Ufuma

Ufumaland (Ana Uvume) is one of the 16 major towns that make up the geo-political area called Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria. Ufuma's geographical coordinates are 6° 5' 0" North, 7° 11' 0" East. Ufuma has three main Communities, Umuehi, Umunebonato, etc. Each Community harbors three villages. In Ufuma, we have various Schools, like Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Ufuma Study Centre located at Ozegu.

Origin

Around the early thirteenth century, a man named Ooluchuo was known to have had a son named Ngada, who fathered an only son named Egbe popularly called Diji. Egbe, on his part, had two sons named Nkwere and Uvume in that order. Egbe (aka Diji) might likely have had other children outside these two. Egbe was nicknamed Diji because he was a famous farmer and was said to have had large barns of yam.

In addition to farming, he was known to be a good hunter. He engaged in hunting mostly after planting season and before crops were ready for harvest. During these periods, food was usually scarce, and there was always a need to look for other food sources besides farm crops. Hunting for wild animals and fishing, especially in the famous Mmamu River, were quickly the significant engagements.

According to Nze Patrick Okeke, in an interview conducted in 1978, the two sons of Egbe, namely; Nkwere and Uvume, continued like their father to move from place to place in search of fertile land for agriculture. While Uvume was tall and slowly built like their father, Egbe, Nkwere, his brother was more like their mother. Their lifestyles were also said to differ a lot. Uvume was good at farming while Nkwere preferred hunting and fishing. –

It was the search for habitable and arable land that brought them to the present day Ekeakwa where they finally settled. Before this time, they had tried settling down at different times and places but found the areas hostile. At one of those places, Uvume was said to have lost his most loved wife during childbirth. The baby, a male child, also died. Uvume was said to have had several children who died in infancy. This was one of the reasons that set them perpetually on the move until they came to Ekeakwa. At this place, one of his wives who had been carrying a baby gave birth to a bouncing baby boy. Before then, Uvume had two daughters. The baby boy was named Ehirimobu.

By this time, Diji, their father, had become very old and not long after he died and was buried there. With the death of their father, cracks began to appear in the relationship between the two brothers and their children. Uvume had four wives while Nkwere had only one. It was said that Diji, their father had a warmer relationship with Uvume to the anger of Nkwere. Not long after the death of Diji, the relationship between the two brothers became so frosty that Nkwere decided to seek another place of abode for himself and his family. Today the descendants of Nkwere live on the other side of Mmamu River close to the people of Orosiama in Oji River LGA of Enugu State.

The descendants of Uvume form what is today known as Ufuma town in Orumba North LGA of Anambra State.

Ufuma is particularly famous for several reasons;

  • It served as a sanctuary for Biafran Warlords towards the terminal stage of the Nigerian Civil War.
  • Ufuma is also renowned for its agricultural sector, especially with respect to yam, cassava, palm oil, cocoyam and rice.
  • Ufuma is also sometimes referred to as Holy Land by followers of Ekpere Ufuma, because it is the place where the controversial sect had its origin. The name, Ekpere Ufuma, translates to ‘Ufuma Prayers’ or ‘Prayer Band’, is more of a derogatory appellation used by followers of Orthodox churches (Catholic & Anglicans) in Igboland to address members of the ALL CHRISTIANS PRACTICAL PRAYING BAND movement founded by Papa Eleazer Nwokolo, a former Anglican catechist, and his wife, Sophie, in Umunebo-Ufuma around 1957. This movement is commonly known today as UKA Madam Nwokolo (Church of Madam Nwokolo).

The evangelical works of Mr. Eleazer and his wife Sophie quickly made the name Ufuma a household name, especially in Igboland and even beyond so much so that when the name Ufuma is mentioned, what comes to peoples mind is Uka Madam Nwokolo.

Ufuma is an educational, commercial, green, and holy land. It is located in Orumba North LGA in the Anambra State of Nigeria. It has a thick population that stood at 750,000 by the 1963 census period. It is bounded by eleven towns, namely; Akpu, Ajalli, Nawfija, Ogbunka, Awlaw, Inyi, Akpugoeze, Awa, Omogho, Ndikerionwu, and Ndiowu.

It has three political wards; I, II, and III. Ward 1 comprises Umuagu, Umuenebu/Ozegu, and Umunebo. Ward II contains Umuonyiba, Umuaguosibe, and Enuguabo, while ward III is made up of Umuogem, Umueji, and Umuonyiuka. The three departments are aligned to the three family blocks, namely Umunebonato, Okpuno, and Umuehi, respectively, that make up Ufuma town.

The traditional head of Ufuma is called the Diji. The last occupant of the stool was Igwe E E Okoli, and after his death and following the observation of traditional full right, Ufuma people are in the process of selecting and installing a new Igwe. It is noteworthy that the Igweship in Ufuma is not hereditary but is rotated among the three main family blocks. The next Igwe is expected to come from the Umunebonato family. Ufuma was once the headquarters of Orumba Local Government in the early seventies when it was first carved out from Aguata. Educationally, Ufuma hosts a campus of Oko Polytechnic and has three secondary schools, namely; Community Girls Secondary School Ufuma, Ufuma Girls High school, and Enuguabo Boys High School, Enuguabo. Ufuma also boosts of many private secondary schools like the Virgin Covenant College and fifteen primary schools.

Health

There are many health clinics and cottage hospitals in Ufuma that serve the health need of the people, along with those of neighboring communities. Ufuma has produced much renowned medical personnel like Late Dr. Okonkwo, Dr. H. C. C. Nwankwo, Dr. Mba, Dr. U.S. Okeke, Dr. Nwajagu, Dr. Dim, Dr. Nwannadi, Dr. Onyekwena, Dr. Achugbu, Dr. Francis Okechukwu Ohanyido world-renowned Public Health specialist and Chair, International Public Health Forum (IPHF). Dr. Okoli and the youngest female Doctor Dr. Ifenyinwa Offor, and among others, as well as many nurses and medical technologists.

Security

Ufuma is well secured with the Ufuma police post centrally located. There is a local vigilante security outfit in each of the Ufuma villages, and these groups work with the police to ensure adequate security for the community.

Roads and public utilities

Ufuma has an excellent road network traversing all the villages, and the major roads are tarred with asphalt. The major roads include the federal highway that runs from Ekwulobia through Ufuma to Umunze. Another significant way is the state road that runs from Ufuma Junction through Ozegu and Enuguabo leading to Inyi in Oji River Local Government in Enugu State. There are public boreholes located at different parts of Ufuma. There is a post office that is centrally located for easy access and several postal agencies in most of the villages.

Agriculture

Ufuma is well known for agriculture. Major food crops include yam, cassava, cocoyam, plantain, banana, and maize. Ufuma also boosts major agricultural projects like the World Bank rice project, Anambra fishing project, ADA palm to palm project and Kpokobros rice project. There are several private farms, Garri Processing Plants, Poultry and cattle rearing projects in Ufuma. Cash crops include rice, cocoa, cassava, etc.

Joseph Agro Industries, in partnership with the Anambra State Government, formed a joint venture company, JOSAN, and have resuscitated the former World Bank and Fishery project in Ufuma. It is an integrated agriculture complex, which has the rice farm element, irrigation facilities for all year round farming and processing rice mills. This project is an integrated agriculture project, which includes the farm element, irrigation facilities for all year round farming, and rice processing mills.

Commerce and Industry

The Afo Ufuma market is one of the largest markets in Orumba, and it is famous for its agricultural products. The market now operates as a daily market. However, the highest number of visitors to the market usually come on Afor market day. Afor Ufuma was known as far back as the pre-colonial period as Afor Ufuma. It was initially hosted on Afor, which is one of the days in traditional Igbo week of 4-days. Afor is also considered one of the two significant market days—the other being Eke. Banks and community banks are springing up. One of the key players in the Nigeria banking industry, Mr. Raymond Obieri, is a proud son of Ufuma. Small scale industries abound. These include; bakeries, oil mills, agro-industries, etc. Chief Oliver Okeke, a son of Ufuma, is spearheading the resuscitation of the JOSAN/Joseph Agro rice farm and rice mill in Ufuma, which was the former World Bank rice farm in Ufuma.

One of the significant empowerment program in Ufuma which has touched thousands of locals residing in both Orumba south and Orumba north including Oko town being Lingrand Visionary Global located at the heart of Ufuma Junction.

Justice

Ufuma has a Magistrate court, a High court, and a customary court. It has produced many lawyers who have made their mark in their chosen field as Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SANs) and senior advocates.

Sports

Ufuma has produced various sporting individuals who went on to achieve national and international honors. In boxing, Ngozika Ekwelum became a national heavyweight champion. Enuaguabo Boys Secondary School won the Anambra football cup for secondary schools in the early eighties.

Airports close to Ufuma in Nigeria

In terms of proximity, the closest airport is ENU - Enugu located 60.2 km northeast of Ufuma. Other airports in Nigeria that are not as close as Enugu Airports include Owerri Airport, about 80 km east, PHC - Port Harcourt International 120.9 km south, BNI - Benin 177.2 km west, CQB - Calabar 177.8 km southeast, and MDI - Makurdi 239.0 km northeast.

Closest towns to Ufuma in Nigeria

Within the Orumba North structure, the closest towns bordering Ufuma Akpu Ajalli is a tenant to Akp (see Supreme Court of Nigeria judgment Muo Okafor &ORS V. Sylvanus Ifionu & Anor (1978) LPELR - SC. 307/1975. Which is the closest at 5.2 km from Ufuma. Others are Ndikelionwu 5.5 km, and Ndiokpalaeze which is 5.9 km, Awa about 6 km, Akpukoeze, which 8 km as well as Inyi and Orosiama both in Enugu State and approximately 14 km and 10 km away from the heart of Ufuma.

Financial Institutions

The major financial institution in Ufumaland is Ufuma Microfinance Bank Limited MicroFinance Bank registered since 1/2/2008. It was formerly known as Ufuma Community Bank Limited. Its ownership is a community -based (domestic).

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References


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