All About Umuoji History

Umuoji is a town in Idemili North local government area of Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria. Legend has it that centuries ago, a seasoned warrior/hunter named Okoli Otie from Arochukwu fought his way down to the medieval Kingdom of Nri (1043-1911) where he settled and married an Nri woman. Shortly thereafter, this brave hunter, who has by now became known as Okodu, moved out of Nri with his bride and settled on an uninhabited spread of land that is known as the modern day Abatete.

It should be noted here that a variant of Umuoji traditional history claims that Okodu and Okoli Otie are different individuals, and that it was Okodu, not Okoli Otie, who migrated from Nri to Abatete. However, sound Igbo traditional history analysis strongly suggests that Okodu and Okoli Otie are one and the same person. The name, Okodu, may have been given to him in Nri, perhaps, a title in recognition of his physical and hunting prowess. While the debate about the true origin of Okodu rages on between erudite scholars and traditional historians, some key facts about Okodu are settled, and they are:1) That Okodu was once a residence of Nri (either as native-born or migrant)
2) That Okodu’s wife was an Nri woman
3) That Okodu and his wife migrated to an uninhabited spread of land that is known today as Abatete
4) That Okodu and his wife had three sons namely Omaliko, Oji and Dimudeke
5) That Omaliko, the first son was the progenitor of Abetete, Oji progenited Umuoji, and Dimudike’s progeny is Nkpor (originally known as Umudim)
6) That the descendants of Oji’s only known siblings, present day Abatete and Nkpor, commonly recognize Okoli Otie as their ancestral father.

The historical account goes on to state that, in conformity with Igbo customs, Omaliko, the first son of Okodu, became the sole inheritor of Okodu’s piece of land. The reality of Omaliko’s exclusive inheritance resulted in Oji and Dimudeke having to depart to find separate settlements.
Be it as it may, the legend that is generally accepted by Umuojians continues that Oji had four sons namely Eziora, Ifiteora, Dimechem and Akala, in birth order. These four sons of Oji Okodu constitute the four loosely administrative quarters in Umuoji. Each of Oji’s four sons begot several sons of their own, and each of their sons individually originated one of the twenty-three villages in Umuoji. Unfortunately, the legend says nothing of what became of Oji’s female offspring or whether he or his sons had any daughters. The favored traditional history goes on to narrate that Oji’s sons and grandsons had such large families that their population soon eclipsed those of Omaliko and Dimudeke combined. It is said that old Okodu, who must have been blessed with longevity, was so impressed with the multitude that descended from his second son, Oji, which he proudly referred to them as “Igwulube Okodu”, literally interpreted to mean “Okodu’s swam of locusts.”
Listed below, in order of seniority, are the four sons of Oji and their children who were the progenitors of the constituent twenty-three villages in Umuoji.
1. EZIORA
Abor, Umuobia, Ire, Ekwulu, Amoji and Urueze
2. IFITEORA
Ifite, Urudeke, Umuazu and Umuoli
3. DIMECHEM
Aguma Elum, Umuoma, Uruaneke, Urumkpu, Ideoma, Dianokwu, Dimboko, and Umuechem
4. AKALA
Aguma, Uruegbe, Akala Etiti, Anaogu and Abidi