The Amanfo Duruokpalanne

THE COLONIAL AWO-OMAMMA

 

THE DECLARATION OF PROTECTORATE OF NIGER COAST IN 1802 GAVE THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THE HOPE TO INTENSIFY EFFORTS FOR FURTHER DECLARATIONS AT THE HINTER LAND OF THE IGBO AREAS. HOWEVER, THE FALL OF ARO WAS A MAJOR BREAK THROUGH IN THE PROPAGATION OF BRITISH SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT IN IGBOLAND. THE CONQUEST STARTED IN BENDE, OKIGWE, OWERRI AND ORLU PROVINCES. THE INVASION OF UMUNNOHA TOOK PLACE IN 1803 FOLLOWED BY THE FALL OF AWO-OMAMMA WHICH WAS LED BY ONE MR. HM DOUGLAS. THE NATIVES USUALLY CALLED HIM "OTANGLAS" IN THE YEAR 1884.

 

THEY CAME TO AWO-OMAMMA VIA THE NJABA RIVER. AT THE RIVER, THERE WAS THE NEED TO TO BUILD A TEMPORARY BRIDGE AND NEEDED THE ASSISTANCE OF THE NATIVES. WITH THE HELP OF A MAN CALLED AMANFO DURUOKPALANNE MGBAFURU IN UBACHIMA THEY WERE ABLE TO CROSS INTO AWO-OMAMMA.

AMANFO NOTICED THAT TO FIGHT THE COLONIAL MASTERS WOULD MEAN SUICIDE BECAUSE THEY WERE EQUIPED WITH AUTOMATIC RIFFLES AND DANGEROUS WEAPONS. HE COURAGEOUSLY APPROACHED THEM FOR A PEACEFUL AGREEMENT. THE AGREEMENT WAS THAT THEY SHOULD NOT SHOOT AT AWO-OMAMMA.  AWO-OMAMMA WAS DISARMED AND THE OYIBO GAINED ENTRY INTO AWO-OMAMMA WITHOUT CAUSING A LOT OF HAVOC.

THEY DEMANDED THAT AMANFO SHOULD COLLECT ALL RIFFLES FROM HIS PEOPLE. THE RIFFLES WERE COLLECTED AND STORED IN THE ULOAKU AMANFO.

THE ULOAKU WAS A HOUSE BUILT BY AMANFO. WHERE HE SAVES HIS MONEY AND VALUABLES. LATER THE MASTERS OUT OF FEAR, BURNT THE ULOAKU IN AN EFFORT TO DESTROY THE WEAPONS. THE WIVES OF AMANFO WEPT VERY BITTERLY OVER THE MONEY AND PROPERTY BURNT. AMANFO DURUOPKALANNE MBGAFURU WAS COMPENSATED BY CONNECTING HIM TO MERCHANTILE ASSOCIATION AND TRADE BY BATTER SYSTEM. THE COMMON SAYING IN AWO-OMAMMA IS THAT AMANFO PREVENTED THE OYIBO FROM SHOOTING AWO-OMAMMA.