 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(June 2020) |
Otulu [1] is a town in Oru West local government area of Imo State, Nigeria. It is located along the Owerri-Onitsha Federal Highway (which is identified as Highway A6 by Google map) in Imo State. Approaching from Owerri to Onitsha one will get to Awo-Omanma, Amiri and then Otulu after which one has Mgbidi; while from Onitsha to Owerri one has Otulu after Mgbidi.
The name Otulu is derived from two Igbo words 'Otu' which means 'One' and 'Olu' which means 'voice', put together it means 'one voice'. The father of Otulu is Igbo n'abunkwu. He originated from Nri in Anambra State. Therefore the community is known as Otulu Igbo n'abunkwu. When Igbo n'abunkwu started expanding, he and some other immigrants of his community chose the name Otulu "one voice" which signifies unity that is 'let us be united'.
According to Chief E. Ndubuisi, [2] Otulu married two wives, the first wife was Lolo Ogueri Ukwu and the second wife was Lolo Oji. The first wife had two children namely Umuhu and Umuezem. The second wife had three children namely Ubahawa, Okponsu and Umuojienwe. Umuhu is the first son of Otulu, Umuezem is the second son, Ubahawa is the third son, Okponsu is the fourth son and Umuojienwe is the last son. Umuhu had three children they are Umunkwa, Umudurukwu and Umuofia. Umuhu made the first community, Umuezem also made his own community with his five sons namely Umuochihe, Umuelile, Umunka, Umuaro and Umuaso. Ubahawa made his own community with his six sons they are Umuokwa, Umunabia, Umudikwa, Ubahawa Oji, Umuabuba, Umuosunkita including his two brothers Okponsu and Umuojienwe. These made up the sixteen villages in Otulu. Otulu had initially one autonomous community with the sixteen villages but the creation of autonomous community in Imo State in the year 2003 brought about the division of the town Otulu into two different autonomous communities such that each autonomous community is headed by a traditional ruler. This is to say that Umuhu and Umuezem autonomous communities were created from the then Otulu autonomous community with the Imo State of Nigeria official gazette No.4 Vol 28 of 29 October 2003. The Umuhu and Umuezem autonomous communities are made up of eight villages namely Umuofia, Umunka, Umuelile, Umudurukwu, Umuaro, Umuochihe, and Umuaso. While Otulu autonomous community is left with the remaining eight villages namely Umuokwa, Ubahawa Oji, Umudikwa, Umuabuba, Umunabia, Umuosonkita, Okposu and Umuojienwe.
Otulu has two traditional rulers namely Obi of Otulu in the person of HRH Eze Festus I. Orji and Igwe of Otulu in the person of HRH Eze Sunday B. Nnabue; ruling Otulu autonomous community and Umuhu/Umuezem autonomous communities respectively.
Otulu has a population of about 20,028 people. [3] It has two autonomous communities: Ubahawa and Umuhu/Umuezem.
Ubahawa has the following villages:
While Umuhu/Umuezem has:
Most people in the town are Christians roughly split between the Anglican Church and the Roman Catholic Church. There is a huge following of Anglicanism amongst the natives of Ubahawa with the St. Stephen's Anglican Church serving as a local church as well as an archdeaconry. The Anglican church also has some few worshipers from Umuhu and Umuezem, as well as from the non-indigenes. The St. Stephen's Anglican Church, Otulu was originally established in 1914 by the Christian Missionary Society (CMS).
The Roman Catholic historically has been dominant in Umuhu and Umuezem, although it also has a sizeable following in Ubahawa. St. Christopher's Catholic Church was established in Ubahawa in the 1990s.
Before the advent of Christianity, Otulu people like many other African communities are deeply involved in their native beliefs and village deities such as Ogwugwu, Obana and Ala Umuhu. Back then, every family compound has a corner set apart for their family deity, and the head (father) of the family would offers sacrifice regularly on behalf of his family and for other needs. The chief priest does the same for the whole community. But with the advent of Christianity, Otulu now have just very few or no families who still retain this practice.
There is one secondary school in Otulu, which is called Otulu Secondary Commercial School. It was built by the people in the early 1980s. There are two government-owned primary schools namely Community Primary School Otulu and Progressive Central School Otulu.
Otulu has two market squares called Afor Otulu and Orie Otulu situated at Ubahawa and Umuhu/Umuezem respectively.
The town benefits hugely from being on the Onitsha-Owerri highway, as such a lot of shops and businesses typically tend to be sited along this highway. There used to be a few manufacturing facilities located in the town in the 1990s and early 2000s, but not any more.
There are various cultural festivals which the Otulu people are known for, such festivals includes Owu festival, Ogugu festival, which between June and July of every year, Iri-ji (New yam festival) which is conducted mainly by the traditional rulers.
August Meeting is a yearly event held by Otulu women in the month of August.
The Obana (masquerade) festival takes place in October and November every year.
The Christmas and New Year holidays are big events in Otulu. Indigenous Otuluers, as well as Otulu natives who are resident in other parts of the world, typically travel back home to Otulu with their family to spend the time with their other relatives and friends. There are football tournaments and several outdoor parties such as wedding ceremonies and age-grade activities during this festive season.
Owerri is the capital city of Imo State in Nigeria, set in the heart of Igboland. It is also the state's largest city, followed by Orlu, Okigwe and Ohaji/Egbema. Owerri consists of three Local Government Areas including Owerri Municipal, Owerri North and Owerri West, it has an estimated population of 1,401,873 as of 2016 and is approximately 100 square kilometres (40 sq mi) in area. Owerri is bordered by the Otamiri River to the east and the Nworie River to the south. The Owerri Slogan is Heartland. It is also called the Las Vegas of Africa, due to the night life of the city and the numerous hotels, casino and leisure parks all over the city.
Enugu State verbally pronounced as "Enụgwụ" by the igbo indigenes is a state in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered to the north by the states of Benue and Kogi, Ebonyi State to the east and southeast, Abia State to the south, and Anambra State to the west. The state takes its name from its capital and largest city, Enugu. The city acquired township status in 1917 and was called Enugwu-Ngwo. Due to the rapid expansion towards areas owned by other indigenous communities, it was renamed Enugu in 1928.
Orlu is the second-largest city in Imo State South East (Nigeria)|South East]], Nigeria, with a population of 420,600. It has a long history as the headquarters for the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and humanitarian relief agencies during the Nigeria-Biafra Civil War. The city houses the Nigerian headquarters of the British Cheshire Home. It is the second most developed city after Owerri in Imo state.
Oguta is a town on the east bank of Oguta Lake in Imo State of southeastern Nigeria.
Emekuku, is a town in Owerri North Local Government of Imo state in South-Eastern Nigeria.
Naze is a town in southeastern Nigeria, 408 km south of Abuja, the country's capital. It is located in the Owerri North local government area of Imo State.
Orogwe is a community in Owerri West local government of Imo state in Nigeria.
Umunoha is a town in southeastern Nigeria near the city of Owerri. It is an Igbo town. Umunoha is south of Eziama Obiato and Afara communities; and is North and Northeast of Ogbaku, Azara Obiato and Ejemekwuru communities; and is north and northwest of Ifakala and Afara communities. It is served by the great east-west road, the Port-Harcourt-Lagos Highway. Umunoha is about thirteen kilometers from Owerri, the Imo State capital. It is a small, compact but thickly populated community with a projected 1997 population of twenty-five thousand people.
Amatta is an autonomous community in Imo State south eastern Nigeria. It is located about 4 km northeast of Owerri.
Nara Unateze (originally eraranwata) is a town in the Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State Nigeria. It belongs to the Nkanu clan of Igbo land and speaks the Nkanu dialect of Igbo language. It is popularly known as Obodo Iwewe (the town that never gets angry).
Ejemekwuru is an Igbo-speaking community that sits in the North-Western part of Imo State in the southeastern region of Nigeria.
The Ohuhu clan of Umuahia north in Abia State Nigeria of the Igbo people, also referred to as Ohonhaw, form a unique community of people in Umuahia, Abia state, Nigeria, consisting of several Autonomous Communities including Umukabia,Ohiya, Isingwu, Ofeme, Afugiri, Nkwoegwu, Umuawa, Umudiawa, Akpahia, Umuagu, Amaogugu, Umule-Eke-Okwuru, Umuhu-Okigha, Amaogwugwu called Eziama/ Amaudo in Ohuhu etc. Ohuhu was formerly known as Umuhu-na-Okaiuga, or better-known as Ohu-ahia-na-otu. Until 1949, the Umuopara clan used to be part of Ohuhu before they were carved out politically.
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. 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 The Anglican Juniorate in Mbaise is located in Okpofe too.
Owerri Municipal is a Local Government Area in Imo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the city of Owerri. It has an area of 58 km² and a population of 127,213 according to the 2006 census. The postal code of the area is 460. Owerri city sits at the intersection of roads from Port Harcourt, Onitsha, Aba, Orlu, Okigwe and Umuahia. It is also the trade center for palm products, corn [maize], yams and cassava [manioc]. Eke Ukwu Owere market is the main market in Owerri Municipal.
The Umuoji people are those whose roots can be traced to the town of Umuoji in Idemili North, a local government area in Anambra State, Nigeria. These people are from Igbo-speaking ethnic group whose early history is adversely affected by a lack of, or non-existent, written records. Umuoji is bounded by Ogidi, Ojoto, Uke, Abatete and Nkpor and has an estimated population of 80,000 people which includes local residents in its 23 villages and citizens in diaspora.
The Ancient Emii was an autonomous community in Imo State in south eastern Nigeria having the postal code 460111. It is near the city of Owerri. The ancient Emii town was made up of ten villages; but due to developmental needs and political reasons the ancient town of Emii has now been divided into three autonomous communities: Mbaoma, Ezimba and Emii central community. Mbaoma autonomous community comprises Ubaa, Umuawuka and Emohe. The people of the ancient Emii which now make up the three respective autonomous communities, are Igbo, and speak the Igbo language of the Owerri dialect. They are "ndi Owere". The three autonomous communities form part of the Owerri Capital Territory of Imo State. At the end of every year, the cultural festival Okazi Akirioche Festival is celebrated.
Awgbu is a town in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, South East of Nigeria. The town of Awgbu had an estimated population of 120,000 as at 2006. Awgbu town shares boundaries in the west with Agulu and Mbaukwu; in the east with Ndikelionwu, Omogho, and Awa; in the north with Umuawulu and Amaetiti; while in the south with Amaokpala and Nanka. The indigenes of Awgbu are the descendant of Ezekanunu. Ezekanunu has six sons from five wives: They include Ugwu, Abor, Osikwu, Ohzu and Amaugo, and Mbulukor. The practice then being that inheritance are shared according to wives. There are five villages in Awgbu.
Umuguma Town is Owerri West Local Government Area's headquarters. It is in Imo State, Nigeria. It evolved out of the old Owerri Local Government Area in 1996. Umuguma—a descendant of Arugo—is one of the 774 communities in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Local Government administrative
Ugwuoba is the gateway town into Enugu State from southern Nigeria. It is a border town on the bank of Oji River in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. Ugwuoba is known for its arable land for agricultural utilities. The town is known for its gas reserves within the gas-rich Anambra Basin, Southeastern Nigeria. There is also the popular Ugwuoba clay deposits that could serve as effective Zinc ion adsorbent. Ugwuoba is rich in cultural and social life activities. Ugwuoba is made up of seventeen (17) villages which includes: Upata, Okwe, Agungwu, Aguabosi, Mkpagu, Eziachi, Okpuno, Ude, Egbeagu, Agolo, Obinagu, Efulu, Ogbudu, Umualu, Agungwu-ogboo, Umuonwu and Aniocha. The Ojinator and Dodo community is an extension of Okwe. Ugwuoba is divided into four autonomous communities namely
Okolochi is an ancient community in today's Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria, it borders Emeabiam, Eziobodo, Ihiagwa and Obibiezena communities. It is one of the host communities of Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO.