Ogidi is an Igbo town, the headquarters of Idemili North Local Government area, Anambra State, Nigeria. It has an estimated population of 70,000 and has as its neighbours Abatete, Ṅkpọr, Ụmụnnachị, Ụmụoji, Ogbụnike and Ụmụdiọka. Ogidi is best known for its mid-July annual Nwafor Festival, and for being the birthplace of author Chinua Achebe. Other attractions include the famous Iyi-Enu Hospital and Aforigwe market. The people are known for not killing pythons, as the creature is regarded as a deity. Ogidi means pillar.

Ogidi

Location in Nigeria
Coordinates: 6°9′N 6°52′E
Country Nigeria
State Anambra State
LGA Idemili North
Population (2009)
• Total 70,418
• Ethnicities Igbo
• Religions Christianity, Odinani
History

Kingship Edit

The kingship stool has historically been vested in the Amobi family. His Royal Highness Igwe Amobi I of Ogidi, Walter Okafor Okerulu Nwatakwochaka Amobi (1838 - 18 December 1925), was the first ruler of Ogidi. His father, Abraham Amobi was born in 1806, and was one of the first people to encounter the English Church missionaries and embrace their religion when they arrived in Onitsha through the River Niger. He became the first catechist in Ogidi.

His son, Igwe Walter Okafor Amobi I of Ogidi had the rare opportunity of being exposed to Christian education and culture. He was active in the palace council of HRH The Obi of Onitsha and adjudicated in native courts there. A wealthy and prosperous noble, he was appointed a Political Agent of Queen Victoria's Royal Niger Company in 1898 and had a contingent of soldiers at his command. On July 9, 1904, he became the first Igwe of Ogidi in a ceremony recorded in the Colonial Administrative Intelligence Book and witnessed by colonial officers representing the government of HM King Edward VII of England.

As Igwe, he was instrumental in establishing peaceful and mutually beneficial contact between the Royal Niger Company and the people of Ogidi and the greater Igbo hinterland. Though peace-loving by nature, he was a brave, able and resolute warrior in battle and at other times of conflict. His courageous leadership earned him the respect and gratitude of his people and those of the neighbouring provinces. During this period, he was invested with the princely and ducal title of Ozo in recognition of his successes against Portuguese raiders striking inland from the Niger Delta, and indigenous soldiers attacking from provinces to the north. HRH Igwe Amobi I reigned as ruler of Ogidi for 21 years until his death on 18 December 1925. Upon his death, Amobi I was succeeded by his eldest son, HRH Prince Benjamin Olisaeloka Amobi, who, as HRH Igwe Amobi II of Ogidi, later represented the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria at the coronation of HM King George VI of England in 1937.

During Amobi II's long reign, he ruled wisely and, like his father, he maintained cordial relations with the rulers of other kingdoms and provinces including HRH The Oba of Benin, HRH The Obi of Onitsha, Ojiako Ezenne of Adazi, HRH The Oni of Ife and HRH The Oba of Lagos. His eldest son, HRH (Dr.) Benedict Vincent Obiora Amobi became Igwe Amobi III after the death of Igwe II in 1975. When he died in 1986, HRH (Engr.) Walter Nnamdi Ifediora Amobi ascended the throne as Igwe Amobi IV of Ogidi until his death in 1998.

Igwe Amobi I died in 1924. Walter Amobi was born on March 19, 1929. He married, Uche in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1957 and has six children, including his send son, Ifediora Chimezie Amobi, born on October 1, 1960. He has three children, including Chastity Lynn Nwakego Grant-Amobi born on October 27, 1982.

In August 2016, after 18 years of the throne being empty, the people of Ogidi elected a new Igwe, HRH Alexander Uzo Onyido. The new Igwe is a pharmacist who was trained at Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna State, and rose to the rank of chief pharmacist with Kano State Government under Federal Ministry of Health. He was before his ascension to the throne the Chairman of PAL GROUP.

More

During the Alomuo (iwaji) festival

Igwe n'olu ogidi

Igwe I ga adi ooo
Igwe ka Ala
Orimiliatunnu
Amumu na egbe igwe
Agbogidi

The Amobi family are no longer ruling in Ogidi?

PS: What is Igwe (Pharm)? There are some titles that supercede other titles. A king should never put a professional title next to his kingly designation - it reads like a joke.

Not again. The kingship is not hereditary..

Onitsha – The Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu, has broken a 233 years record by ruling that the kingship of Ogidi in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State was not an exclusive preserve for the Amobi family in the town.

Historically, the kingship stool had been in the Amobi family since 1838, when His Royal Highness, Igwe Walter Okafor Okerulu Nwatakwochaka Amobi became the first traditional ruler of the town and reigned until his demise on December 18, 1925.

His father, Abraham Amobi was born in 1806, and was one of the first people to encounter the Church missionaries from England and embrace Christianity, when they arrived in Onitsha through the River Niger. He later became the first catechist in Ogidi. His son, Igwe Walter Okafor Amobi I of Ogidi had the rare opportunity of being exposed to Christian education and culture before he was assassinated in his house in Enugu about 19 years ago in 1998 over suspected kingship tussle in Ogidi.

However, the Appeal Court has ended the 19-year old chieftaincy tussle in favour of Ogidi Union Nigeria, , OUN, which insisted that the kingship was not hereditary to the Amobi Royal family.

In a unanimous judgement in favour of Ogidi Union.

In a unanimous judgement read by Justice Martin Elechi, last Thursday, the appellate court reaffirmed the December 12, 2012 judgement earlier delivered by an Ogidi High Court in favour of the Ogidi Union to the effect that the kingship stool was not hereditary to the Amobis.

Dismissing the appeal filed by the Amobi family challenging the Ogidi High court judgement for lack of merit, the Appeal Court said it relied on the constitution of Ogidi Union which stated that any Ogidi man from the four quarters was eligible to contest the Igweship position as the throne was not hereditary.

The court maintained that although the royal throne started from Amobi family and remained there for many years until the demise of Igwe Walter Amobi about 19 years ago, it did not mean that the throne should be an exclusive property of the Amobi family, as canvassed by the appellants.

In his reaction shortly after the court session, a senior member of the legal team to the Ogidi Union, Ifeatu Obi-Okoye who held brief for Ilochi Okafor, SAN, commended the court for what he described as its erudite judgement. It was not however, known whether the Amobi family would proceed to the Supreme Court as the lead Counsel to the family, Emeka Offordile, SAN, did not indicate so.

But, back home at Ogidi, the royal father of the town, Igwe Alex Onyido, a pharmacist, commenced the celebration of his maiden annual ofala cultural festival to bring the activities marking his ascendancy to the royal throne to conclusion.

Onyido and his entire cabinet members, including the traditional Prime Minister of Ogidi, Onowu Ifeanyi Udokwu, the President-General of OUN, Chief Jideofor Onubuogu and the Okparaeke Ogidi, Chief Emeka Ben Nwabueze, were in a festive mood following the Appeal Court verdict.

Both the royal father, his Onowu, Udokwu and Onubuogu, told newsmen during the festival that about N100 million would be spent for youth empowerment and peace restoration as soon as the celebration was over.

Kachifo3:
Not again. The kingship is not hereditary..

I didn't say it was hereditary - most Eastern Igbo kingship are not hereditary. I just didn't know it had been wrestled from the Amobis, that's all.

Yes.. It's now igwe n'olu ogidi.