Umueze Anam
Coordinates: 6°20′0″N 6°50′0″E / 6.33333°N 6.83333°E
Umueze Anam is a community in Anambra West Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria.
It is said that Umueze Anam was founded by one hunter from Amadioba Nteje known as Nwavor in the 17th century. As a hunter, he used to hunt for game around the Omambala River when he found a peaceful peninsula across the river and settled there. Nwavor was accused of having a hand in the death of his archrival a kinsman of his and in other to free himself from the accusation decided to leave Nteje and settle at Odah. He first arrived at a place called Odah Anam where he found a lot of wildlife and fertile land for agricultural purposes. After settling for about a week he went back and brought his wife and brother Udora who was a farmer and fisherman to settle in the area. They were first to settle at Odah before other settlers like Mmiata, Oroma, Umuoba, Umuikwu and Iyiora to make up Anam in order of arrival. These initial settlers make up what is called Anam Nkpu Isaa (Seven nodes of Anam). Anam is a corrupt form of Anagba which means coming together of diverse people who have agreed to be united and leave in peace (Anam means Unity).
The people of Anam being republican in nature do not have monarchical leadership there was no king, they have parliamentary system where the elders in council presides over the affairs of the people with the head of the council being the eldest man in the land (diokpala) determining who the eldest man became difficult until a situation came up when there was no fire to light up the settlement, and since there was no means of knowing who is the oldest person among them, decided that whoever would be brave enough to fetch fire from the slave camp at Odene-Nneyi would be crowned the diokpala. Nobody took that bold step, but the Great Nwavor, who went and brought fire from the camp for his brothers to use, was then crowned Diokpala (Eze-Anam). When Nwavor and his descendants further moved down to Aboh area (Area currently called Aboegbu and Miata Anam)and settled there until the early 19th Century when other Anam community fled Odah as a result of invasion of the area by Abor slave warriors, Umueze Anam took the bold step of returning to Odah to protect other Anam communities from further attacks.
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