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Igbere | |
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City | |
Coordinates: 5°42′31″N7°39′09″E / 5.708654°N 7.652571°E | |
Country | Nigeria |
Time zone | UTC+1 (WAT) |
Igbere is a suburban town in Bende local government area of Abia State of the South-Eastern geopolitical region Nigeria. Also popularly known and referred to as the Igbere Ebiri, the town is the core "part of Old-Bende Division of the former Eastern Nigeria". [1] The people of Igbere, relating to, or characteristic of Igbere or its inhabitants and heritage are called Igberian.
Igbere consists of 13 autonomous communities, namely Amakpo, Amankalu, Amaiyi, Amaoji, Amaofufe, Amaukwu, Agbo, Eziama, Ibinanta, Ibinaukuwu, Okafia, Ohumola and Umusi. These autonomous communities made up the great Igbere clan. Each community is governed by a king and the entire clan is governed traditionally by the Igbere Clan Council of Kings (Ndi Eze). [2]
Igbere is located 66 miles from Aba the Commercial City of Eastern Nigeria, approximately 106 miles from Port Harcourt Airport 66 miles from Owerri, 26 Miles from Umuahia the Capital City of Abia State, 12 miles from Uzuakoli, 4 miles to Abriba and 18 miles to Ohafia. [3]
Igbere is one of the major clans of the Igbo tribe in present day Nigeria. Igbere is a dialect of Igbo language. Igbere town has a land border with the following towns: Alayi, Item, Umuhu and Ozuitem (all in Bende local government area) and Abiriba in Ohafia local government area) of Abia State. These towns share similar traditions, though there are minor dialectic difference in language.
Just like many Igbo communities in Igboland, each king has a council of chiefs who form part of the king's cabinet and help in running and administering the community. The decision of the king in most sensitive matters is still subject to the decision of councils. Such councils may be derived from the Igbere Age-Grade system. [4] one of the core traditions of Igbere people.
"The Age Grade system in Igbere Clan is the vehicle of development. It is through the developmental effort of the Age Grades that Ulo Nkuma, Heath Centres, Culverts, Schools, Civic Centres, Bridges and Roads were built," Chief Solo U. Akuma (SAN) wrote in his address titled "Re-inventing Our Grades" (2008).
The age grade system as practised in Igbere from time immemorial is a convenient way for the development and security of Igbere territory. "Before now, age grades formed major part of vigilante that were used to guard Igbere land both day and night to insure the safety of lives and properties of the people. More so, the age grade is a socio-cultural organization whose role includes upholding the cultures and values of the community that were handed down from one generation to another."[ citation needed ]
The age grade system as practiced by the Igbere people is as old as the clan itself. However, based on records available, the list of Age Grades that existed within the last 100 years. [5]
The Ezumezu Festival [6] affords the can the opportunity and privilege to remove or retire the oldest age grade who served the clan meritoriously from communal service; this is called traditional retirement ceremony.
On the other hand, to recognise a new Age Grade is called Outing/Naming of a New Age Grade. The occasion is also used to raise funds for the development of the clan.
The Igbere kingdom defence system is run by certain age groups, as are other functions. Taxes used for executing projects are collected along such age-grade groups as well as other social works.
In the community, there are general work such as the clearing of farm roads, building of public toilets, sweeping the civic centers, going to harvest a collectively (such as palm-plantation) and so many work that involved the use of farm tools such as cutlass and hoes. All these are collectively done by all age-grades.
But once a person retires, it means the person has come of age and would need to be exempted from all such works and also to lay down the working tools which is symbolized by a ‘CUTLASS AND A HOE’ literally referred to as ‘Laying down the Cutlass’ ( Igbotomma) which is also popularly known as Traditional Retirement.
Abia State is a state in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, it is bordered to the northwest by Anambra State and northeast by the states of Enugu, and Ebonyi, Imo State to the west, Cross River State to the east, Akwa Ibom State to the southeast, and Rivers State to the south. Abia is the only Southeastern state that has boundaries with the other four Southeastern states in Nigeria. It takes its name from the acronym for four of the state's most populated regions: Aba, Bende, Isuikwuato, and Afikpo. The state capital is Umuahia while the largest city and commercial centre is Aba.
Umuahia is the capital city of Abia State in southeastern Nigeria. Umuahia is located along the rail road that lies between Port Harcourt to its south,and Enugu city to its north. Umuahia has a population of 359,230 according to the 2006 Nigerian census. Umuahia is indigenously Igbo.
Arochukwu Local Government Area, sometimes referred to as Arochuku or Aro Oke-Igbo, is the third largest local government area in Abia State in southeastern Nigeria and homeland of the Igbo subgroup, Aro people.
The Aro-Ibibio Wars were a series of conflicts between the Aro people and a Ibibio in present-day Southeastern Nigeria at Ibom Kingdom from 1630 to 1902. These wars led to the foundation of the Arochukwu kingdom.
The Aro people or Aros are an Igbo subgroup that originated from the Arochukwu kingdom in present-day Abia state, Nigeria. The Aros can also be found in about 250 other settlements mostly in the Southeastern Nigeria and adjacent areas. The Aros today are classified as Eastern or Cross River Igbos because of their location, mixed origins, culture, and dialect. Their god, Chukwu Abiama, was a key factor in establishing the Aro Confederacy as a regional power in the Niger Delta and Southeastern Nigeria during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Aro History starts from Ibibio migration to the present Arochukwu area.
Alayi Igboji-Akuru Community is a suburban town in the Bende local government area of Abia State, Nigeria. The Community consisted of four main clans of Akoliufu, Amankalu, Ugwueke and Ezeukwu. Alayi is one of the communities that make up Umunnato all in Bende LGC. It is about 100 kilometres (60 mi) from Aba, a commercial city of Eastern Nigeria, approximately 100 km (60 mi) from Owerri Airport, 32 km (20 mi) from Umuahia, the capital city of Abia State, 13 km (8 mi) from Uzuakoli, 11 km (7 mi) to Abiriba and 24 km (15 mi) to Ohafia. Alayi is divided into two sections, Akoliufu and Amankalu.
Abiriba pronounced [/E`biriba`/] is an ancient Enuda kingdom in Abia State, in southeastern Nigeria, traditionally an Igbo speaking region. It is in the Ohafia local government area.
Bende is a Local Government Area in Abia State, Nigeria with headquarters located in Bende Community. Bende Local Government Area (L.G.A) of Abia state lies on 70 30I of the Greenwich Meridian and latitude 50 30I North of the Equator. It is composed of thirteen (13) communities, namely: Alayi, Bende, Ezukwu, Igbere, Item, Itumbuzo, Nkpa, Ntalakwu, Ozuitem, Ugwueke, Umu-imenyi, Umuhu-Ezechi, and Uzuakoli.
Ohafia is an Igbo town in the Ohafia local government area (LGA) in Abia State, Nigeria. It is an Igbo speaking region. The ancestral capital of Ohafia town is the centrally located village of Elu. Ohafia Local Government Area, is an administrative jurisdiction assigned by the Nigeria Government, which covers the entire Ohafia villages and other towns such as Abiriba and Nkporo, with its Administrative Headquarters at Ebem Ohafia.
Ikwuano is a Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in Isiala Oboro. The name 'Ikwuano' etymologically indicates that there are four different ancient kingdoms that make up the community called Ikwuano. These include Oboro, Ibere, Ariam/Usaka and Oloko.
Odumodu is a folk style of music that is predominantly sung among the Arochukwu, Bende, Ohafia, Abiriba, Umuahia, Ikwuano, and Ngwa people of the Igbo ethnic group, of Abia State, located in southeastern Nigeria. It is mainly used to uplift spirits and entertain guests at events, while extolling the virtues of illustrious men and women, and telling stories that edify.
Elemaga is a small farming village in Ibere, Ikwuano, Abia State, Nigeria. Elemaga is located in the center of Inyila, Isiala Ibere, Ahia Orie, Iberenta, Itunta and Obuoru at the food belt of Ibere, about 15 km southwest of Umuahia, the Abia State capital. Elemaga is believed to be derived syntactically from the words Ele ("look"), Ma ("well") and Ga ("go") which literally means "look well before you go". Climate is tropical monsoon.
The Waawa clan of Northern Igboland, also referred to as Ndi Waawa, Wawa People, are a unique sub-group of the Igbo people in Enugu and Ebonyi State, Nigeria, consisting of several communities, who all speak a unique dialect of Igbo called Waawa. The most notable among these are the Agbaja and Ngwo which consist of peoples between the wooded lands of Awka to the rocky valleys of Enugu. The Agbaja are made up of communities in present-day Ngwo clan, Udi, Ezeagu, Umulokpa, Igbo-Etiti, Oji River, greater Awgu, Odume, Ndiagbor, Nenwe, Mpu, Okpanku and Enugu East Local Government Areas. Other notable parts of the Waawa clan include Nkanu, Nsukka, Abia, Nike, Agbani, Owo, and other communities in Enugu State. The Waawa are most notably associated with Chief Onyeama's people from Eke, who was the paramount ruler of Agbaja in the early 20th century.
Amawom is a town in Oboro, Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria. The name is derived from two words; Ama meaning location and Awom meaning farm. Amawom is believed to have been discovered in the 18th century. Awom Oboro and Ibeuzo Ukwu are the autonomous communities of Amawom. English and Igbo are the languages spoken in the town.
Abam is a populated clan in Abia state. It is located in Arochukwu/Ohafia federal constituency of Nigeria.
Nkporo is a town in Abia State, in southeastern Nigeria, traditionally an Igbo speaking region. It is in the Ohafia Local Government Area.
Alex Ifeanyi Mascot Ikwechegh is a Nigerian politician, businessman and philanthropist. He is the founder of GrossField Group, Alex Ikwechegh foundation and a former Local Government Chairman of Aba North, Abia State, Nigeria.
Ndoro is a town in Oboro, Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria. It is about 16 km southeast from the state capital, Umuahia and is located along the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road.
Ogbuebulle is a village in Oboro, Ikwuano Local Government Area, Abia State, Nigeria. The community is situated along the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road. It is about 20km away from Umuahia, the capital of Abia State. Ogbuebulle is part of the Ala-Ala Oboro Autonomous Community alongside Ekebedi, its neighboring village.