Nzam

Nzam is a town in Anambra West Local Government Area of Anambra State in Nigeria. She has boundaries in the North with Inoma Akator; in the east with mmiata Anam; in the west with the River Niger; and in the south with Umuenwelum Anam.

Starting from Otuocha one crosses Anambra River to Umueze Anam, going through mmiata to Nzam or through Oroma-Etiti via Umuenwelum to Nzam.

The town is about sixteen Kilometers to Otuocha on the East, twenty five kilometers to Onitsha on the south and six kilometers to the boundary of Kogi State and Anambra state.

The area of the town is riverine. Most of the inhabitants are farmers and fishermen. They produce yam, cassava, maize and rice in abundance yearly.

Nzam was discovered in the 17th century during the slave trade in Nigeria. At that point in time there was an intertribal war going on in the Igala Kingdom called the Apa war. The warriors were made up of the Jukun and Apa people. At about the same time also another war was going on in the Eastern Nigeria now present day Anambra State. It was called the Adabba war. The warriors were strong, stout and generally very black.

The natives of Nzam were the descendants of General Ajida, a notable warrior of Idah origin. Ajida is the father of Field marshal Ogbe who was married to Iyida. Ogbe and Iyida had five children: Nzam, Anam, Anaku, Oloshi and Okpanam. Ogbe and his family lived around Ankpa in Igala kingdom. When the Apa and Jukun warriors invaded the Igala communities, Field marshal Ogbe along with many Others retreated with their families through the present Ibaji jungle moving southwards along the course of the River Niger. As they journeyed through their way, the various children of Ogbe for one reason or the other settled themselves at their present locations. This movement from the Igala kingdom explains the fact that there are Odobo, Enekpa, Igah, Iyano towns in both Ibaji local government area of Kogi state and also in Nzam town in Anambra West local government area of Anambra state ^[1].

References

1. ^ Anambra State Anambra, Nigeria Nigeria, Anambra state official site [1]