Ezechime Traditional Headship: A Clan of Competing Claims

Emeka Esogbue

The Ezechime clan's origin story is indeed one of the most debated topics in Anioma history, with diverse accounts fueling the controversy. The patriarchal origin is a hotly debated topic, with nearly everyone, including non-Anioma indigenes, weighing in on the history of the people. The accounts are varied and complex, making it a fascinating yet challenging aspect of Anioma history to unravel. However, this writer is interested in the claim of traditional headship by some of its notable communities.

Three notable communities within the Ezechime clan claim traditional headship, each with its own justification:

- Issele-Uku: Claims to be the traditional head based on Oligbo, the last son of Ezechime, who allegedly took care of him in his old age.

- Onicha-Ugbo: Asserts its claim based on being founded by the eldest son of Ezechime. Indeed, in Anioma society, diokpaship is a recognizable practice in which the eldest son administers the settlement.

- Obior: Claims traditional headship based on being the settlement founded by Ezechime, where he died and was buried.

Which of these three communities holds a more authoritative claim to the traditional headship? Do the traditional rulers of Ezechime clan including Onicha-Ado, an Anioma community in Anambra State have a traditional platform for meeting and on what traditional basis is the kola nut broken by them? These questions are essential to curious researchers even as each of the traditional rulers hold on to their claim of community headship.

The British colonial era played a significant role in shaping the Ezechime clan's administration. They recognized, grouped, and reorganized the communities, formalizing the clan's identity and boundaries. The administrative center was initially situated in Onicha-Olona and later moved to Issele-Uku in 1937 by Donatus Okoh who hailed from Onicha-Ugbo. Some Anioma historians believe that it was this relocation that gave rise to the Issele-Uku of headship.

Further accounts suggest that the "Crown Native Court" headed by Donatus Okoh was in Onicha-Olona where the Ezechime descendants gathered until it was moved to Issele-Uku in the year earlier stated here. One necessary question is whether Onicha-Olona was founded by Ezechime or not because there seems no verifiable account or legend of the community that links the founders of the community to Ezechime or any of his children. Why was the settlement made an administrative centre in the first place if it cannot be ancestrally linked to Ezechime? Why is it called an Ezechime clan today? This is certainly one of the historical puzzles that needs to be unraveled.

Who was Donatus Okoh, the Anioma historical figure and what more is known of him? Did Onicha-Ugbo, his hometown preserve his personal history and contributions to the colonial administration of the Ezechime area? Why haven't Anioma historians recognize his contributions to make him a subject of discourse?

Some accounts suggest Ezechime's origin is linked to Benin, while others propose alternative theories. Historians have noted that the name "Chime" is an Igbo word, which could imply a different origin story. Additionally, some Ika clans, including Ezechime, claim to have migrated from the ancient Benin Kingdom between the 12th and 14th centuries AD.

Overall, the Ezechime clan's history remains a topic of ongoing research and debate, with various perspectives and claims continuing to emerge, making it a clan of contrasting narratives. Unpacking the complex history of Ezechime, exploring the debates surrounding the Anioma's ancient patriarch will make historical sense to researchers of the people's history.

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Emeka Esogbue

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