GREAT NAMES OF ACHARA ANCIENT KINGDOM
"A wise leader must learn how to ask questions and seek wisdom from the elders." - Obienyi B. Chinedu
Achara is the first son of Uturu in the ancient days.
Our elders let us know the great names of Achara people from the olden days of our fore fathers.
The three names means alot only to the ears that have understanding.
My fellow Achara people I greet you all. I want to say something but I would want to put it in writing not because I can write nor because I believe in this saying " the pen is mightier than the sword" . No, but I want to write just to paint my view on what I have seen and witnessed and heard from the elders of our great ancient kingdom of Achara.
My writing may not really mean anything to you but I think to another it may mean the world.
In history, as it is written that Achara is a name of a person in a rich organized family called Uturu. Uturu, according to history were once a great warriors' son named Ena. And no warrior ever liveth without being a winner.
To be at the first row is always a challenge. There's always a fight for a warrior's sons and daughters.
To become the first child in a family is like to become the only child who always faces danger.
And if you are the only child, two great things faces you; to fight to live not to live to fight and to endure the scares and wounds given to you by others who claim not to be your enemies.
One of the elders said;
"Achara But Ise Nngkpagidere Nnti"
Right from the beginning of time, Achara has been a strong spirit living in a blessed land. We have been to the people a tree of wisdom others hunger to have. To whom we abandoned, we have deeply seen what is beneath the ground.
Another elder stood up to say;
"Achara Bu Ala Mgbawara Abou Rachikwe".
It is after several discussion that one of the elders made the statement above. He said this in order to tell us how strong hearted the olden days Achara people were.
Meaning, in the olden days, we don't tolerate nonsense, in the olden days, we have been the heir, in the olden days, we have been the magicians, in the olden days, we have been the wise, in the olden days, we have been the home of refuge for other people, in the olden days, we do what others fear to do, and in the olden days, we are hard to be defeated.
The elders try to encourage the young ones at heart to be strong and trust in God and obey the traditional laws and rules in doing things.
They confirmed that;
"Achara But Enya Aturu Nnlegidere Agu Ya Nwo".
One of the elders said, truly, if we become a lion in this case, we can lose but let us turn to whom we are truly. We are Enya Aturu.
We are the "Lamb Eye" in the eyes of the people. We are the gods to our friends. Who are the friends of Achara? The other fowls. We have remained silent even though we are not afraid of war or communal battle.
The elders have advised us not to beg again rather to arm ourselves with rules and laws of the land knowing fully well it's their woo who are faulty in abundance.
Another thing that looks like what others said is:
"Akpata Atufo Ejiweye Abu Oghariaya Mana, Akpata Atufo Na Emenu Ubaam"
The words of the elders cannot be taken for granted.
There's a reason this statement was made.
Among the elders, there's nothing hidden and nothing common in their presence. They said exactly how it started and why it is happening. Yes, to be the first is always a challenge. You must and should give what you can afford to lose. In the other way round, you must be careful in what you say.
Everything has dual meaning in the eyes of the wisdom elders. Your ability to choose the right one, that where the power of being a super human start.
THE BEGINNING OF UTURU
Ena, the founder of Uturu clan with his group settled at a place called Ekeukwu at a time nobody had ever inhabited there.
Enamgbedu, the father of Uturu, a great warrior and hunter, had other sons apart from Uturu,his first son. The other sons were
Lolo- the present day Umulolo
Ochi- the present day Osuochi
Ama- the present day Eluama in Isuikwuato.
The Sons of Ena of all lived with him at Ekeukwu but after some times, three of his sons set off to live on their own and travelled afar and settled at their present location where they lived today, leaving their most elder brother - Uturu to take care of their aged father at Ekeukwu.
They often come back for a reunion from time to time at the instance of their aged father. They could come back from their different abode for his blessings and wise counsel. At certain time of the year, Ena other children would come down to Uturu to meet at Ekeukwu to pay homage to their ancestral home and perform the traditional rites before the great shrine( ERIMAFOR). On such occasions, they used to bring with them, among other things, the placenta of their children born during the year and present same before the ERIMAFOR - a sort of Census taking.
HISTORY AND ORIGIN OF IGBOLAND( UTURU IN PARTICULAR )
A man called Ena who was believed to be a farmer, hunter and a warrior in search of a better settlement came into the present Uturu in company of his great family and relatives. He is believed to have sojourned from present day cross river state;many believed that he particularly migrated from Ogoja.
They first settled at the present Ekeukwu because of the serenity cos of the shades from the trees.
Ena has many wives but the first wife by name Mgbedi was most significant. She was the person that told the household not to kill Azu ihuku on the premise that the noise from the fishes keep them company as though they have neighbours( no spirituality of any sort attached to it)
The sons of Ena are
IMOBI
UGWU
OCHI
IBINA
OPAISIEKE
ABO N'EZE and
UTURU.
Shortly afterwards another family led by a man called EDERENWOGBA ( EDERE OMOBA) came to settle at same land. This led to a fight.
UTURU being young and unmarried fought vehemently for his father against the Edere Omabas. Edere Omabas were conquered and chased towards the present day Ebonyi state.
Owing to victory brought by UTURU, their father Ena named the community after him. Thus the entire land answers UTURU till this day.
For him to fight more wars to conquer more lands he underwent several fortifications. The last he did was to eat the bile of a lion which unfortunately killed him. He neither married nor had any child till death. He was buried along Amidi Ihiteokoko Road . During new yam festivals the spot is decorated with white cloths till this day.
IMOBI and his brother UGWU moved to Achara( under a bamboo tree thus the name Achara at the present Achara Post office).
Ochi moved to Ekpukpa
Opaisieke to Nvurunvu
Ibina to Ndundu
AboN'eze to Isunabo.
Due to the desire to have more lands UGWU took his children and moved to the present MBA UGWU such as
UGWUele
Ngodo
Ugwuogu
Anyim children went to present Umuanyi.
Some of Ena relatives that came with him include
Edda in Ebonyi
Ochi( Isuoçhi)
Etc.
Imobi has several wives. The first wife gave birth to Idii(first son of IMOBI-Amidi)
Anyanwu(Amanyanwu)
Onuzo.
Other wives also had sons such as
Eziama
Okwe( Amokwe)
NNEJI (OGWAHIA)
To be continued...
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