₦airaland Forum

I want to see no Red Cross, no Caritas, no World Council of Churches, no Pope, no missionary and no UN delegation. I want to prevent even one Ibo from having even one piece to eat before their capitulation. We shoot at everything that moves and when our troops march into the centre of Ibo territory, we shoot at everything even at things that do not move," (Benjamin Adekunle, Commander, 3rd Marine Commando Division, Nigerian Army to French radio reporter).

The war aim and (final) solution properly speaking of the entire problem, is to discriminate against the Igbos and in their own interest. Such discrimination would include above all the detachment of those oil-rich territories in the Eastern Region, in addition, the Igbos' freedom of movement would be restricted, to prevent their renewed penetration into other parts, leaving any access to the sea to the Igbos, is quite out of the question, "(Federal Nigerian Minister speaking to E. C. Schwarzenback, Swiss Review of Africa, February 1968).

"Let us go and crush them. We will pillage their property, violation their womenfolk, kill off their menfolk and leave them uselessly weeping. We will complete the pogrom of 1966" (The theme song of Radio Kaduna, government-controlled, 1967-1970).

I want to see no Red Cross, no Caritas, no World Council of Churches, no Pope, no missionary and no UN delegation. I want to prevent even one Ibo from having even one piece to eat before their capitulation. We shoot at everything that moves and when our troops march into the centre of Ibo territory, we shoot at everything even at things that do not move," (Benjamin Adekunle, Commander, 3rd Marine Commando Division, Nigerian Army to French radio reporter).

The war aim and (final) solution properly speaking of the entire problem, is to discriminate against the Igbos and in their own interest. Such discrimination would include above all the detachment of those oil-rich territories in the Eastern Region, in addition, the Igbos' freedom of movement would be restricted, to prevent their renewed penetration into other parts, leaving any access to the sea to the Igbos, is quite out of the question, "(Federal Nigerian Minister speaking to E. C. Schwarzenback, Swiss Review of Africa, February 1968).

"Let us go and crush them. We will pillage their property, violation their womenfolk, kill off their menfolk and leave them uselessly weeping. We will complete the pogrom of 1966" (The theme song of Radio Kaduna, government-controlled, 1967-1970).

I want to see no Red Cross, no Caritas, no World Council of Churches, no Pope, no missionary and no UN delegation. I want to prevent even one Ibo from having even one piece to eat before their capitulation. We shoot at everything that moves and when our troops march into the centre of Ibo territory, we shoot at everything even at things that do not move," (Benjamin Adekunle, Commander, 3rd Marine Commando Division, Nigerian Army to French radio reporter).

The war aim and (final) solution properly speaking of the entire problem, is to discriminate against the Igbos and in their own interest. Such discrimination would include above all the detachment of those oil-rich territories in the Eastern Region, in addition, the Igbos' freedom of movement would be restricted, to prevent their renewed penetration into other parts, leaving any access to the sea to the Igbos, is quite out of the question, "(Federal Nigerian Minister speaking to E. C. Schwarzenback, Swiss Review of Africa, February 1968).

"Let us go and crush them. We will pillage their property, violation their womenfolk, kill off their menfolk and leave them uselessly weeping. We will complete the pogrom of 1966" (The theme song of Radio Kaduna, government-controlled, 1967-1970).

I want to see no Red Cross, no Caritas, no World Council of Churches, no Pope, no missionary and no UN delegation. I want to prevent even one Ibo from having even one piece to eat before their capitulation. We shoot at everything that moves and when our troops march into the centre of Ibo territory, we shoot at everything even at things that do not move," (Benjamin Adekunle, Commander, 3rd Marine Commando Division, Nigerian Army to French radio reporter).

The war aim and (final) solution properly speaking of the entire problem, is to discriminate against the Igbos and in their own interest. Such discrimination would include above all the detachment of those oil-rich territories in the Eastern Region, in addition, the Igbos' freedom of movement would be restricted, to prevent their renewed penetration into other parts, leaving any access to the sea to the Igbos, is quite out of the question, "(Federal Nigerian Minister speaking to E. C. Schwarzenback, Swiss Review of Africa, February 1968).

"Let us go and crush them. We will pillage their property, violation their womenfolk, kill off their menfolk and leave them uselessly weeping. We will complete the pogrom of 1966" (The theme song of Radio Kaduna, government-controlled, 1967-1970).

I want to see no Red Cross, no Caritas, no World Council of Churches, no Pope, no missionary and no UN delegation. I want to prevent even one Ibo from having even one piece to eat before their capitulation. We shoot at everything that moves and when our troops march into the centre of Ibo territory, we shoot at everything even at things that do not move," (Benjamin Adekunle, Commander, 3rd Marine Commando Division, Nigerian Army to French radio reporter).

The war aim and (final) solution properly speaking of the entire problem, is to discriminate against the Igbos and in their own interest. Such discrimination would include above all the detachment of those oil-rich territories in the Eastern Region, in addition, the Igbos' freedom of movement would be restricted, to prevent their renewed penetration into other parts, leaving any access to the sea to the Igbos, is quite out of the question, "(Federal Nigerian Minister speaking to E. C. Schwarzenback, Swiss Review of Africa, February 1968).

"Let us go and crush them. We will pillage their property, violation their womenfolk, kill off their menfolk and leave them uselessly weeping. We will complete the pogrom of 1966" (The theme song of Radio Kaduna, government-controlled, 1967-1970).

I want to see no Red Cross, no Caritas, no World Council of Churches, no Pope, no missionary and no UN delegation. I want to prevent even one Ibo from having even one piece to eat before their capitulation. We shoot at everything that moves and when our troops march into the centre of Ibo territory, we shoot at everything even at things that do not move," (Benjamin Adekunle, Commander, 3rd Marine Commando Division, Nigerian Army to French radio reporter).

The war aim and (final) solution properly speaking of the entire problem, is to discriminate against the Igbos and in their own interest. Such discrimination would include above all the detachment of those oil-rich territories in the Eastern Region, in addition, the Igbos' freedom of movement would be restricted, to prevent their renewed penetration into other parts, leaving any access to the sea to the Igbos, is quite out of the question, "(Federal Nigerian Minister speaking to E. C. Schwarzenback, Swiss Review of Africa, February 1968).

"Let us go and crush them. We will pillage their property, violation their womenfolk, kill off their menfolk and leave them uselessly weeping. We will complete the pogrom of 1966" (The theme song of Radio Kaduna, government-controlled, 1967-1970).

I want to see no Red Cross, no Caritas, no World Council of Churches, no Pope, no missionary and no UN delegation. I want to prevent even one Ibo from having even one piece to eat before their capitulation. We shoot at everything that moves and when our troops march into the centre of Ibo territory, we shoot at everything even at things that do not move," (Benjamin Adekunle, Commander, 3rd Marine Commando Division, Nigerian Army to French radio reporter).

The war aim and (final) solution properly speaking of the entire problem, is to discriminate against the Igbos and in their own interest. Such discrimination would include above all the detachment of those oil-rich territories in the Eastern Region, in addition, the Igbos' freedom of movement would be restricted, to prevent their renewed penetration into other parts, leaving any access to the sea to the Igbos, is quite out of the question, "(Federal Nigerian Minister speaking to E. C. Schwarzenback, Swiss Review of Africa, February 1968).

"Let us go and crush them. We will pillage their property, violation their womenfolk, kill off their menfolk and leave them uselessly weeping. We will complete the pogrom of 1966" (The theme song of Radio Kaduna, government-controlled, 1967-1970).

I want to see no Red Cross, no Caritas, no World Council of Churches, no Pope, no missionary and no UN delegation. I want to prevent even one Ibo from having even one piece to eat before their capitulation. We shoot at everything that moves and when our troops march into the centre of Ibo territory, we shoot at everything even at things that do not move," (Benjamin Adekunle, Commander, 3rd Marine Commando Division, Nigerian Army to French radio reporter).

The war aim and (final) solution properly speaking of the entire problem, is to discriminate against the Igbos and in their own interest. Such discrimination would include above all the detachment of those oil-rich territories in the Eastern Region, in addition, the Igbos' freedom of movement would be restricted, to prevent their renewed penetration into other parts, leaving any access to the sea to the Igbos, is quite out of the question, "(Federal Nigerian Minister speaking to E. C. Schwarzenback, Swiss Review of Africa, February 1968).

"Let us go and crush them. We will pillage their property, violation their womenfolk, kill off their menfolk and leave them uselessly weeping. We will complete the pogrom of 1966" (The theme song of Radio Kaduna, government-controlled, 1967-1970).

At least 5 major roads are being expanded and dualised. Some with open drainage and others underground.

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The problem with this kind of topic lies with the definition of development. Industrial, Tourism, Commercial, Administrative etc. Some State capitals have all in one while others have 1 or 2. Removing good road network, modern housing and cleanliness then it becomes very easy. Ibadan, Kano, Kaduna, Ikeja and Port Harcourt are the only State capitals that have all the 4 factors. If Warri, Aba and Onitsha were State capitals, we would have had one or two more.

Most of the beautiful capitals like Calabar, Enugu and Owerri are more or less just Tourism and Administrative.They also have better road networks, less traffic jam, cleaner and more liveable for already rich people.

Johndoe100: I am amazed at the reaction of my ibo brothers. Did you not expect that we would be pissed at the stuff some of you were writing?

The problem with people of low IQ is how quickly they attach tribalism to any little discussion. As an Igbo guy, I have every right to comment on any Nigerian thread and air my personal view. My view is not that of Igbo ethnic group. Whatever ethnic group you are from, your view can only represent you and not others in your ethnic group. You disgust me to the bone.

The Ebonyi State Government seems bent on
discovering its potentialities. The 15-year old
state has been through hurdles of infancy,
grooming and now at adolescence. It has been
one of the lowest economically rated states, but it might be gearing
towards saying 'never again'.
The states of the nation live as beggars - arms stretched towards Abuja for
the monthly stipend that keeps them going. But today, the state has
resolved to create new avenues that would lift its standing and possibly
place it on a pedestal of economic self-reliance.
The state is not known to be one of the heavyweights of the nation but the
government says it is just in misrepresentation of facts. 'The real and
actual facts are rather the opposite of what Ebonyi is known for. The state
is an economic hotbed with the natural endowments that dot the entire
landscape. There is hardly any state in the nation that equals Ebonyi in
natural resources. I can talk with full assurance and all vehemence that
Ebonyi is naturally the richest state in the nation. There are over 25 solid
minerals in the state at commercial quantity that wait to be explored.'
In a chat with Saturday Sun, the state Commissioner for Cement
Production and Minerals Development, Prince Sunny Ugwuocha, sounded
upbeat that the state has found its economic bearing and will soon be on
the cruise for financial independence. The ministry he heads is a new one,
and he said the reason the governor, Chief Martin Elechi created it is to
make sure the policy of solid minerals development in the state gets full
and unimpeded impetus.
'With the elaborate plans I was briefed of by Governor Elechi, there is
serious business about to commence here in the state. The governor has
clear ideas on how to leverage the natural potentials of the state to grow
strong internal economy for the state. And in pursuit of such goals, you
naturally start from the most available incentives you have. The notion
that Ebonyi is a weak and poor state is just in conjecture. The state in
history has endowments and those are the things the state governor
wants to develop. The ministry I head is new and just created. That is why I
have always seen my duty as extraordinary and tasking. But I might think
he knows what he wants by sending me there. I have been a technical
person all my career years, and coming from the private sector as an
employer of labour who has weathered the economic rough terrain of
Nigeria on my own, I have every expectation of a bright weather ahead.
The governor has given and repeatedly emphasised to me his resolve to
make the state stand out by developing the mineral resources.
Out of ignorance or because the people never applied their priorities right,
the state has been seen over time economically poor and backward. While
people say this, they forget that Nigercem, that unbeatable cement plant,
the largest Nigeria had for over 40 unbroken years is located in the present
Ebonyi State. Anything structure you can remember in the eastern part of
Nigeria was built with cement from Nkalagu (Nigercem) The Niger Bridge
at Onitsha, the city of Enugu, Onitsha, Abakaliki, Owerri, Port Harcourt,
Calabar and beyond with the structures that make them were built with
cement from Nigercem. It was unbeatable.
And ironically, the limestone and gypsum that ran the cement plant were
mined in the state. I assure you factually that the seams have not been
exhausted. The two principal raw materials are still lying idle and dormant
there waiting to be tapped. In fact, in addition to the gypsum find that
kept Nigercem going, another deposit has been found in Edda and Azu
Inyaba in Izzi. The data available in my office is that there are well over 25
solid minerals in commercial quantity in the state ready for extraction.
In places like Enyigba, there is granite, gold and lead and the people know
there are there as the federal government had in the past issued mining
rights to people.'
Before Elechi created a full ministry of minerals development, there had
been a sub ministry of solid minerals headed by a special adviser. In about
2008, Dr. Ifeanyi Ikeh was in charge of the portfolio, and he had something
akin to a geology lab replete with a display of an array of minerals samples
obtained from the mines in the state. The day Saturday Sun visited his
office in Abakaliki in February 2008, he studiously showed the reporter
round.
The issue today which Prince Ugwuocha champions has been the case in
the past, but he assures that the intention is clearer and more serious
today - it is to woo investors and miners to the state to tap the resources
and keep the state busy.
'The procedure is easy and we want to implement it now. My duty is to
work out the modality set by the governor - to scout for investors in the
sector who will build their base in the state, extract the minerals and put
them into use. Through that, there would be employment for idle hands
and the state's economy will be enriched. In the past there had been
arrangements that never actually got much success where investors came
and left thereafter. We have a better arrangement now.
The governor has spelt out what the state wants and he has made sure all
the incentives that never existed before are in place now with the full
compliments of the new ministry. I have an obligation to nurture it into
growth, and that is why we urge investors to come. Just get in touch with
the local community, indicate what you want and consult our office, we are
there to make sure the processes of getting the licence in Abuja to mine is
made easy for such investor. My office would do everything possible to
facilitate easy and short procedure so that the investor can move into the
site immediately. My promise from the mandate I have from the chief
executives is that there would be no bottlenecks. I will oversee most of the
processes to make sure it works, and fast too.
We want the Nigercem revived or an alternative plant built, and the
governor made that very clear. We want more cement plants and we want
miners to tap the limestone and gypsum.
I remember very well reading in your paper in March this year the
abandoned or neglected oil finds in South East Nigeria. One of the finds is
in Edda, here in the state and your records which my office can attest as
authentic has it that the Edda oil is the oldest in Nigeria. There is no
dispute about it. These endowments have been lying idle for a long time,
we want them tapped and the state developed.'
The commissioner said the present move would be the culmination of past
efforts by the state government to take this decisive step of exposing the
mineral resource base of the state by creating a full ministry to handle the
task. It had in the past done some number of things in this direction right
from the days of Governor Sam Egwu who also had an adviser on solid
minerals. A good instance is the invitation of Chinese and Canadian
experts in about 2007 that brought in equipment and manpower to aid in
exploration and detection of the minerals in the state.
One of the few well-explored solid minerals in the state are granite and
bitumen. The Crushed Rocks Company has been old in Ishiagu. With some
other extraction companies, the state had in the past been reaping some
gold from this solid endowment. It got heightened when some four years
ago the giant Julius Berger discovered an endless seam of granite at
Akpoha along the Abakaliki-Afikpo road. The company with its heavy
machines has been tearing and searing the land surface and tens of truck-
load of granite leave the quarry everyday. It is also the same in the
Abakaliki metropolis where smaller granite mines are busy all year round
extracting and crushing rocks for use in construction all over the east of
the nation.
If Prince Ugwuocha's ministry gets its acts right and with the right
incentives, the state, with the higher aim of the governor, may be on the
verge of better economic pedestal through minerals development and the

@poster just read up about the Nri and Aro. They are the basic building block of the Igbo identity. I have a deeper feeling though that Isuama might have been our corest block but their culture seem most devastated by slave trade. Omenala,Omenali,Omenani,Omelala are all the same and rooted in the earth worship or Nso ani of Nri.I'm from a part of Igbo that has Riverine tradition and worship differently in our own way but I notice a lot of Nri and Aro influence. I believe those two clans were part of what shaped Igbo identity,tradition and religion which binds us.

ChinenyeN: That's not it. It's Hnoma.

It should have been Homa by speech but Ngwas answer Iheoma in names. Iheukwumere, Iheanyi and Iheoma are very common names in Ngwa.In speech its Hwukwumere, Hweanyi and Hwoma. Only Ikwerres answer "Homa". Etche bears "Ihioma".

Except for some political fat cats in Owerri who are taking exception to the rumored relocation of Imo State University (IMSU) to Ideato, the buzzword here is Rochas. The buzzword in Imo is Rochas. And the buzzword amongst internet chatroom fobs engaged in dispassionate discussion about happenings in Imo State is Rochas.

Warning folks: I’m not on a praise singing expedition here. My interest is human progress and by extension the progress of Imo people.
Personally, I do not know Rochas. I have not met him before. I am not from Orlu. Not even from Ideato South nor am I from Ogboko, his hometown. I am from Osuh in Isiala Mbano.

Osuh is the clan of Ikedi Ohakim (Osuh-Owerre) and Godwin Araraume (Osuh-Achara). As you can see, the two are my kinsmen. During the last elections, I supported Ikedi Ohakim against Araraume who is of a closer kinship. I am from Osuh-Achara. Focused on defeating Araraume because of internal political dynamics and contradictions, most of us in the Ohakim camp never knew that Rochas and his invading rag-tag army of tireless campaigners were like the advancing objects you find on the passenger side of a car mirror – closer than they appear.

And so came Election Day 2011, when the man we thought was very far on our radar, came from nowhere and trounced us – the supposedly, better prepared army. Phew! I was confounded. It was a shellacking experience. I was angry. I was sad that the gubernatorial political baton of Imo State had shifted from my zone Okigwe and gone to Orlu. It was a deafening bombshell which shell-shocked most of us almost into political comatose.
To be candid, I was angry that Owelle Rochas trounced my kinsman, Ikedi, the acclaimed Ikiri of Imo politics at the polls.

Like many others, I’m still licking my wounds! Down in my heart, I never wished Rochas well. I had hoped Rochas does not perform so that in four years time, my brother the Ikiri, or someone else from my area of the state will mount the soap box again and in an epic-like re-enactment of 2011 drama, defeat him (Rochas) in order, to reclaim a political mandate carelessly relinquished. I had wanted the beauty of competitive politics manifest and the beauty of democracy blossom. But in my innermost of heart, I knew it would not be easy to defeat a populist incumbent.

I did not despair. Didn’t Professor Ola Rotimi warn us not to despair? “To resign to fate” he warned in his play, (The gods are not to blame) “is to be crippled fast.” So I began, from the day after inauguration on May 30th 2011 to tabulate Rochas’ administration’s political missteps. Call it the assemblage of ammunition to help dislodge him from Douglas House, come 2015. Regrettably, as it has turned out for me, Rochas Okorocha is a smart, political Alec. He has disappointed me! He is not only formidable; he is waxing to be a political hard nut.
Yes, I started to compile the failures of Rochas from day one; the resurgence of Okada people in some parts of the city of Owerri (that alone nauseated and riled me); the uncollected trash that spilled out of control and was almost evolving into an epidemic nightmare.

Then the rains did not help matters for Rochas, as flood after flood made a mess of the already messed up situation. A putrid stench enveloped Owerri. Yeah, I grinned aloud, baying for the political blood of Rochas - this man that ate my brother’s political lunch; this man that ate my lunch. When a month or two passed without any visible signs of a new administration in Owerri, my appetite for a revenge attack wetted. I could not wait to begin trashing him on the pages of the newspapers, at least.

I sniggered at Rochas, who using his deputy - Jude - as his commissioner for works, began with the resurfacing of the major road networks (like they do in America) in metropolitan Owerri. He poured asphalt on them as some of the major potholes that had been accepted as a way of life on most roads in Nigeria, especially, in Owerri, disappeared – overnight. Still, I wasn’t bought over. Thereafter, he moved from one major street to the other, rehabilitating them, resurfacing and sprucing them. Still I was not convinced. Rochas is a politician. Politicians are like leopards.

They do not change spots easily. He will turn out to be like one of his ilk. He was playing to the gallery. Tired of seeing what I believed was cosmetic approach to governance especially after work on the construction of the Owerri ring road had been halted, I boxed my appreciative instinct into a compartment. I waited for the man to further slip. Then I took a month’s vacation hoping that before I returned, Rochas’ euphoria and phenomenon will wane or disappear – out of his own making. Son, I was in for a big surprise. When I came back, I found out that instead of wane, Rochas’ political stature had not only grown in leaps but also in bounds – out of his own making. He had wiped out the entire unpaid pension debts particularly those owed to teachers in the state.

He had paid 20 thousand instead of 18,000 naira as minimum wage. He had instituted lunch monies for primary and secondary school pupils and had abolished the payment of tuition by Imo indigenes in tertiary institutions owned by the state!
A friend of mine – a top federal civil servant - an Anambra State indigene visiting Imo for the first time after a long while could not believe his eyes. He made a true confession. He it was who told me a lot I had deliberately refused to see having been blinded by my wish to see the man fail.

He aroused my almost subdued consciousness occasioned by a sense of injured merit. A fastidious fellow, he it was who began to point to my admiration, the wonder and beauty that is Owerri. He called my attention to the numerous works in progress in Imo. He was awed as to the strides and beauty that is Owerri, this little Owerri and Imo State. He had a function to attend in Orlu, which forced him to behold the work Rochas was doing in Orlu. From Abuja, he had driven past Enugu through Okigwe and into Owerri, which enabled him to appreciate the work Rochas was doing in Okigwe.

He spent two nights in Owerri, which enabled him to appreciate the extent of work Rochas was doing in Owerri. It was after he had gone back to Abuja that I summoned up the courage to visit Orlu and Okigwe, deliberately on a fault finding mission. I wanted to go see the bloated Rochas achievements in those districts. I was shocked at what I saw. The bulldozers, the graders, the engineers and the technicians were all at work, altering and influencing the landscape for good.

It was after that, that I began to take a closer look at Rochas’ Owerri municipal where I noticed that he had opened up a road link from Orlu Road junction to connect Nekede. I noticed that he had entered Aladinma and the prefab area of town and even Ikenegbu and Works layout. At the World Bank and Federal Housing Estate area, too. He had opened a road that ran through the Government House to Works Layout - a road I never knew existed. He had brought down the old multipurpose hall and in its place an edifice with all amenities that spell modernity.

He had completed two more buildings to augment the one built by Ohakim in the heart of Government House. He had moved into the new Owerri area where the bulldozers groaned day in day out, tearing down old edifices and replacing them with modernity. He had changed the face of the commissioners’ quarters. He had cleaned up all the dirt hidden in the nooks and crannies of Owerri. He had transformed the almost abandoned Imo Newspapers complex. There, a chain of modern buildings has sprung up. I hear he wants to turn the place into Imo Science Academy. Rochas! In seven months! If this is happening only after seven months in office, what will happen in four years?

Now, come let’s take you to the Heroes Square in Owerri. It is an entirely new Rochas Innovation. The square is directly opposite the Imo Concorde Hotel. As we write, work is still in progress, day and night. But from the little I could make of his intentions, looks like the man wants to create his own Eagle Square or its imitation, where parades and anniversary events like the Independence celebration would hold. It is being built, I hear, in honor of a departed Igbo icon named Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu. Close to the Heroes Square are the Commissioners Quarters which vicinity has witnessed a rapid transformation. Those quarters were built, I think during the Mbakwe era but had been neglected and ill maintained by successive administrations.

Then simultaneously he converted the multi-million Naira multi-apartment complexes that lay directly opposite the Concorde Hotel, which at a point became a sorry site. I hear he wants to make the building an extension of the Concorde Hotel. Talk of Concorde Hotel, which was rodent-infested in recent past but which has now been fully concessioned to a private concern. It has been refurbished to look like what it really ought to be. The Imo Transport Corporation too! I learnt reliably that that outfit, which received Rochas’ concession shot in the arm, now, pays the sum of twenty million Naira every month into the coffers of the state government.

I also learnt the man has concessioned Adapalm – the hitherto drain pipe Imo palm plantation. The concessionaires now pay up to 200 million Naira into the coffers of the state every month. At this rate, what is my hope of dislodging Rochas from the Government House come 2015? The man after all, may have eaten my political lunch for good!


Offoaro@yahoo.com 070 251 61 236

via Daily Sun

Read more:http://www.gbooza.com/page.html#ixzz456 http://www.gbooza.com/profiles/blogs/rochas-okorocha-ate-my-lunch#ixzz1pQQzBGOK

Umuahia

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Etche history

The first known permanent settlement of Etche is Igbodo in present-day Etche Local Government Area in Rivers State. Before Etche came to Igbo where he settled permanently, accounts have it that he rested in some areas before he got to his permanent place of abode. It is believed that he came through Oratta, crossed Ogu-echie River and permanently settled at Igbodo. It is also believed that Ohaji was part of Etche entourage that detoured at Oratta and flanked southwest and settled immediately after Oratta, bordering Ikwerre and Ogba, while the rest entourage maintained a southeasterly direction until they permanent settled at Igbodo. Igbodo is the undisputed traditional headquarters of Etche people or the place of first permanent settlement of Etche people.

When the Igbodo settlement increased and became uncontrollable, people moved in different locations to find new abodes. The Ngors (which constitute) the present Ngor/Okpala Local Government, Imo State) moved northwards. The Amalas, the Alulus, Elelems, the Ntus, etc. were part of the Etche people that moved northwards from their Igbodo settlement. It is evident to notice identical and similarity of language/dialect with the Ngors. The names of towns and villages in Ngor are identical with the towns and villages in Etche. Before the creation of Rivers State, Amala was known as part of Igbodo and was addressed as Amala-Igbodo. There is Ntu on Ngor while there is Umuogba in present day Omuma Local Government Area, Rivers State. In Umuogba, there is Umuoyere while in Ngor, there is Umuoyere as well. In Etche, there is Obibi, while there is also Obibi in Ngor. In Ngor, there is Ulakwo while there is also Ulakwo in Etche. In Etche, there is Afara while in Ngor, there is also Afara. There are so many instances of this nature which cannot be included in this paper because of time factor.

Accounts also have it that Igbo was a very big hunter. In his hunting expedition, moved southwards from Igbodo. He crossed the Otamirioche River and settled at the northern part of Otamirioche River, hence Igbo Agwuru Asa as presently constituted occupies both sides of Otamirioche River. The Umuselem people also move southwards from Igbodo, and took southeast and southwest direction from Igbodo settlement. The present settlement of Okomoko migrated from Okomoko Akpoku to their present abode. Afara, Nihi, Odufor took southwest direction while Odagwa and Akwa took southeast direction. Ulakwo later joined them and settled in-between them, hence we have Ulakwo/Umuselem clan. The Mbas moved southwestwards and occupied their present location. The first group of Mbas who left Igbodo first settled at Mba. They later expanded. A group left the original Mba settlement and crossed the Ogueche River to settle in the present day Obite, Umuoye and Akpoku.

The Ozuzus had connections with Umuneoha and Aro people, hence they established the Amadioha deity, which had influence over the entire length and breadth of Etche, Ikwerre, Ekpeye, Kalabari, Oratta and beyond.

The migration of Etche people to the eastern part of Etche (now known as Omuma Local Government Areas) was systematic. They migrated to the eastern part of Etche by crossing the Imo River from different parts, at different times and for different reasons and purposes. The Umuogba/Umuajuloke people migrated from Afara, crossed the Imo River and settled in their present Umuogba/Umuajuloke Clan. Ogba and Ajuloke, who were of the same parents left Afara at the same time. Ajuloke settled at Akwa and Ogba crossed the Imo River and settled in the present Umuogba. Ajuloke later crossed the Imo River and joined his brother (Ogba) and settled with him, hence we have the Umuogba/Umuajuloke Clan which is the largest single Clan in Omuma Local Government Area and the 5th largest in the whole of Etche. Eberi is said to have migrated from Mbieri in Imo State and settled together with Ulakwo, Obioha and other Etche people at Igbodo area.

Eberi and Ulakwo were friends and they moved together from their Igbodo settlement. Eberi moved eastwards, crossed the Imo River and settled in the present location, which hosts the headquarters of Omuma Local Government Area. Ulakwo moved southwards and settled in the present Ulakwo. When Ebari crossed the Imo River, Obioha decided to follow suit. Obioha was on a hunting expedition and in his desire to meet Eberi crossed the Imo River. When he got to Eberi’s settlement, Eberi asked him to go further eastwards, hence Obioha occupied the border with Asa people in present day Abia State. Eberi further expanded and occupied up to the boundary with Asa people, hence in Etche we have Eberi/Obioha Clan.

Oyoro or Kwuu migrated from Umuoye in Mba Clan of present day Etche Local Government Area. By the time Oyoro crossed the Imo River to settle in its present location, Onyia had crossed the Imo River and settled. Oyoro joined him, and both of them constitute the present Umuoyoro in Omuma Local Government Area. Ohiomogho emigrated from Igbodo/Akwu/Obuo area in Okehi Clan, crossed the Imo River and settle in the present day Ohiomogho in Omuma Local Government Area. Chiomuo (Ofeh) left Igbodo settlement and temporarily settled at Odagwa. Later, he crossed the Imo River and settled at her present location in Omuma Local Government Area. Umuchere crossed from Aluu while Umumba and Umuru, Amauzu later joined Umuchomuo people to constitute Ofeh in the present day Omuma Local Government Area. These three Etche entities constitute the present Ofeh/Ohim/Oyoro Clan.

So, the people who constitute the present Omuma Local Government Area of Rivers State are Etche people who crossed the Imo River at different times, from different areas of Etche, and settled in the eastern part of Etche. Before the Nigerian civil war, they were referred to as Etche people of Eastern Imo while the rest Etche were known as Western Imo. There is no ancestor in Etche history (man or woman) known as Omuma. Even the Etche people of Omuma Local Government Area refer Etche west of Imo River (i.e. the present Etche Local Government Area) as Omuma people, since they also live on the other side of the Imo River. Generally, in Etche parlance, any Etche man who crossed the river to settle is referred to as Omuma man, i.e. somebody who crossed the water.

The Owazzas of Abia State are said to be Etche people. However they migrated from Igwuruta (between Igwuruta-ali and Omunwei) having land bordering Umuechem and the Port Harcourt International Airport, settled at Odagwa and later crossed the Imo River and Aza stream to settle in their present location, hence they are called Owazza (i.e. those who crossed the Aza stream). The Omuma-Uzor prople of Ukwa West Local Government Area, Abia State, migrated from Obibi (Umuola) and settled in their present Omuma-Uzor (i.e. Etche people who crossed water and settled on the road, since they do not have any contiguity with any Etche village and her neighbours being As people). Omuma in Ogwuruta migrated from Akpoku Etche and settled in the present Omuma-Igwuruta. They are called Omuma-Igwuruta because they are Etche people that crossed the Otamirioche River and settle on other side of the River after Igbo.

ORAL TRADITIONS

There are strong oral evidence in favour of Igbo origin of Etche. There is no controversy over the first settlement in Etche land being Igbodo, the next is Igboanwhirinwu, according to oral sources.

A school of thought suggests that the bone of contention does not lie in the first settled, rather the elders of the two, Igbodo and Igboanwhurinwhu. This school, further, claims that the name “Igbodo” simple is a corruption of the original name of one of the sons of Echie. The actual name, they said, is “Mgbeudo” – a time of peace. For “Igbo-Anwhurinwhu”, they maintained that the real name was “Mgbe-Anwhurinwhu” meaning “a time of restlessness”. They argue that one cannot talk of peace if one had not experienced some form of discomfort, restiveness or crisis.

Accept my condolences Mr Omojie.We might argue and all but we are still brothers either as Igbos or as people that speak similar language.Take heart and continue to be a man.

2ndly it is gradually dawning on me the almost impossibility of a single Igbo identity not because of language and origin but evolution.Change is the only permanent thing in life.

Ohaneze1:
I wish also that they turn to other form of economic boom, because the town has recorded highest rate of prostitution and students harlotry. The alarming rate of commercial sex workers in that town is really really dehumanizing.

Igbo Amaka:
Sorry to disappoint you, Its a national and international knowledge that your Owerre is a no-go-area.  So stop deceiving yourself because people does not travel to your owerre for anything meaningful except for gang of LovePeddlers selling themselves 1naira due to bad market.

You people disgust me to the bone.I will not be surprised if both of you are chino11.You all claim that we are Igbos together but you seem envious of our progress.You never view Owerri as a pride of the Igbo nation.All you do is call our girls prostitutes and refuse to marry them while we live in a fools world believing we are but one people.I hope things do not end up sad.

Come to think of it why do you people call every girl that is not from your State "prostitute"?.Rivers,Delta,Imo,Abia,Akwaibom,Crossriver.That wrong notion on your part has to change.90% of love-peddlers in Port Harcourt are from your State.

It has come to my notice that some Nigerians tend to disregard the pride in ancient development.We should not make jest of cities like Kano,Benin,Ife and Ibadan just because they have a large chunk of area which is much older than other cities in Nigeria. And people from all those ancient Yoruba cities like Ilesha,Oshogbo,Ede,Okitipupa,Ore,Oyo,Owo,Ogbomosho,Ikare,Ado etc should stand tall.

Igbos say "he who 1st started cooking 1st has black pot".

You guys should download and enjoy Adele, Jay-z and Kanye's mixtape -Brooklyn,Chicago,London.It samples songs from both "19" and "21".

This same guy scored Wale very low.This album might be forced down our throat with money but honestly you will fall asleep half way through.I downloaded it two weeks ago.The best song is track 2 "Shot For Me" and he added a techno with Rihanna on the title track.Is this a hip-hop album? No way.He took a sample of P-squares "Who dey here" in track 4 "Crew Love".

It might sell but is no way a hip-hop album like Wale, J. Cole ,Watch The Throne and Bad Meets Evil.

Ohaneze1:
^^

Which tourism? Imo state is not viable either for tourism nor economic investment. Reason=insecurity. If you want tourism go to cross river. What about Tinapa?

Which Southeasten State is more secure than Imo? Imo is the best place to site a hotel in Nigeria. Pay a visit and see for yourself.

ogiye:
As there is mistaking identity so there is miss-presentation of ones self. and also over and under presentation of ones self. Our founding fathers made some mistakes which need be rectified, we were miss-presented. Earlier the Europeans mistakenly identified us as Igbo because they hear us speak almost the same with the Igbos, they mistakenly named us kwale instead of ukwuani our name. are we going to contenue to live in the past? did they not say they discovered the river Niger? some things are better not be argued over. We are Ukwani people. not Igbo. do not throw away my identity.

My brother you seem to be missing a point.The Igbos in the hinterland never had contacts with the Europeans.How come the Aboh king identified himself as Igbo to them?It was the King of Aboh that actually let out the names of Oru and Igbo to Europeans.You know we claim Nworu and not Nwigbo.

Oru and Igbo are two parts of the same people.The Oru are the riverine while the Igbo are upland.You should ask your father more about it.You know Aboh people are "Ndi Osimili".

publisher:
Pot Bellyism is in our culture

It makes the Agbada fit a Nigerian man properly.

Guy you've f**king killed the thread.Can't stop ROTFLMAO! Reminds me of one of my slim Uncle that we as kids always mocked saying his "Agbada" wore him.

cheikh:
Abagworo 

@^^ So your family story is enough for you to conclude that war of survival is not war of secession as in the Biafran case? . The above is the worst pseudo-intellectual sophistry induced by denial of reality and of course by psychic dislocation caused by loss of a noble war fought by gallant men and women of the East. There is no shame in defeat or loss of war that was fought between so called brothers as the "Nigerian side claimed that it was a "fratricidal war" hence the desire to "keep Nigeria ONE is a task that must be done". I guess a lot of Igbo are in your state of mind set and psychic confusion. It's no big deal to loose a war and certainly nothing to apologise, deny or feel ashamed of either . Bro, raise your head high and not down like a defeated man which certainly you are not .

I miss your point.Are you implying that all Igbos met one day and decided that they wanted to wage war against Nigeria?I told my story from the point of view of my Grandfather who is alive till this day.He went to war to defend his people and not to conquer other people.To him the war wasn't lost because Igbo survived.

Starting from the genocide in the North down to Asaba and even Benin, the aim of that war was to wipe out the Igbo race.