Arondizuogu - History

History

Arondizuogu was founded by the use of force by Mazi Izuogu Mgbokpo and Chief Iheme in the mid-18th century. Izuogu Mgbokpo was a charismatic slave merchant who came from Arochukwu and used to pass through Umualaoma(Isokpu) on his way to Awka in search of slaves. He was usually haboured by a friend from Umualaoma where he slept, and later with his soldiers when going in search of slaves and with his goods (slaves) when coming back en route Calabar. Iheme, himself, was his Chief Servant and he came from Isi-Akpu Nise, in Awka. Both the master and the chief servant decided to kill their host and his relations, take and settle in the land when they noticed that the British colonial masters had settled at Okigwe to block their route to make the abolition of slave trade in the hintherland more effective.Iheme and his master Izuogu used all the arsenals at their disposal including the slaves, juju, guns and the equipments for securing slaves which they got from the European slave marchants to kill, main, massacre, deciminate and exterminate en masse their unsuspecting host communities at night or markets and occupy their land. So many villages in Arondizuaogu are bearing the original name of the Umualaoma (formerly called Isuokpu) village and other villages from other towns that they exterminated to occupy the land. Most of the people of the present day Arondizuogu are descendants of people who faced different types of challenges and persecution that they ran from towns and villages in the present day Anambara, Abia, Imo and Enugu States. With time, Izuogu and his people (Ndizuogu) united with Iheme and his people (Ndiheme)to form the Aro kingdom of Arondizuogu which eventually became one of the largest states in the Aro Confederacy. Commonly, Arondizuogu people refer to themselves as "Izuogu na Iheme".

Early in the 19th century, Mazi Okoli Idozuka was an immigrant from Isi-Akpu Nise to Arondizuogu. As a great slave warrior, he expanded Arondizuogu's boundaries by recklessly killing women and children and other people at night and market days and was known as the chief of staff. He later changed his name to Okoro Idozuka, an Aro equivalent of his former name. He was a wealthy ruthless and almost conscienceless slave trader like Izuogu Mgbokpo but was also a great leader. Nwankwo Okoro was the first son of Okoro Idozuka. At the age of 21 he joined his father in the slave trade. He killed anybody who dared to challenge him or who he wanted his wealth or he simply wanted to humiliate. He once said "I must visit any town that crosses my way and nothing will prevent me from attacking them with my great troops".* By collecting slaves and war-captives he was able to build a very large family. When the British came, they made him a Warrant Chief because they believed he could subdue any body and collect the tax they desperately needed for they them. Until this day, Arondizuogu is the biggest former Aro colony and a land of immigrants settling mainly on the rich land owned by Umualaoma, Uzii, Akokwa, Ibura, Umunze, Umuduru Egbeaguru, Umueshi, Agbobu, Umuobom, Okigwe and a host of other towns.This expansionist warriors were stopped and allowed the land already obtained by Ezerioha Udensi, the father of Ezeagwula Ezerioha of Obiokwara Umualaoma (Isuokpu). Ezerioha Udensi later donated some well defined portion of land to the late Chief Obioha Okereke Etobi under a frienship agreement of perpetual peaceful coexistence devoid of war and rancour. The different villages of the people of Arondizuogu used to pay homage to Umualaoma people at Obi Ezerioha, Obiokwara in Obinihu village (Agbualla) for the good gesture of peaceful allocation of some peace of land by late Chief Ezerioha Udensi and his brothers. In every Ikeji festival, late Chief Ezerioha Udensi, his people and later Ezeagwula Ezerioha and their descendants were and are specially honoured by Ndi Arondizuogu, sigifying that the land where Ikeji festival is held belongs to Isuokpu (Umualaoma) and also that acquisition of land from the host communities were not always by force and cruel brutality as recorded by some earlier historians. Some parts of Arondizuogu still pay homage to Isuokpu (Umualaoma) people at Obi Ezerioha in Obiokwara Obinihu till this day in gratitude to the good and peaceful settlement, human fruitfulness and fertility and abundance of the land and protection by Ezerioha Udensi. Little seems to be known about the role that the women of Arondizuogu played in society.