The history of Aguluezechukwu people until now has not existed in any written form. What is known is oral tradition.
Unfortunately, the sources of this oral history are diminishing as most of those who had first hand information were aging and dying off. What ever would be got from the younger people would likely have distorted version.
This write-up is therefore based on the responses gotten from oral inquires. Only very small amount of the information came from a written records. As a result, there is a comparative absence of the dates and events which took place from particularly before 1900 A.D
It is in an attempt to arrest this ugly situation that the blog writer decided to put on record for posterity of this historical facts about Aguluezechukwu people.
The history of Aguluezechukwu established a relationship from a neighboring town, Uga from where the early settlers came. Subsequently, a group from Aguluezechukwu moved further down to exploit the rich land known as Ogboji. She occupied the eastern borders of Aguluezechukwu. Other neighboring towns are Ekwulobia, Oko, Mkpologwu, Akpo, Ndiowuu and Akpu.
Further, this write-up will give insight into the different animals that inhabited the vast areas before the arrival of man. It studied the natural vegetation which made Aguluezechukwu bouyant in economic resources.
Briefing: The history of Aguluezechukwu
In the early days, people lived in small groups and wandered from place to place. At times, some groups merged with others to form larger communities. The various communities occasionally fought for supremacy. It takes at times a strong and brave man to become the leader of a given Igbo community. This situation existed for many years. Many Igbo communities went by the names of the powerful men that led and organised them. That was why “Umu”(children) were prefixed to most Igbo communities for example- Umu-Uchu, Umu-ona, Umu-ngasi,etc. Family names in most cases developed from the names of their ancestors.
READ ALSO:The History Of Sango Ota: Evergreen History Of One Of The Yorubas that can not be wiped off.
Sometimes the names of the communities originate as a result of the incident that took place where the inhabitants settled. Examples are: Aguluezechukwu,Ogboji, etc . Also in early times, communities develop by accident. Sometimes people who committed abomination were killed or driven away. If such people were brave,they could take refuge in a far place and join another community, or they could settle in another virgin place. In one way or they other, they would develop the place.
Communities also sprang up in some other ways. For instance, if a person contracted a bad disease like small pox and leprosy, the person could be carried away to a distant place where people were not living and will be left to die alone. If any such person happens to survive, he might mix up with other people there to build a community. Such I instances abound in the past as there was no Christianity to preach against such evil practice. Instead people practiced idolatry. They worshipped their own idols of their making- water, strange stones and trees.
The history of Aguluezechukwu can be traced back to a hunting expedition by a group from Uga led by Ezechukwu on call by Maxi Ikwuka group. The group killed an elephant at a spot and gave the spot a name “Omelenyi”.
Before then, Omelenyi environs was a virgin land. Those people eventually settled there and developed into a community with a common ancestor.
The vast area was called and recognized as “Agul-olu-Ezechukwu” for years. As time went on, people with different ancestral origins that came and Aguluezechukwu increased in number. The last group that came from Uga was from Oka village. The group was known and recognized as the Ifite late entrant.
Such ancestral groups eventually joined the already existing ones and equally are recognized as an ancestral community. Whatever consideration used to reach such decision was accepted m. The other ancestral groups were placed in order of seniority based on the period when they came.
The History Of Aguluezechukwu people And their Ancestry.
No ancestral group always formed a town. Any group that first settled usually became the head, unless a change was effected because of any reason convenient as people sometimes relinquished their birth rights in those early times. This could be as a result of conquest, fear or any other reason.
The ancestral groups that came last would join any group of their choice within the community that has settled. The new comers were either accepted accepted as equals or made sub-ordinates to the first settlers. I
some cases, the sub-ordinations led to internal strife. Those with different ancestors would be looked upon as an enemy or as equals. Brothers normally lived, toiled and ate together.
The custom in their traditional set-up was that people with a common ancestry lived together.
Life in general became communal in that one man’s affair became a concern of many in the community, so much that a man’s wife was called “our wife” by the other members of he same community. A community can also go to war to avenge the wrong that was done to any of it’s member.
The advent of Christianity about 170 years ago made people to enjoy peaceful co-existence. There were improved way of living.
Aguluezechukwu, an autonomous community in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria was not unaffected by this civilizing effect of Christianity
Many economic trees, play grounds, places of worship wee common to the community. You need o seek permission from anybody to make use of these things.
Yet there was respect for private property. In almost all their traditional groups there were no beggers because the brotherhood structure provided for the common welfare of every member.
Geographical features of Aguluezechukwu
Aguluezechukwu is located in undulating soils. The land is generally sloppy to the East.
A long stream “Otalu” divided the town almost into two halves from South West to Northeast. There was also “Ngeneocha” stream which run from the eastern portion on the northern section of the town to join Otalu stream on its journey to Ndiowuu from where it joins Ubo stream in Orimba L.G.A in Anambra state. Otalu and Ngeneocha carried fine sands which is very good for moulding blocks and building houses.
There is Ogobu stream which takes it rise from Umaa lake and joins Otalu stream at the bridge crossing Otalu stream on the road which runs to Ogboji town from Aguata Local government headquarters.
There were many spring waters:- Okpalanyanwu, Ezeani, Ezeako, Iyiagu-Enugwu, Iyiagu-Ifite and Njuafo.
There are lakes:- Umaa lake, the largest in the town; Nwahuhu lake, Uleku lake, Mbakukwo lake and Paul lake on the northern part and on the southern part respectively.
There are also gulley and valleys. The valleys have deposits of white chalks and clay. On the northern section at Ifina there are big stones.
At Umuagu, gravel deposits are seen. By the sides of the streams and the stream basins,lakes and springs, raffia palms grow. The raffia palms have great economic value.
They offer job opportunities to many young men in the town. Raffia palm wines are tapped by young men and the wines sold every day.
