UMUOFOR AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITY

About Umuofor People in Oguta L.G.A of Imo State, Nigeria Umuofor is a small community of less than five thousand people located in the border of Oguta and Mbaitoli localgovernment of Imo State Nigeria , West Africa . Address: Mile 2 Ukwuorji Oguta Motel Road, Umuofor - OgutaLocal Government Area, Imo State - Nigeria. Umuofor as of today is one the Autonomous Communities in OgutaL.G.A of Imo State and it is made up of three villages UMUNWEGBE, UMUDIBIE andUMUDURUAJUNWANNA. The indigenous Umuofor people are said to have migrated from Awomama in Oru-East L.G.A & ISU in Njiaba L.G.A of Imo State and said to have first settled at Ameabiam and finally settled in oneof their fore-fathers farmlands at the present day Umuofor. Some of the early settlers include Duru Osimiri,Chionye, Nnadi, Ubah, Abor, Ibeanusi, Nnabugo, Ubawuchi , Nnadirinwa , Emetumah , Anyaibe Nzediegwu , Nwawubem ,Ndimememe , Nnawuaku , Nwabuihe , Agbakegbe , Amaogaranya , Diogu, Osoagba , Ezeribe ,Idu,Iroka and many more . There has been an unresolved land dispute between the Umuofor and Akabor people. Inthe 60s, Chief Emmanuel Ubah, Emmanuel Nwawubem and Chief C. A Ubawuchi gave their money to salvageUmuofor land . They were assumed the owners of the land until the Umuofor people redeemed their land in the late70s.CULTUREThe Umuofor people have an annual local ceremony called THE OWU FESTIVAL that takes place once ayear, it isa male dominated and initiated ceremony. Women are not allowed to participate. There aremasquerades calledOKOROSHA . However some religionists oppose this culture calling it demonic, oneof the greatest opponents of this was Mr James Nwosu , the first pastor of Umuofor , (THE FATHER OF REVIVAL) . Mrs Janeth Ubawuchialso refused to partake and also refused to recognize the Ekenjiaba (python snake god) . In the early days, thesesnakes used to roam around peoples' compounds and were welcome by the people. Umuofor had two ritual bushes - NJABA and OTANGBO . It was said that Mr. Benneth Nwabuche on another man's instruction cleared that land.That is where the Umuofor market is situated today.RELIGIONUmuofor people are very religious. The first church in Umuofor is the Anglican church and some of the pioneer members of this church include Mr. Andrew Osoagba , Mark Osimiri , Clement Ubawuchi ,SilvanusEmetumah(later Alhaji Gafaru Emetumah) , Boniface Amaogaranya , Benson Nnadi, Emmanuel Uba and others .James Nwosu also pioneered the Apostolic church while Mr. Oguerilem and the brother brought the Cherubim&Seraphim church. Umuofor has also produced MEN OF CLOTH (CLERGIES).Pastor Iyke Peter Ubawuchi is thefounder and senior pastor of JOHANNESBURG INTERNATIONALCHURCH, SOUTH AFRICA and president of GRACE WORLD OUTREACH, a global ministry that affect millions of lives. He is also the director / coordinator of the MILLION MAN MARCH FOR JESUS, Reverend Eugene and Eze Onwubie are canons in the AnglicanChurch.ISLAMAlhaji Abdul Gafaru Emetumah was the pioneer of Islam in Umuofor. He was also the traditional ruler of Akabor community.UMUOFOR PATRIARCHSCHIEF MARK OSIMIRI- Was one of the foundation members of Christ Church Umuofor and was very involved in Umuofor land disputes,he was a builder by proffession and lived in Lagos, his children include Mr. Felix who lives in USA with his wife Dr Philomena and their children who include Brian , Stephanie,Derrick andothers, Mark's other children inlude Chief Jonathan [ a buisnessman in Aba NIGERIA], Barrister Shedrack(Obioma), who lives in the USA, Dr. LEVI(CARRIBEANS) Mr Felix is very involved in assisting umuofor indigenes and entire community including thereconstruction of the new Anglican Church building which is said to be one of the best in the Diocese on the Lake, Nigeria.CHIEF CLEMENT UBAWUCHIUbawuchi Ezeoru had four sons, Iwunamara , Clement , Anyanasuro , Sunday and Eric . Ubawuchi lived to be over a hundred years old and passed away in 1975.

Chief Clement is the second son of Ubawuchi . He worked for over 32 years as an administrative manager in NEPA , during which time he used his influence to employ some people in NEPA including Mr. Eddy Anyaibe andEmmanuel Nwosu . He is a philanthropist even during his pension days, people still came to him for financialassistance where he gladly obliged them. Chief Ubawuchi at this time of writing2010 is about 85 years old andstill counting. He built the first upstairs in Umuofor (in the 70s) . His children are Mr. Goddy , Dr. Emeka, Mr.Uzoamaka , Ps Iyke& Engr chudi and two girls.CHIEF BENSON NNADIChief Benson Nnadi was a well known figure in Umuofor land and beyond. He was known for all his selfless effortsand contributions in Umuofor community where he retired as a Principal Supervisor of Schools. Nicknamed Chief Ochumaogide, Chief Nnadi was credit with establishment of so many projects in Umuofor including Town schoolUmuofor, Christ Church Umuofor among others. He served his father land for years as Community SecretaryGeneral as well as Community Speaker/Government Representative. He was a very kind man who shoulderedresponsibilities caring for peoples problems but hated by Umuofor Neighboring towns for his love for Umuofor.Chief Nnadi was married to Cecelia , and survived by Benedict , Benjamin , Bethel, Bertram , Bernard and others .Though lived as an average man , hee lived a happy man and died at the age of 84years in 2006 after a brief illness.EZE (ALHAJI ABDUL GAFARU EMETUMAH)Is the second son of Emetumah . He was the first Igbo Muslim evangelist and pioneered Islam in Umuofor. He wasalso the Eze (traditional ruler ) of Akabor autonomous community . He was an influential man in his own right. Helived to be over seventy years and passed away in 2007. Eze Emutumah married three wives and was survived byAlhaji Fatai , Sani , Bashiru , Amin, Chigiozke and others .ANDREW OSOAGBAMr. Andrew Osoagba was one of the pioneers of the Anglican church in Umuofor and was the pastors' warden untilhis death . He loved working in the church. Married to Rosanna and survived by Mr. Nathaniel, Gabriel and UcheOsoagba (who is a knight in the Anglican Church)ALHAJI SANNI [ ANTHONY] ANYAIBEAlhaji Sanni formerly known as Anthony was one of the pioneers of the Umuofor Anglican church. He retired as amanager at the plateau Construction Company. He also used his position to employ some of Umuofor citizens. Heloved hunting. He married three wives and was survived by Mr. Amos , Elias , David and others . He lived to beover 70 years and passed away in 2006.MR EMMANUEL NWAWUBEMHe was the first successful business man in Umuofor plying his trade in Kano State Nigeria . He had houses in Kano, Enugu and Port Harcourt . He was married to Susanna and survived by Samuel and others. He passed away in1970.MR BONIFACE AMAOGARANYAHe was one of the pioneers of the Anglican church in Umuofor and a very vocal person and Umuofor representativeduring the early days of the land dispute . He was married to Angelina and survived by Kingsley , Achinike andothers . Passed away in 1969 .EMMANUEL UKACHUKWUis the first son of Mr. Ukachukuru who lived in the Cameroon and worked probably as a butcher there . He hadanother son Joe who was a business man in Cameroon until his untimely death .VINCENT AKPUCHUKWUwas the first barber in Umuofor , he lived to be almost 75 years and passed away in 2008 , survived by his sonChilem whose mother died shortly after he was born .BONIFACE , EBENEZAR and DAVIDSON were sons of AMAOGARANYA - Boniface passed away during the war , Davidson who was ateacher in ISU passed away in the late 70s , he was married to the late Matilda and survived by their son

Kennedywho lives in LAGOS . Boniface was also survived by Kingsley who lives in the United States , Achinike andAbednego who lives in Nigeria . Adeline and Stella (Sinte) are their sisters , their mother's name is Angelina ,married from Ogbaku .

EMMANUELAnd BENJAMIN are the sons of NWAWUBEM . Both of them died in their mid-ages .Emmanuel a successful businessman who owned properties in different parts in Nigeria was survived by Samuel who lives in Portharcount .He also had daughters , Christiana , Grace , Florence , Ngozi and Ndidi . Ngozi lives with her family inMANCHESTER , ENGLAND . Oluchi passed away . There is also the twins Okechukuru and Kelechi (who aresoccer players in MALAYSIA ) . NONSO and NENE who live in Portharcourt.Clement Nlewedimis the first son of Mr. Nlewedim (known during his primary school as Gramarian ) , healso had other brothersincluding Nelson .Adizuo , Alhaji Sanni (Anthony ) , Alhaji Adamu (Samuel ) and Edward (their half brother ) areall sons of ANYAIBE . Adizuo is probably the oldest man still living in Umuofor at this time of writting . His firstsonShedrack Anyaibe lives with his family in Italy . Shedrack Anyaibe is probably the first man in Umuofor totravel overseas (around the early 70s ) . His younger brother Josiah is a builder and resides in Umuofor .ALHAJI SANNI was survived by Mr Amos , Elias (R.O ) Anyaibe . Amos is a builder . Elias lives somewhere inthe Northern Nigeria . ALHAJI ADAMU (SAMUEL ) is the younger brother of Sanni , his first Mr Son - Saliu ,ISA (Innocent ) and the first surviving twins in Umuofor . Hansan and Husseni . Hassan livesin ALGERIA. NNANEMERE, FELIX , EDWARD and EPHRAIM and SOLOMON are all sons of NZEDIEGWU .Nnanemere is a palm wine dealer and afarmer . He is also an initiate of the revered NZE/OZO . His firstson is IFEANYI , followed by IKE who is said to be pastoring a church in ITALY . Edward Nzediegwu livedin Cameroon .OKACHANMA & OKEMEZIEM AZARAMAare the sons of AZARAMA . These two had feuds that lastedtheir life time and even affected their children .Okachanma was survived by LAWRENCE , PHILLIP ,STEPHEN , NNAA , and NDADI . While Okemezien wassurvived by SAMUEL (who disappearedmysteriously , last seen at ONITSHA ) and Adolphus who is working atshell Izombe . Okachanma wasmarried to Nwogoma from EZIAMA while Okemeziem was married to FANI fromEJEMEKWURU . Mr Xwas a half brother of Okachanma , AZARAMA , he committed the first suicide in Umuofor history .Survived by GABRIEL who is a carpenter .BATHRAM and OZO (DANIEL ) are the sons of ANOO .Bathram is a civil servant through thegovernment compensation of the war veteran as he was injured during the NIGERIA - BIAFRA CIVILWAR ( 1967 - 1970) , while OZO is the Umuofor town crier . OZO was also a member of the then popular local music group (BONGO ) in the late sixties and early seventies . The other group members of Bongowere Mr Vincent Anyaibe(drummer) , Solomon Nzediegwu , Isaac Uba(Jantamanta) , PhillipOkachanma,life( if you know any other members please send the names to.. umuofor initiative..........). .PAUL (EBIOGWU) EZERIBE, SIMEON and THEOPHILUS are the sons of EZERIBE from UMUDIBIE UMUOFOR . Paul was the head of the OWUfestival before he

gave it up , Simoen was a very religious man of the Apostolic church , while Theophilus was aspiritual healer . Paul was survived by ABASCO ,THEOPHILUS and SIMEON also had sons of their own.ONYEDIKA purpotedly died after he took Ubawuchi's male goat and was eating it alone and was killed bytoo much fat .Mr Nnadiegbulam was a quiet man who went about his own business , one of his sons is a pastor JUSTUS (ALOO) andAKOLAM are sons of.....................................Their mother's name was NWARIEM.Akolam passed away in theearly nineties .JOSEPH ORUMEZIEMwas a fish merchant and was the only man that accompanied THE AGWU -during the OWUOMA that took placeonce in seven years . He was survived by PETER who also passedaway and other sons .UBAWUCHI EZEORUwas probably the oldest living man in his time , said to have lived above a hundredyears . His children include STEPHEN(IWUNAMARA) ,CLEMENT ANYANASORO, SUNDAY andERIC who died during the NIGERIAN CIVIL WAR . Eric went to the war with Cyril Thedoro ,LawrenceOkachanma , according to Mr Lawrence , Eric was warned to stay behind by Ubwuchi when they wenttobe prayed for by him before embarking on the journey . Ubawuchi had other daughters - Adanma ,Ihejiaba (who passed away in may 2009) , Nnenia . Stephen died in 1984 , probably through tetanus . Hewas survived by Gozie ,Uzoma and Amaechi . His daughters include Adania , Sussana , Edna , Oby .Clement ANYANASORO Ubawuchimarried Janeth Ubawuchi and together they had seven children .Gordy , Christopher (Emeka) . who lives inEngland, Uzoamaka(Brown) Ngozi , Mary , Peter (Iyke) wholives in RSA and Paul (Chudi) . Gordy Ubawuchi lives in the USA and his children include Sinclair (I.K).Rudolph (Emeka) , an American Marine currently at IRAQ , A.J ,and the girls - Thelma(Oby) , Yvonne ,a) and Nikki . Emeka Ubawuchi - is the first medical doctor in Umuofor , presently lives in". His life changing words on television isecognizable faces fromThe first one is Chukwuemeka Aboh .ng brothers Mr Life and late Nnamdi .Umuahia . MR ephen , Nnaa and Ndadi . All these have their own children . Lawrence's firstGO was an elder in Umuwuegbe , he was survived by Ofozuonu , Innocent, Ofozuonuother whose sisters wereOgadinma[ married to Wahab Oliver] andone of which is Chidi .H . Chief Isaac Ibeanusi is the current President General of Umuofor Autonomous Community.