A groundswell of joy and euphoria have continued to pervade the newly created Amankwo-Eke Autonomous Community, in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, following the emergence of the maiden Town Union Executive of the young community, in a peaceful and orderly general election held at Oboado-Anuba town hall on 17th September this year at which Sir Frank Amadi, from Umuozoeqo village was elected unopposed as the pioneer President-General of Amankwo-Eke Progressive Union (APU).
The unanimity of the new PG’s election signaled the dawn of a new era of unity of purpose in Amankwo-Eke community as well as the trust and confidence reposed on the President-General by all the six villages in Amankwo-Eke community. The peaceful and brotherly atmosphere that characterized the election was also reflective of the long history of Amankwo-Eke people as some of the most enlightened communities in Enugu State and the pioneers of education and Christianity in Igbo land and beyond, through the extraordinary vision and instrumentality of their first traditional ruler, late Chief Onyeama n’Eke and the Okwuloha I of Agbaja.
By that peaceful and non-controversial election of her maiden Town Union officers, Amankwo-Eke Community has set a record and example to existing and prospective autonomous communities in Enugu State and beyond, to emulate as part of the people’s support for the State Governor’s noble agenda of communal peace and unity in Enugu State.
On their part, the newly-elected members of Amankwo-Eke Progressive Union are poised to deliver the goods of good leadership and justify the confidence reposed on them by Amankwo-Eke people as was reflected in the acceptance speech by the new PG, Mr. Amadi, on behalf of the new executive. During which he pledged to take Amankwo-Eke Community to the next level of social, economic, political greatness.
The new President-General listed the three core priority areas his team will focus on in the first instance as economic development with emphasis on agricultural development which will also enhance youth employment, security of lives and property to ensure that Amankwo-Eke community is rid of all criminal elements, then social justice which is the most important factor for peace, unity and progress of any community.
The PG appealed to all Amankwo-Eke citizens for their co-operation with the new APU Executive in the task of moving the community forward and enjoined then to eschew all forms of divisive traits which can only slow down development of the community.
He extended a hand of fellowship to the sister cum parent Eke Community from which Amankwo-Eke Community was carved out recently and pledged to maintain cordial relationship and cooperation with the Eke Town Union as well as the Igwe of the community.
Full list of the new APU Executive:
1. Amadi Frank President-General
2. Mrs. Florence Ekeowa Deputy President-General
3. Greg Mbomi Secretary-General
4. Augustine Eze Asst. Secretary-General
5. Simeon Ogbabudo Treasurer
6. Mrs. Florence Omulu Financial Secretary
7. Livinus Ilo Provost
8. Christopher Anochili Provost,
9. Ephraim Anigbo PRO,
10. Barr. Paul Amalu Legal Adviser
Subsequent to the formal inauguration of the new Town Union Executive, the community will be set to set up the machinery for electing her pioneer traditional ruler, which is also expected to be peaceful and orderly like the Town Union election.
Amankwo-Eke is one of the 20 wards in Udi local government area of Enugu State. It is situated about 20 kilometers west of Enugu State capital and about 4 kilometres north-west of ninth-mile, which links the town and indeed Enugu to Onitsha, Nsukka, Obollo Afor and parts of Northern Nigeria. It has boundaries with Akama-Oghe community in Ezeagu local government area on the west, Egede, Affa and Ebe communities on the north, Ngwo and Abor communities on the east and Nsude on the South.
Amankwo-Eke was one of the five villages in Eke community until late 2018 when it was upgraded to the status of an autonomous community by the Enugu State government. The community comprises six villages, namely, in order of traditional seniority:
Enuguguofiougwu
Obunagu
Imama
Umuozoewo
Obuagu
Akameke
Amankwo-Eke shares the same history of migration and settlement with her parent town, Eke, whose forebears, according to oral history, migrated from Nsude, south of Eke. According to the legend,
Eke town originated from one of the three children of Oshie Anugwu, who lived in the early to mid 12th century AD. He had 2 sons named Nsude and Eke and a daughter named Neke. Nsude, the first son had ten sons. Neke married out and later gave birth to Udi, Abia and Amokwe. As the descendants of Oshie increased in population(at Nsude) it became imperative for Eke, the younger son to venture out in search of suitable place of abode, which he found in a fertile valley north of Uto hill in Nsude, the site of present-day Eke. On account of this consanguinity (relationship by descent from the same ancestor, and not by marriage or affinity), the indigenes of Nsude, Eke and the descendants of Neke do not intermarry to date. To further deepen the relationship, a mutual defense pact was signed by all three Oshie sibling families and so it is an abominable act even to this day for any of the descendants to draw anothers’ blood.
Eke prospered at his new home and had seven children, two of whom were killed in boundary wars between the communities of Eke and Ebe. The five surviving sons were: Amufia-Eke, Amankwo-Eke, Oma-Eke, Enugu-Eke and Ogui-Eke. Their descendants make up the existing five villages of Eke bearing their names.
Amankwo-Eke community shares the celebration of several cultural festivals with her parent Eke town to mark the various seasons of the traditional lunar year. These festivals were associated with traditional religion of the olden days. Most prominent among these festivals are igwa nshi, now called egwu abia, akwali and ekeani festivals. Igwa nshi is celebrated as a memorial of Eke victory and survival during the inter-communal and tribal wars while akwali is celebrated to mark the begining of yam harvesting season. These festivals draw thousands of people to the town from all around the country and beyond annually.
The modern history of Amankwo-Eke, the Roman Catholic church and educational development in northern Igboland cannot be told without one of her sons, Chief Onyeama Onwusi, Okwuru oha I of Agbaja from Obunagu village. In 1910, Chief Onyeama was appointed a warrant Chief and later a paramount Chief by the early British colonialists. At this time, Chief Onyeama picked interest in western education and pursued its immediate realization for his people of Eke and environ. Thus, he invited missionaries of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) to Eke to communicate the white man’s knowledge. Unfortunately, their method and content of education did not appeal to him. The use of vernacular adopted by them did not give him the impression of something new. Consequently, he made them quit and make space for another group.
Then, he extended his invitation in the same year to Fr. Joseph Shanahan in Onitsha. Fr. Shanahan acted swiftly and sent Fr. Aloyse Muller, who was resident in Igbariam, to explore the new area and put up scheme for missionary activities. Fr. Aloyse Muller arrived at Eke after his diurnal journey, and celebrated the Holy Mass there the following morning to inaugurate his activities. He started to familiarize himself with the area and draw up his plan. The blueprint designed by Fr. Muller, which consisted in the erection of a school, health centres, the use of English language, among other things, in the evangelization of the region, was happily welcomed and approved of by Chief Onyeama. This approval led to a decree that forbade missionary activity in Agbaje by any other group outside the Catholics. Thus, Fr. Muller discharged, in 1910, the spark of faith which was to grow from strength to strength. Henceforth, Eke became an outstation of Onitsha Parish.
As an outstation, Eke did not have a resident priest. Priests came periodically. Eke mission progressed, nonetheless. It gradually gained influence. In 1913, a rest house was erected at the site referred to, today, as “Old Mission”. On his part, Chief Onyeama never regretted his actions in inviting the Catholics; instead, he desired their permanent presence. Consequently, in 1914, he requested for a resident priest. In response to this request, Fr. Joachim Correia, a Portuguese Holy Ghost priest, was sent. The presence of a priest on ground quickened the expansion of Eke mission. More lands were acquired; a bigger church was built at Ani-Atta (Old Mission) in 1915; and a Parish House was erected at Ugwu Di Nso. With this, Eke became the spiritual powerhouse of northern Igboland. From here outreaches were made into the surrounding towns like Enugu, Nsukka, Awgu, Abakaliki, Makurdi, Ogoja, Oturkpo, Idah and so on.
Long before his death on 5th April, 1933, Chief Onyeama ensured his reign was associated with numerous landmarks in native administration, western education, Christian propagation and economic development. One of the legacies of these landmarks of Western civilization was the famous St. Paul’s primary school, established by the Roman Catholic Church, whose founding missionaries arrived at Eke in 1914 through the direct invitation of Chief Onyeama. The popular embrace of western education by Eke citizens since then encouraged the Catholic Church to expand its base at Eke by establishing St. Paul’s Secondary school in the early 60s.
Report By Emma Ikwueze
THE ECHO 