The history of Onitsha is said to have begun with the
migration of its people from the Benin Empire
towards the end of early part of the 16th century as a
result of a wave of unrest, war and displacement
unleashed by the Islamic movement from North
Africa. One version said that it was during their
passage through the outskirts of Ile-Ife that they
acquired the name Onitsha, a corruption of Orisha
Udo.
Another version has it that their migration to East of
the Niger has to do with a misunderstanding that
arose between the Onitsha family and Oba Esigie
(1404-1550), following the slighting of their shrine,
Udo, by the Oba. According to the legend, it was
customary for newly installed Oba to pay homage to
all important shrines in the Benin Kingdom by
slaughtering a cow in the shrines enclave. But Oba
Esigie is said to have refused to do this at the Onitsha
people’s Udo-Shrine, hence the quarrel and the
migration down towards the River Niger area and
across it.
Ukpabi disagrees with the Oba Esigie angle and posits
that the misunderstanding and migration was rather
as a result of “a fight over a farmland. These other
people fighting over farmland with the others and
interest started coming. And because of interest,
bitterness ensued and the two brothers decided to go
their separate ways. One said, no, ‘I will now leave
you, I’m going to Ado N’Idu.’ ‘Ado’ means border. ‘I
will leave you and go and settle down on my own. I’m
no longer going to be with you.’ That’s the issue. So,
the two brothers had to separate.”
Onitsha, capital of Igbo Kingdom
The immigrant settlers from Benin were said to have
been helped by the Igalas to cross the river to settle
in Onitsha in the 16th century, which was originally
called Ado N’Idu. It soon became the capital of an
Igbo Kingdom. In 1857, British traders in palm oil
established a permanent station in the city, and
Christian missionaries soon followed, headed by
Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther (a Yoruba) and
Reverend John Taylor (an Igbo).
In 1884, Onitsha became part of a British
protectorate. The British colonial government and
Christian missionaries penetrated most of Igboland
to set up their administration, schools and churches
through the river port at Onitsha.
Historically, Onitsha became an important trading
port for the Royal Niger Company in the mid-1850s.
Following the abolition of slavery, trade in palm
kernels and other cash crops boomed around this
river port. Immigrants from the hinterland were
drawn to the emerging boom town as did the British
traders who settled there and coordinated the palm
oil and cash crops trade.
Colonial relics and post-colonial architectural
wonders
Areas bordering Old Market, New Market Roads,
Upper Market Road, Modebe Avenue, Iboku, Old
Cemetry, Old Hospital, Mbanugo St, Emejulu St, Obi
Street, Benjamin St, Court, Enugu Road, Awka Road,
Egerton, etc are known as Whitemen Quarters, so-
called because the white colonial masters who first
settled in Onitsha, used to live here. And, even till
today, the white colonial style of buildings such as
you see at Yaba, Ebute Metta and Central Lagos, can
be seen existing, side by side, with the new, on these
streets.
But much more modern exotic architectural wonders
exist in places like the G.R.A and “33” Housing
Estates. Sunday Sun understands that SCityGate Real
Estate Ltd, located on Mike Ilodibe Crescent and
which specializes in building ultra-modern
architectural structures, makes such building wonders
happen for interested clients. In 1965, a bridge was
built across the Niger River to replace the ferry
crossing. Today, plans are said to be underway to
build the Second Niger Bridge.
Onitsha is made up of three groups of people, Ukpabi
reveals. The first is the Edos, the Ezechima’s team.
The second, Igalas. They were the people that were
fishing at the Niger by the time Onitsha people came
to settle there. The third, the Igbos who are very
close to the Niger and had integrated with them.
These three groups make up what is today known as
Onitsha.”
“Their tradition is blended with the three peoples,
first the Edos, second the Igalas”, Ukpabi says. “In
fact, in the past, there were some villages in Onitsha
that spoke Igala. And they are made up of two
villages. They are still in Onitsha. Onitsha is made up
of nine villages. Two out of the nine are purely the
Igalas: Ogbodu and Obigboru. So, that is how Onitsha
people came to be.
“The ones with Edo influence are the monarchy itself.
That’s the Eze Chima, that is the ruling villages. They
are four in number. Umueze Aroli, Okebunabu
(which include Umudei and Ogbabu) and Olosi. The
present Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Achebe is the 21st Obi
of Onitsha.”
Inter-marriages, says Ukpabi, have long existed
between the Igalas and the Edos. “The people our
ancestors met fishing at the bank of the River Niger
were purely Igallas. They were following the Niger all
the way from their place to Onitsha. So, they don’t
normally come to the upper land. They remain there.
They have their buildings in their canoes. So, we
attracted them into coming to the hinterland. We
started intermarrying with them. One of the
outstanding monarchs of Onitsha, Obi Eze Aroli, the
mother, Enubi, is from Igala.”



SOURCE: http://www.edoworld.net/History_of_Onitsha.html

Op, what's your mission? I believe this topic has been dealt with here. If you really want to know the correct version of Onicha Mmili history, the second paragraph of the lead story is what it should be. Read that second paragraph very well, make a research on the origins of that deity then come back. I bet it will be a teachable moment for you.

Yes, the Edos are correct, they share no cultural origins with Onicha people.

Deltagiant:
.

Historians, please I'd like to know the origin of the saying "A di ama ama Onitsha gwara Obosi". I heard some people find it offensive, so my aim of asking is strictly for educational purposes. Thanks.

Mrval20:

Historians, please I'd like to know the origin of the saying "A di ama ama Onitsha gwara Obosi". I heard some people find it offensive, so my aim of asking is strictly for educational purposes. Thanks.

O gwalu O, you mean? A di ama ama Onicha gwalu Obosi?

bigfrancis21:


O gwalu O, you mean? A di ama ama Onicha gwalu Obosi?

Exactly! Though what I usually hear is "gwara" or "gwalu". Anyway, what's the origin of the saying?

Mrval20:

Exactly! Though what I usually hear is "gwara" or "gwalu". Anyway, what's the origin of the saying?

It stems from an anient land tussle between Onicha people and Obosi, which turned out to be unpleasant, and is now used as a warning sort of to prevent something unpleasant that is to happen and its equivalent in English would be 'to forewarn is to forearm'. For eg, 'jee mee ife afu mama gwalu yi mee, jee ozi niine di n'uno, sachapu efele di na sink tupu o na-anata, a di ama uma Onicha gwalu Obosi'.

bigfrancis21:


It stems from an anient land tussle between Onicha people and Obosi, which turned out to be unpleasant, and is now used as a warning sort of to prevent something unpleasant that is to happen and its equivalent in English would be 'to forewarn is to forearm'. For eg, 'jee mee ife afu mama gwalu yi mee, jee ozi niine di n'uno, sachapu efele di na sink tupu o na-anata, a di ama uma Onicha gwalu Obosi'.

Interesting, thanks a lot for the explanation. Still wonder why some people (probably ndi Onitsha) don't like hearing it, hence the short form "O gwalu O".
Your example is classical too...okwu a na-agwa ndi isi agbo ncha

Mrval20:

Interesting, thanks a lot for the explanation. Still wonder why some people (probably ndi Onitsha) don't like hearing it, hence the short form "O gwalu O".
Your example is classical too...okwu a na-agwa ndi isi agbo ncha

Lol@Isi agbo ncha.