By Gloria Acholonu (Imo State Correspondent, who was in Oguta)
Oguta, a popular town located in the western district of Imo state in the present day South East, Nigeria, is commonly referred to by the indigenes as Oguta-Ameshi. Specifically, Oguta falls within the Orlu political axis of Imo. It is a miniature but cosmopolitan town in Igboland, sandwiched by other well known and lesser Igbo towns and communities like Mgbidi, Orlu, Awo-Omamma, Nnebukwu, Izombe, Egbu, Ejemekwuru and Agwa, among others. Oguta, on the other hand, shares boundaries with Anambra, Delta and Rivers States. It lies within the Lower Niger drainage basin.
Oguta belonged to the Ancient Kingdom of Benin before they started to migrate. That was around the 16th Century. The migration became inevitable following the series of wars in which the Benin Kingdom was engaged for the purpose of extending their Kingdom and wielding greater economic and political power. But it was the iron handed reign of Oba Ewuare the Great and his successor, Oba Esigie, that precipitated the migration, which affected many other people.
Oguta, has a sizeable estimated population of well over 20,000, and is situated on the east bank of its major coastal flow, known as Oguta Lake. On the western side, it is located by Obana River that joined Okposha River, leaving only the Egwe Gateway as the only dry land route into Oguta, without passing through the water or a bridge. The town's administrative seat is Oguta Local Government Area Council, one of the 27 Local Government Councils of Imo state.
In the pre-colonial traditional times, Oguta, which is fondly described as "Obodo giri giri" (the happening town), according to the people of the area, was then pronounced by the aborigines of the town as "Ugwuta or Ugwunta", a name derived from the small hills or highlands surrounding it. But the white colonial masters later renamed it Oguta, essentially for ease of pronouncement. The Oguta people also prides in their town as "Obodo Oma" (the beautiful town, or inversely, the town of beauty).
However, Oguta consists of two sections. The old section comprises of the 27 villages that make up the Oguta town, while the new part, called the "Oguta New Layout" is a modern cosmopolitan habitat area, which, as a rule, strictly or reasonably complies with the original master plan of the town. These villages are: Umukwokomoshi, Umudei, Ngegwu, Abatu, Umuorima, Okeichi, Umunnebukwu, Umuammam, Obutu, Umuigbo, Umundanike, Obeagwa, Umutogwuma, Umuajoma, Ogwuma, Umuopu, Umunsoha, Umuoyata, Umuenemanya, Ishibe, Umunkwu, Amaozua, Umuosuma, Umunnariukwu, Umundorowoku, Umunkwocha and Umuachishi.
The metropolis of Oguta is relatively a well-planned and developed area, judging by the Igbo town standard, particularly compared to her neighbors within the South-East Geo-political zone of Nigeria. This is partly attributed to the town's early interactions and exposure to the more civilized outside world, and through the white colonial merchants who came to the area through its coastal waterline. During that colonial era, Oguta acted as a gateway to the Igbo hinterland.
One of the remarkable features of Oguta that has made the town stood distinct with pride in Igboland, are her league of eminent families and legion of prominent sons and daughters who are highly distinguished in the various areas or field of endeavors in Nigeria and abroad. Many of them are well renowned and achievers in politics, government, in the academia, in the professions, in arts and music, in the economy, commerce and industry, in Journalism and media profession; in the civil service, foreign missions and armed services, etc. The roll is, in fact, endless.
Among the Oguta-Ameshi prominent families and their eminent sons and daughter are: the Nzeribe family which has produced renown persons like retired politician and international businessman, Senator (Chief) Francis Arthur Nzeribe and his late cousin and Advertising guru, May Nzeribe. The Oputa family has also produced Nigeria's best and brightest, like the late eminent Jurist of the Supreme Court, Justice Chukwudifu Akunne Oputa, popularly described as the "Socrates" (a philosopher) of the Nigerian Judiciary. There is also Justice Oputa's son and showbiz maverick and notable society activist, Charles Oputa (aka Charley Boy). From the Nzimiro family is the late erudite Professor, Ikenna Nzimiro, and the patriarch of the family, late Richard Nzimiro, a wealth merchant who founded the popular Priscilla Memorial Secondary School, Oguta.
And from the Nwabiani family line up, there are distinguished eminents, which includes the reigning head of the family, Dr Uzoma Nwabiani, an ex-National Commissioner in charge of Research and Statistics in the Prof Humphrey Nwosu-led defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC). There was Late Chief Bons Nwabiani, a former governorship aspirant in Imo state and an ex-Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the former governor Achike Udenwa's administration.
From the Damanze Francis Bonny Nwabiani's flank, a former Accountant with the Anambra Motor Manufacturing Company Limited (ANAMCO) Emene Enugu, comes Mrs Juliet Ifunnanya Nwabiani Okafor, a development Economist, media proprietor, a corporate governance expert and a Medium Scale product manufacturer/Entrepreneur. Juliet Nwabiani Okafor is also the Group Managing Editor/CEO of this newspaper, the Nigerian NewsLeader Newspaper (One of Nigeria's leading Online, e-paper and Print news media based in highbrow Maitama, Abuja) and a subsidiary arm of SeaRoute Communications Limited. There is also Mr Nkemka Nwabiani, a well known lagos based fashion buff, pharmacist and property developer. Nkemka is the heir to the late politician, Bons Nwabiani.
Oguta prominent families however includes the Nsofor family from where eminent Nigerians like Justice Adiewere Nsofor, the immediate past Nigeria's Ambassador to the United States of America (USA) and a retired Judge of the Appeal Court of Nigeria, comes from. The Onumonu family has Nigeria's notables like Mani Onumonu, a veteran Radio Nigeria broadcaster and legal luminary, among other distinguished persons from the family. Also, leading the pack from the Nwapa family, was late Chief (Mrs) Flora Nwapa, the renowned novelist and former Commissioner for Education in the old East Central State of Nigeria. There is also Dr Ernest Nwapa, a former Director General of the Nigeria Local Content Agency and Dr Alban Nwapa, a dentist doctor and a Swedish based International music star and "It's My Life" Crooner.
The Okoroafor family has also produced another renowned novelist and diaspora based medical doctor, Ogbuefi Ejine Okoroafor. There is also the Nwakuche family which has, in their fold, individuals like Ogbuagu (Chief) Gogo Nwakuche, Chairman of Lake Concrete Limited, Enugu and the husband of Flora Nwapa, the famous writer and author of popular novels titled Efuru, Idu, Mamiwater and Sunset in Biafra, etc. From the Bertram Obiora family also comes Ms Leslie Amede Obiora, a Professor of Law at the University of Arizona, USA, and Nigeria's former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development in the ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo's administration.
Apart from the famous families of the town, Oguta parades eminent personalities who have made their marks in the various social strata. Among them are Hon Gerald Irona, the immediate past deputy governor of Imo state during the brief stint of Hon Emeka Ihedioha as governor. Irona was also a former member of the Federal House of Representatives and Imo state House of Assembly and ex-Chairman of Oguta local government area. There are also, Clement Ohameze, a renowned Nollywood actor and actress, Ms Camilla Mberekpe. There is frontline Journalist, former Editor of Sunday Mirror Newspapers and currently the Managing Editor of Hallmark Business Newspaper, Mr Uche Chris. There is Ogbuagu (Chief) Peter Iwuorisha, a renowned federal civil servant and former board member of one of Nigeria's top agency of government and who has tremendously helped the Oguta town, particularly in the area of youth employment and engagement, among many others, both in Nigeria and abroad, who are yet to be mentioned.
Oguta is viewed as a tourist destination, essentially on account of its popular Oguta Lake and other tourism attractions. Oguta's high-yield oil and gas fields makes the town an important territory and geographic area. It is a prime economically viable area among the four crude oil-producing territories in Imo State of Nigeria, and it hosts many multinational oil companies like AGIP, Shell and Chevron and also, the global retail chain, Royal Niger Company which later metamorphosed to UAC (United African Company).
With its Ogbuide (Oguta) Lake and Urashi River bestowing her peculiar advantages, Oguta was one of the chosen endowed territories that the British colonial government, through the instrumentality of the Royal Niger Company, UAC, used and exploited diversely.
Due to its strategic waterways, oil and gas, palm produce, agricultural products and natural resources, Oguta became one of the oldest trade and administrative Centres in Nigeria. Connected, however, to the River Niger, Oguta waterways were used by the British and later the Nigerian government forces during the Nigeria - Biafra civil war as routes through which to access and connect to the adjoining towns, villages and other settlement types nearer and further from Oguta, that were, and remain principally peopled by other ethnic Igbo people in the South East, Nigeria.
The Oguta metropolis is relatively a well-planned and developed community by the Igbo town's standard, compared to her neighbors within the Igbo-speaking South-East, Nigeria. This is partly because of her early interactions with the white colonial merchants and exposure to the outside world through her coastal waters. As a result, Oguta however acted as a gateway to the Igbo hinterland. Besides, Oguta is majorly an Agrarian and Fishing community. Her people are traditionally hospitable and glamorous, particularly in their traditional events celebrations. Oguta has a great exquisite range of cuisines which are majorly fish and yam-based delicacies.
However, one thing that makes Oguta culturally thick and stood it out, are their popular traditional festivals known as Owu and the Omerife, also called the Ogene, which are events often celebrated at different times of the year, since the beginning of the town. For instance, the Oguta people are currently celebrating the year 2021 edition of Owu festival which began on Tuesday, June 8, being an Orie market day, going by the traditional calendar in Igboland. The 5-day celebration of this year's Owu festival will finally come to an end today, Saturday June 12, 2021. Contextually, Owu is both an Institution, a Festival, and a Masquerade, all rolled into one, while the Omerife (also called Ogene and split into two ā Ogene Oma and Ogene Nkririka) is the celebration of the New Year festival.
The Owu traditional event is organized by the cultural festival committee, comprising members of Owu Agbatani, and Okoroshi (Igbo) or Echina cultural cult group. This traditional cult organization is referred to as Ndi Kwara Mmuo in Oguta language. Ndi Kwara Mmuo cultural society is open to male children of a deceased member. The Owu masquerade is owned by these Oguta traditional titled groups: the Osere's, the Oshiji's, the Eze Agba's, and the Okeishi's.
While at the festival event in Oguta town, NIGERIAN NEWSLEADER Newspaper Correspondent, during interactions with the Oguta indigenes on Friday June 11, 2021, found both the old and the young in high spirit, as the event, expectedly, relieves them of the trauma and shock of the recent armed robbery siege attacks on Oguta town which had lasted for a very long time before the anti-crime security squad established by the Imo state government cracked down on the dare-devil robbers a few months ago and restored security and normalcy in the town. The 6 pm -6 am curfew imposed by the Imo State Government had to be suspended to allow for this important annual Oguta cultural fiesta to take place.
In the culture and tradition of the Oguta people, the Owu festival is very significant. According to NIGERIAN NEWSLEADER findings from some elders and cultural custodians of the town, the Owu event is primarily a festival of appreciation and thanks by Ndi Oguta to the divine "Chukwuabioma" (God Almighty) and their ancestors for ensuring a fruitful planting and harvest season.
According to an 83 year old Mrs. Evelyn Nwabiani (nee Okwosha), an indigene of Umudei village who is popularly known in Oguta town by her maiden name, Evelyn Nwosu Okwosha, the "Owu festival is used primarily to thank the God and our ancestors for the successful planting season". In her words, the idiom 'ana eje na ubi ka' Ji na aka', translated literally to mean as "we continue going to our farmland, the yam will be maturing", shows the level of faith by the people that man indeed plants but God waters the efforts. Mama Evelyn added that "We use the Owu festival to thank our 'CHUKWUABIOMA' (GOD), and our ancestors for giving us a fertile Iand for planting our seed crops and at the same time hand over our planting season to God"
Another Oguta prominent elder and an Abuja based businessman and transporter, Mr. Frank Obiora Nwabiani, also told NIGERIAN NEWSLEADER that it was important that the traditional thanksgiving to the Almighty God and to the Oguta ancestors was given, as the people, almost all farming seasons, often enjoy a bountiful harvest. He said that "without Owu, there will not be the second remarkable festival known as Omerife or Ogene which is simply the celebration of the yam festival or what most Igbo communities refer to as New Yam celebration". Frank Obiora Nwabiani added that the Ogene festival is usually celebrated at the peak of harvest season in August of every year.
However, Mr. Shedrack Chukwuka Ojiako, an oil worker and another indigene of Oguta, revealed to NIGERIAN NEWSLEADER that "this year's Owu festival is successful because within this period, the rain has not disrupted the ceremony. The town however ensured that the traditional rain magicians were used to manipulate the rain away from falling while the event was on-going".
A member of the Oguta traditional council and the mouth piece of the paramount ruler, His Royal Majesty the Eze Igwe of Oguta, Ogbuzuru Frank Ifeanyichukwu Irona Nduka (The Ogana of Oguta), explained to NIGERIAN NEWSLEADER Correspondent that going by the traditional title of Ogana Onyeokwuadinmma, the Owu Festival will run from "Orie market day to the next Orie market day ( traditionally known as one market day. This one market day is between Tuesday June 8 to Saturday June 12, 2021".
Generally, other Oguta indigenes and investors interviewed by our Correspondent in the town, said they were particularly happy that within this period of challenges of insecurity in the state and the country at large, the Oguta people have been relieved of the shock and trauma of the recent robbery menace and insecurity, as everyone gathered in peace to watch the Owu dancing events which usually hold in two different venues, the Ugwu Ukwu and Ugwu Nta. (Additional reports from Wikipedia). NNL.
