The Origin of Igbo group known as Ezumezu na Omenala Ndígbo
The Igbo group known as Ezumezu na Omenala Ndígbo has traced the origin of the Igbo people to Ugwuele community in Uturu. They are planning to construct an Obi Igbo at Anya Nnu in Ugwu Aki, located a significant distance from the main town of Ugwuele.
Comprising primarily of members from Anambra and Enugu states, the group set out on this exploration five years ago with support from their overseas members. Their mission was to pinpoint the exact origin of the Igbo people in Igboland. This led them to engage around 20 powerful Afa Dibias. Despite presenting Nri and Igbo ukwu as potential origin sites for the Igbo people, the Afa Dibias determined that neither town held the head of the Igbo people. Subsequently, they were directed to seek answers in Ugbo Awka, Enugu state.
Upon arriving in Ugbo Awka last November, following rituals and cleansing, it was revealed that the head of the Ndígbo and the ọfọ Igbo was located in Abia State.
In December of the same year, the group visited Arochukwu with the belief that it might hold the answers they sought. However, after visiting the Chukwu shrine in Arochukwu, they were informed that the actual location was in Uturu, as even Chukwu had moved from Ngodo Uturu to Arochukwu many years prior.
This prompted them to return to all the Afa people, this time presenting the names of states in the old Eastern region without disclosing their identities. Despite their initial focus not being on Uturu, the Afa Dibias unanimously selected Abia State. Subsequently, they visited Uturu and were welcomed by the Eze ndi Eze ndi Uturu, who directed them to Ngodo Uturu , suggesting it was the particular place. However, upon performing rituals at Ngodo, it was determined that Ngodo was not the location of the ọfọ Igbo, revealing that Nnem Chukwu, who had once lived in the Ngodo Uturu cave, had left Ugwuele to settle at the Isiume cave in Ngodo Uturu.
In February, the team visited Ugwuele and met the newly elected 37-year-old Eze Ugwuele, the youngest Eze in Abia State. They were well-received and were informed to return in March for a community meeting to discuss their mission further, given the location’s significance to the community due to its abundant mineral resources and believed supernatural powers.
When asked how they were aware of the supernatural presence in Ugwu Aki in Ugwuele, as Ugwuele lacking any shrines, they were informed of an incident in 2002 involving Setraco’s stone mining in Ugwu Aki. The company had initially ignored traditional marriage rituals with the stones, resulting in all crushed stones turning to ashes and equipment malfunctioning. Following a traditional marriage ceremony in 2002, Setraco successfully mined stones in Ugwuele without issue.
The Eze notified the community of their findings and directed them to return for a subsequent visit, wherein they met with the forest guards assigned to prevent any misappropriation of valuables at Ugwu Aki. After the Afa Dibias conducted rituals at Aki, confirming its status as the true location of the Ọfọ Igbo, they were shown significant features at Ugwu Aki. The community shared an account from 1977 when a US research team attempted to dig at the site but deemed it too dangerous due to a marked-off area sealed with cement.
Upon confirming the ọfọ Igbo location, Ezumezu and Omenala Igbo contracted Setraco to clear a designated area near Anya Nnu for the construction of an Obi in honour of Igbo heritage. The construction approval from the Ugwuele community indicates the imminent commencement of the Obi’s construction.
Additionally, they discovered that yams were first discovered and consumed in Uturu, specifically by the ọnuzrọ community. The ọnuzrọ community was the first to taste yam upon its discovery in Igbo land. They expressed surprise that Ugwuele residents did not lay claim to being isi Igbo and recognized entities such as USA universities, UNN, Catherine Acholonu, and other organizations that had conducted research in the area, indicating human habitation in Ugwuele Uturu before Adam.
