The Amanfo Duruokpalanne

AWO-OMAMMA: ORIGIN.

 

AWO AND OMAMMA BEGAT   EZI AWO AND OFEKATA.     

 

EZIAWO AND OFEKATA BEGAT THE  13 VILLAGES OF AWO-OMAMMA WITH A POPULATION OF CIRCA   80.000  PEOPLE. THE PEOPLE OF AWO-OMAMMA ARE PREDOMINANTLY FARMERS AND TRADERS , RICH IN CULTURE AND FESTIVITIES. 

 

THEY TRADED IN PALM OIL, PALM WINE, PALM KERNELS, YAMS, COCOYAMS,BANANA, CASSAVA  CRAFTS  BRONZ WORKS ETC.

 

HOUSES IN AWO WERE MADE OF MUD AND THATCHED ROOFS IN THE ANCIENT DAYS, THE WOMEN RED WASHED THE MUD FROM TIME TO TIME AND APPLIED DESIGNS AS THEY  LIKED.

 

DRESS CODES IN  ANCIENT AWO-OMAMMA: THE MAIDEN WORE SHORT WRAPPER  WITH BEADS AROUND THEIR WAIST AND OTHER ORNAMENTS INCLUDING ODUKWU (IVORY) AND NECKLACE AND BEADS. 

MEN  WORE LOIN CLOTHS THAT WRAPPED AROUND THEIR WAIST AND IN BETWEEN THEIR LEGS AND FASTENED AT THE BACK. (EGBURU WARA) APPROPRIATE FOR FARMING AND THE CLIMATE.

 

CUISINE: JI (YAM) IN ALL FORM, ERU -MMIRI (CASSAVA,) ARUSU ( RICE)  OFE OGIRI, INCHICHIRIMALA( WATER,SALT,OGIRI AND CRAYFISH). ERO USU SOUP, ETC

 

THE BANKING SYSTEM  WAS  BY  NSUSO

 

THEY HAVE FOUR MARKET DAYS IN A WEEK: AFOR, NKWO, EKE, ORIE : THE AFOR ISIEKE, THE NKWO UMUOKWE, THE EKE OKWORJI ,ORIE BRIDGE, EKE ACHARA ETC.

 

AS A SIGN OF RESPECT CHILDREN ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CALL ELDERS BY THEIR NAMES. THEY ADD DEDE ( OR DEE) BEFORE THE ELDER'S NAME..

 

BURIAL: DIFFERENT TYPES OF DEATH  WARRANT DIFFERENT TYPES OF BURIAL. DIFFERENT TYPES OF RELIGION WARRANT DIFFERENT TYPE OF BURIAL. THE PAGANS HAVE THEIR OWN WAY OF BURIAL ACCORDING TO OMENALA. CHILDREN ARE BURIED IN A DIFFERENT WAY, AND SINGLE WOMEN AND MEN ARE BURIED IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

 

RELIGIOUSLY THE PEOPLE OF AWO-OMAMMA ARE MAINLY CHRISTIANS AND  PAGANS.

 

THERE ARE 13  MAIN  VILLAGES IN AWO-OMAMMA: 

 

ISIEKE.

OKWORJI. ( UMUELIBE IS PART OF OKWORJI. YET TO BE RECOGNISED AS AUTONOMOUS VILLAGE).

OBIBI.

OHUBA.

UBOGWU.

UBACHIMA.

UMUBOCHI.

UMUEZEALI.

UMUEME.

UMUOKWE.

UMUEZUKWE.

UBAHAEZE.

UMUEZIKE.

 

EDUCATION IN ANCIENT AWO-OMAMMA:

THE COLONIAL MASTERS LEFT EDUCATION IN THE HANDS OF CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES. THE CONTROL OF EDUCATION BY THE MISSION HAD ITS CONSEQUENCES IN MANY VILLAGES TOO.

THEY HAD NO INTENTION TO PROVIDE EDUCATION PER SE ,BUT RATHER IT WAS USED FOR RECRUITMENT OF PEOPLE INTO THE CHURCH.

SINCE CHURCH WAS SPLIT INTO DENOMINATIONS, VILLAGES ACCEPTED ROMAN CATHOLIC AND PROTESTANT PREDOMINANTLY IN AWO-OMAMMA. RIVALRY AND COMPETITION ENSUED BETWEEN THE VILLAGES AS A RESULT. THE ROMAN CATHOLIC EMPHASIZED  MORE ON PRIMARY SCHOOL EDUCATION WHILE THE PROTESTANT EMPHASIZED  MORE ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS. THE AWO PEOPLE LOVED THE CHRISTIAN WAY OF LIFE AND THIS STARTED AFTER THE CONTACT WITH MISSIONARIES WHO CAME FROM OZUBULU EVEN THOUGH THEY CAME IN ALSO TO ESTABLISH TRADE WITH THE PEOPLE.  

 

EARLY CHRISTIANS IN AWO-OMAMMA:

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH TOOK UP EVENGELISATION IN AWO-OMAMMA WITH THE SEAT AT UBACHIMA (AMA AMANFO).THE FIRST TEACHER TO COME TO UBACHIMA VIA OZUBULU WAS MR. NWOKORO WHO DIED AFTER A SHORT STAY.

EARLY IN THE MORNINGS TEACHERS FROM NKUME,ATTA, OKWUDOR ,AMIRI  ETC ASSEMBLED AT UBACHIMA( AMA AMANFO).THESE TEACHERS WERE WARNED  TO REFRAIN FROM  IDOL SENTIMENTS  AND INTERFERANCE WITH PAGANS. THIS CONTINUED TO TAKE PLACE UNTIL ABOUT  1928 BEFORE THE WOMEN RIOT IN AMANFO'S ROYAL HOUSE.

 

AWO-OMAMMA CENTRAL SCHOOL WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1934. IN  THIS YEAR THE SCHOOL IN UBACHIMA WAS  CARRIED TO CENTRAL SCHOOL NEAR AFOR ISIEKE. RICHARD ODILI FROM OGUTA HEADED THE SCHOOL. UNDER JOHN NWABIANI THE SCHOOL WAS APPROVED TO STANDARD 6. IN 1941.

THE FIRST CHRISTIANS IN STATIONS WERE:

UBACHIMA--- PETER MMADUIKE,ROBERT CHUKWUNWANMA, JOHN UGORJI,MICHAEL AKPUGO, MATHEW NNABUO, EDWARD ESIMBE, DOMINIC ORJINTA,STEPHEN DURUOJIAKU,SIMON ONYEAGHALA, JOSEPH CHUKWUNWANMA,SIMON AMANAMBU, JOHN EJIMMA,JAMES IHENYENWA, DAVID ASOENYENAM,ROBERT MADUWUARIRI,JAMES NWOKWE, SAMUEL NGIMA, FESTUS ORJI.

OKWUORJI:  SIMON  NDEKWE,IGNATIUS ODOHIRI,FRANCIS AKUECHIAMA,JOSEPH ONYEDEBELE ETC.

ISIEKE:  PETER CHUKWUNENYE, MICHAEL OBIOHA,CHIEF JOSEPH DURUOJIAKU,JOHN OGULO,RICHARD NWANYAMBA AND STEPHEN OKOLIE.

UBOGWU:  JOHN ORJI,PETER NWALOZIRIUWA,THOMAS NNANABU,JOSEPH NWABISI ETC.

UMUEZUKWE:RAPHAEL IROZO,RICHARD IWEOZO, LINUS UBAKIBIE, EDWARD ADINNA, ETC

UMUOKWE: LAWRENCE OKEKE, PIUS ANYAWIKE,GABRIEL AMUKAMARA, DAVID EKEHIGBUO

MICHAEL FROM OBIBI.

THESE EARLY CHRISTIANS WERE MEETING REGULARLY, TREKKING FOR MILES TO IHIALA AND UBACHIMA FOR MEETINGS. THESE WERE THE LEADERS OF AWO-OMAMMA PATRIOTIC UNION, AND THEY CONSENTED BUILDING A SCHOOL AT A CENTRAL PLACE.

THEY CONVINCED AMANFO AND OTHER CHIEFS ON THE PAYMENT OF 3 PENCE FOR BUILDING OF SCHOOL AT A CENTRAL PLACE  AND FOUGHT TO STAMP OUT PAGANISM IN AWO-OMAMMA. THESE PEOPLE SACRIFICED EVERYTHING THEY HAD TO MAINTAIN AND RAISE AWO-OMAMMA TO ITS PRESENT STATUS AS A PREDOMINANTELY A CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY.

 

IN 1934, THE SIX SUB STATIONS WERE ASKED TO START CATECHISTICAL SCHOOLS WHICH GREW TO FULL ELEMENTARY/PRIMARY SCHOOLS NOW.

MEANWHILE, IN 1934, THE SCHOOL AT UBACHIMA WAS TRANSFERRED TO A CENTRAL PLACE NEAR THE AFO ISIEKE. AT THE CENTRAL SCHOOL, RICHARD ODILI FROM OGUTA HEADED THE SCHOOL. BOYS PRESENT THEN STARTED COMING TO SCHOOL ; NWANJABA DANIEL,FRANCIS OBI,UKEGBU AGUBARAMA, DOMINIC UKPABIA,NNANA ARUDIWE. A LOT OF CHILDREN FILLED THE SCHOOL. SOME PIONEERS AND PUPIL OF THE OLD SCHOOL OF UBACHIMA SCHOOL DROPPED.; FIDELIS MBIANURU,UCHE AKUBUEZE,FRANCIS OKANOME,GABRIEL OJIAKU, ANTHONY IBEKWE, NWONONAKU OKOROEJIAKA, HYCINTH NWABUZOR.

UNDER THE MISSION, THE CENTRAL SCHOOL COULD ONLY TAKE UP STANDARD 1 TO 4. THE PUPIL STAGNATED AFTER STANDARD 4 BECAUSE GOVERNMENT DID NOT APPROVE THE SCHOOL TO STANDARD 5. SOME OF THE PUPILS HAD TO LEAVE THE SCHOOL TO VARIOUS DESTINATIONS TO CONTINUE. THE LATE FR. J MILLET WAS THE PARISH PRIEST OF CATHOLIC MISSION IN OGUTA AND AWO-OMAMMA WAS WITHIN HIS ECCLESIATICAL JURISDICTION.

IN 1941, UNDER JOHN NWABIANU,THE SCHOOL WAS APPROVED TO STD SIX. THOSE WHO PASSED THE STD SIX IN 1940 WERE RECALLED TO APPROVED SCHOOLS INORDER TO GET THE GOVERNMENT CERTIFICATE. EG. DR. NZERIBE B.U.  PROF. OBIBUAKU L.

 

PAGANISM IN ANCIENT AWO-OMAMMA:

 

 THE ANCIENT RELIGION  AND TRADITION IN AWO-OMAMMA WAS ODINALA WITH CHI OR CHUKWU AS THE SUPREME GOD. SUPERNATURAL DEITIES WERE CALLED ARISI AND THE SPIRITS CALLED MMUO.  

    THE  AWO-OMAMMA PEOPLE BELIEVED IN REINCARNATION  AND EVEN UPTIL NOW . ONCE A CHILD IS BORN THEY CONSULT A DIVINER TO DETECT WHO THE CHILD HAS REINCARNATED FROM. 

THE CHRISTIANS WERE ISOLATED AND TREATED AS PEOPLE COMITTING ATTROCITIES (KILLING THE EKE NJABA, FISHING FROM THE NJABA RIVER, KEEPING CHILDREN WHO GREW UPPER TEETH FIRST). THE PAGANS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CHRISTIANS AND THE CHURCH AND REFUSED TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOLS.

 

AWO-OMAMMA AS A TOWN HAD ITS OWN TABOO.

A) BIRTH OF TWINS.

B) KILLING OF THE PYTHON.

THERE IS A STRONG BELIEF IN THE DELICATE AND FAMOUS DEITY- THE NJABA. THE DEITY RESIDES IN THE NJABA RIVER. IT SHOULD ALSO BE REMEMBERED THAT THE BACKGROUND OF MANY  MISSIONARIES WAS IRISH. THE IRISH PEOPLE CELEBRATES ST. PATRICK'S DAY IN REMEMBRANCE TO THIS SAINT WHO GOT RID OF SNAKES IN IRLAND. EKE NJABA WAS TO BE WIPED OUT BUT THE PAGANS AND SOME EARLY CHRISTIANS REFUSED. THE MISSIONARIES AND THE COLONIAL ADMINISTRATORS REALISED THAT THE AWO-OMAMMA PEOPLE THEN COULD EMBRACE THE CHRISTIAN GOD WHILE STILL HOLDING ON TO THEIR TRADITION.

THE EKE NJABA, A HARMLESS TRADITIONAL SNAKE REGARDED AS THE PROPERTY AND MESSENGER OF THE DEITY IS HELD SACRED. THIS BELIEF IS STRONG THAT EVEN SOME CHRISTIANS HAVE NOT COMPLETELY RENOUNCED THE SACREDNESS OF THE EKE NJABA AND WOULD REALLY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THE EKE NJABA CAN NEITHER BE KILLED NOR BE HARMED. DELIBERATE KILLING OR ACCIDENTAL KILLING OF THIS SNAKE IN AWO-OMAMMA ATTRACTS A RITUAL CLEANSING BY THE KILLER OR ELSE THE PERSON WILL FACE THE WRATH OF THE NJABA DEITY. THE NJABA IS THE STRONGEST DEITY IN AWO-OMAMMA.

THERE ARE OTHER ORACLES IN AWO-OMAMMA  NAMELY :

NJABA ONUAKWA.

NJABA ONATARA EKE.

NJABA ORIE.

NJABA NKWO.

THE OGWUGWU UMUEME.

THE AGWU ISI OGIDEREIBEYA.   ( ESTABLISHED BY DURUOTUTU THE WARRIOR . THE FIRST SON OF UBACHIMA. THE GREAT GREAT GRAND FATHER OF AMANFO.)

THE AFO OF UMUEZEKWE.

AND MANY OTHERS.