Umuaka News24

My good people, I am Chief Cosmos Yahzitere Okoh. Let me make this known. My submissions on this Amazano issues aren’t self conceived. In 2011 to 2013, I started a project of book writing on Ibele Community. I went to 15 elders or more in Ibele for narrative accounts of the ancient and modern stories of the land.

After compiling the stories as a book, I gave the book a name – Ibele; A Pathfinder Community.

I gave this name based on facts that Ibele has eagle eyes that see developments afar and draw it down before all communities around it.

I found that Ibele was the community amongst Old Umuaka and beyond that earlier produced the highest degree of Nze title holder as obtained in Igbo customary setting.

Nze Duruodu was an Nze Ukwu as available at Nri Awka, Umuokabia, Arochukwu etc.
Nze Duruodu’s highness in Nze Guild influenced the halting of Aros at Umunoha from advancing into Ibele and other communities in Old Umuaka for kidnapping of people for slavery.

It was because of the presence of Nze Duruodu that led to a boundary shift between Ibele and Ugbele communities. This was done to enable Ibele to lap at the boundary with Afara where the Aros used as passage path to Ibele and communities upward.

It was the presence of Nze Duruodu that made Oru people to move out of Ibele entirely. Before his coming, the Orus were still coming into Ibele to hunt and stay in their huts to roast the meats.

Aros and Orus didn’t leave Ibele by war or any force but their reverence and respect for the Onye Nze Ukwu in Ibele.

The Orus moved to Obeakpu and it took war for them to cross back to their area.

By potency of the honor and sacredness of Onye Nze Ukwu, Nze Duruodu introduced Ozo Title Holder ship in Ibele. This Guild accepted him as both spiritual and political head in Ibele. He initiated other worthy citizens of Ibele into the guild and a council of Ozos were composed. That was the origin of Ama Ozo Ibele.

He introduced priesthood royalty in Ibele as obtained in Awka. Through him, the dynasty of Nze Duruodu priesthood royalty started. He extended initiation of Ozos to Umuele, Obeakpu and Amakor people. With passage of times, those communities developed Ozo Councils as found in Ibele.

Nze Duruodu dynasty lingered from him to one of his sons named Nze Duruejimmadu. When Nze Duruejimmadu passed away, his first son Nze Durueloka took over the throne. When Nze Durueloka joined his ancestors, Nze Duruakenebu mounted the throne.

It was in the days of Nze Duruakenebu that the proposal for amalgamation of the Four Ozo Councils of Ibele, Umuele, Obeakpu and Amakor was made. Nze Duruakenebu started the project but couldn’t finalize the blending of the four Communities.
When he joined his ancestors, his first son named Nze Duruekwombaaba ascended the throne and continued with the project of amalgamation of Amazano.

There was no Amazano Community before this amalgamation project.

When the Four Ozo Councils met, they adopted the name Ama Ozo Ano that later twisted to Amazano.
Before formation of Amazano, Ibele operated as distinct autonomous community. It wasn’t related to any community or having a superior community ahead her operations.

According to our elders, Ibele was an amalgamation of three distinct settlers. The first settlers were the people of Okwudor who’s ancestors were –
(a) Okpurumelo,
(b) Duruokewuihe and
(c) Otankwu.

These ancestors came from Okwudor Community across Njaba River.

The second set of settlers were from Orodo that are presently identified as Oru. The ancestors of Oru were
(a)Okwaraanyaegbu Abamibe
(b)Okwaraononaobi
(c) Nwaoma
(d) Nwagwu
(e) Achaziem
(f) Arueze and
(g) Nwaosu.

The next ancestor was Nze Duruodu who came from Omuhu Okabia. As narrated by elders, Ibele is composed of 11 ancestors. So, Ibele is neither an ancestor or son to any ancestor. So, the story of Ibele being one of the sons of Amazano or Akah is totally falsehood.

This issue had been debated at Umuaka Times Institute where I made this position of Ibele known.

My submission inspired Comrade Ojy Onwukwe to interview Late Chief Cyril Obioha from Okwudor Ibele on the issue. The late Chief confirmed that Ibele was made of different migrants and Okwudor being the first settlers. Comrade Onwukwe published the interview on his website.

So, claims of seniority placements in Amazano by any community outside Ibele is funny because Amazano was built on top of Ozo Duruodu’s Guild.

This is likened to the creation of Old Imo State where many existed political zones as Orlu, Owerre, Okigwe, Aba, Umuahia, Abakilike were amalgamated into one state. The Muritala’s government didn’t care about the earliest settlers but choose Owerre as the headquarters because it was the first colonial Division. Creations of States made considerations to ages of colonial beacons not the ages of the communities.

In conclusion, Ibele, Umuele, Obeakpu and Amakor communities existed before formation of Amazano. This is reason these communities have their distinct markets and other facilities. Amazano had no market like the compositing villages.

As an amalgam, there was proposal to rename Eke Ibele to Eke Amazano. Ibele community rejected this proposal. This proposal brought war between Ibele and Umuele. The age of these occurrences have not been up to 200 years. According to the story, the Chief Warrior of Ibele was Late Nsorom who died in the battlefield. It can be unbelievable that the grandson of Nsorom by Name Bartholomew who died few years ago was the person that narrated the account of the war to me.

From this point, you can calculate the age of formation of Amazano.

Again, the Ofor Ozo Amazano rested amongst the lingered dynasty of Nze Duruodu till date. The Ofor Njaba was handed to people of Umuele after instituting Njaba at Eke Ibele. As Igbo custom prescribed, you can’t trace seniority by an Ofor of oracle because oracles decides who holds his or her scepter.

As witnessed in Ibele, Okpurumelo is the first settler but the Ofor Njaba Ulu rested at Duruokewuihe till date.

These are points to digest before making your claims.

Thanks. Chief Cosmos Yahzitere Okoh is from Ibele Community.

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