Obosi

Obosi
Obosi Location in Nigeria
Coordinates: 6°7′N 6°50′E / 6.117°N 6.833°E / 6.117; 6.833
Country	Nigeria
State	Anambra State

Obosi is a town in Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria. A hotly-contested site during the Nigerian Civil War, the town of about 140,000 people is one of the most densely-populated in West Africa.

History

Obosi and her related towns

Presently Obosi Ukwala is sited at a hill like area bordered by Onitsha to the North west , Nkpor to the North east and Oba to the south-east all both part of the old Idemili local government area with exception of Onitsha. Oral history showed that Obosi people originated from Arochukwu via Ojoto . Some ancient people of Arochukwu migrated into Oze , Ora-Eshi , and Nri then found Ojoto , Ihiala and Alo . Some Ojoto people that left founded Obosi , Nnewi-Umudim and the founders of Ibuzo and Umuru-Ukpo . The founder of Obosi is a hunter named Adike from Ojoto and the word 'Obosi' came from 'Mbosisi' meaning falling apart of soil (erosion prone soil). The name Mbosisi was given to the land by Adike because of the difficulties he encountered with falling apart of the soils/walls mud house he was constructing to create his new home .

Adike and his generation

Adike, the founder of Obosi, was the son of Okpala who had other sons who were permanently resided in Ojoto. For this relationship he is still known and referred to as Adike-Okpala. One of the grandsons of Adike was also named Okpala. Listed below is the genealogy of Adike. Okpala, Ezeani and Okpo are the first sons of the first son of Adike named Oba. Ota, Ura, Makum, Uruowulu, Ugama and ire are the sons of Adike's son named Okudu. In addition to these nine descendants of Adike, another family (named Chima) came from the western side of the river Niger to settle at Obosi. Amongst these ten families, six of them namely; Ota, Umuru, Okpala, Ezeani, Okpo and Chima formed one quarter, now known as Umuota, meaning the Ota's children, while the remaining four, Makum, Ugama, Uruwulu and Ire each formed a quarter.

Ito-Ogbo in Obosi

The history Ito-ogbo in Obosi started 400 AD. It is a unique event in which 80–82-year-old citizens are honored by their families, friends, well wishers and the whole village, held every three years. The Ito-ogbo is a celebration of life and death for the beneficiaries long life and also preview of their funeral which gives them the right to enjoy with everyone. On the day of the occasion, they all dress in their best traditional outfits and congregate in the town square called 'Eke market' where all the traditional rites are held. After the traditional rites are completed, males are given a title of 'Ogbueshi' with a red cap and the ladies 'Ogbueshi-Nwanyi also with a red scarf, and all the celebrants will go home and feast, drink, dance and have a merry time with friends and families.

Obosi comprises 5 quarters or villages, namely Umuota, Ire, Ugamuma, Mmakwum and Urowulu. Umuota is home to the extended kinship of okwasala &ezeagu (meaning children of King Shime). King Shime was a grandson of adike who migrated from Alo to the west, setting up settlements including Ojoto, the town just southeast of Obosi. As such the Kings of Obosi are drawn from Umuota in two rotating royal families.Obosi is originally spelt Abutshi before the perversion by the whites

Some of the great Kings of Obosi were: Igwe Anene; who ruled in the 19th century, he is known as the eze that brought civilisation to obosi by cooperating with the whites; Igwe Kodilinye, known for his fierce fight and repelling the invasion by the onicha; Igwe (King) Iweka I, who ruled in the early 20th century. He constructed the Iweka Road stretching from Obosi to Onitsha and ending at the banks of the River Niger. Several landmarks in Onitsha, such as Iweka Road, Iweka Halt and Upper Iweka are named after him. One of his successors was his first son, Isaac, who was crowned, Igwe Iweka II, in the early 1970s. The current King is Igwe Nwakobi.

Veneration of Idemili

One of the gods of Obosi is Idemili, a river that flows through the whole length of the town. Historically they honoured the Royal Python, which is dedicated to Idemili. Killing such a python is considered great sacrilege, and the perpetrator is required to bury the python with the full funeral rites normally reserved for a human being.

Obosi town is known as the root and the foundation of evangelism in Igbo land because evangelism started from onicha but could not spread until after twenty five years during which the osi indigenes refused acceptance but on acceptance, it spread like wildfire. Notable evangelists are Rev Ekpunobi, Rev Ejindu, PA G.O.C. Mortanya, Bishop Nkemena, Rev Ekwulugo . The mother church or sanctuary is St Andrews Church.

Biafran War

The town was a strategic battlefield during the Nigerian Civil War of the late 1960s, during which most buildings were destroyed. It was the site of heavy artillery bombardment from the Nigerian forces stationed from its western border with Onitsha. The secessionist Biafran forces shelled the city from its eastern and northern border.

Population growth and development

Since the war, Obosi has had major immigration from elsewhere in Nigeria, such that only one in twenty residents is considered indigenous to Obosi. Including the extensive housing districts of Awada, Mgbuka, ime-Obosi, odume, Enekwasumpu, Achaputa, Nkpikpa, Ozala, and little wood. The school of health technology, electrical material dealers market, Anambra broadcasting service Awada and Minaj broadcast international are important in development of the town. As of 2007 it has an estimated population of 144,203 in the densely-populated city. ^[1]

Notable people from Obosi include Chief Emeka Anyaoku, a former Commonwealth Secretary General.

Notable people in Obosi are Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Chief Mike Ajaegbo (Ede Obosi), Chief Chimezie Ikeazor SAN, Justice Kenneth Keazor, Sir Keith Ajegbo (Knighted by the Queen for services to education in Britain), Mr Rob Iweka SAN, Chief Osita Chidoka (Ike Obosi), Amaechi Muonagor (Movie actor), Tony Oneweek (Musician), Professor Paul Chuke - a noted neurologist.

References

1. ^ ""The World Gazetteer"". http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?men=gpro&des=gamelan&geo=346014687. Retrieved 2007-04-04. 

Coordinates: 6°07′N 6°50′E / 6.117°N 6.833°E / 6.117; 6.833