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Okpofe is an autonomous community located in Ezinihitte Mbaise local government area (LGA), in Imo State, Nigeria with common boundaries with Itu, Ezeagbogu, Ihitte, Amumara and Oboama autonomous communities. Okpofe is the centre of the Ezinihitte Mbaise clan, and it is the only town in Ezinihitte Mbaise that does not share a boundary with another local government area in Imo State. It is quite a unique town in Ezinihitte.[ why? ] It is also on record that the Roman Catholic Church was first established in Okpofe town in the year 1918 when the first crop of missionaries brought to the town held the first Catholic mass at the shrine of Inyama Oguegbe Ajero, who himself was the Second Paramount King of the ancient town after Chief Mbagwu. Ezinihitte Mbaise (by 2018, the town marked the centenary celebration of the existence of the Roman Catholic Church in Okpofe.)[ clarification needed ] The Anglican Juniorate in Mbaise is located in Okpofe too.
Contents
- Villages
- Market
- Churches
- Schools
- Other facilities
- Okpofe Improvement Union (OIU)
- Age grades
- References
Its first traditional ruler in the modern era was the late Eze Ewulonu Modestus C. Anyankah, who ascended the throne at the age of 42, born by an Umuimee daughter to an Okwu man. Today, the traditional affairs of the town are under the care of His Royal Highness Eze Sir Reginald Jesse Chukwuma Aguwamba, who has been described as "the man of the people", and whose uncle was the last warrant chief that also crowned the late Eze Anyankah in the late 1970s. Eze Reginald Aguwamba was born by an Umuimee man. (Take note of the importance of this village Umuimee in the history of Ezeship in Okpofe). A surveyor by profession, Eze Aguwamba retired voluntarily from the Owerri Capital Development Authority to serve his fatherland as the Eze Oha II. He has, so far, led the community to an enviable position in the Oji Ezinihitte Festival that no other community in the clan has attained during the 2013 Oji Festival at Okpofe and the recently concluded one at Ezeagbogu. Within his first few months in office, some other developmental projects from the Imo State Government came into Okpofe.
The story of Okpofe cannot be complete without mention of the late Sydney Ngozi Njoku. He almost single-handedly built Okpofe Secondary School, Okpofe Town Hall and the Okpofe Post Office. He made immense financial contributions for these projects. He undertook and concluded several human and structural developmental projects in Okpofe, Ezinihitte and Imo State at large. "Singoz", as he was popularly called, died in 1982 at the age of 42. Also the contribution of late Hon Chief Dr Athanasius Nwaogazi Awuja JP MON who was born on November 7, 1933, to the family of late chief awuja eke of umueche, Chukwuoma Okpofe, a role model emulated by several Okpofe sons and daughters, he highly promoted technical education, many parents advised their wards to be as diligent in study as nwogazi awuja. he above all gave scholarships to many children of Okpofe who are today prominent citizens of Nigeria. Chief A N awuja and his Lolo madam Grace u awuja (nne ebegbulem enyinna) established the sacred Heart Hospital Okpofe to afford women opportunity for health care within their locality. In recognition of his immeasurable spirit of patriotism,philanthropism and generous contribution to the development of Okpofe autonomous community, late HRH Eze E.M.C anyankah ezeoha 1 of Okpofe on 26th of December 1985 conferred on him a chieftaincy title as the aladimma of Okpofe. In 1993, he received another honour from the imo state government as JUSTICE OF PEACE (JP), to crown it all the president of the federal republic of Nigeria-His excellency,Olusegun Obasanjo conferred on him a national honour of MON in 2006
