The Brief Historical Background of Ozizza

Located at the north-east part of Afikpo is Ozizza community. It is bounded with beaches of natural banks of rocks. It is characterized for its zones of tropical forest with scattered hills and valleys. Outwardly to the upper part of Afikpo, it stretches to a flat desert-like land. The land of Ozizza is also stony with an inclusion of imbedded solid minerals. Streams are equally found in-between valleys and hills. It is as well blessed with lakes.     

Ozizza is a place of unique features with sizeable mass of arable land for cultivation, and other activities. It is however densely populated by men and women of noble disciplines.

 

ORIGIN AND MEANING OF OZIZZA
The name ‘Ozizza’ could be translated phonetically to mean response. It is believed, from legend that the early dwellers in Ozizza were mounted as spies to obtain information and relay same to the warriors of the Egus especially matters relating to war. As they were often been called to give account of their daily watch keep, the espionage agents on going to answer will hint their families thus; “let us go and answer”. [Unu je wee? …ozi-zza oku]. Gradually, ozi-zza oku was abridged to Ozizza. [the name which the latter settlers inherited].     

In reference to the names of other communities [Nkpoghoro, Ugwuegu, Ohaisu and Itim] in Afikpo, better understanding of the origin and meaning of names is acknowledged with reasonable facts, unlike Ozizza that is yet to be established as a true tale.

Emphatically, Nkpoghoro, Ugwuegu, Ohaisu and Itim have their short stories as follows; 

Nkpoghoro: The origin and meaning of Nkpoghoro is attributive to a lamentation made by Nde-Ehugbo on the horrible incident of fire set up by a great warrior “Igbo ukwu” as a result of fight between him and the Egus /Nkalus. The fire was set up on the gods verged on Amadi at Oroghoro. So being one of the most significant place then, the people felt engulfed and made immediate lamentation [nkpu] at Oroghoro. Hence the name nkpu-Oroghoro. This gradually got to change to Nkpoghoro.

Ohaisu: This name “Ohaisu” resulted due to the conglomeration of Isu Nkalu’s children. It is an attribute of the latter descendant of Isu Nkalu who was the first settler at Ngodo. Thus in the real sense of Ehugbo dialect, it means umu Isu Nkalu. It is pertinent to know that Ezi Isu at Ngodo which exist till today is in honour of Isu Nkalu.

 
Ugwu Egu:  The discoveries from the archives reviews that Ugwuegu is the original settlement of the Egus. In brief, it is the valley/hill where the Egus dwell. They were considerably large in number before they got driven by the Nkalus. Thus they scattered and migrated  to many places in Igbo land. Some places like Igbagu, Ezeagu, Nkwegu, Nkalagu etc are typical examples.
 
Itim: These people make up extractions of a group of settlers from Edda. The place they left in Edda is still called Itim. The Itim people are Enohia Nkalu, Enohia Itim, kpoghirikpo, Amuro and Mgbom.

 

FIRST DWELLERS IN OZIZZA AND THEIR FOUND VILLAGES
One would have been well informed of the meaning surrounding the name ‘Ozizza’ from the brief record of the first dwellers. But unfortunately, the name of the original settler is superficially connected with the name ‘Ozizza’. Though the place has been until recently called Ozizza Edem Oke, yet no perfect nomenclatural relationship ever existed.

However, Edem Oke made his first settlement at a spot called Agba. There are divergent views of where he came from. One group of opinion traced him to Nri Akwa Ibo in Anambra State, where he started his journey. History has it that he left Nri to wander.  Thus, he pre-settled and passed through many places [including Enugu]. His arrival at Nkanu in Enugu elated him to make an onward movement to Cross-River. It was from Cross-river that he sailed to Itigidi and latter got to Amaeta. He latter trans-settled from Amaeta to Akpa in Ama-Ori (both in Ozizza).
Furthermore, legend or mythology asserts that when he was coming from Nri Akwa Ibo, he picked one of the powerful juju which he called Icha. That juju is the origin of Eze Ayi Ozizza. He used crab as the symbolism of the juju. Though it is yet to be confirmed if crab is exactly what is used symbolically for the same god at Nri, the fact remains unknown as many researchers are yet to come up with the final answer.

In addition, pertinent questions can still be deciphered from the whole tale which forms the basis for future research work:

[1] At what genealogy was the name changed from Icha to Eze Ayi Ozizza.

[2] Why the use of crab as the symbolism of the gods.

The second settlement was made a while after Edem by Okpoto. Okpoto settled at Ovum, a smaller village in Imama. He dwelt there long before others began to join him. Imama until recently was being called Imama-Okpoto in his honour. Okpoto was characterized for his powerful rulership and unbeatable wrestling prowess. Due to this fact, the Ozizza people do not dash out for wrestling combat without first consulting the gods at Ogo Ovum to arouse their spirit. It is at this Ogo that inter-wrestling competition was been carried out by the youths. On this ground, the wrestling warriors were selected. It should be recalled that this Ogo Ovum was called Ogo Ukwu, for the single reason being that it was where preparation for combat was been hoist before any outfit. This is attributive to the fact that in time of war, the Ozizza people do lay fibrous frond at Ogo ukwu in ovum. Here every male ranging from Isi Elia down would be expected to pounce steps across a fibrous frond. This will be over once the fibrous frond cuts. At this juncture, those who could not pounce steps across the fibrous frond before it got cut would automatically remain to guard the home, while those who pounced across would venture for war. This particular act was an indication of wisdom and portrays the powerful influence of nature over the people for they knew that not all who go a war come back alive [Obughu ihe achiri je ogu na awa]  or else their clan would be exterminated one day.

The third settlement was the arrival of Akpo Eke Ude from Arochukwu. He travelled all this way to settle at Ozizza. His compound inherited the name Ezi Akpo Eke till today.

 
The latter settlement was by Oboro Iyi. He settled at Ama-Ikpo in Ozizza, specifically in a place called Ebetu.  Oboro Iyi came along with his own juju. That juju is also called Ebetu.  The Ebetu is the symbolism of Ogo Nwanyi. It symbolizes the power of women over men. He came from Aro passing through Atani [a sub-village in Aro]. From there he followed the Cross-River until he arrived at beach now called Otu- Ohila. He settled peacefully with his brother Inaaja, whom he came along with. The duo, latter fell apart from each other when Inaaja was accused of having committed adultery with his brother’s wife. Thus, Inaaja was sent away.

Inaaja’s Escape to Agbo Ogo Orra: When Inaaja left his brother at Ebetu; he moved south-west until he arrived at Ezi Egwu in Agbo Ogo Orra.  As he was departing, he collected part of the juju which he came along with his brother and kept at his new settlement now called Ezi Egwu in Agbo Ogo, Orra.

However, not long after his settlement, Inaaja discovered that Akpo Eke had already settled before him. Notwithstanding every odd, both accepted each other, lived amicably and share powers. Among the things they shared were Oma-Ogo and Ulo-Ogo.  Akpo Eke took Ulo Ogo, while Inaaja took Oma-Ogo.
Though very strange but very true, that among all places in Ehugbo (except at Enohia Itim), it is only in Agbo-Ogo Orra that women for a day in a year take over the Ogo cult while men take refuge at home. It is indeed an ‘Evu-eme’ in Ehugbo.

CULTURAL/RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND OF AFIKPO [OZIZZA VERSION]

Culture as universal as light is nothing but the way of people’s life. It rallies on the way the people reason, act, react, life style, occupation, education, customs, ethics, and values as well as many other portraits. It is practically oriented. In Afikpo generally, culture abound and a lot is attached to it, which before now was hinged on Ogo cult. Till today, culture in Afikpo is still the hallmark of the people’s life.  Afikpo being accommodative in nature has been greatly affected in terms of changes in her culture. This affirms the fact that culture is unique but dynamic. For instance, the coming of the white men altered a lot in the lives of Afikpo people [Ndu Nde Ehugbo].  Inter-tribal marriage, outward occupation etc also contributed.

The change in life of the people is varied with the change in culture. But unquantifiable change in persons has less impact on culture. That is why the people of Nde-Ehugbo believe in re-incarnation. That a regenerated person will come to exhibit the life and style-like his fore-fathers.

However, the culture of Ozizza is no less or more than what it is in other part of Afikpo, except on some insignificant perceptional changes. Nde- Ozizza sub-group are hardworking people. For instance they venture in fishing, hunting, farming etc. In the olden days they ventured in war, as most often than none, they were being hired to defend far communities. But the coming of the western education has paved way for white collar jobs, of which the people are progressively being favoured, hence the multiplication of affluent, civilized, educated and westernized citizenry.

Other aspects like dressing, life style etc are modest. The usual scene where un-initiated male and unmarried female used to dress waist down is no more. No difference these days. The Etos, Essas, Onikaras and Hories age grades are the only people with specialty in mode of dressing. The married women have theirs in generality [that is the tying of wrapper and well-made blouse].

Furthermore, the usual interest from children/wards to listen to fork-tales, stories etc is no more. There is that affinity for western education. Children who are homeward do prefer stories in foreign languages to native language. The overall effect is the gradual decay of the culture which is thus eluding fast as a storm.

Religion:

In Ehugbo, two religions are mainly practiced. That is the traditional religion and Christian religion. On a general perspective, African traditional religion is a polytheistic type of religion were the people vest their believe on many gods [Erusi]. Ehugbo as a typical African society does not waste time in asking many questions when an unusual being is encountered. At such an encounter, their confusion squirm them to tag the scene as a god with ‘ire-nkwu’. When this happens, the new god is worshipped with special sacrifice offered, as they schedule. That is why proliferation of gods abounds in Ehugbo, plus the appendages of the major Erusi Ogo cult.  Some other known gods are Njoku-ji [god of yam], Eguru[god of procreation], Nkamalu[god of health], Ibini-Ukpabi[god of sun] etc. peculiar gods in Ozizza are Eze ayi Ozizza, Evegere enyum, Ebetu, and Nkpume-Ukwu.

An Afikpo man is very religious; the reason is that any significant being that indicates the existence of god at a place heightens his fear. To affirm this, it was on the verge of traditional religion that stealing, raping, adultery; lies, public fund embezzlement etc were nipped to the bud. Stories from the elders have it that no foreign god, charm, juju or whatever it may be called, brought to Ehugbo got to be effective.

Though Christian religion is over-riding the traditional religion which definitely might lead to the extermination of the Ogo cult in future, Nde-Ehugbo should imbibe the traditional religious virtues and concatenate same in their Christian worship. The coming of white men brought about the inculcation of civilization and new mode of worship in the life of some fortunate individuals. [A trend which continues to multiply and diversify like nuclear reaction].

 

Christianity:

This is a religion that the people did not know, did not believe on and did not worship. They got to know, believe and worship due to the influence of the western government and their education. Today Christian religion is more native than the traditional religion itself. The first Christian denomination that came to Ozizza was the Church of Scotland Mission (CSM) now called Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (PCN). It first arrived in Ozizza in 1913. It came along with a school which was established in Ezi Akpo Eke in Ora. The school lasted just for two years. It was closed down completely when a teacher flogged a child of a royal family.  On hearing that his son was flogged, the royal father felt challenged, and humiliated, thus he summoned the teacher and alleged him of stealing his fowl. The royal father capitalized on this purport accusation and arraigned the teacher to the vices of the youths and children. The teacher was mercilessly beaten, assaulted and humiliated. It was on this particular incident that the school was closed down by the white missionaries.

However, in 1916, the same Presbyterian returned back after a perfect negotiation with the traditional ruler of Ama Ikpo, who allowed her to settle at Ama Ikpo. At this second time, the missionaries established a church instead of school, with the intention of nurturing the moral virtues of the people. The church which was built between Ezi Idume and Ezi Ugwu in Ama Ikpo still exist till date.

As God planned it, the Roman Catholic Church arrived and established a primary school [St Bridges’] in 1947. This sojourn was commenced by Rev. Fr. MacManus and since then, there had been a tremendous proliferation of different churches.

Acknowledgment:

Chiefs Gabriel Elechi Oti & Brendan O. Otu (Both from Ozizza, and contributed immensely to the success of this write-up.)

©: April, 2006 Raphael Inya-Ekuma & Victor Elechi Oti

 

The Importance of Sowing a Good Seed By Raphael Inya-Ekuma (Roni)

                              

When I was inspired to write on this topic, I found it so ambiguous to delve in. I began to throb in my heart, assessing my interrelationship with people, God and my environment. I found out that there were absolutely some things lacking, though with no exact perception of that which was absent. It was as if I was not going to come out with any reasonable answer? This mood of uncertainty kept me in a worrisome state and in a confined state of mind. Indeed, reality became obstacle to my happiness. Can you guess what my fear was? …Yes or No? My fear was that I might definitely be like an old statistician if I did not proffer solutions to my immediate problems. Of course, old statisticians never die anyway, they just become non-significant. In other words,  had I not made any effort to decipher  if  actually I have sowed a seed or not,  and also if the seed is being grown appropriately; then in future, I would have become irrelevant to myself, friends, relatives, society, nature and the universe.

However, not too long afterwards, I had an overshoot in my mind, it was indeed a reflection to what Franklin said, “that if you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either write things worth reading or do things worth writing” Immediately, another word came to my mind, the message was - “if you can dream of it, you can achieve it; the sky is the spring board not the limit’’. The next issue of pandemonium was, what kind of seed do I sow, how, when and to what extents do I sow seed since I was not a farmer to have known much about nurturing and growing a good seed? For a good seed ought to be viable, fresh and devoid of any diseases.  Perhaps I was taking it so narrow, so I decided to consult the Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 6^th Edition by A.S. Hornby. The definition and explanation I found suitable about seed was stressed thus, “the beginning of a feeling or a development which continues to grow” This insight exposed me and I began to elucidate some factual questions. I started by assessing the kind of environment I found myself. I recalled that it is always said that some men are wicked because others makes them so.  And most often, the environment might be so harsh, so confronting to new and improved ideas;  most often too, the set of people in a society can be more of cowards, betrayers, saboteurs and very adamant to effect positive changes. I recalled again that dog which cannot bite can bark and vice versa. The overall conclusion is that all hinges on greed and possibly avarice.

Suffice it to say now that the survival of any seed sowed relies on some fundamental factors. Some of these factors may include societal influence, environmental and universal influence, influence of well-wishers, followers and so on. Albert Einstein, a theoretical physicist and mathematician who possibly is believed was the most famous scientist ever lived once made a statement that “a successful man is he who receives a great deal from his fellowmen, usually incomparably but more than corresponds to his service to them”. The value of a man however, should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive.  The parable of the sower from Matthew 13:3-8, New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) of the Holy book validates this on the impact of one’s environment …“Listen! A sower went out to sow, ⁴ and as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up.⁵ Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. ⁶ But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. ⁷ Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. ⁸ Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

But would one now get perturbed for the fear of thorn-like society, disappointment, betrayal, stunted growth etc? No! the outcome suffice not to deter one from advancing a developmental course, for both the recipient and the giver are at both ends; for what one gives, the other receives and vice versa. Thus what goes around comes around. In other words, seed sowing is a common denominator applicable to everyone­­­, a sacrifice of exchange that extends to both ends and entails both parties to give up what one already has for a growth of success or failure. Ecclesiastes 11:6 holds a support on seed sowing irrespective of what the outcome might be…“in the morning sow your seed, and at evening do not let your hands be idle; for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good”.  “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” -John 12:24

Finally I must emphatically conclude that out of your seed comes your success or failure. According to Mayer Joyce, “out of your miseries comes your ministry”. So to succeed in your enterprise, you must express your true self in action. The ultimate is that done to the glory of God, ratifying our relationship with Him without any prejudice to the accolade of any man. “They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns; they have tired themselves out but profit nothing. They shall be ashamed of their harvests because of the fierce anger of the Lord” -Jeremiah 12:13. We should ensure that our seeds are acceptable not just to our neighbors but also to God. Our approach should be akin to when one takes a container with water and immerses seeds into the container, the seeds which sink are healthy seeds while those that will float are unhealthy seeds which are of no use and essence. But in all, sow your seeds in secret for the heavenly Father that sees all that is done in secret will reward abundantly.

 

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