Definition of Terms
1. Agba – pact or agreement or covenant
2. Naanọ – for or by only four parties or persons
AGBANANỌ AND ITS STATUES
FIRST AGBANANỌ
Ikenga the father of Isu and Nnewi was seized with the fear that his two children and his brothers Ifite (Oraifite) and Ichinwa (i.e Ichi) would not live in peace and could waste themselves in unending wars hence he organized a spiritual covenant called Agbananọ for them. And they all swore to live in peace.
It was like an agbata done by four persons namely Isu, Nnewi, Ifite and Ichinwa.
The provisions of the Agbananọ or Covenant of Four were:
1. No war among the partakers and their descendants.
2. No form of oppression or nmegbu against each of them.
3. None should/would sell anyone of them into slavery or gọọ ya Osu.
4. They would also meet to resolve issues of common interest at Okwu Ọyọ located behind Okwu Ulasi on Igwe Orizu Road in today’s Ọkpụnyo Otolo.
5. Establishment of Agbananọ shrine to commemorate the covenant at Okwu Ọyọ. The monument was called Agbananọ Ikenga only binding the children and grand children of Edo.
SECOND AGBANANỌ
There was a second Agbananọ which is the combined submissions of Ezenwa Onyekaba and Anayo Nwosu (Ikenga Ezenwegbu):
The Obi Isiedo was overwhelmed by the incessant fights, quarrels and conflicts over market spaces at Nkwo Edo between the various traders from diverse areas around the Market. He initiated a meeting of the perceived heads of the four quarters known today as Nnewi.
Various meetings were held the Obis to resolve the crisis.
In one of the meetings, members decided to choose a common name for the proposed new town. The following names were considered:
- Nnewi,
- Ohu Mba nise, and,
- Umu Isu.
Diviners (ndị dibịa afa) invited reported that Nnewi was the chosen name, and it was adopted.
The following were also agreed:
- That the five deities namely Ana, Eze, Edo, Ezemewi and Ele were adopted as Nnewi general Deities.
- All the villages or clans in Nnewi were distributed into four quarters as they are today in line with four market days or 4 spiritual cardinal points.
- The head of Ezeoguighes’ who had established hold on Otolo was recognized as the head of Umu Nnewi
- The head of Eze Em who had established hold on Uruagu was recognized as the head of Uruagu
- The head of Dim Agu clan to be head of Umudim
- The head Eze Obuos’ had established hold on Nnewichi and recognized as the head of Nnewichi.
The Obis were ranked equal as follows:
- Obi Otolo
- Obi Uruagu
- Obi Umudim, and,
- Obi Nnewichi .
But Obi Otolo was made first among equals.
Nkwo Edo market spaces (also known as ọdụ afịa) were shared in the following proportions: 9 for Otolo, 7 for Uruagu, 5 for Umudim and 4 for Nnewichi.
This is the origin of Nnewi’s sharing ratio of 9:7:5:4 to Otolo: Uruagu: Umudim: Nnewichi.
The pact included declaration of ceasefire between families, hamlets, and villages in the respective quarters in Nnewi that were in conflict. They also agreed to generally celebrate certain festivals together.
A monument was erected in remembrance of this agreement at the northeastern side of old Nkwo Nnewi.
Certainly, these meeting couldn’t have taken place inside Okwu Ọyọ due to entrance restrictions imposed on non-descendants of Agbaja.
Without proof, I believe that this meeting gave birth to Agba Alọ Nnewi where the Igwe Nnewi, Obi Uruagu, Obi Umudim, Nnewichi and the chief priests of the adopted 4 deities (Ndị Isi Mmụọ) hold meetings at Obi Isiedo.
Compiled by Anayo Nwosu (Ikenga Ezenwegbu)
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Ezenwa Onyekaba’s submission:
Before the coming of the whiteman, ( Major Moore House) Nnewi was already organized into four communities of Otolo, Uruagu, Umudim and Nnewichi. That time it was the practice to carry the Kings on Akpata which was like a chair firmly tied to a flat wooden construct with which kings were carried whenever they embarked on a long journey.
Usually eight able bodied men (warriors) were assigned for that duty, and they usually alternate in four-man team because only four men would carry the king at a time. So the Obis of Uruagu, Umudim and Nnewichi arrived the Nkwo Edo market arena by the hundred-foot road with their isi Obis and entourage at different times. The Obi Otolo was represented by Eze Odumegwu Nwosu, an influential and successful colonial business merchant.
After the Obis had received Major Moore House and his entourage, the white man addressed the people who sat in four groups.
After passing his messages of peace and cessation of hostilities if any still existed, he recognized the four Obis as “Chiefs” which was the title used for recognised traditional rulers at that time. Chief Orizu of Otolo was represented by Ezeodumegwu Nwosu, Chief Okonkwo of Uruagu, Chief Okafor of Umudim and Chief Onyekaba of Nnewichi.
After the vote of thanks and assurances by the Obis delivered via the Obi of Uruagu, the occasion was about to come to a close when the young Orizu was carried into the arena on “Akpata” and accompanied by a handful of men.
He made his way to the very place where Otolo people were seated , it was then that Ezeodumegwu Nwosu who had already received the Orizu’s warrant of recognition took him to the Interpreter to the white man and explained to him that this the Obi of Otolo that he represented, only the interpreter knew what he told the white man that made him hand over a warrant of recognition to the young Orizu and after that the occasion came to a close and everyone dispersed.
Ewee Ewelukwa
Ewee ewelukwa was a slogan “akuku” by the people of Uruagu, Umudim and Nnewichi against the people of Otolo for insisting on taking two shares in consumption but contribute one share in work/labour.
Unfortunately, nothing was shared during the time of Ezeodumegwu Nwosu except that he took his turn in adjudication of customary cases at the Agbaja court, until his demise.
During and after the civil war, relief materials were distributed with Nnewi agreed sharing ratio of 9:7:5:4. However the Obis observed that their shares especially cow meat , goat meat , money and other things were shared into five portions instead of four portions, they endured it for a while and the Obi of Uruagu Umeozuluigbo objected to it in one of such sharing events and the four Obis ended it .
It is important that it was after stopping it that the ” akuku ” spread, like “ewee ewelukwa Otolo ji eri oke n’abo ” . Otolo wanted to defend it with the warrant given to Nwosu Ezeodumegwu but the other Obis’ of Uruagu, Umudim and Nnewichi insisted that what was handed to Nwosu Ezeodumegwu was the warrant meant for the Orizus’ , that the one later given to Orizu was a mistake and demanded to know the people that Nwosu Ezeodumegwu ruled with his own warrant.
They further reminded Otolo people that Nwosu was not the only Nnewi man given a warrant aside the four ruling houses. The likes of Dim Ohachili (Dim Ohachi ) and others were also given warrants by the white men.
So ewee ewelukwa means “one party taking two shares in whatever guise”. It was a very popular slogan ( akuku ) in the late 60s and 70s . By 1980s it has faded away, but used occasionally.
The argument of the Nwosus’ was that Orizu was given a warrant as the Obi Nnewi while the warrant given to Nwosu Ezeodumegwu was for Obi Otolo. This argument failed flat as ndi Nnewi rejected it and never accorded that understanding to it.
The Issue Of Obi Nnewi
Before the Agbanano pact that created the Nnewi that we have today , Obi Otolo was regarded as Obi Nnewi because Otolo succeeded Digbo who succeeded Nnewi. Only the children of Nnewi recognized that, but the Isus’ , the Uruagus / Ezeafuogu, Dim Agus’ did not recognize that.
Watch also the video:
After the adoption of Nnewi as the general name for all the quarters of Nnewi, the Obi of Otolo continued to use Obi Otolo/Nnewi. I see nothing wrong with it as the other Obis could also use Obi Uruagu/Nnewi, Obi Umudim/Nnewi and Obi Nnewichi/Nnewi.
Some Uruagu people, Umudim people and Nnewichi people do not know that before the Agbanano pact the Obi Otolo was the Obi Nnewi.
Remarkably, the issue of Obi Nnewi was settled in the famous 1956 agreement which recognized the four Obis as Obis of Nnewi 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively.
Finally, ewee ewelukwa was the rejected practice of Otolo taking two shares instead of one share in the affairs of Nnewi. Ever since it was stopped in Nnewi, it has not reared its head again in Nnewi.
Ezenwa Onyekaba
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