Emeka Esogbue

Interview with Pen Master (Emeka Esogbue)  ...continue from Part One Don't Drag Me into the Obsession that Issele-Uku and Anioma are Monolithic or Only Benin Creations, Ifenna Azomani, Writer of History and Convener of Nri Descendants Conference - Part Two Pen Master: Shouldn’t one wonder why Benin established its monarchical system in a society already in existence and thriving? Azomani: The whole essence of establishing the Benin kind of monarchy in Issele-Uku was to establish the Benin strict kind of monarchy but to a large extent, I don’t think that this was achieved even with Obi Oligbo because there was still so much of the republican way of life. This republican way of life came with the migrants from Nri who had been in the area before the Benin migrants came. So, while that monarchical system was in place, Benin was also looking for the opportunity to strengthen its hold. That opportunity came following the death of Obi Odia in about 1730 and the Heir Apparent who was sent...

 Don't Drag Me into the Obsession that Issele-Uku and Anioma are Monolithic or only Benin Creations. Ifenna Azomani, Writer of History and Convener of Nri Descendants Conference – Part One Leonard Azomani is an Ogboli Community writer of Issele-Uku history, lawyer, environmentalist and clergy. Renowned for his versatility in various disciplines and credible works on Issele-Uku history and other Christianity literatures, Azomani bares his mind on a number of issues that enthusiasts of Anioma and Issele-Uku history will find interesting. In this explosive interview with Anioma media influencer (PEN MASTER), Pastor Azomani speaks on his growing up, career and renders historical accounts on Issele-Uku beginning, development and political history. He tells readers that Anioma is not a monolithic society and that Issele-Uku was peopled by migrants from various ethnic groups. More importantly, the earliest settlers of the Issele-Uku community were the Ogboli Agidi people from Nri led by ...

The Story Behind "Ezigbonmadu Nwa Okoasia": Uncovering the Legacy of an Ibusa Woman By Emeka Esogbue Did you ever listen to your parents make the sarcastic phrase of "Ezigbonmadu Nwa Okoasia as some of us did while growing up?" I grew up fo become familiar with the phrase "Ezigbonmadu Nwa Okoasia," a sarcastic expression that conveyed irony or mocking humour. My mother and other Ibusa parents would often use this phrase, followed by a stern reprimand or even a beating because it was a common reaction to misbehaviour, like disobeying rules and other offences. As a little boy, the phrase piqued my curiosity, and I recently had a conversation with a lady from Ibusa who mentioned "Ezigbonmadu Nwa Okoasia." To my surprise, she revealed that it was the name of a real person, an Ibusa woman who lived in the past. Although I was familiar with the Okoasia family of Ogboli, the prefixed Ezigbonmadu often puzzled me. Researching further into the lady's ...

 How Issele-Uku Kingdom United the Ogboli Families of Anioma in a Conference, Issues a Communique  - Emeka Esogbue The Anioma people are becoming more socially united as Ogboli Quarters in Anioma communities met recently in Issele-Uku and were hosted by Diokpa Okonkwo Nduka Nwajei, the Onishe of Issele-Uku and Okpalabisi of Ogboli Quarters.  The Ogboli people in the Anioma communities of Issele-Uku, Ibusa,  Illah, Obior, Ogwashi-Uku, Akwukwu-Igbo, and Atuma Iga all came together to chart a socio-cultural course that will advance their well-being.  After the meeting in which a communique was issued on the way forward for the Nshi (Nri) migrants, they promised to unite more among themselves and also unite more with their kit and kin from the present Anambra State.  The Ogboli are migrants from Nishi (Nri Kingdom) in Anambra State. They are all related. Legends of these various communities show this relationship.  Edini (of Ibusa) and Adaigbo (of Ogwashi-...

  A Brief History of Ibusa By Emeka Esogbue The Ibusa account of foundation depends on oral sources as continually handed down from generations, and also documented by the writers of the community’s history of origin. The community offers an example of a bipartite society, formed by two distinct movements from two dissimilar settlements that have now merged. Indeed, it is a federation of two autonomous communities considering that its major founders were from Nri and Isu of the Igbo outside the present Anioma enclave. Nevertheless, the modern community of Ibusa has the three founders being Edini (founder of Ogboli), Umejei (founder of Igbuzo) and Ishite (founder of Ezukwu).   Ibusa, an Igbo-speaking settlement as it exists today was founded in the 15 th century by two major migrations to the West of the River Niger Basin. The movements were by migrants from Nri and Isu, two ancient settlements that are located in today’s Southeast part of Nigeria. The Nri migration oc...

UMUIDINAISAGBA KINDRED IN IBUSA: THE BEGINNING AND SPREAD IN MODERN TIMES By Emeka Esogbue (Pen Master) INTRODUCTION Like most histories of African societies which belong to the non-literate period, the Umuidinaisagba people of Ibusa rely on the story handed them by their forebears to tell the history of their beginning, which is known as oral sources and having retained it from generation to generation, the history of the people has become useful to the present generation who equally hopes to pass it down to the future generation of their sons and daughters and Ibusa as a whole. The Umuidinaisagba people have always been proud of their beginning which gives them a place in Ibusa space, a true sense of belonging that preserves their direct lineage to Prince Umejei (or Umejei Nwa Eze Isu as he is natively known by his today’s descendants of Ibusa) Although they are biologically traced to one of the children of the said Prince Umejei, they have grown and spread today as a quart...