Amuvi History — from a broader landscape:by mazi prof. chris aniche okorafor

Amuvi us one of the nineteen villages in Arochukwu

I enjoyed and still appreciate undertaking this assignment at making some extra relevant contribution to the history of Arnuvi-Uda. This paper should only be seen as at best, a complement to whatever else had been written on this City State within the enigmatic Aro Confederacy. Each Amuvi citizen, from the age of sixty and above that I have had the opportunity of discoursing our past with, has had one common regret. Each bemoaned his disinterestedness as a youth, in inquiring for greater details on what his parents were willing and eager to tell him about our forebears, their lives, their history, our past. Much has therefore been lost irretrievably, but there are some glimpses left in the mind of a few from which a cast may be made of a relatively reliable historical image of our past. Before we proceed, it is essential to recall that no history is absolutely correct. To the contrary, all history are not correct. Several are pseudo-history and not consistently related to facts. The extent to which recorded history is collaborated by events, peoples and places, to that extent is it relatively accurate. Having laid down this common sense fundamental principle, let us now proudly review the past of our dear City State, Arnuvi-Uda having recourse to reconcilable and contemporary events within her immediate and remote environment.

One article carried in Aro News quoting Barrister Ndionyemma stated:-
“Amuvi Village is one of the nineteen villages of Arochukwu in the Arochukwu local government area of Abia state. It is a village which is unique and refreshingly different from most of the other villages of Arochukwu. Amuvi is perhaps one of the best planned villages in Nigeria, in fact the whole of Africa. Thanks to that indefatigable gentleman, Sir Alex Onyeador of blessed memory, the Village is properly mapped and laid out. The layout is only comparable to that of a good town planning authority. The situation is such that every home in Amuvi has a drive way aborting into one of the network of roads.”

The fact that the houses were numbered under a systemic street names module, was inadvertently omitted in the citation as this young lawyer played a major role in the exercise. The quotation relates to only the physical environment. In human society, the physical environment is a visible manifestation of the beliefs, attitudes, and behavior of its inhabitants. These three key variables namely, beliefs, attitudes, and behavior are aggregates of the historical past of the people. They are embedded in the culture and custom of the people which being dynamic, inculcate their past, their joys and sorrows, triumphs and failures through a trail of challenges, prospects and constraints. The psyche of a people, their world view, are therefore a reflection of their past. By methodically analyzing their present, one can with some acceptable degree of certitude have a satisfying peep into their history.

A good beginning, is definitely within the larger Aro Confederacy. Pages xii to xiv; 1 to 48 and 243 to 250 of the book “Perspectives in Aro History and Civilization — The Splendor of a Great Past” Vol 1, by Mazi Azubike Okoro and Ben Ezuma. is a pre-requisite reading for a meaningful appreciation of this article. This is because, a lot of matters have been taken as known and bypassed completely or skimmed through in this report, on the understanding that they have been extensively dealt with in that book. In the book, Aro history was specifically explored along side other contemporary and related developments in history. References to dates in this paper are borrowed or based on the principles enunciated in the book.

For a start, I shall here make a brief but special reference to the break made on the migration of Igbo elements southwards from their main heartland when they encountered a dominant already established Ibibio elements under the rulership of Obong Okon Ita. A long lost Uneghe elements who then formed a buffer between the southward migrating Igbo elements and this Ibibio kingdom, were later cropped off in the ensuing trans-Atlantic slave trade. Details of the subsisting relationship between this group of Igbo dynasties of Nnachi Ipia and Agwu Inobia on the one hand and the Ibibio dynasty of Obong Okon Ita on the other, as well as the developments that necessitated the treaty of alliance involving a tribe of Akpa elements under the leadership of Osim and his sibling Akuma Nnubi, were well dealt with in various passages in the book. The climax of series of diplomatic adjustments within existing and developing trade opportunities by the members of the grand alliance of the two Igbo dynasties, the Akpa tribesmen and a faction of the Ibibio elements sympathetic to Ulu Okon, a pretender to the throne of deceased Obong Okon Ita, was the successful eviction of the bulk of Ibibio elements after the 1534 war and the formation of a Confederation that became immediately known among the Ibibio and Efik, as the Ulu Okon dynasty, a name corrupted to Inokon, by which Aro is still fondly referred to by both groups. The term Uneghe still survives among the Ibibio as a stereotype nickname for the non-Aro Igbo. Ulu Okon was the second son of Obong Okon Ita from an Igbo wife of the clan of Agwu Inobia, the first and rightful heir being Akpan Okon otherwise known as Kakapko.

Aro Confederacy started therefore as a fusion of these three dynasties subsequently reflected to in its unique political, and administrative Otusi structure of Otusi Nna-Akuma, Otusi Oke-Nnachi and Otusi Eze-Agwu each comprising of the federating Igbo and Akpa elements. It should be observed here, that Osim lost his life in the course of the Ibibio war and his sibiling Akuma Nnubi stepped into his shoes. The three confederating dynasties had administrative headquarters in Utughugwu, Ugwuakuma and Amanagwu respectively. Obot Okon Ita, the historic base of the evicted Ibibio clan was retained by a collaborating remnant Ibibio elements, and is today known by its corrupt Igbo rendition of Obinkita. These four were the first in the series of City States of Confederate Aro.

Creation of new City States and related Otusi:
The evicted Ibibio elements kept pressing for a reversal to the status quo in sporadic skirmishes. As a result, the young Aro state had the persistent need to maintain and if necessary, expand its territorial integrity. To this effect, the valiant Ibom Akpa elements of Otusi Nna-Akuma positioned their notables at the critical boundaries adjacent to the sacked Ibibio. Each such border post was under the management of an elder some of whose identity are today retained in the names of the City States later created out of such border posts. This locational defense strategy led to the growth of residency and homesteads at these border posts as the young vigilante guards settled down, married and acquired households. As their population grew these new homesteads each acquired autonomous City State status. This initial settlement of the Ibom Akpa elements at the border posts, the consequent relative calm at the borders and the subsequent expansion of settlements in the wake of general population and income growth, account for the present presence of elements of Otusi Nna-Akuma within the other two Otusi. The critical initial contra-Ibibio border posts were Amasu, Ujari, Amukwa and Atani, the later three being constituents of Otusi Ivi-Njoku. General population growth, increased security and wealth, also meant the creation of new blocks of settlements by members of the other two initial Otusi Oke Nnachi and Otusi Eze Agwu. These new settlements naturally fused towards the secure borders where the members of Otusi Nna Akuma had settled and pacified. The result was an interlinking of clans and the fusion of compounds (ezi). This processes continued to the extent that today, Aro Confederacy consists of nineteen City States (Ogo) administered within nine Otusi (Otusi-tonu). It must be pointed that it is this intertwining structure of compounds (ezi) in City States (ogo) with other compounds outside their City State in one or the other of the Otusi-tonu Aro, that makes futile any attempt at demarcating or segmenting Aro into the new-trend-autonomous communities. Conceptually therefore, Aro confederation has remained the way it was structured and subsequently remodeled, right from after the 1534 Ibibio war.
























Amuvi City State:
In general, it is reasonable to accept that a detailed sequencing of settlements in the nineteen City States can only be traced to a very limited point without controversy. Broadly, it is feasible to come to a general consensus based on irrefutable general principles of demand for security and population growth within the young Aro Confederacy. Initially therefore, at the formation of the Confederacy, it is certain that the first three to merge were those at Utughugwu, Ugwuakuma and Amanagwu. To these must be added the original City State of the Obong Okon Ita, namely Obot Okon lta (Obinkita), and Oror, the site of the final resting place of our illustrious Osim. (We must here reflect that given the honor of his grave-site being the eternal location for the palace of Eze Aro, he is rightly seen as a figurative foundation stone of Aro Confederacy, in as much the same way as the site of St. Peter’s grave in Rome became the eternal city and base of the Catholic church.) Thereafter, one may confidently indicate the emergence of border posts turned-City-States of Ujari, Amasu, Amukwa and Atani whose combinatory vigilante activities were designed to safeguard the proximate Ibibio infiltration routes from across the Enyiong river and its tributaries.

From this point it is easy understand the movement of Umunna Okwaragwu elements of Otusi Eze-Agwu, relocating to found Ugbo and Amoba within the eastern secure borders of the present Aro metropolis. Together with Ugwuavor, also then a northernmost border beyond Obinkita and Utughugwu, these two City States Ugbo and Amoba today, make up the Otusi Umunna Okwaragwu. In a like manner, the Oke Nnachi clan expanded northeasterly beyond Ugwuavor, from their original base in Utughugwu, down the valley and westwards to the border post at Atani. The primary intent was to re-enforce the defense of the Atani-Amukwa-Ugwuavor axis. This group of Oke-Nnachi clan settled about the present day Amamgba and Amankwu. The family head at Amamgba was one Akpakoro lgwe-Abah. He was later joined by Bianko Nnaezuma and Eze Jaka after whom two other Otusi would be created and named.

Further population growth and improved security, led to the entry of three children of Oke-Nnachi namely Oti, Ezuma and Abiara, into the Amamgba community. At this point, Ngwu and Mkpu the children of Eze Jaka had moved quarters to found the present day Amangwu and Isimkpu. The subsequent settlement of what was to become Amuvi is by this remnant group of Oke-Nnachi lineage domiciled in Amamgba namely, Oti, Ezuma and Abiara. From known genealogies of generation, and using the standard archaic phraseology, Ipia begat Nnachi. Nnachi begat Oke and Oke begat Oti, Ezuma and Abiara. Oti begat Ezuma the father of Ota. Ota begat Okoronkwo and his brother Okereke. Okoronkwo begat Esomonu who is also known as Orimma. Tracing the roots of Esomonu down to our own time is easy. From the age of his descendants and associates, some of whom saw Aro surrender to the massive British invasion, his age has been objectively established with a very insignificant margin of error.

It must be pointed out that there are at least two Ezuma’s within this root trace. The one is Ezuma Oke, and the other is Ezuma Oti. The situation of the Ezuma in the name Bianko Nnaezuma has not been easily resolved, it is though accepted that as is evident today in Amuvi, the name Ezuma was also in the past, repetitively a popular name. Consequently, it has been hypothesized that Bianko Nnaezuma, must be one of the junior half brothers or cousins of Oke Nnachi. It is also not a mere coincidence that his name was later ascribed to the principal Trade Fair in Bende. There were two Fairs, the major and the minor, with the minor titled Agbagwu. When eventually the Fairs were taken away by Aro to Ozuakoli, the names Bianko and Agbagwu were retained for the Ozuakoli major and minor Trade Fairs. Agba Agwu we know is the name of the son of Agwu Inobia, one of the principal architects of Aro Confederacy. He is the founder of Agbagwu and was memorialized in the naming of the minor Trade Fair. It is only rational to accept that for Bianko to merit the accolade of having the major Fair named after him, he himself must have been of the root of the other pillar from the Igbo stock in the tripod on which Aro was established, namely Nnachi Ipia the father of Oke Nnachi.

Of Oke Nnachi’s several children, only three of his male children are directly relevant in our further discussion on the founding of Amuvi. Of these Oti Oke and Ezuma Oke were of the same mother while Abiara was of another of Oke’s several wives. As their families grew, they spread from Amamgba to cover the present Asaga. The principal Aro trade route to the Igbo heartland was through this City State, a prominence it was to later loose with the founding of Amuvi. The initial habitation of Asaga was therefore attributable to these three brothers and explains the land tenure and ownership structure among the Umuoti kindred in Asaga and Amuvi. As persons moved with their families to new habiliments, the remnants of the initial and expanded inhabitants of Amamgba now consisted principally of the homesteads of Ezuma Oke and Umahi Nlenanya. Continuing population pressures on the land and increased security to Aro Confederacy, created a demand and opportunity for the Amamgba community to migrate to a more spacious land track. Ezuma Oke and Umahi Nlenanya thereupon moved further north of Amamgba, beyond Asaga and the Nwanne flood plain to the promontory which is today Ogo-Amuvi.




In time this settlement expanded. It was though initially not recognized as a City State separate and distinct from Asaga. Its liabilities and obligations as well as its rights and privileges were derived from that of its root stock - Asaga. With respect to this new community, yet to become the City State Amuvi, I will here, quote verbatim from the book I had referred to:¬
They later protested contributing fighting men and material for the territorial defense of Aro against occasional Ibibio invasions that persisted after the war. The community propounded the theory that each village should defend its own borders with its own men and material. They consequently held the Makor community in perpetual check far beyond the Iyi-Ivara flood plain. The community thence acquired the name Ama uvi - rebel village. It is also reported that they relied more on a unique battle strategy to instill fear on their Ibibio neighbors. They sallied out into the highlands of Makor and Obot Mme, shot arrows into the loose grounds, tree trunks and branches, and withdrew un-noticed. When the lbibio later saw these volleys of arrows, they reasoned that any enemy who shot such much arrows without his enemy being in sight was capable of the greatest savagery imaginable on his enemy in any combat. Amuvi has since been at peace with these neighbors and only lost that vast track of land through the stroke of pen of the Nasir Boundary Adjustment Commission in post 1967-70 Nigeria-Biafra war.”
Subsequent wealth and population increases led to the development of more compounds (ezi) from the initial Nde Ezuma Oke and Nde Umahi Nlenanya both separately also known as Eziukwu and Ugwogo. These two names were not derived from the name of any individual. The one related to the senior member of the founding sibilings – Ezi Ukwu (the large compound), while the other related to the topography of the initial habitation – Ugwu Ogo (the hilltop city state). Ugwogo for ease of administration arising from increasing homesteads, was split in time into five compounds, namely. Nde Umahi Nlenanya, Nde Okoro Mgbo, Nde Obia, Nde Onyike, and Nde Igweoti. When the community demanded autonomous City State status, the principles of Aro democratic principles necessitated the creation of one more compound. It was the basic principle of Aro governance, that for a majority opinion to be established the number of voters has to be odd, otherwise there could arise such a spilt as not to afford any side a winning vote. Ezinta was thereupon created from Eziukwu around the personnality of Esomonu Okoronkwo Ota, to make up the present Ezi-Asaa Amuvi.

Period of Amuvi Settlement
The Portuguese had established a chain of trading settlements along the West African coast. El Mina, was founded on the Gold Coast in 1482 and by 1508, the Portuguese were already maintaining trading posts about the port of Calabar. It is reported in the book I had earlier referred to that the need to participate directly in this trade that was developing along the Bight of Biafra, was the major objective that indirectly led to the lbibio war of 1534. Contrary to 1680 which some Nigerian historians indicate as date for the emergence of Aro settlements, there are extant historical records that indicate that Aro settlements were already in existence at lkwere near Port Harcourt in 1568 from where it spread to Oguta, Aro Oru, and Okirika in Ijaw kingdom. This was just 34 years from the Ibibio war and about 12 years before the birth of Oti Oke.

One of the special features of Aro civilization, was the metamorphosis of its noble citizens from dominant pristine Igbo occupations of farming, iron-smiting, trapping and hunting to middleman-ship and merchandizing. These previous occupations became taboo to the Aro nobility. Oti Oke, from a critical dating of his generation, lived from about 1580 to 1650. Further down his descendants, Esomonu lived from about 1758 to 1835. The subsequent migration to the land that is today Ogo-Amuvi occurred much later in Oti Oke’s lifetime. At this stage he had acquired all the status of a Mazi, with a retinue of household members. Our neighbors, the Efiks were structured along extended family groupings of “canoe houses” consisting of blood relatives and headed by an Ete Ubom - Father of the Canoe. Each canoe house is named alter its founding Ete Ubom and possessed hundreds of hired hands or slaves to man its tens of canoes. A near equivalent among the lbibio is the Obong Ekpuk. Aro being land-locked had ‘ogbiti’ or ‘ulo’ not canoe houses, the household were generally referred to as “Nde Mazi so and so” where Mazi is the head of the ‘ulo’ or ‘ogbiti’.


If we accept that Oti Oke was initiated into itinerant trade when he was between age fifteen and twenty one, then by the time he was between forty and fifty, he would have accumulated such experience and capital as to have control over a sizable team of trade assistants and trainees. At this stage, it is usual for the merchant to now settle down and delegate his children and trusted assistants to the trips, markets and trade fairs management routines. At fifty also, the aging process delimits his ability for long journeys and the consequent inconveniences of sleeping in varying locations on successive days of the trip. It is therefore definite that at this stage, which is about 1630 that Oti Oke and Umahi Nlenanya must have planned and executed their permanent and independent residency away from Amamgba. This is the age at which our neighboring Cross River Igbo communities retire from the routine tasks of their age grade (Ugba Uche) and settle down with other elders in the council huts of wisdom to plan and monitor activities related to the welfare of their communities.



The point to be made here is that by the year 1630, Mazi Oti Oke and Umahi Nlenanya were by no means neither hunters nor farmers. Aro ascendancy renaissance were at this time at the prime of its life cycle. Trade routes and settlements had been well established to the coastal cities as well as to the brinks of Igbo heartland. He and his siblings were very much engaged with the very profitable enterprise of the period. It is therefore incorrect to assign to either of them, the demeaning duty of foraging in the forest or the primitive occupation of hunter-gatherer. The land area north of Asaga and across the Nwanne River lay by the route to Bende. All its topography including the Iyi Ivara and Iyi Ocha, were already known to Aro not later than ten years from the 1534 Ibibio war. We must recall that the settlement reported in Ikwereland was serviced by the land route via Asaga northwards to Bende and then southwards to the coast through the Igbo territories. The book I referred to earlier, dealt with the initial very difficult prospects of alternate direct routes through Ibibioland during the period immediately following the war.

The opening up of new settlements was not a matter for the commoner, or even an un-established and recognized Amadi. It was the sole prerogative of those wealthy ones who had earned the status of Mazi. Oti Oke and Umahi Nlenanya were both wealthy and noble merchants of the lineage of Oke Nnachi. They co-founded Ogo Amuvi about ninety-six years from the lbibio War, while at the same time retaining their rights and privileges within their root community, Asaga. The creation of Otusi Bianko consisting of only Asaga and Amuvi, was thereafter a confirmation and ratification of this antient relationship. Furthermore, from what is generally known about the persisting socio-economic activities of the Cross River Igbo, planned movements to new settlements are made at specific time periods. These are determined by the climate, availability of building materials, labor and resources to pay for the labor. In addition and one of greatest importance, the circumstances must be auspicious as determined by consultation to Alaezi and offerings at the Iyamavia. The first of foundations is of a necessity blessed with a sacrificial offering shared by all members of the family. Such a movement is never done privately or secretly. In Aro environment, the climate is favorable about November to March. The soil is suitable for the raising of mud walls and the rains are no longer that heavy to disrupt work. Raphia fronds for roofing are also equally more easily harvested, knitted and matured at this time of the year. With the lkeji festival over and a rest period allowed within Aro metropolis within which time disputes arising among the merchants at the settlements are arbitrated by Aro, labor is readily available among the porters and trade assistants for construction and freighting of material to the new settlement. The sources of labor are therefore usually from the retinues of householders and merchants enjoying the brief holidays that coincide with the post-lkeji festival, and the lull in farm work among the neighboring farming Igbo communities of Ihe and Ututu. It is only rational to accept that the movement to Amuvi was between mid-November 1630 and early March 1631.
ccc
Amuvi Axis Within Aro Trade Routes:
Each Aro City State developed trade routes linking up its restrictively maintained centers of trade. Along the trade routes were Rest/Guest Houses organized and managed by the indigenes who for purposes of gain and security arising from their association with Aro, solicited for and maintained these facilities. At some points on its trade route, the merchants from a City State, established settlements specific to them. Within such settlements and along those routes, the merchants belonging to that City State were allowed the monopoly of all business transactions involving buying and selling as well as other incidentals related to their peaceful co-existence with the indigenes of the place but without prejudice to overall Aro interest. This arrangement was of very crucial importance. It guaranteed that whatever item of trade bought or sold on the route or within the settlements were such as would not compromise general Aro welfare. As those who hold a monopoly over an area would be very familiar with the cultural, political and other socio-economic variables of the location, hardly would there arise a circumstance in an exchange transaction inimical to Aro interest. The monopoly was also of immense assistance in procuring exact information on clients for the agents of Ibn Ikpabi.

As trade routes developed and inter-linked, some major ones assumed the status of Aro confederate highways which were catered for by more than one City State. Trans-Atlantic slave trade has been indicated and the provision of cargo for the slave ships at the coasts was the major business of the time. Other items of trade were intermediate and secondary batter commodities for this unfortunate principal business of the period. The sources of slaves in the hinterland, therefore determined the location of settlements and thereby the opening up of convenient routes to link them up with the markets.

One confederate highway in existence much before 1568 Aro settlement in Ikwereland is the one from Umuoti Asaga to Bende. This route, as with all other Aro trade routes is designed to pass through a land area with minimal need for bridges, avoid persistently hostile and incorrigible pirate communities, and afford friendly stopping points within a day’s journey (Kwa mba, kwa ura). Although the travel time on the Umuoti Asaga to Bende route was feasible within a days walk, yet guest houses and settlements were established in several locations along the route by some merchants to enable them transact businesses over a much longer period of time than may be afforded by a single overnight stay. This pattern is replicated on all Aro trade routes. It is necessary to note at this point that Bende was the commercial center for the entire Iboland area at that time. All routes from the Bight of Biafra, the Delta, northeastern, northern, northwestern and eastern and western Igbo territory, converged in it for the monthly major and minor Trade Fairs. Traders came and went in large troupes (otu-ije) to the sessions which lasted a whole native week of four days. It is estimated that otu-ije could number as much as four to five hundred persons. This would include several merchants, their aides and carriers, as well as apprentice merchants, shackled slaves being moved to the markets and Ibn Ikpabi agents. This sample size of otu-ije is confirmed from very recent reports including that by Rev. Dodds who in his 1910 report indicated that the company of Aro traders passing by his house was more than a hundred.

Trade with the European merchants on the Bight of Biafra were restricted at the coasts. Two factors accounted for this. The principal one was the inaccessibility of their boats inland. In the Senegambia zone, they ventured and could shoot their way inland because the topography was not as hostile as in the mangrove swamps hinterlands of the Bight of Biafra and the Niger Delta. Second factor was the insistence and resistance of the dominant natives that the foreigners remained at the coasts while they acted as middlemen in the exchange transactions. We must at this point remind ourselves that population was not as high as it is today within this areas. Estimates of the annual number of slaves from 1688 to 1700, indicate that 300,000 Igbo were sold through Bonny, 50,000 through Calabar and Kalabari. With this level of traffic, there was need to venture more into the Igbo heartland and beyond to meet the increasing plantation demands for labor in the Americas brought about by the invention of the cotton gin and the other demands of the European industrial revolution.

Merchants of what was to later be Amuvi prior to its independent City State status, had developed trade routes as far out to lhube very much earlier than the time of Esomonu Okoronkwo Ota, 1758 to 1835. He himself was an active merchant and had individually contributed immensely to the opening up of the trade route beyond lhube where Mazi Okoro Ezike also of Amuvi had established a controlling interest. The principal Amuvi axis of the general Aro trade routes consisted of the following network covering intermittent nerve centers and residential bases in the underlined locations:

Amuvi-Makor-Ndeomenakwa-Nde Iwo-Bende
Bende-Ozuitem-Ozuakoli-Mkpa-lhube
lhube-Ngodo-Amuda-Umuaku, Mbala and Isuochi
lhube-Leru-Lokpa-Awgu-Achi-Umuabi-Udi-Amokwe-Owa,Eke,Olo, Ibagwa,Nsukka, Oturkpo,Igumale (shared with Ugbo merging from Ohozara)
Leru-Ishiagu-Akeze
Ishagu- Uburu-Nkalagu-Ntezi-Izii (shared with Ugwuavor)

One Amuvi settlement of great import is that in the hinterland of Ihube. The bases were Ngodo, Amuda, Umuaku, Isuochi and Mbala. These are collectively labeled Aro Mbala and share borders with the settlements of Ujari in Ajalli. This closeness gave rise to the unique affinity of inter-marriage alliances which the two City States bear with one another to this very day – a relationship not shared to as high a degree with other Aro City States. By 1700, Amuvi merchants had established bases in far out Igumale, with such locations as Achi, Udi, Amokwe and Owa serving as hubs for the management of trade in the hinterlands extending to Olo, Achalla, Aguleri, Nsukka, Idah, Ngwo and Nike. Amuvi approach to settlement was unique. Its merchants lived a culturally separate and distinct lifestyle from those of the host community. Not being engaged in farming, they hardly had claims to land other than that on which they built their residential houses.

With the collapse of the slave trade, most of Amuvi settlements were no longer profitable outposts as several of them were not adaptable to tree crop plantations as were the case in such other Aro settlements that were in ecological zones suited to either oil palm, cocoa, rubber or kolanut farms. Several Amuvi merchants accepted tokens of maidens from their hosts as wives in the hosts’ effort to cement the blood oaths that conveyed Aro protection on their community. Some Amuvi merchants also adopted some of the natives as trade-apprentices after some period of meritorious service as porters. One published instance is that of a very intelligent young man from Eke, who was estimated by a British official to have been born in 1874. He was apprenticed under Nwannadiya Okoro thereby becoming the youngest man in his clan to become an astute Aro slave trade associate. Later as a benevolent despot in his community, he facilitated the introduction of christian education in his realm right up to his death in 1933. The period of his birth and his being groomed into an independent slave dealer, typifies Amuvi merchants’ unique settlement adminsitration.
Generally therefore, such places as Aro Mballa, Aro Achi, Aro Ehuhe, Aro Owa, Aro Amokwe and other Amuvi trade zones, were basically clusters of guest houses. The payback is that Amuvi owes the opening up of its first school in a private home, to the initiatives emanating from these settlements instead of from either local colonial or missionary administration.

Amuvi-Uda:
This new City State took over from its sister city state Asaga, the special status of being the entry and exit point to and from the Igbo heartland. It earned the niche name of Obichiri Uzo An’utu” (customs’ post) as well as “Amuvi-Uda.” Why Uda? Most towns and villages in Igboland derive their names from either animals or inanimate objects. Uda is a plant and a unique one for that matter. H. G. Baker in his book “Plants and Civilization”, stated that “plants are basic to civilization as sources of food for man and other animals, energy, fibre, drugs, structural materials and other products useful to man; maintaining oxygen balance, aesthetics, checking erosion, water shed protection, storm breaks, shades from the sun etc. etc. The botanical name for Uda is Xylopia aethiopica and is known as atarabang or atta among the lbibio and Efik. The Hausa call it kimba, the Yoruba know it as erunje, while the Bini call it unien. The root botanical name Xylopia means in Greek ‘wood with a bitter taste.’ The edible part, the fruit consists of numerous carpels, about a dozen, narrow, 2-3 in. long and 0.25 in. thick, stalkless, on a thick common stalk up to 2 in. long; reddish at first, eventually blackish; containing 4-9 seeds with an aril at the base. The seed is peppery”.. Uda has known medicinal values. It has been indicated for promoting blood circulation, appetite and digestion; slowing senility; increasing flow of breast milk in nursing mothers; management of varicose veins, colds, asthma, eodema, alcoholic hangover, insomnia and dry skin among several others. It is above all, a good seasoning agent and is often combined with utazi (Gontronema latifolium), oshosho (Tetrapleura tetraptera), nchuanwu (Ocimum viridis), and uziza (Piper guineense) for greater effect. To this extent, it is a reputed foods seasoning agent providing flavors richer than either fish or meat. That is Uda for you. It is therefore not surprising that Amuvi citizens are especially noted for their catalytic initiatives, constructively salutary and altruistic influences in whatever sphere of life they may find themselves.

A Lesson from History:
The psalmist in Psalm 133 eulogized the excellence of brotherly love – delightfully living together like brothers; fine as oil on the head running down the beard of Aaron to the collar of his robes; copious as a Hermon dew falling on the heights of Zion where Yahweh confers his blessing of everlasting life. This song of ascents by David would seem to have been written as a special reference point to historic Amuvi-Uda.

Unfortunately, our twentyfirst century generation has to some extent been wanting in the good qualities of our ancestors. To what extent have we strived to live as brothers? How safe are our homes, farms and public places from petty thieves? Oti Oke and Umahi Nlenanya had only external enemies to contend with. Why are we putting up high fences and iron bars in our homes? Who constitute these internal problems? Who are their parents, gaurdians, relations or associates? Who knows their identity but fails to report on them? This is the lesson of brotherly love, the sharing of joy and sorrow, labor and refreshment from our past that cry out for re-establishment in our own times. This “being our brother’s keeper”, yielding some track of ones piece of land so that a road may be built, not fencing a property such that it encroaches on an adjacent road were standard patterns of behavior and characteristics that had made Amuvi unique. May the spirit of Christmas re-establish in us, this spirit of our Fathers in the coming year.

mazi chris aniche okorafor
house 15, seventh avenue
amuvi –Arochukwu

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Other issues Mazi Azubike Okoro required
AVAILABLE DATA ON AMUVI CENTRAL EXECUTIVE (NOTE: Constitution allows only for a PRESIDENT, not a president-general. The branch unions have CHAIRMEN. If we have to permit people to publish the chief executive of AWU’s office as PRESIDENT GENERAL, where then are the PRESIDENTS? These little things reflect …. I don’t know any more.)

PRESIDENT
PERIOD SECRETARY
GENERAL
PERIOD
Rev. Alfred Anicho

Sir Alexander Onyeador








Emmanuel O. Ume
Pius M. Igboko
Martin N. Okoro
Ezuma Ngwu
Emmanuel K. C. Okereke
Gibson Ihe
Christopher N. O. Emesih
Okoro Okerekeocha
Fidelis O. S. Oji
Chris Aniche Okorafor 193x - 194y

194y – March 1972








Mar 1972 – Jan 1974
Apr 1974 – Nov 1977
Nov. 1977 – Mar 1980
Mar. 1980 – Dec. 1984
Dec. 1984 – Mar. 1986
Mar 1986 – Apr 1987
Apr 1987 – Mar. 1989
Mar 1989 – Jul 1993
Jul 1993 – Dec 1996
Dec. 1996 – Aug 1999 William Okoro
Thomas Oji
Pius M. Igboko
Joseph Igboko
Gabriel Okoro
Wilson Okereke
Michael Nwafor
Phillip Okereke
Felix N. Onyeador
Augustine Eze
Joseph Oji



Chris Aniche Okorafor
Goddy Aniche

Goddy Aniche
Gibson Okorafor

Akachi Ume 1932
193x-1940
1940-1952
1952-
1954-1956
1956-1959
1959-1964?
1964 –
?
1966 –1970
1971



Mar. 1980 – Dec. 1984
Dec. 1984 – Mar. 1986

Apr 1987 – Mar. 1989
Mar 1989 – Jul 1993

Dec. 1996 – Aug 1999