Egbu

Egbu is a village in southeastern Nigeria. Also, it is located near the city of OwerriIand links other towns and villages via the Owerri-Umuahia road. It lies on the Otamiri River.^[1]

It has five villages namely Umuofor, Mpama, Umuayalu, Ofeuzo and Ishiuzo. Egbu is bordered by owerri, awaka, Uratta and naze on four geographical points and is about ten minutes drive from the capital city Owerri. Egbu as a united people has one leader known as EZE who happens to be the only traditional ruler in the community and the EZE comes from a particullar family known as the EGBUKOLE,S. It is a known and accepted fact that the leadership of the EZE is not contestable. It is a cultural heritage of the people of EGBU unlike other igbo towns and communities not to recognise or coronate chieftancies among indigenes and non indigenes.

Egbu is known as an elite town which has produced notable academicians, politicians and professionals in various fields,among whom are Prof. A.G Anwukah, Dr. Mrs Kema Chikwe, Mrs.Chinyere Asika, Prof. Jonathan Mbonu, Prof. Augustine Okwu, Dr. Pascal Dozie among others. The community has primary schools and secondary schools that have also impacted greatly on the people. The popular ones are Community central school Egbu, Community comprehensive secondary school Egbu, Egbu girls secondary school.

The people are dominantly of the Anglican Faith who worship in the popular Cathedral of All Saints and few others of the catholic Christian faith. The popular market day of the Egbu people is Afor market day which usually sold in the central Afor Egbu Market.

Brief History

Historical information accounts that Egbu is the son of Ome. Egbu had 3 sons namely Okweke, Ubaeze and Ishiuzo. Okweke the first son of Egbu had 2 sons Ayalu and Amatu(ofeuzo). Ayalu had 6 sons(that make up the kindred) while Ofeuzo had 4 sons(that make up the kindred). Ubaeze the 2nd son of Egbu gave birth to Mpama and Umuofor which had 3 sons(that make up the kindred) respectively. Ishiuzo also had 4 sons(that make up the kindred). The sons of Egbu gave birth to sons whose successors make up the 20 kindreds that make up the five villages.

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