King Ameh Oboni

A brief #Documentary on #King_Ameh_Oboni, King of the #Igala_Kingdom only verified video online courtesy #British_Pathe and online resources. He was a revered King, and this was an outing he went in honour of the #Queen_Elizabeth visit to Nigeria 1956.

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE IGALA KINGDOM PART 3

An Igala Family with the Traditional Attire

The administration of the kingdom Soon after the Igala Jukun war, Attah Ayegba began the reorganization of his kingdom. He reorganized the central administration, the advisory council, palace and district administration.

a. The Prime Minister

Attah Ayegba re-appointed Omeppa: the Achadu his prime minster. This was because of his loyalty during the Igala Jukun war.

b. The royal councilors

Attah Ayegba created the offices of royal councilors. These offices are hereditary within Ayegba descendants. The most senior royal councilors include the following: Amana Attah, Ochai Attah, Makoji Attah, Odoma Attah, Egene Attah, Ohiemogbolo Attah, Ekpa Attah, Inalogu Attah, Odekina Attah and Omolobu Attah.

c. The Igalamela and state advisory council Attah Ayegba re-constituted the state advisory council made up of the Achadu; the prime minister, the senior royal councilors and the Igalamela chiefs. The advisory council was the link between the Attah and his subjects

d. The king makers

He also re-constituted a body known as the king-makers comprising the Achadu (prime ministers) as the chairman, the Igalamela chiefs. They had responsibility for the installation of the new Attah and the funeral rites of the deceased Attah.

e. The district Administration

Attah Ayegba Appointed his son and trustworthy relatives and followers as district heads. The district heads Attah Ayegba also decentralized authority, as it was not possible to administer the whole kingdom directly from Idah at his period.

f. Palace administration In the Attah’s court there were two groups of officials; the royal servants (Amedibo) and the Attah’s eunuchs (Amonoji) who were central in the administration of the palace. The head of the Amedibo was Ogbe. There are chiefs in their own right. These palace officials performed similar functions, they protected the Attah, helped in mobilizing the people to repair houses, the palace walls and carried messages to the districts and collected tributes for the Attah. They acted as intermediaries between the Attah and his chiefs as well as his subjects, protected the Attah’s treasures, royal robes and regalia. The eunuchs protected the Attah’s wives and performed rituals for the Attah. The titled eunuchs were exclusive officers and their head the Ogbe was an important judge in the kingdom, presiding over the Attah’s court with the obligation of informing the Attah about court proceedings.

g. Women chiefs

Attah Ayegba established some chieftaincy titles for women. There are titles reserved for women from Attah’s royal family (the Attah’s sisters). There are titles also reserved for the Attah’s wives. Iye Ogbaba and Iye Dadu Akuma Attah, Iye Okponokwu, Iyya Attah, Omiya Ina, Omiya Kekele (Omiakele).

The decline and fall of Igala kingdom Around the 18th century AD the Igala Kingdom was at the height of its frame and power around the middle of the 19th century, it began to decline and in January 1900, it finally lost independence and sovereignty. Two main factors contributed to this, internal weaknesses and external forces.

a. THE INTERNAL WEAKNESSES

i. The Size Of The Kingdom

The first internal weakness was the sheer size of the kingdom. As it grew in size, it became more difficult to keep the remote districts under proper control due to poor communications in those days.

ii. The constitution

Another internal weakness lay in the constitution. The Igala state was a loose state with the district heads in the northest exercising a kind of autonomy.

iii. The Break Up Of Igalamela

Another internal weakness was the removal of the Igalamela chiefs from state advisory council. Attah Ameh Ocheje accused the Igalamela chiefs of assassinating his predecessor Attah Ekelaga and replaced then with royal councilors. The Igalamela chiefs who had checked the activities of oppressive Attah’s could not exercise this function after their removal from the council.

iv. The Collapse Of The State Economy

Another internal factor which weakened the kingdom and led to its decline was the collapse of the slave economy as the slave trade was an important aspect of the state economy. The Igala people traded in slaves with Europeans. In 1841, Attah Ameh Ocheje signed the treaty on the abolition of the slave trade and so the kingdom could no longer openly trade in slaves. However the igala kingdom was lucky it had alternatives produce like palm produce. This trade however took a long time to develop.

b. THE EXTERNAL FACTORS

The external factors which led to the decline of the igala state were the Fulani Jihad and European interventions

i. The Fulani Jihad

The Fulani jihad launched in Sokoto in 1804 reached the confluence of the Niger and Benue by 1850. In 1853 Etsu Masaba of Nupe took Koton Karfe and Lokoja, then part of the Igala kingdom. The Igbira kingdom of Panda was also destroyed.

By 1854, the Fulani had become a real threat to the kingdom, the sourthern bank became flooded with refugees. They carried out sporadic raids in Ife district. The refugees, who crossed to the Igala kingdom, begged Attah Amaga to allow them stay in the area and he agreed. These refugees include Igbira Mozum, Bassa Nge, Bassa Komo, thereby introducing a new clement into the Igala kingdom namely minority groups.

ii. The European intervention

The European intervention came in the form of commercial firms eg the Royal Niger Company. The British government gave a royal charter to this company in 1886. The charter empowered the company to do business in the Niger Benue basin. The company’s area of influence stretched from Asaba, its headquarters, to Jebba in the river Niger and Ibi on the Benue river. The company opened trading posts at Idah, Itobe, Gbobe and Bagana. Unfortunately it made unfavourable regulations that ruined the economy of the local people. The Attah of Igala’s treasury was ruined.

iii. The Declaration of the Protectorates of Northern and Southern Nigeria

In 1900, the British government decided to take full responsibility for the territories acquired by the royal Niger company. In January 1900, British formerly assumed a protectorate over Northern and Southern Nigeria. With the death of Attah Amaga in February 1900, the independent sovereign state of Igala came to an end.

OPPOSITION TO FOREIGN RULE PRINCE AKWU AGAHIU, ATTAH OCHEJE ONOKPA, ADUKWU OKEKWU AND OTHERS

a. PRINCE AKWU AGAHIU

Prince Akwu Agahiu was the first son of the Attah Amaga who died in 1900. During his fathers reign, the royal Niger company controlled all the political and economic life of Igala people. Atta Amaga’s treasury was empty.

Prince Akwu Amaga had no alternative but to organize guerilla war fare against the European traders and the royal Nigeria company. He was a nationalist opposed to the European takeover of the political economic life of the people. He and his followers raided the royal Niger company’s stires at Idah several times and killed many European traders. He also organized guerrilla activities on the river Niger. The royal Niger Company reacted by bombarding Idah town twice between 1896 and 1900.

b. ATTA OCHEJE ONOKPA

Attah Ocheje was installed as the Attah Igala in 1901 under the supervision of British colonial officials. After his installation he refused to believe that his predecessor Attah Amaga had surrendered his sovereignty to the British Government. He also refused to accept that his kingdom could be partitioned into northern and southern divisions. He rejected a situation where he was not given any role in the administration of his kingdom.

Despite Attah Ocheje Onokpa being a nationalist he could not rally his people to fight the British administration. This was because the British administration succeeded in isolating him from his chiefs and subjects an accused him of conspiracy and acts capable of disturbing the peace in the area. As a result the colonial administration deposed him in 1903 and banished him to Asaba where he died.

c. ADUKWU OKEKWU

Another Igala nationalist who opposed foreign rule was Adukwu Okekwu. He and his followers reorganized guerilla war against the British colonial administration. In march, 1903 Adukwu Okekwu launched an attack on the assistant district commissioner for Idah Mr. Boyle and his escort of about twenty men. They were on their way from Idah to the Anambra river creek (the Afa-Obale area in Ibaji) through Alade when attacked. My Boyle and his escort escaped and returned to Idah. The acting High Commissioner Mr. Leslie Robyn directed that a small military expedition be sent to area. This military unit attacked Adukwu Okekwu’s stronghold in the forest and destroyed the village. He was captured and sent to Asaba for trial in the Supreme court of the Royal Niger Company and sentenced to detention or exile for ten years. He was exiled to old Calabar where he died. As a result of Adukwu Okekwu’s activities, military garrisons were established in Idah and Ogrugu.

d. OTHER NATIONALITIES IN IGALA KINGDOM

Other Igala nationalities who opposed foreign rule were Odoma Okolobade (a brother to Attah Ocheje Onokpa) Ujogo Onegote (Onu Egume) Inedu Obi (Onu Ankpa), Oguche Agi (Onu Ankpa) etc. These people were suppressed by military force.

9. Opposition to the partition of the Igala Kingdom

a. Attah Oguche Akpa, Prince Atabo Ijomi and Amanabo Ogili

In 1900, the Igala kingdom was partitioned into two. The southern section which comprised the present Ofu, Igalamela / Odolu, Idah and Ibaji local government areas were made part of Onitsha province of southern Nigeria. The Northern section which comprised the present Bassa, Dekina, Omala, Ankpa and Olamaboro Local government areas were made part of Bassa Province in Northern Nigeria.

Bassa province was divided into three administrative division:

i. Dekina division comprising: Bassa Komo, Dekina and Egume districts

ii. Ankpa division comprising: Abejukolo, Imane, Ankpa and ogugu districts

iii. Boju division comprising: Idoma, ojokwu and Agatu districts.

The colonial administration appointed alien district heads mainly Hausa to rule in the above districts. Idah the southern section of the kingdom was regarded by the government of southern Nigeria, as a district. A colonial high commissioner was appointed to rule it. Some historians were of the opinion that the Attah was just a powerful district head at that time.

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE IGALA KINGDOM PART 2

Image of an Ancient Attah 

The reigning Attah Igala at this period was called Aji Attah. He was a younger brother of Oba Esigie according to the traditions recorded by Mr. P. A Talbot, Mr. Talbot recorded that during the reign of Oba Esigie, the Igala are said to have been said to have been driven over to eastern side of the river Niger. Oba Esigie is also stated to have defeated his younger brother Aji Attah of Idah. It may be that the Idahs had been previously conquered and that the brother who had been put in charge rose against Oba Esigie.

During this war the Portuguese Christian Missionaries fought on the side of Oba Esigie. It was these missionaries who recorded the war. The Igala were defeated because the Portuguese Missionaries introduced gins and firearms. After the war, the Attah Igala secured his independence from the Oba of Benin, who now controlled the west bank of the Niger. Around this time the town of Agenebode was founded to secure the northern part of the Benin kingdom.

The Igala – Jukun war 17th century AD Between the Igala Benin war and the Igala Jukun war, there was a gap of more than one hundred and fifty years. It should be remembered that when Queen Ebulejonu established the Jukun dynasty at Idah, Igalas once again lost their independence and became a vassal to the Jukun king, the Aku Uka. Igalas continued to pay tribute to the Aku until the reign of Attah Ayegba Om’Idoko.

As soon as Ayegba OmaIdoko was installed as the Attah Igala, he refused to pay these tributes. The continued defiance of the authority of the Aku Uka of Wukari resulted in him sending a force to bring Attah Ayegba to task. When the Jukun soldiers arrived at Idah, fear and terror gripped all Idah people. A Muslim preacher advised Attah Ayegba to sacrifice to the land spirit which he loved most to ensure the safety of his kingdom. But Attah Ayegba was not ready to accept the advice. His daughter princess Inikpi got the information and realizing the danger threatening her father’s kingdom ordered a pit to be dug at Idah waterside. She descended into the pit with her nine slaves and all were buried alive. Again the Moslem preacher scarified another woman called Odoko so as to save Attah Ayegba and his kingdom. This woman was also from the Attah’s family. Her grave is in Angwa Ayegba village Idah. A clan named after her is called ‘Omodoko’. The Moslem preacher also prepared charm that was cast into the river Inachalo. It miraculously produced a rise in the number of fish in the river, which the Jukun ate. The result of the large consumption of fish (by the Jukum) led to an outbreak of cholera in the Jukun camp. Attah Ayegba and his soldiers fell upon them and inflicted a crushing defeat.

Attah Ayegba pursued the Jukuns with his soldiers as far as the river Ochekwu about thirty kilometers west of Otukpo town. Here a truce was called and the boundaries between the Igala and Jukun kingdoms was settled. With the settlement of boundaries the Igala kingdom once more regained its independence.

Territorial expansion

Attah Ayegba vigorously pursued territorial expansion of his kingdom. Successive Attahs that did the same thing included the following: Akumabi, Akogu, Ocholi, Ameh, Ocheje and Aku Odiba. By the end of 18th century AD. The Igala kingdom had developed into a powerful state.

At the height of its power, during the reign of Attah Aku Odiba, the kingdom stretched northwards across the Niger to embrace the Lokoja, Kotonkarfe and Kakanda people. It also stretched northeast to include the Idoma country. The chiefs of Otukpo, Boju, and Adoka went to Idah to get beads of office from the Attah. The kingdom also stretched eastwards covering the whole of the old Nsukka division and to Adamagu a few kilometers north of Onitsha town. The kingdom also went westward to Ajakuta covering the whole of the Igbira country.

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE IGALA KINGDOM PART 1

Image of the current Attah

 Igala is a language of the Yoruboid branch of the Volta–Niger language family, spoken by the Igala ethnic group of Nigeria. In 1989, an estimated 800,000 spoke Igala, primarily in Kogi State, Delta State and Edo State. Dialects include Ebu, Idah, Ankpa, Dekina, ogugu, Ibaji, Ife. The Agatu, Idoma, and Bassa people use Igala for primary school. Igala is related to Yoruba. The Igala language as well as Igala culture and tradition has influenced other languages and cultures around the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igala_language

The Igalas are ruled by a figure called the “Attah”. The word Attah means ‘Father’ and the full title of the ruler is ‘Attah Igala’, meaning, the Father of Igalas (the Igala word for King is Onu). Although “Attah” means “father”‘, female rulership is recognized and Igala has had female rulers in the past (Boston 1968). Among the most revered Attahs of the Igala kingdom are Attah Ayegba Oma Idoko and Atta Ameh Oboni. According to oral tradition, Attah Ayegba Oma Idoko offered his most beloved daughter, Inikpi to ensure that the Igalas win a war of liberation from the Jukuns’ dominance. Attah Ameh Oboni is known to be very brave and resolute. He is revered for his stiff resistance of the British and his struggles to uphold some ancient traditions of the Igalas. When he got wind of a plan to depose and exile him by the British, he committed suicide by hanging himself to forestall the plan, he is regarded by most Igalas as the last real Attah Igala.

ORIGIN

The traditional Igala society is largely agrarian, although fishing is also a mainstay of the people especially the Igalas of the riverine Idah area. Boston (1968) believes that the central geographical location of the Igala people has exposed them to a wide variety of linguistic as well as cultural influences from other ethnic groups in the country. Notable among these are the Igbira, the Bini, the Igbo, the Hausa, the Idoma and the Yoruba ethnic groups. However, the most significant relationship, by far, is that between the Igala and the Yoruba peoples.

Igala and Yoruba have important historical and cultural relationships. The languages of the two ethnic groups bear such a close resemblance that researchers such as Forde (1951) and Westermann and Bryan (1952) regarded Igala as a dialect of Yoruba. Akinkugbe (1976, 1978) is of the opinion that based on evidence, Igala is neither a dialect of Yoruba nor a language resulting from the fusion of Yoruba and Idoma as claimed by Silverstein, but rather Igala shares a “common ancestor” with Yoruba. In her words, “… this common ancestor was neither Yoruba nor Igala but what we have labeled here as Proto-Yoruba-Itsekiri–Igala (PYIG). The evidence suggest further that presumably, Igala separated form the group before the split of Yoruba into the present day Yoruba dialects considering the extent of linguistic divergence found between Igala on one hand, and the rest of Yoruba on the other” (1978: 32) Akinkugbe cites lexicostatistic evidence as well as evidence of sound shifts and lexical innovations as support or corroboration of this claim.

Other comparative works aimed at investigating the language status of Igala (directly and indirectly) are Omamor (1967) and Williamson (1973). In fact, Williamson is the originator of the label ‘Yoruboid’ for the group of languages comprising Yoruba, Itsekiri and Igala for the purpose of distinguishing “between Yoruba as a language on the one hand, and Yoruba, Itsekiri and Igala as a genetic group on the other”. (Akinkugbe 1976:1) Akinkugbe refers to the proto- language of the group as Proto-Yoruboid in 1976 and Proto-Yoruba-Itsekiri-Igala (PYIG) in 1978. The Ata-ship of Igala (the Ata is not ‘Atta of Idah’ but ‘Atta of Igala’) rotated among four branches of the royal clan. Igala kingdom was founded by Abutu- Eje in the 7th century. Abutu-Eje came down with the people from the Kwararafa kingdom about 100 years they came to settle there in kwararafa from Yemen along Jukuns people. The kingdom was ruled by nine high officials called the Igala Mela who are custodians of the sacred Earth shrine.

https://profcollinson.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/the-history-of-igala-kindom/

http://igalapedia.com/education-and-re-orientation-of-igala-cultural-values/

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THE CULTURE AND TRADITIONS OF OGUGU PEOPLE PART 2

Map of Kogi

Originally, Ogugu tradition came into existence in the late 16th century at Unyi-Ogugu Erogwu when the progenitors of the people came and settled in the tick forest of owls (Unyi-Ogugu) on the eastern land boundary between Kogi, Benue and Enugu States. According to Ameh B.O.A (1973), Odu and Okwa who are the first settlers in the land (forest) of owls (Unyi-Ogugu) instituted a shrine and constituted the rules that will guide the people against doing any form of mischief.

In Ogugu tradition, there was a mysterious Ogugu masquerade called “Agana Ochogwu” under the control of the Ane-Okwute (Anokwute) of Ogugu at Unyi-Ogugu Ereogwu, the centre of Ogugu traditional honour and cradle of the Ogugu history. This mysterious Agana Ochogwu was used to create the stool of Onu-Ochogwu at the shrine of Unyi-Ogugu Ereogwu. The masquerade appears only on serious ceremonies days and occasions, such as the day of installations of any of the Onu-Ochogwu that was properly installed. According to Marshal M.A Agbo (2012), such an Onu-Ochogwu was Chief Ameh Otobo who was the first Onu-Ochogwu of Ogugu and Chief Ameh Igo Okwoli from Emodu and Emomoka clan respectively. These were the only Onu-Ochogwu that their installation and oath of office as well as visited the traditional shrine at Unyi-Ogugu Ereogwu and have their tenures blessed by the Agana Ochogwu.

The shrine and Agana Ochogwu was initially instituted by Odu-Ogidiga for the protection of Onu- Ochogwu who was the chief of Odu-Ogidiga representing Odu and Ogugu people in most official duties with the colonial master. The Onu-Ochogwu stool was created at the advent of colonial master in 17th century, when Odu, Okwa and Omoka came to settle in the land of the owls (Unyi-Ogugu) in the 16th century years after Unyi-Ogugu was founded by them. Therefore, it has remained dangerous and suicidal according to Ogugu traditions for any Onu- Ochogwu who was not properly installed to visit the shrine at Unyi-Ogugwu Ereogwu, where Agana Ochogwu had disappeared into ad-infinitum. Now in Ogugu, those who become Onu-Ochogwu could assume the throne through the instrumentality of politics and not the original bases of installations.

Traditionally, Ogugu people have a unique cultural festivals; The Ote-Egwu festival literary means the feast to celebrates the dead ancestors (ancestral spirit), it is the feast to remember the dead and the departed souls of Ogugu people and their communion with the living. The Ote-Egwu festival is held twice in a year, as an occasion for mass merriments and to mark the seasons of scarcity and plentifulness of food. It is therefore held in dry season (Ote-Egwu Uwo) and rainy season (Ote- Egwu Oloji). It is the time the elders devote their time to give honour to God and the dead for making their families and the entire land in general to prosper throughout the past years with less deaths and misfortunes and more births of children. The first Ote-Egwu festival is celebrated around the month of April and it is called Ote-Egwu Uwo, while the second one is celebrated around September and it is called Ote-Egwu Oloji /Egorigo, this marks the time of surplus of food. The Ote-Egwu celebration are often done with great activities and mass merriment with the appearance of many different types of masquerades as they are always believes to be the representative of the dead ancestors. Such masquerades are; Akitakpa, Elechi, Ukpokwu, Ajamalede etc depending on their group categories. They are regarded as the great grandfathers ancestral spirit and they are thus given great honour and respect. Nobody dares to uncover their heads in dishonouring them. While Odane festival is celebrated to marks the hunting season in Ogugu land.

Meanwhile, in Ogugu tradition, Kola-nut, palm-wine and goat are very important elements in all the ceremonies of Ogugu people. The tradition of the breaking of Kola-nut before and after the advent of the colonial master had remained very strong and important in Ogugu land and even up till date.

In Ogugu tradition, kola-nut could only be broken by the most elderly person (man) in the group, or at occasion. Also, the present of palm-wine (Ote- Ekpe) is very crucial in Ogugu tradition at most ceremonies. Likewise, goat is a sacrificial animal in Ogugu, therefore it is very important in Ogugu tradition, especially for burial, marriage, meeting, festivals and others ceremonies in Ogugu land.

Marriage in Ogugu is a honourable thing in Ogugu, when a young man is ready for marriage and he sees a young girl he like, the young man would approach the girl personally or through his parent/relatives with great caution, if the girl agreed to the young man proposal, then the young man and his parent would approach the girls parent to seek her hand in marriage by carrying of kola-nut, keg of palm-wine and money to the girl’s parents. Then a day would be set for the full traditional marriage, the occasion was always started in the early evening around 6 O’clock pm to the following morning the next day with a great ceremonies, biding of bride price, pounding of yams, cooking of rice, killing of goat and drinking of wine etc.  During the over-night discussions, the dowries and other necessary things such as the rules and regulations guiding the marriage had to be discussed and finalised by the both parents of the bride and the groom who are coming together as husband and wife. Meanwhile, the bride price of an educated girl is relatively higher than that of uneducated ones depending on the level of her education. While this practice is to encourage girl child education among the people.

In Ogugu traditional marriage, there is what we called ‘Agarama Ata Oma’ meaning the kola-nut of the girl’s father. This portion of Ogugu marriage is very crucial and can be dangerous, because it is the oath taking where by the girl’s parents, especially the girl’s father goes into an oath and place his daughter on oath of covenant that the girl would not have any sexual inter course (extra-marital affair) with any man except her husband and report any sexual misbehavious(s) of any man with her to her husband. And any case of failure of the girl to honour this covenant, could result into the spirit of the ancestor (Ibegwu) to arrest her with mysterious ailment until she confesses and performs the sacrifices. This rules of “Agarama Ata Oma” goes further to state that, the wife would not give or receive any property without telling her husband, even if the person is her relatives, she must tell her husband without keeping secret from her husband.

Nowadays, many parents in Ogugu do not take it kindly in allowing the traditional “Agarama Ata Oma” to be paid on their daughters because of the serious dangers of the resultant effect of the old covenants even though it has some good aspects of keeping the Ogugu women under control, checks and balance from doing mischief.

Generally, Ogugu women are expected to be submissive and supportive to their husband in all aspect and every thing she does must be with the consent of her husband. Ogugu women have been known to be of good behaviour in their husband houses, because of their upbringing in their various families that had made the fear of the spirit of the dead (Ibegwu) that existed in the land before and after the advent of colonial master, the Christianity and Islam religions to be replaced with the fear of God Almighty/Allah Subhana-ta-allah. Meanwhile, the rules remain the same. Though, most Ogugu traditional norms and values could not be change by Western civilization because most of these laws are in line with divine and natural laws that guide humanity. Therefore, the people are always proud of their descent way of life.

The story of “Ibegwu” as regard Ogugu women marital fidelity has been the subject of discussion among people from different clans of Igala kingdom. This has led to an unprecedented rush by eligible bachelors outside Ogugu to seek for prospective brides from Ogugu Communities, marrying an Ogugu Women are as a natural antidote against marital infidelity. All these traditions make Ogugu a unique people and ethnic group among the Igala’s Nation.

WRITTEN BY

ABAH JOHNIKOOJO

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THE CULTURE AND TRADITIONS OF OGUGU PEOPLE PART 1

Map of Nigeria Showing Ogugu

Ogugu is a community of Igala speaking people in the Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria. Ogugu Igala language is tagged as Akporto due to this phonetic/tone of speaking. Ogugu community consists of these lineage; Okwatobida (Okwa) lineage, Odu-Ogidiga (Emodu) lineage and Ayegba Oma-ofo (Ofante) lineage with over twenty (20) sub-clans; Emoli, Emomoka, Emojo, Emonugo Emoriko, Emogodo, Emohiowa, Emakpe, Emuja, Emomonyi, Emenenga, Emokoina, Emabodu, Emododa, Emakwuracha, Emonyokwu, Emogene, Emagaba, Emobida and Emonoja and over fifty (50) villages including Ogugu centre (OG Town) around Ogugu Community.

 The religion of Ogugu people was a paganism before the coming of Christianity and other religions in the 20th Centuary, while many have embraced and converted to the new religion. Religion in Ogugu today stand at 90% Christians, 6% pagans and 4% Muslims (Estimate).

Ogugu people have a culture that has been misunderstood by other Igalas, it is called “Ibegwu”, literary meaning ancestors or ancestral spirit of the people. It is believed that ancestors watch over their progeny to stop them from doing mischief like; premeditated murder, adultery, unwarranted abortion, etc. otherwise, he/she will be arrested by Ibegwu via mysterious ailment, the cure to which is public confession and performance of the necessary rituals for cleansing.

Ibegwu is an ancestral spirit in Ogugu which can be seen only by those that violate the laws of the land as regards fidelity. This has been in existence even before the 17th century and it was instituted by the founding fathers of Ogugu land. It was instituted for many reasons, even as it is of benefit for all Ogugu sons and daughters.

The laws guiding the people and the land of Ogugu under the traditional rulership of Ogugu people is very strict. Any violation of such law or laws were met with hard and severe punishments. As a result of this, there was total peace and tranquillity in Ogugu land. Ogugu people have lots of cultural heritage which will remain forever binding on any child of Ogugu, meanwhile, most of these laws and culture are natural laws that guide humanity, which are also found in the law of Moses (Bible). But the most serious of them all that can even lead to death is this (Ibegwu) issue. Which involve premeditated murder and extra-marital affairs with another man wife and unwarranted abortion are all taboo in Ogugu.

Ameh, B.O.A (1973), said that the progenitors before joining their ancestors, instituted this traditional law in Ogugu land and made it binding on all indigenes of the land, till date, if one commits murder, adultery, he or she must confess same publicly and only the eldest man (Anokwute) in the clan has the right to handle the matter. Apart from punishments that followed the violations of the laws and the fear of the effect, the Ibegwu have often put every Ogugu man or woman always under checks and balances. This law is binding on all Ogugu descendants even outside the shore of Ogugu land and on any Ogugu woman married to any part of the world. It is established that all religion creeds forbid adultery and murder. However, should one fall into occasion of sin, there are ways of reconciliation and penalties.

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