Awkuzu

Awkuzu is a town in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra state of Nigeria.

The story of Origin of Awkuzu is not quite clear. A school of thought believes Awkuzu was one of the progenies of the fifth child of Eri his only daughter called Iguedo, who is also said to have borne the founders of Ogbunike, Nteje, Umuleri and Nando. But this assumption have been criticized lately as 'fallacy' on the ground that Eri was also the father of the founder of Umuleri. Those on this side of argument believed that Iguedo is from the lineage of the Ogiso (Bini) and was a famous and most popular wife of Eri. She initially married Nnamenyi to whom she bore Ogbunike and Awkuzu prior to her marriage to Eri whom she begot Umueri. At the death of Eri, She married Iru and bore Nando.

Awkuzu which is the colonial corruption of the name, "OKUZU" is presently located in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State and is bounded by Umunya and Nteje towns also in Oyi LGA, IfiteDunu, Ukpo and Ukwulu in Dunukofia LGA and Nando and Igbariam towns in today's Anambra East LGA, and Abba in Njikoka LGA.

Awkuzu is divided into three main parts: Ezi, Ifite and Ikenga sections according to seniority or birth order. Like most Eri-Awka towns of Igboland, each section is further divided into sub-villages.

As a community, Awkuzu is famed for its large population which gave it the sobriquet as "Ibilibe Ogada" (the locust swarming fame), a title that steamed from 'glorified' local disputes with neighbors but now attached to the traditional stool.

The origin of common leadership in Awkuzu predates the colonialists' entry into the Niger Delta and Igbo heartland in the 1800s. First, the people have had recognized primateship religious priesthood authority which was exercised by the Eze Ana who holds the Ofo-Awkuzu. Until about the 1700, when one of her powerful men, Mgbako was initiated into the Ozo-Atulu-Ukpa-Okala by his Umunya warrior friend, Igboegbunam Odezuluigbo (who himself received the title at Nri Anaocha), the priest of Ana provided political adjudicature as well as religious headship.

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Wikipedia