The Endangered Ogboli of Anioma from Nshi (Nri) in Anambra State

- Emeka Esogbue

As it is, there are maybe only three remaining lineages that currently go by "Ogboli" name in today's Anioma and they are:

1. Ogboli Issele-Uku (Aniocha)

2. Ogboli Igbuzo (Oshimili); and

3. Ogboli Atuma (Oshimili)

Now, of the three listed above, the most documented or publicised by writers of Anioma history is the Ogboli Igbuzo while the least heard of, is the Ogboli Atuma. The most common feature of the Ogboli is that rarely does anyone share vital historical information regarding these people especially the Ogboli Atuma.

The Ogboli Issele-Uku was recently and almost heard fully in the work, "The Kingmaker: Biography of Justice Eustace Okafor Azomani and the History of the Ogboli Community of Issele-Uku" authored by Ifenna Leonard Azomani, a lawyer though. This would mean the rarest or maybe too, the very first time, the phrase "Ogboli Issele-Uku" would be titled in any book just like the other Ogboli in Ibusa, Atuma and elsewhere.

The Ogboli are a migrant of people whose movements were from Nri to present Anioma area but rather than constitute towns and communities, they make up small quarters in various communities where found. All Ogboli migrations were primary movements except for Issele-Uku where Prince Chris Afumata Akeh-Osu, author of "The History of Great Isi-Ile-Uku (Issele-Uku Kingdom and Umuezechima" argued in favour of tertiary movement, claiming that the people whom he identified as Agidi Nshi left Ukwunzu to join group of Benin from Utekor and Ugwule to Issele-Uku to live permanently. However, he admitted their original home to be Nri.

That the Ukwunzu legend does not seem to document this immigration speaks and that hardly do they have Ogboli traces leaves room for further researches but Ogboli is to be found in Issele-Uku and that's what matters to this discourse. There are also Ogboli contributions in Anioma. In Igbuzo, they are the custodians of multiple Ezes having imported it to the community from their Nshi (Nri) home. In Issele-Uku, they are the custodians of Onishe (Kingmakers).

The Ogboli wherever found are practitioners of republicanism. In Igbuzo, they are traditionally greeted "Akwue" or "Obakwesi" while in Issele-Uku, the Onishe is saluted "Ogene". Nevertheless, the rhetoric question of how the Ogboli despite hailing from monarchical Nri are republicans in today's Anioma is continuing.

Every Ogboli wherever found claims Nri origin, Nri, a Kingdom that still exists in today's Anambra State is believed to be Nigeria's earliest kingdom. The Adaigbo of Ogwashi-Uku and Okolie Agu are two other Anioma progenitors that also migrated from Nri but the Ogboli name is not to be found in these two places today.

Did they lose these names, didn't retain it or it simply did not historically not pertain to them? What is the historical case here? Why are the Ogboli becoming fastly assimilated in their communities? The Anioma people can only enjoy the histories of this Igbo migrants if the people's historians decide to dig deep into the rich historical affairs of these people.

Two important figures from Ogboli are:

Rev S. W. Martins, an educationist and missioner, founder of Pilgrim Primary School (1922) and Pilgrim Baptist Church (1936) from Issele-Uku

Prof M. A. Onwuejeogwu, a Professor of Anthropology and one of Anioma's biggest writer of history from Ibusa.

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Emeka Esogbue

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