Changing the Narrative: Omuma in Focus

Being a Public Lecture Delivered by Nweke, Emmanuel Onyekachi (PhD, Fcai, Acipm/Acia/Mnim) on the Occasion of End of Year Praise by Omuma Youths for Christ,  held on 28th December, 2021 in the ACI Event Centre, Eberi, Omuma, LGA,  Rivers State.

 

Protocol

Preamble

• It is with a heart of excitement that I appreciate the organizers of this great event for inviting me. The future of Omuma is great counting from the calibre of youths we have. Before delving into the main matter of the day, I will like us, in the spirit of praise to the Almighty God (which your organization is known for) take this song, ‘what shall I render unto Jehovah for what  He has done so very much for me (2x).  Yes indeed  there is a lot to thank God for particularly concerning Omuma our land which has just clocked 25 years of creation.

 

Introduction

• Change they say, is constant.  The narrative of Omuma is a very interesting one.  It is a narrative of a people of great destiny.  This paper had made concerted effort in presenting the history of Omuma/Etche (in brief), the creation of Omuma, political development in Omuma, economic devolvements, and education.  The narratives of our land in these perspectives will determine at the end of this episode whether or not we need a change of narrative  or to retain the status quo.

History in (brief)

• Since this a Christian group, reference has been made to the Bible book of Jeremiah in which children of Isaacher remembered their history of not drinking alcohol and Daniel who remembered through history that his people have been slaves in Bablyon for 70 years.  This is a fore-bear for us to know where we are coming from;

• Etches is the first settler or founder of ‘Etche’’ land. One tradition has it that he is a man called Etchefu ‘’ who was corruptly anglicisized ‘Etches’’. Another version says that his name is Etches whose name was colonially spelt ‘Etches. But one thing is clear:; whether the name is Etches,’ ‘’Ochie’’, ‘’Etchefu ‘’ or ETCHE is referring to one person called Etches, and the same called ETCHE, ECHEFU, ECHIE, ECHE, OCHIE’’ who is the fore bearer or ancestor of all Etches people East, west, North, south and ethnic nationality that is spread across three (3) state of Nigeria, Via: Rivers, Abia and Imo States and possible delta and Edo, Onyema

• Etche major clans include Akwu/Obuor, Chokocho, Omuma, Chokota, Egwi, Afara, Mba, Ikwerengwo, Okehi, Ulakwo, Umuakonu, Umuebulu, Umuechem, Egbeke Igbodo the ancestral home of Etche (Igbodo is made up of the following communities; Umuohiaukwu, Umuusharam, Umuoga, Okonocho, Umuine, Umudi, Umunkwa, Umuohie, Amaku, Obibi, Ezeleaka, Umuisi.

Benin Origin

• The Benin origin, the Igbo origin and the oral traditions associated with the history of Etches. In a very ambitious attempt to construct the historical past of Etches, Achonwa (1980) traced migration of the people from a particular place and point in time. According to him, the Etche people left the people of Benin kingdom about 7th century. They moved up to Aboh, and the Orashi Rivers through Ndoni Creek, setting for a brief while at the present-day Omoku ….. They moved eastwards up to Abua. They crossed Abua to Ndele on land …Stopping finally at Igbo, the first Etches settlement.

• There is the speculation that ‘’this horde’’ was an amalgam of many other tribes, which according to Achonwa included the Ikerres, Abuans, Ekpeyes, etc. He submits that this was responsible for the settlement known as Ikwerre- Ngwo-a conglomerate of peoples

•However, there are some loopholes in the account because ‘’7th century the period cited by Achonwa did not specify whether it was 7th century B.C or 7th century A.D the Igbo Origin the account of the Benin origin are at variance with some other established views on the history of Etches. One of such views is that of Afigbo, an internationally acclaimed historian, who traced the history of the Igbo people essentially to two sources. The first account according to him claims that the Igbo tribe came from east. This claim asserts that: in the beginning the Igbo were either one of the tribes of Israel or Egypt, that for unspecified reason the left the East, wandered across the Sudan to come and settle where we now find them.

•In order to elucidate his claim, Afigbo (1999) traced the origin of the Igbo to 3, 000 B.C. to 1300. A.D. as suggested by Talbot, hinging his account on legends, oral traditions and other ethnographic and ecological evidences.

Omuma in History

•The migration of Etches people to the eastern part of Etches (now known as Omuma Local Government Area, was systematic.

•They migrated to the eastern part of Etches by crossing the Imo Rivers from different parts, at different times and for different reasons and purposes. The Umuogba/ Umuajuloke people migrated from Afara crossed the Imo Rivers and settled in their present Umuogba/Umuajloke clan. Ogba and Ajuloke, who were of the same parents, left Afara at the same time. Ajuloke settled at Akwa while Ogba crossed the Imo River and settled in the present Umuogba. Ajuloke later crossed the Imo River and joined his brother (Ogba) and settled with him, hence we have the Umuogba/ Umuajuloke clan which is the largest single clan in Omuma Local Government Area and the largest in the whole of Etches. Eberi is said to have migrated from Mbieri in Imo State and settled together with Ulakwo, Obioha and other Etche people. Eberi and Ulakwo were friends and they moved out together from their Igbodo settlement Eberi and moved east wards.

•Ulakwo moved southwards and settled in the present Ulakwo. When Eberi crossed the Imo Rivers, Obiohia desire to follow suit. Obiohia was on hunting expedition and in his desire to meet Eberi crossed the Imo Rivers. When he got to iris settlement, Eberi asked him to go there east wards, hence Obiohia occupied the border with Asa people in present day Abia State Eberi further expanded and occupied up to the boundary with Asa people, hence in Etche we have Eberi/ Obioha clan. Generally in Etche parlance any Etche man who crossed the river to settle is referred to as Omuma man i.e. somebody who crossed the water.

Creation of Omuma as an LGA

•Omuma is a Local Government Area in Rivers State, Nigeria, with its headquarters at Eberi. Omuma was carved out from Etche and pronounced a local government in December 1996 by the administration of Late General Sani Abacha. It has an area of 170 km² and a population of over 100,366 at the 2006 census. Of course this number as it is today has (non-statistically) tripled to over 300,922. Omuma is made up of 10 wards, with 6 clans, namely, Eberi, Obioha, Umuogba, Umuajuloke, Ofeh and Ohimogho.

The postal code of the area is 512. Omuma is in the Rivers East Senatorial District alongside Etche, Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor, Port Harcourt, Okrika, Ogu/Bolo and Emohua Local Government areas. Omuma Local Government Area also forms a federal constituency with Etche Local Government Area (Nweke, 2019).

Political Development

•Omuma as noted was created in December, 1996.  The administrators since creation are:

1. Hon. Samuel Iyoyo (from Okrika)

2. Hon. Hyacent Oluo (Sole Administrator)

3. Hon. Emmanuel Opurum (first elected Executive Chairman of Omuma).

4. Hon. Kelvin Okere (Sole Administrator)

5. Hon. Chief Georgeford Nwosu (Executive Chairman)

6. Hon. Chief Georgeford Nwosu (Sole Administrator for three months)

7. Hon. Chief Joshua Ukala (Sole Administrator)

8. Hon. Chief Nwuke Anucha (Executive Chairman) 

9. Hon. John Anucha (Executive Chairman)

10. Hon Uche Maximus Nwafor (CTC Chairman)

11. Hon. Silas Egbucha (CTC Chairman)

12. Hon. Engr. Emeka Nwogu

13. Hon. Barr. Kelechi Ubani (Care-taker Chairman)

14. Hon. Stanley Nwuju (Sole Administrator)

15. Hon. Philip Onyeche (Care-taker Chairman)

16. Hon. Chisom Nwaiwu (incumbent, Executive Chairman)

 

Economy

•Nweke, (2019) noted that Omuma by natural default is agrarian. Omuma can be said to be a city in the centre of a virgin forest. Virgin in the sense that its economic hymen is still intact. Omuma is amphibiously bordered with some of our villages in islands. This again makes it rich in aquatic gains. The ever green grass across the length and breadth of the land makes it a natural herbivore for herbivorous animals. It is blessed with thick and light forests harboring the best of all insects, wild life and timber.

Omuma sits in the exit and entrance of Rivers state, sharing borders with Abia State, and our neighboring brothers, Etche who also shares borders with Imo state. This positions Omuma as a viable market junction for the commerce of goods and services. Omuma is an oil bearing community. The spanning and drilling of oil in the Umuakali axis and its horizontal, clandestine, usurpation across the rich quorah of our land leaves a lot to be desired.

Omuma has an undiluted culture of communality and hospitality.

• It is blessed with the native mechanism of dispute resolution. Its youths, elders are peaceful in conduct and in disposition at least, comparatively speaking. It is the only local government that has gates in all its adjoining borders in the four cardinal flanks.

Some Unharnessed Economic Potentials in Omuma:

From the foregoing, there is no gainsaying that Omuma is roundly blessed though latently. Let us look at some of the economic potentials that Omuma sons and daughters, investors, the local government council, state and federal government can embark on to change the wealth narrative of our land.

i. Bee Farming and Keeping: Due to our large expanse of bushes and forests bee farming and keeping will flourish. Our forest or bushes can provide a comfortable apiary or bee yard for bee keeping and farming. Natural and synthesized bees are possible in our type of environment.

ii. Cassava and Yam Plant: Over 20 food staples are derived from cassava in Nigeria and 28 from yam. Yam is grown on free draining, sandy and fertile soil, after clearing the first fallow. Our Omuma land is naturally fertilized. Investors in the supply chain of cassava and yam will find our land useful as there is minimal hassle to the raw material.

iii. Oil Servicing and Exploration: The Omuma oil should be drilled openly and Omuma should be duly recognized as Oil Producing Area.

•iv. Timber Market: In the narrow sense of the terms, wood, forest, forestry and timber/lumber industry appear to point to different sectors, in the industrialized, internationalized world, there is a tendency toward huge integrated businesses that cover the complete spectrum from silviculture and forestry. Omuma land is a moist ground for timber generation and reformation. Attendant companies to these line of business should be encouraged to our land.

v. Sculpture and mud making: Omuma can easily pass as an Arts village and consequently attract tourism. We have the natural sites for mud and sculpture molding and arts/paints will not be difficult to thrive.

vi. Palm Fruits: Palm fruit that we sell to the Ibibios should have long time ago stopped or minimized if we understand how much they make from us. Our young ones can leverage on the supply chain of palm fruits, palm oil to create companies and become palm oil exporting local government area in Nigeria.

vii. Fruits and vegetables: Our fruits are as fresh as the morning dew. Our ‘ugu’, okro, grow as if stretching for a pleasant tall to the sky without fertilizer.

viii. Zoo: Rivers state has only one zoo. Our non-arid land can favour the siting of another zoo to preserve the wild life in our forests as well as attract investors and tourists.

•ix. Manpower: Omuma has virtually professionals in all facets of human endeavor. High level manpower for personnel resource in any investment will not be a problem.

This is closely linked to our educational opportunities. Omuma has one of the largest secondary schools in Rivers State (G.S.S. Eberi).

This school can serve as facilitation centre for NTI to cover Abia and Etche. The school also has the potential to be migrated to a higher institution; since it is within a safe, serene environment suitable for teaching and learning. The other secondary schools, C. S.S. Umuogba, C. S. S. Amaj have the potential for a face-lift and even upgrade to having hostel facilities.

Education

• Omuma is a knowledge loving community. She has over 1,000 professionals and more than 1,200 undergraduates in various tertiary institutions in Nigeria and beyond.

• Omuma presently has 20 PhD holders with four as professors in Nigerian universities. Omuma has educated professionals in all facet of human endeavour apart from a pilot (village by village account, 2021).

Changing the Narrative

• From the forgoing, it is clear that Omuma has left where it used to be to a more autonomous entity.  It is now among the political demarcations in Rivers State and Nigeria. However, it is good to ask if we have really arrived.  The answer would be a natural ‘No’, which is natural with humans.  Growth and development is the longing of any normal being.

•Omuma under a certain previous administrative tenure had its secretariat moved from the ‘Ahia Orie, Eberi’, to its permanent situate.  It constructed Omuma Guest House, Omuma Oil Mill, Ogbakor Omuma, attracted Federal Government project for the construction of Omuma/Etche bridge.

•Another administration equally took cognizance of our boundary status and its security implications and constructed security gates in all the flanks of Omuma boundary.

•Omuma never had public power (fondly called NEPA).  Even though power is not steady, as obtainable in other parts of Nigeria, it is pertinent to note that we now have electric poles and wires over us.  It was also pioneered by one of the administrations listed above. One of the administrations has also altered the status-quo in terms of youth empowerment.  So many youths who may not have become councilors or advisers to council, appear to have got their places in the council vouchers.

Status-Quo

•Our present state of affairs may not be satisfactory as we long for change and more.  Omuma does not have any functional secondary or tertiary hospital run by government.  Most primary and secondary schools in Omuma are dilapidated. We thank God for the recent intervention of our dear Governor, in C. S. S. Umuogba. We hope the project will be completed to avail our people quality education. We also appreciate the various interventions of George Anele Foundation in the renovation of schools and other humanitarian related interventions in Omuma (lets put our hands together for them).

• The major Omuma road from Umuakali-Ofeh is in terrible, bad state.  It appears our political leaders are working hard to fix it.

• Omuma does not have any market of national reckoning.  This should not be taken for granted as we are an agrarian people.  There should be a notable market for our farm produce, such as yam, cassava, foo-foo, ugu leaf, timber, fruits, etc.

Way Forward/Conclusion

•To change the status-quo, for the benefit of the future, the following have been suggested:

•Omuma should engage professionals to carry out certain urgent developmental issues, in order to reduce cost.  Direct labour approach may be adopted in order to procure better services to the people.

•NGOs, public spirited individuals should be encouraged to strive in our Omuma land.

•Omuma Council should strive to link Omuma to the National Grid.  The manner of paying NEPA bill for residents should be discountenanced.

•Government should attract investors to Omuma, in order to reduce youth unemployment which is not only particular to Omuma.

Selected References

•Nweke, E. O. (2020). Education: A tool for societal (Omuma) development.

•Public Lecture Delivered by Nweke, Emmanuel Onyekachi on the Occasion of End of Year Praise Festivity by Omuma Youths for Christ,  held on 29 December, 2020 in the Church Auditorium of St. Luke’s Anglican Church, Eberi, Headquarters of Omuma, LGA, Rivers State

•Tugwell, N. A. (2018).  An inaugural lecture: the Nigerian socio-cultural milieu and school curricular offerings; the need for integration and synergy between town and gown.  Port Harcourt. Pearl publishing ltd.

•Iwundu, C. O. (2015).  An inaugural lecture: a ontological approaches to the epidemiology of crime and criminality among Nigerian youths toward social reengineering based prophylactic and psychotherapeutic interventions. Port Harcourt. Pearl publishing ltd.

•Oyet, E. N. (2015).  Lecture notes. NTI lectures.

•Smith, R. (2006). Education and society. Lagos. Kindy publishers.

•Azunna, N. N. (2009). Oral tradition

•Nwaelele, O. (2020). Oral tradition

•Nwaelele, O. (2021). Oral tradition •Oral accounts from Omuma Elders.

 

Thank You very Much for having me.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.  Dr. EMMA NWEKE O.