History of Ozubulu

Origin of Ozubulu

The origin of Ozubulu as an autonomous community and a corporate entity in Igboland can be traced since the beginning of the 16th century to where it emanated around the Omambara River of Agulueri in the present-day Anambra State of Nigeria. As it were in that era, the son of a famous Chief called Eri was gaining tremendous influence in the social spheres and gathering political momentum. As his influence grew, he grew apprehensive and began to feel uncomfortable from safety standpoint in that river line community of Omambara. His son Ezimo had a priest dwarf (Akanhi) who was his political adviser. This priest dwarf advised him and his followers to cross over to the other side of the Niger where the indigenous people might be more accommodating or docile and overall conditions more favorable to consolidating his political power and clout.

The origin of Ozubulu as an autonomous community and a corporate entity in Igboland can be traced since the beginning of the 16th century to where it emanated around the Omambara River of Agulueri in the present-day Anambra State of Nigeria. As it were in that era, the son of a famous Chief called Eri was gaining tremendous influence in the social spheres and gathering political momentum. As his influence grew, he grew apprehensive and began to feel uncomfortable from safety standpoint in that river line community of Omambara. His son Ezimo had a priest dwarf (Akanhi) who was his political adviser. This priest dwarf advised him and his followers to cross over to the other side of the Niger where the indigenous people might be more accommodating or docile and overall conditions more favorable to consolidating his political power and clout.

At the narrowest point of the Niger in the Omambara area, there was a large “Akpu” (Silk) tree that was suffering erosion as a result of corrosion and encroaching river line. Under this Akpu tree the priest dwarf established a shrine where he performed rituals and said prayers for the welfare of Ezimo. This eroded Akpu tree fell across the Niger at the narrowest point, and the priest dwarf again advised Ezimo and his followers to cross to the other side of the Niger using the trunk of the fallen Akpu tree.On crossing over the Niger, Ezimo, his family and followers socialized and interacted with the receptive peoples of Ubulu Okiti (Wine Tapper), Ubulu Uku (the political headquarters of Ubulu) and Ubulu Uno (the religious headquarters of Ubulu.  Ubulu people were magnanimous and warm to Ezimo and his fellow migrants so his adviser Akanhi – the priest dwarf again advised Ezimo to take the Ozo title in Ubululand which he did.

At Ubulu Uno, was the Udo shrine which is worshipped by all Ubulus. Ezimo was blessed with a son and he called him Ozodumekwu. Ezimo and his followers participated in the politics of the Ubulus, although they retained their historical identity, unity and solidarity. Because of friendly relationship of the Obi of Ubulu Uku with the Oba of Benin, the Oba supplied him with weapons, resources and logistical support; hence the Obi of Ubulu Uku wielded much influence politically and soon tended towards autocracy.

The other Ubulus gradually became afraid of him. With the death of Ezimo, Ozodumekwu became the leader of his father’s group and changed his name to Ozo (some called him Oza). Ozo grew up to be a powerful and bold man, and he started challenging the Obi of Ubulu Uku. This created conflict between him and the Obi of Ubulu Uku. Ozo got wind of the plot that Obi of Ubulu Uku wanted to eliminate him so he rallied his followers and they began to trace their root back across the Niger form where they migrated to Ubululand; and to meet their fellows in Ubulu who had earlier on migrated across the Niger (The Ubulu Ihejiofor and Ubulu Isi-uzo).

For their crossing over the Niger, Ozo, popularly known as Ozo Ubulu, (a name that eventually became Ozubulu) decided to cut Akpu fruit and tie them together and used it in bulk crossing. Before the great escape, a priest dwarf helped them to get a chip of the Udo Chalk as a security guide for their sojourn. This chip was wrapped with a piece of cloth to hide it from their enemies. It was called Udo Ekwulu where Ekwulu meant a cover. Nhike one of the followers of Ozubulu brought the Ana Emblem of which he was the head and carried it all the way through the journey. Before crossing the Niger on the Akpu trunks, some had fears that it would fail. The foremost among the grumblers was named Oche-uche (a timid person). Eventually, after crossing the Niger, this name was retained as Osuche.

On successfully crossing the Niger with the Akpu trunks, they decided to get a young Akpu plant and put it in a clay basin to follow them to the new place in respect to the Akpu tree that facilitated their migration to and from Ubululand on the other side of the Niger. The movement to the eastern side of the Niger was successful. After a long and tedious journey they became tired and rested. The spot where they rested was called Oku-Akpu, where the young Akpu plant in a clay basin also rested. Today that spot is called Oku Akpu in Uzo-Olu farms.

After the rest, some of the sojourners decided to pitch their tents around the area and opted not to continue to Ubulu Ihejiofor and Ubulu Isi-Uzo. Ozo Ubulu and those who agreed to move with him moved further eastwards and reached the present location known as Ozubulu. They carried along Udo Ekwulu and the young Akpu plant in the clay basin, while Nhike carried the Ana emblem. On reaching the spot, they found some people recovering from cerebra spinal meningitis. These were the Akputu and Ikono people that make up Ozubulu.

Today the Akputus are living in Enugu Ozubulu, while the Ikonos are living within Nza Ozubulu. The Ana Emblem was hoisted at a spot in Amakwa after Nhike as Ama-nhike. The Akpu placed in the clay basin was planted at a special place known today as Akpu Ozubulu the present Olie Akpu. The Udo Ekwulu was planted at the present spot of Ndekwulu Ozubulu to ward off possible attacks from the Ubulu Uku’s.

Growth and development of Ozubulu:
Having settled at the present spot, Ozubulu had to fight it out with neighboring towns such as Oraifite, Ihembosi, Nnewi and Atani to assert her autonomy and right to exist.

Having subdued these towns Ozubulu gathered roots and power and established a booming trade with the Riverine area like Ogbaru, Osuche Oko Ogbede and Oko Oma. The trade was in foodstuffs, guns and wine from the Europeans; fish and elubo.

After some time, some group of people from Amakwa migrated to Neni and today are known as Amakwa Neni, a village that produced the famed power Mike. Some group from Inyaba Umudim Nnewi also migrated into Ozubulu and settled at the present Inyaba Egbema.

At the beginning of the 20th century the Christian missions entered Ozubulu and brought the light of western civilization into Ozubulu, including the Christian religion. Chief Edward Nnubia Anadu – a Paramount Chief with British Colonial mandate, was instrumental in bringing Christianity into Ozubulu.

In 1905, Catechist Enekebe of Obosi was sent by Church Missionary Society (CMS) on the Niger into Ozubulu. He used the Living room of Chief Edward Egotanwa Nnubia for teaching catechism and later a church was set up at the present St. Matthew’s Anglican Church, The early converts who were baptized were Chief Edward Nnubia Anadu, Mr. James Echendu, Maduabum, Theophilus Okoloama, Paul Anowai, Aron Iiona Chukwuka and others.  Later on, St Mathews School was established in Kalamimi, Egbema Ozubulu.

In 1906 Rev Father Cluny a Catholic Priest from France led by Rev Fr Victor Duhaze with the efforts of Chief Odenigbo Ezeani of Eziora established a Catholic church at Eziora Ozubulu and a school was opened in 1909. The station grew into a parish that spread its influence across Onitsha –Owerri vicariate and produced teachers that taught in the Igbo heartland referred to as Osuofia. The CMS also produced their own teachers that taught in the hinterlands including Archdeacon (Ven. Dr.) B.C.E. Nwosu. The schools built and ran by Christians missionaries produced people of timber and caliber in church and state.

Today Ozubulu sons and daughters are scattered across Nigeria and beyond, occupying very high positions in different walks of life as luminaries and celebrities. Some exemplary leaders in Nigerian civil society and public administration such as Chief Jerome Udoji; teachers like Hon. Vincent Iketuonye – founder and proprietor of Zixton Primary and Grammar Schools; Pa Cosmos Iwuchukwu founder and proprietary of Ozubulu Boys’ Secondary School, Inventors like Dr. Ben Nwosu who made the dreaded Ogbunigwe missile that Biafran’s deployed to great effect during the Nigerian Civil War to mention just a few, are products of Ozubulu.

Today also, Ozubulu is blessed with many primary and secondary schools, Ozubulu Joint hospital – a community project, many private hospitals, final year seminary, a monastery, an official post office, a customary court, a magistrate court, five convents, two brother fraternities, police headquarters and a community bank.

The problem (and a good one) with Ozubulu is that no matter where the people live, they stay true to the spirit and letter of the pet names by which the community is known. Ozed or Anakpu as we fondly refer to our town is never far from our heart and minds.   The name Anakpu, the land of the silk cotton tree originated from the legendary tales of our ancestral crossing of the River Niger as the forefathers migrated from Ubulu Ukwu.
The silk cotton tree and many other economic crops flourish in Ozubulu which is blessed with fertile soil. Ozubulu is the food basket of Ekwusigo Local Government, The Ulasi, Eze and Oji rivers flow through Ozubulu and empty into River Niger. Ozubulu also has natural spring water stream at Iyi-Egbu-Oma and Akpata. Raw materials such as Kaolin – soft clay which is an essential ingredient in the manufacture of china and porcelain is found in industrial quantity in Ozubulu.

In Ozubulu there are a lot of social and youth clubs that have contributed to a large extent in the development of the town. These include Ozubulu Youth Organization (O.Y.O) that pioneered development programs in Ozubulu in the 1950’s and 1960’s producing the Joint hospital; The Ozubulu Coral party of the 1960’s and 1970’s that built the famous Ozubulu Hall at Onitsha, The brothers club that built a hall in Ugwuolie, The Udoka Social Club of the 1970’s which built the post office and donated it to the community, Club De-Link and the Ozubulu Development Union (ODU) of the 1980’s to the present day which took over from the O.Y.O and has been seeing to various aspects of Ozubulu development.

Cental Inn Ozubulu contributed to the development of the town socially. Precisely before the civil war, modern amenities began to penetrate the social and cultural life of Ozubulu. The Central Inn Ugwuolie Ozubulu founded by Chief Christopher Ndiukwuegbunam Umunnakwe Echendu, (Ichie Nwanolue omee), became the “go to” place. A Lister industrial generator provided standby power for the comfort of guests. The Inn was not just the venue where people gathered most evenings to unwind and relax with music, food and cold drinks, it was a cultural arena that hosted the “boxing day” celebrations. Adults and young adults in Ozubulu gathered every 26th of December for boxing day events that featured boxing and other contests. Paul Nwosu (The Wolf), Mumeh, Asikojo – Young Super Blow (Chuka Uzokwe) and other young muscle men electrified the audience with their skills.

Since the library project mooted over a decade ago fell through, it is hoped that ODU will continue with more developmental projects and leave a tangible and indelible development footprint of the likes left by OYO and Udoka social club. It is hoped that the new class of leadership may now be energized to pick up and actualize that unifying project.We thank God for Ozubulu and pray for more development and progress.

Special Thanks and Acknowledgement

The content of this write-up is largely credited to the research and books written by Professor Emeritus Norbert Okoye and Chief Ike Oragwu Ugochukwu (Dala Omee Okachie). To these two illustrious sons and proud indigenes of Ozubulu, we say thank you!

Further reading on the history and origin of Ozubulu can be done by reading

• 1. Ugochukwu Ike Oragwu (Dala Omee Okachie). “Omaka”: The Making of the Modern African Community – Ozubulu
• 2. Ejiofor Fidelis Chukwuwetalu (Ezennajimofor). Ozubulu Arts and Cultural Heritage – Significance and Values