Omuma Omuma( English Translation Classic Town) |
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Town | |
Location in Nigeria | |
Coordinates: 5°59′N 6°59′E / 5.983°N 6.983°E | |
Country |
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State | Imo State |
LGA | Oru East |
Government | |
• Type | Traditional |
• Traditional Ruler | Eze of Omuma |
Area | |
• Total | 1,000 km2 (400 sq mi) |
Population (2006 census) | |
• Total | 60,000 |
• Ethnicity | Igbo |
• Religion | Christianity, Traditional Beliefs |
Time zone | WAT (UTC+1) |
3-digit postal code prefix | 474 |
ISO 3166 code | NG.IM.OE.OM |
Omuma town is the headquarters of Oru East, a local government area of Imo State in south eastern Nigeria. Is located at latitude 5.5594893° N and longitude 6.9720482° E. Omuma town is one of the oldest towns in Imo State. It's bounded on the north by Mgbidi on the east by Amiri and Otulu, on the west by Nempi Omuma has four communities, Abia-Omuma,Ozuh-Omuma, Umuhu-Omuma and Etiti-Omuma.
Christianity is the dominant religion in Omuma. Catholics and Anglicans have the largest followers, and Pentecostal churches are not left out.
The culture of Omuma is oriented on Omenala and is typical of the Igbo culture, being steeped in Igbo art and Igbo music. While several cultural activities and festivals of old, having been associated with ancient Tribal gods and rites, have ceased to be performed since the spread of Christianity.
The new yam festival starts with the planting season and is a more serious occasion, the planting season starts in March and the chief priest and elders start the planting of the yams. Before the first yam is planted elders pay homage to their traditional ruler or chief the Dede Igbo who is the custodian of the tradition and the ancestral father of the Omuma Igbo people.
Very top members of the Igbo people like high chiefs, title holders, respected elders and important personalities in the community in an entourage make the journey to the Dede. When the elders and top title holders arrive at the Ezeonomobi Igbo they are usually received by the leader as culture demands, by presenting them locally brewed palm wine and kolanut and white clay which is first offered to the gods as supplication before the visitors.
Brief discussions and prayers are done, the usual calendar puts the planting season on January while the Igbo calendar which is agrarian is called the first Eke and starts in the month of February and is known as Onwa Mmiri Nda Afo.
In Igboland yam is an important economic crop which is highly favored and a regular staple in most homes, the crop is very significant and has important status being the chief crop and forerunner of other crops in the region. The planting season flags of on the first week of February and the crop usually takes six months to mature making the festival period between late July and early August when the valuable crop is harvested.