria.

He was the son of the Oba of Benin and heir apparent to the throne. Ejige Oba as he was called, though a skillful hunter, lived a wayward life and that antagonized him with his father, the Oba of Benin who plotted to sell him off to slavery.

His mother, the queen got hint of that plan and as a result, Ejige Oba eloped and migrated to Onitsha through Asaba. From there, he moved to Aguleri and further to Ebenebe and settled at Okpuno Ezike at Enugu Ukwu all in Anambara State of Nigeria.

From Enugu Ukwu, he moved through the Anambra Rivers to Igabada and then to Idah both in Kogi State. While at Idah, he stayed with King of Idah known as the Atta of igala. As a hunter, he shot an elephant and followed the wounded animal to Odoru and Agbokete both in Kogi State and continued the pursuit up to Ibagwa Ani and moved in the search to Ekoyi grove and finally to Ugwueka hill at Amube where the animal was spotted dead. He then settled at Amube hill which was referred to Elugwu Ezike (Ejige) Oba. He named the place as “Ufu”.

Ezike Oba married wives but two of them gave birth to the four sons that make up Enugu-Ezike. The two wives were Ayigwa who bore him the first son, Ezzodo and the third son, Essodo. Osegbe gave birth to the second son, Itodo and the fourth and last born, Ozzi.

Below is the list of the villages that make up Enugu-Ezike. It does not include new political creations in the form of autonomous communities

Ezzodo (1st son)

Essodo

(3rd son)

Itodo

(2nd son)

Ozzi

(4th son)

Uda Aji Amufie Inyi
Uroshi Umuagama Amachalla Ugbaike
Umuogbo Ulo Olido Okpo
Umuogbo Agu Imufu Amaja
Umuogbo Inyi Igbele Isugwu
Umuogbo Ekposhi Ikpuiga Umuida
Ufodo Ogrute
Ezillo
Okata
Onicha Enugu
Igogoro
Ikpamodo
Umuopu
Umuopu Agu
Nkpamute
Owerre Eze
Umachi
Amube
Ogbodu
Aguibeje
RELATIONSHIP WITH ENUGU UKWU

In 1935, nine old men from Enugu-Ezike went to Awka to testify in a land case between Enugu Ukwu and Enugu Agidi. Up till today, there is a place referred to as Okpuno Ezike in Enugu Ukwu which is regarded in some quarters as part of the original home of Ezike (Ejige) Oba.

SIMILARITIES WITH IGALA AND BENIN PEOPLE

Areas of similarities include costumes, head gears, traditional music such as Okanga and Okeregwu with musical instruments like Ariwa. Names like Ogbaje Obeta , Odo are also answered by the Igalas while the Benins also answer Ossai.

ISLAM IN ENUGU-EZIKE

According to Eze. O, Islam was brought to Enugu Ezike through a Nupe Muslim trader, Ibrahim Adukwu who came down from his hometown, Bida with his mother and siblings and settled at Umuogodo, Amufie.

He was described by C.K. Meek as an ambitious and powerful Nupe man. He was said to have acquired Quaranic education under a Mallam versed in Arabic language back home in Bida in the present Niger State of Nigeria.

Ibrahim Adukwu was used by the British in the administration of Nsukka area hence his appointment as a Warrant Chief. This appointment helped in deepening and expanding the frontiers of Islam in Enugu-Ezike. In 1918, when the Native Court of Enugu-Ezike was formed, Adukwu was a principal member. His towering personality not only dragged his 120 servants to Islam but was also a source of assurances and guarantees to many more Muslim immigrants.

The unmitigated spread of Islam in Enugu-Ezike was, however, checkmated by the presence of Christian missionaries who established schools. Such schools became centres for religious instructions.

Ibrahim Adukwu is remembered for the introduction of St Luke’s Anglican school in Amufie in 1931 not minding that he was a Muslim. It could, however, be because some of his sons needed western education which only the missionaries were the gateway. Some of the sons took Christian names to actualize their dreams of acquiring western education. His sons dominated the public positions open to Africans in the Enugu-Ezike Native Authority Areas. They included Johnson Bawala C. Adukwu, William Momoh Adukwu, Alfred Abubukar Adukwu and Richard Audu Adukwu.

It must be noted that in the long run, his romance with Mission school brought the dwindling fortunes of Islam in Enugu-Ezike where it has continued to play a second fiddle to Christianity. The mission schools provided western education which presented high prospects for the leaders of tomorrow as against Quaranic education which is more on Arabic literacy.

It is equally noteworthy that the first female graduate from Enugu Ezike in the person of Stella Nkem Adukwu of Amufie came from Ibrahim Adukwu’s family. She graduated in 1978. The second and third positions went to Benedette Eze of Imufu and Bridget Mayiri Iyida of Olido respectively. Benedette graduated in 1979 and Mayiri in 1981. The three of them came from the Umuitodo clan of Enugu-Ezike.

In the male category, the first was Johnson Eze from Amachalla. He graduated in 1962. Nduka Eya from Amufie came second while the third position went to Gabriel Ugwuanyi of Olido. He graduated in 1965. The three are also from the Umuitodo clan of Enugu-Ezike where Ibrahim Adukwu had the greatest influence.

TRADITION OF ENUGU EZIKE.

The stool of Onyishi (Eldest Man) in Enugu-Ezike is not political and as such is not contestable. There is the belief that anyone who out of greed, maneuvers or sharp practices ascended the throne is bound to visited with death within a short period of time after his installation.

Enugu Ezike people have so many cultural heritages but for now, we will dwell on the tradition of marital fidelity known as Ndishi Tradition. It has attracted comments from so many quarters such that some see it as obnoxious or sharia-law like.

NDISHI TRADITION IN ENUGU-EZIKE

Ndishi is a spiritual being seen only by those who violated the tradition of marital fidelity. The tradition is as old as Enugu-Ezike instituted by Ezike Oba himself before he died.

The tradition is binding on every child of Enugu-Ezike. It revolves around having extra-marital affairs with another man’s wife or even an obvious intention to do so through kissing or having your hand across the waist of another man’s wife which is seen as synonymous with sex.

Once a lady’s bride price is paid, she cannot for any reason have an affair with another man other than her husband.

An Enugu-Ezike man is forbidden to have a sexual relationship with another man’s wife. Such acts attract the wrath of Ndishi and are highly punishable.

A married woman is forbidden to make a monetary donation or contribution to her family or any other person without the knowledge of her husband or risk being arrested by Ndishi.

A married woman while taking her bath cannot answer a call from another man except her husband.

APPEASING NDISHI (ANCESTORS)

The gods are appeased to avert death, madness, delayed labour, pulling out of the person’s tongue or stiffing of the neck.

The process begins with an open confession of the man or woman stating all parties to the crime as well as the number of times involved. A handful of sand is raised and thrown into the air to show they are uncountable.

After the confession, rituals are performed with goat, yam, kola nut and palm wine to appease the gods. The woman forfeits to the Onyishi the clothes including the inner wears which she wore on the day she committed the act.

It must be pointed out that Ndishi will kill the man instead of the wife if a man discovers the infidelity in his wife and keeps quiet, sleeps with her or eats her food. Men when they suspect their wives will be enchanting “Ndishi Nso” to plead their innocence and ignorance to Ndishi and equally seek his protection.

A man whose wife was caught by the Ndishi spirit stays away when the wife is making her confessions. The news is normally relayed to him through his sisters. Equally, he cannot partake in the items used in appeasing the gods.

For emphasis, men are allowed to keep mistresses but should have no extra-marital dealings with a married woman. This idea has been a subject of debate but in my opinion, I think it is because men can marry more than one wife at a time but a woman cannot marry more than one husband at a time.

The phenomenon of Ndishi is seen as a good omen by some people who believed that women in view of the loss of moral values and recourse to loose lifestyles would have gone to the extent of sleeping around without batting an eyelid. For the obvious fact that once you do a public confession, your dignity has gone forever has made so many people to think deeply of the implications before engaging in an immoral act.