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History Of The Aro Confederacy - Culture - Nairaland

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History Of The Aro Confederacy by Antivirus92(m): 9:12am On Jul 20, 2012
The Aro people or Aros is an igbo sub-group with Akpa and ibibio elements who originated from Arochukwu kingdom in present day Abia state,southeastern Nigeria. The Aros can also be found in about 250 other settlements mostly in the southeastern region and adjacent areas.The Aros today are mostly classified as eastern or cross-river igbos due to their location,culture and dialect.Their god ibini ukpabi,was a key factor in establishing the Aro confederacy as a regional power in southeastern Nigeria during the 18th and 19th centuries. HISTORY AND ORIGINS-The history of the Aros predates igbo migration and founding of the kingdom of Arochukwu.Before igbos started arriving to Aro region in the 17th century,ibibios arrived from the Benue and Plateau areas and founded states such as obong okon ita and ibom west of the cross-river.Igbo migrations led by the Eze Agwu clan from the north into the Aro region started in the mid 17th century which led to tensions.The Aro-ibibio wars and the migration of the Akpa from the east of the cross-river,formed the nation during the turning point of the 17th to 18th century.The igbo and akpa alliance,defeated and assimilated the original ibibio inhabitants after long years of warfare.By this time,the palm oil and slave trade was popular in the hinterland.By the mid 18th century,there was a mass migration of Aro business men to the igbo hinterland and adjacent areas.This migration,influence of their god, ibini ukpabi through priests,and their military power supported by alliances with several related neighbouring igbo and cross-river militarized states (particularly ohafia,Abiam,Abiriba,Afikpo,Ekoi etc)quickly established the Aro confederacy as a regional economic power.However,Aro hegemony was threatened by the penetration of europeans,mainly british colonists.Tensions finally led to bloodshed and the Anglo-Aro war took place from 1901-1902.The Aro conferacy stoutly resisted the british but were eventually defeated.This helped the british to occupy the rest of what is now known as Eastern Nigeria. TRADITION-The Aros have rich tradition.one factor is the ekpe society which is a sacred cult originally from east of cross-river.The highly religious and and judicial cult took part in Aro cultism.The use of the writting system nsibidi,was based on secret societies like ekpe and uli was another writting system mostly used as body art.Another factor is the ibini ukpabi shrine who was mediating god among the Aros.They influenced neighbours and allies before the british invasion.The shrine was later corrupted,commercialised and used for selling slaves during slave trade.The ekeleke masquarade activity was important in Aro settlement rather than ekpe,brought from the Aros in the western niger delta,it eventually spread to the oguta area.They also were known for wearing the popular "george"cloth.The ikperikpe warrior dance was very popular among warriors in the olden days and continues to be practiced. LARGEST SETTLEMENTS-Aro Ajatakiri-ikwuano, umuahia,Abia state. Aro Achara-Ama-asa,isiala ngwa,Abia state. Aro umunkpe-isiala ngwa,Abia state. Aro mbawsi-isiala ngwa,Abia state. Aro okporoenyi-ikwuano area,Abia state. Aro umuru-ikwuano area,Abia state. Aro ndizuogu-ideato area,imo state(the biggest of all the settlements) Aro ajalli-Anambra state. Aro nzem-Ebonyi state. Aro amokwe-udi area,Enugu state. Aro isuochi-Abia state. Aro isiokpo/igwurita-ikwerre area,Rivers state. Aro abagana-Anambra state. Aro oru-Imo state. Aro ngwa-Abia state. Aro ezeagu-Enugu state. Aro achi-Enugu state. Aro kalabari-Rivers state. Aro opobo-Rives state.
Re: History Of The Aro Confederacy by Antivirus92(m): 10:50am On Jul 20, 2012
The question now is;who are those igbos that are said to have migrated from the north into aro and what is their origin?(north here refers to anambra/enugu areas)
Re: History Of The Aro Confederacy by ChinenyeN(m): 4:48pm On Jul 20, 2012
Sigh. .
Re: History Of The Aro Confederacy by Nobody: 9:35pm On Jul 20, 2012
Antivirus92: The question now is;who are those igbos that are said to have migrated from the north into aro and what is their origin?(north here refers to anambra/enugu areas)

Why limit the northern origin to those areas? I'm interested in their links to the north of the continent and possibly beyond.
Re: History Of The Aro Confederacy by odumchi: 11:59pm On Jul 20, 2012
I can't say I didn't expect this...

Antivirus, I'll know you're serious when you find a real and detailed account of Aro history and not the Wikipedia version.

Let me just point a few things out here. The Aro are broken into three lineages: Ezeagwu, Ibom Isii, and Okennachi. Ndi Okennachi are from the Edda (who are from the east of the Cross River). Ndi Ibom Isii originally were not Igbo and are from east of the Cross River also. The Ezeagwu lineage resided in the Cross-River basin prior to the establishment of Arochukwu and was led by a man called Nna Uru.

Nna Uru migrated (and brought his clan along with him) from the Igbo heartland and not from northern Igboland. The Igbo heartland refers to the Ideato-Okigwe-Orlu-Nkwerre axis (Northern Imo and a bit of Southern Anambra).

I hope you see what I'm getting at...

I must applaud you for your stubborness, though.

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Re: History Of The Aro Confederacy by ChinenyeN(m): 12:10am On Jul 21, 2012
odumchi: I can't say I didn't expect this...

Antivirus, I'll know you're serious when you find a real and detailed account of Aro history and not the Wikipedia version.

Let me just point a few things out here. The Aro are broken into three lineages: Ezeagwu, Ibom Isii, and Okennachi. Ndi Okennachi are from the Edda (who are from the east of the Cross River). Ndi Ibom Isii originally were not Igbo and are from east of the Cross River also. The Ezeagwu lineage resided in the Cross-River basin prior to the establishment of Arochukwu and was led by a man called Nna Uru.

Nna Uru migrated (and brought his clan along with him) from the Igbo heartland and not from northern Igboland. The Igbo heartland refers to the Ideato-Okigwe-Orlu-Nkwerre axis (Northern Imo and a bit of Southern Anambra).

I hope you see what I'm getting at...

I must applaud you for your stubborness, though.
grin I feel you.
Re: History Of The Aro Confederacy by Antivirus92(m): 5:21am On Jul 21, 2012
odumchi: I can't say I didn't expect this...

Antivirus, I'll know you're serious when you find a real and detailed account of Aro history and not the Wikipedia version.

Let me just point a few things out here. The Aro are broken into three lineages: Ezeagwu, Ibom Isii, and Okennachi. Ndi Okennachi are from the Edda (who are from the east of the Cross River). Ndi Ibom Isii originally were not Igbo and are from east of the Cross River also. The Ezeagwu lineage resided in the Cross-River basin prior to the establishment of Arochukwu and was led by a man called Nna Uru.

Nna Uru migrated (and brought his clan along with him) from the Igbo heartland and not from northern Igboland. The Igbo heartland refers to the Ideato-Okigwe-Orlu-Nkwerre axis (Northern Imo and a bit of Southern Anambra).

I hope you see what I'm getting at...

I must applaud you for your stubborness, though.
always running around,when held in the hand,you shout it's the leg,when held in the leg ,you say it's the eyes.that you are from aro doesn't mean u know everything after all the person that wrote this might have been an aro man and probably older and more educated than u are. Again he said igbos from the north and from ur own division northern igbos are anambra/enugu.
Re: History Of The Aro Confederacy by AkanIgbo: 2:05am On Apr 29, 2015
Antivirus92:
The Aro people or Aros is an igbo sub-group with Akpa and ibibio elements who originated from Arochukwu kingdom in present day Abia state,southeastern Nigeria. The Aros can also be found in about 250 other settlements mostly in the southeastern region and adjacent areas.The Aros today are mostly classified as eastern or cross-river igbos due to their location,culture and dialect.Their god ibini ukpabi,was a key factor in establishing the Aro confederacy as a regional power in southeastern Nigeria during the 18th and 19th centuries. HISTORY AND ORIGINS-The history of the Aros predates igbo migration and founding of the kingdom of Arochukwu.Before igbos started arriving to Aro region in the 17th century,ibibios arrived from the Benue and Plateau areas and founded states such as obong okon ita and ibom west of the cross-river.Igbo migrations led by the Eze Agwu clan from the north into the Aro region started in the mid 17th century which led to tensions.The Aro-ibibio wars and the migration of the Akpa from the east of the cross-river,formed the nation during the turning point of the 17th to 18th century.The igbo and akpa alliance,defeated and assimilated the original ibibio inhabitants after long years of warfare.By this time,the palm oil and slave trade was popular in the hinterland.By the mid 18th century,there was a mass migration of Aro business men to the igbo hinterland and adjacent areas.This migration,influence of their god, ibini ukpabi through priests,and their military power supported by alliances with several related neighbouring igbo and cross-river militarized states (particularly ohafia,Abiam,Abiriba,Afikpo,Ekoi etc)quickly established the Aro confederacy as a regional economic power.However,Aro hegemony was threatened by the penetration of europeans,mainly british colonists.Tensions finally led to bloodshed and the Anglo-Aro war took place from 1901-1902.The Aro conferacy stoutly resisted the british but were eventually defeated.This helped the british to occupy the rest of what is now known as Eastern Nigeria. TRADITION-The Aros have rich tradition.one factor is the ekpe society which is a sacred cult originally from east of cross-river.The highly religious and and judicial cult took part in Aro cultism.The use of the writting system nsibidi,was based on secret societies like ekpe and uli was another writting system mostly used as body art.Another factor is the ibini ukpabi shrine who was mediating god among the Aros.They influenced neighbours and allies before the british invasion.The shrine was later corrupted,commercialised and used for selling slaves during slave trade.The ekeleke masquarade activity was important in Aro settlement rather than ekpe,brought from the Aros in the western niger delta,it eventually spread to the oguta area.They also were known for wearing the popular "george"cloth.The ikperikpe warrior dance was very popular among warriors in the olden days and continues to be practiced. LARGEST SETTLEMENTS-Aro Ajatakiri-ikwuano, umuahia,Abia state. Aro Achara-Ama-asa,isiala ngwa,Abia state. Aro umunkpe-isiala ngwa,Abia state. Aro mbawsi-isiala ngwa,Abia state. Aro okporoenyi-ikwuano area,Abia state. Aro umuru-ikwuano area,Abia state. Aro ndizuogu-ideato area,imo state(the biggest of all the settlements) Aro ajalli-Anambra state. Aro nzem-Ebonyi state. Aro amokwe-udi area,Enugu state. Aro isuochi-Abia state. Aro isiokpo/igwurita-ikwerre area,Rivers state. Aro abagana-Anambra state. Aro oru-Imo state. Aro ngwa-Abia state. Aro ezeagu-Enugu state. Aro achi-Enugu state. Aro kalabari-Rivers state. Aro opobo-Rives state.

All that they are remembered for is being slave traders of their own people.
Re: History Of The Aro Confederacy by Nobody: 6:04am On Apr 29, 2015
AkanIgbo:


All that they are remembered for is being slave traders of their own people.

They did more than that. But the slave trading is all that most people are interested in talking about.

3 Likes

Re: History Of The Aro Confederacy by AtaniWarrior: 8:40pm On Aug 14, 2016
odumchi:
I can't say I didn't expect this...

Antivirus, I'll know you're serious when you find a real and detailed account of Aro history and not the Wikipedia version.

Let me just point a few things out here. The Aro are broken into three lineages: Ezeagwu, Ibom Isii, and Okennachi. Ndi Okennachi are from the Edda (who are from the east of the Cross River). Ndi Ibom Isii originally were not Igbo and are from east of the Cross River also. The Ezeagwu lineage resided in the Cross-River basin prior to the establishment of Arochukwu and was led by a man called Nna Uru.

Nna Uru migrated (and brought his clan along with him) from the Igbo heartland and not from northern Igboland. The Igbo heartland refers to the Ideato-Okigwe-Orlu-Nkwerre axis (Northern Imo and a bit of Southern Anambra).

I hope you see what I'm getting at...

I must applaud you for your stubborness, though.

I salute you my brother.

My father belongs to the Eze Agwu lineage (of course he has ancestral ties to Ibom Isi and Oke Nnachi lineages as well). I honestly question the Igbo Heartland theory.

Nna Uru and Eze Agwu Inobia were most likely from the Abiriba/Edda axis:
1. The Abiriba/Edda area is very close to Arochukwu.
2. Abiriba and Edda people both claim to have founded Arochukwu.
3. Eze Agwu Inobia was a blacksmith and Abiriba people were known as blacksmiths.
4. Eze Agwu Inobia called on Nnachi Ipia the Edda medicine man for assistance during the war. Nnachi could have easily left after his efforts to use medicine to get rid of the Ibibios failed. Instead, Nnachi and the Eddas risked their lives to stay and settle in a war zone to help Eze Agwu. I think this may symbolize some type of ancestral relationship between Eze Agwu and the Edda people.
5. The Igbo “heartland” is distant and too vague. I will say that Uturu (next to Okigwe) or Nkwerre origin will make some sense since they were also known as blacksmiths. I even read Uturu and Nkwerre claims stating that they also founded Arochukwu. However in terms of distance, origins, culture, dialect, etc Abiriba/Edda makes the most sense.

That's just my opinion of course.

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