Achina: A Hilltop Igbo Town Rooted in Tradition, Royalty, and the Sacred Rhythm of Nkwa Music

Achina, which people call Achina Idegwu egbe buru oku asoghi anwuru (meaning it is only a brave bird that would carry a burning thing without fear), is one of the towns in Aguata Local Government Area, Anambra State. The town is on top of a hill in South Aguata, and if someone wants to use…

ByChukwunwike OssaiMay 24, 20250Comments

king of Aboh on visit to British steam boats Engraving: London, Richard Bentley, 1837

Cultural Heritage Ethnohistory

The Vibrant Tapestry of West Niger Igbo Governance: A Journey Through Precolonial Polities.

In the west of the Niger River, the West Niger Igbo people that includes Ika, Aniocha, Oshimili, and Ndokwa—has one kin interesting history that shows that they know how to govern themselves very well before the white man came. These people, who were grouped under the Asaba and Aboh Divisions, built their unique way of…

ByChukwunwike OssaiMay 9, 20250Comments

Cultural Heritage Ethnohistory Historical Studies

The Traditional Governance and Cultural Heritage of Ezionum in Ukwuani Society: A Study of the Okpala System and Its Evolution

Ezionum is one of the nine communities inside Ukwuani Local Government Area in Delta State, Nigeria. This place is special among the Ukwuani people who are a subgroup of the larger Igbo tribe and it has many histories and cultures that connects it to Niger Delta. Before Colonialism came to Nigeria, Ezionum had a strong…

ByChukwunwike OssaiApril 4, 20251Comment

Cultural Heritage Ethnohistory Historical Studies

Community Away From Home: Living Testament of Igbo Cultural Integration and Yoruba Ancestry

HRM Obi Okafor Ogoh Obi of UkwuNzu Settled in Anioma region of Nigeria, is a historically rich and Unique community called Olokunmi. Seen in places such as Ukwunzu, Ugbodu, and Ubulubu, with Ukwunzu being its headquarters the people of Olokunmi have long caught the attention scholars, historians, and visitors as a result of their distinctiveness in…

ByChukwunwike OssaiNovember 16, 20240Comments

Anthropology and Ethnography Cultural Heritage Ethnohistory Historical Studies

The Spiritual and Economic Importance of Yam Crops in Anioma: A Connection to Influence of Nri kingdom

Yam holds an important and general position amoung Anioma people , aside being a staple food, it's also a vital representation of spirituality, economic power, and status. This crucial traditional practice with yams mirrors the traditional practice from Nri kingdom, an ancient Igbo kingdom which played crucial role as the cultural and spiritual source of most…

ByChukwunwike OssaiOctober 12, 20240Comments

Cultural Heritage Ethnohistory Historical Studies

Ada Nshi and Okpala Nshi: The Role Nri traveling Priests played in Building Anioma’s Ritual and Cultural Practices

Ndi Anioma, like other Igbo groups, have long kept deep cultural and spiritual ties to Nri, an ancient aristocratic and theocratic kingdom dated from 9th century. An important part of the connection was made possible by male and female ritual specialists of Nri, Okpala nshi (male priest) and Ada nshi (female priestess). Eze Nri sent sent them…

ByChukwunwike OssaiOctober 12, 20240Comments