




































The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

1 
 

   
 

A History of Amesi People  

from the Earliest Times to the Present 

 
 
 

By 

 
 

INNOCENT-FRANKLYN OKWUDILICHUKWU 
EZEONWUKA B.A. (HONS.)  

UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA 
 

1991 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

2 
 

 
 
Copyright Reserved. 
 
First published 1991 
 
Reprinted 2021 
 

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may 
be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or 
transmitted in any form or by any means 
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or 
otherwise without the prior permission of the 
author. 
 
 
ISBN: 978-978-996-009-5 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Ezeonwuka Franklyn. 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

3 
 

 
DEDICATION 

 
 
This book is dedicated to the following: 
My Family -  Dad, Mum, Chike, Pat, Chinwe (Your 

help and assistance is unquantifiable). 
 
 
All the people of Amesi. (Dead and Alive) 
(May your endeavours bring forth Peace, Love and 
Progress in the town). 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

4 
 

PREFACE 
 

Research and work into the unrecorded 
history of Amaeshi (Amaeri) is never a show peace 
of an hour, but an intertwined and tangled 
undertaking, which calls for hardwork, intelligent 
analysis, objectivity, perseverance, sympathy and 
common sense, especially where information about 

the people’s past life is scanty and patchy. I am 
very much aware of numerous write-ups, all in an 
attempt to decode the Amesi past, acted on a town 
wide almost limitless panorama. 

In the face of extant information, cloudy 
documents and some biased informants and unco-
operative analysts, I faced a dilemma. The slow, 
tedious culling of facts from fables is of course 
essential towards the forming of reliable 
generalisations, otherwise one’s hypotheses will 
forever remain, guesses, Though tagged the 
ultimate account, this work cannot perfectly claim 
to be the exhaustive and final summation of 
Amesi, nevertheless a very deep step has been 
initiated. One cannot divorce easily the use of 
conceptual approach in relation to the emergence 
of the main body of this work. 

The “ultimate account” has been divided 
into two parts: Having applied the tools of oral 
tradition, archival and written facts, towards 

digesting the various materials collected, a 
coherent analysis emerged finally, as part one of 
this piece. Consequently, an opportunity is 
provided f or any keen observer, for a retreat to the 
earliest days of the town. The scenery emerging 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

5 
 

from this cast is so clearly projected that one could 
easily visualise the town’s ancestors, as they 
mutually moved about and organised their lives. 

The town’s unstatic political institution, in 
the precolonial times was explicitly explained as a 
follow up. All in all, it was neither strictly placed in 
a hierarchical base, nor controlled by a 
controversial conservative minority. A long but 

solid immersion into organised and detailed socio-
religious forces, provided for a stable intra 
homogeneity. 

Economically, Amesi was not bankrupt. In 
order to obtain a somewhat concise elaboration in 
this field, the people’s productive and distributive 
approaches, aimed towards economic advanceme-
nt and livelihood, was researched thoroughly.  
What a beautiful revelation that resulted! 

The machineries of inter-group relations, 
tried to unravel the town’s relation and association 
with other peoples far and near. Undoubtedly, this 
write-up tried to reflect the town’s flamboyant 
patriotism in the face of externally - related 
aggression. However, before the light went off, the 
town was forcefully exposed to the violent 
influences of British imperialism. 

In the face of forced re-adjustments, left 
with no alternative, the town’s institutions, 
wobbled drunkenly, under the mercy of 

westernization and its allying socializing 
influences. 

Hardly did the people enjoy their so-much 
demanded independence, before hail was let loose 
for thirty long months. Hunger, malnutrition, ill 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

6 
 

health, fear and death took its toll from the town’s 
populace. Remarkably, in the face of all these, 
undaunted and determined to survive, Amesians 
struggled ahead. 

The town unexpectedly was later exposed to 
the machinations of some hardened relatively alien 
political transformations, after the so-called 
reconciliation, rehabilitation arid reconstructions 

of the 70s. 
Amesi professionally scaled this hundle. 

Lastly, this ‘magnum opus’ tried to weight 
and tabulate the town’s progressive strides; 
Amesians proved that they had no empty testicles. 

All in all, Amesians, it appears, have lived 
up to their expectations, and it is in consideration 
of this that ‘the Ultimate Account becomes an 
exciting amalgam of a peoples’ history. 

I wish to express my sincere gratitude and 
appreciation to my family, the Obi Akalabo I of 
Amesi, Rev, Dr. I. Ozigbo, Mr. J., O. Ahazuem, for 
their immumerable support and guidance 
throughout the duration of this work. 

I wouldn’t of course forget the 
immeasurable, healthy and intellectual brilliance 
with which some of my comrades and colleagues 
spured me. I thank them abundantly. 

However, contrary to a somewhat preface 
fashion, I can never agree that all mistakes and 

short comings are entirely my responsibility. I 
believe that responsibilities in matters of this sort, 
is always collective, especially with regard to 
remedying the short comings. Criticisms are very 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

7 
 

well welcomed, only when they are constructive 
and in good faith. 

My purpose has been to try to reach 
interested researchers who have for long wished to 
explore further, the nature and condiments of 
Amesi past, rather than merely to satisfy the 
standards set by others. In trying to provide this 
‘missing link’, the ultimate Account evolved as a 

vaude-ville of numerous treasured traditions of the 
envious past. 
 
 

Ezeonwuka I. Franklyn 
1991. 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 

 
 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

8 
 

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 
 
B A.  Bachelor of Arts  
Contd. Continued  
C   (Circa) about  
etc.   et cetera  
ed/eds edition/editor, editors 
J.H.S.N Journal of Historical Society of  

  Nigeria 
I.U.P.  Ibadan University Press 
L.G.A.  Local Government Area 
N.A.E.  National Archives, Enugu 
OP. Cit. (Opus citoto) work already cited 
P., pp.  page, pages 
On proof  Onitsha province 
Reg No. Registration Number 
Spp.  Species 
unpub. Unpublished 
Ltd.  Limited 
pubs,  Publishers 
A.I.U   Amesi Improvement Union 
CARITAS Catholic Relief Agencies in Europe/ 

America. 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

9 
 

MY MODUS OPERANDI 

 

The stone will bow in shame when an egg cracks 
palm kernel. 
 

History is best remembered by the scare it leaves 
in its trail, secrets are good, but often hard to 
keep; Mortals should remember that information 
and knowledge are not static and can never be; we 
can only and ought to pass onto another that 
which we know, lest transition overtake us; 
Yes, it is realistic that the rose bud opens at the 
cost of its life; if not so, how can humanity 
progress? 
 

Damn the fear, for transition is for all destined. 
I have to forget injuries; to store them up would be 
hard to bear; 
I never encourage hate; it is consuming and 
weakening; 
Hateful thinking breeds negativism and retards all 
positivism in me. 
 

In trying to hate back all those who plot against 
me, I would have little time for good constructive 
thoughts and actions. 
 

One can never know the importance of an old 
basket, until the day of sacrifice. 
 
 
 
 
 
 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

10 
 

FOREWORD 

When Alex Haley, the celebrated author of 
‘ROOTS’ went out in search of his roots he not only 
succeeded in bringing to light a past that was almost 
eclipsed but also he gave a leaning pad to a future 
that would be brighter and better to all those whose 
roots he dug. As no tree can live and stand without 
roots, so no people can exist and uniquely so without 
a past. 

Thus, the need for the emergence of a truly 
progressive, peaceful and united Amesi is realised 
most assuredly by an objective recourse to the roots. 
For when we do not know what we are and how we 
came to be what we are, we cannot make any 
meaningful forge ahead. 

Ezeonwuka in this book challenges us to look 
well before we take a necessary leap to the future. 
He very carefully goes through the rigorous and 
winding road of reaching a people’s beginning right 
from the possible imaginable past to the present. 

A necessary and compelling result from this 
journey into the roots is a clarion call to the faculties 
and sensibilities to grapple with the realities of this 
necessary move to the future. 

When Christopher Columbus set on his 
expedition of discovering the new world, he was not 
sure what he was going to see but he nonetheless, 
had a vision of a future very promising. If he came 
back after few miles, the new world could have 
remained an illusion, atleast not as early as it was 
founded. 

Some people who are at lethargic and so have 
refused to work for a better tomorrow based on the 
past, have blamed the present state of things on 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

11 
 

Western and Christian influences. They either say 
that the imperialist West came and destroyed all we 
valued at the flimsiest reason of not understanding 
them, or they point blunt accusing finger to the 
Christian heralds for abolishing their had to live on. 
The result is a situation where neither the western 
views Christian teaching nor authentic African 
cultures thrives but a confusion of all with nothing 
positive. They may be correct in their arguments. But 
suffice it to say that such blames make no 
impressions. The present and past big world powers 
had pasts that devasted them. The great Babylonian 
power was once under Assyria, so was Rome by the 
Greeks and the Greeks in turn under Roman powers. 
Nothing of the conquered was left. Everything 
peculiar to them was destroyed. 

But today, they all have cultures, civilisations, 
educations and technologies uniquely theirs - a 
smilarge of what was, what remain, and what was 
gained. 

Ours have been tampered with, no doubt, but 
it is ours also to build from our “ruins”. A fierce bull, 
when wounded retreats and charges back on its 
object of attack with ever greater ferocity. 
Okwudili Ezeonwuka has said it all.We must begin 
where he stopped. 
 
 
 

Nikolas O Abazie (Fr.) 
Asst. Secretary 

Bishop’s House, Awka 
1991 

 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

12 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS                PAGE 
Title page                        i 
Dedication              iii 
Preface              iv 
List of Abbreviations            viii 
My Modus Operandi           ix 
Foreword              x 
 

PART ONE 
PRE-COLONIAL‘AMAESHI’– UP TO 1900 
CHAPTER ONE 
INTRODUCTION  
1.1 The land and it people             2 

Geographical Location     2 
1.2  Origin, Migration, settlement   7 
 
CHAPTER TWO 
INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS 

2.1 Political Institutions    14 
2.2 Social/Cultural Institutions   29 
2.3 Religious Institutions    36 
 
CHAPTER THREE 
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES      
3.1  Agricultural/Labour Organisation  47 
3.2  Crafts/Industry     49 
3.3 Trade       50 
3.4 Traditional Medicine             53

  
CHAPTER FOUR 
TRANSFORMATION 
4.1  Inter-Group Relations    61 
4.2  Eclipse of the Old order    



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

13 
 

PART TWO 
EMERGENCE OF THE NEW ‘AMESI’ – 1900. TO 
PRESENT 
CHAPTER FIVE 
THE COLONIAL EXPERIENCE      
5.1 The Colonial Government     80 
5.2 The Growth of Christianity/ 

Consequences                         86 

5.3 The Growth of Western Education/ 
          patterns of social and Economic change 111 
 

CHAPTER SIX 
THE NIGERIA/BIAFRA WAR YEARS  
6.1 The Game of Death/Survival           121 
6.2 The Aftermath    129 
 

CHAPTER SEVEN 
CENTRALISED POLITICAL INSTITUTION  
7.1 Emergence of the ‘Igwe’/the ‘Ichie’  133 
7.2 Traditional Egalitarianism/Western 

Constitutionalism, A Reconsideration  145 
 

CHAPTER EIGHT 
THE RACE FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 
8.1 Amesi Improvement Union   151 
8.2 The Age-Grade: A New dimension           155 
8.3 Amesi Co-operative Union                      158 
 

CHAPTER NINE 
PLANNED INSTITUTIONALISED UNION  
9.1 Intra-Social- Cultural Evolutions            161 
9.2 General Summary and Conclusion       164
  

LIST OF INFORMANTS    167 
REFERENCE NOTES    169 
INDEX               177 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

14 
 

 

 

PROLOGUE 
According to Professor J.C. Anene; “there is no 
doubt that the history of an area is written clearly 
in its geographical features”. One of these papers 
geographically is a comparatively small town 

South of Aguata Local Government Area, South-
West of Igboland. Today, Amesi is grouped into 
what Professor A. E. Afigbo termed “Awka-Orlu 
upland area and Nsukka-Okigwe cuesta”,2 “the 
supposed epicenter from which Igbo migrants 
settled the rest of Igboland. Amasi, one of towns 
that comprised the Mbalaolie group of towns”3, 
“lies on latitude 50.06. East of the Greenwich 
Meridian”.4 of special importance, is the 
undulating road that stretches to about 27 
kilometers from Awka to the town. “The town is 
bounded on the East by Akpo and Achina towns, 
on the West by Uga, on the North by Nkpologwu, 
on the South by Umuchu and Uga towns 
respectively”.5 the relief is relatively low, being 750 
feet above sea level. Amasi covers an area of about 
11.2 kilometers and has an average population 
density of between 700 and 800 people per square 
kilometer. Being situated in the rain forest zone, it 
has nevertheless lost much of its primordial dense 

forest vegetation to derived savanna and palm 
bush, resulting from prolonged human activities. 
 
 
 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

15 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

C H A P T E R  

One 
Introduction 

THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE 
 

Geographical Location  

ccording to Professor J.C. Anene; “there is 
no doubt that the history of an area is 
written clearly in its geographical features”.1 

Amesi, the subject of this paper, geographically is 
a comparatively small town South of Aguata Local 
Government Area, South-West of Igboland. Today, 
Amesi is grouped into what Professor A. E. Afigbo 
termed “Awka-Orlu upland area and Nsukka-
Okigwe cuesta”,2 “the supposed epicenter from 
which Igbo migrants settled the rest of Igboland. 
Amesi, one of towns that comprised the Mbalaolie 
group of towns”3, “lies on latitude 50.06. East of 
the Greenwich Meridian”.4 Of special importance, 
is the undulating road that stretches to about 27 
kilometers from Awka to the town.  

“The town is bounded on the East by Akpo 
and Achina towns, on the West by Uga, on the 
North by Nkpologwu, on the South by Umuchu 
and Uga towns respectively”.5 The relief is 

A 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

16 
 

relatively low, being 750 feet above sea level. Amesi 
covers an area of about 11.2 kilometers and has 
an average population density of between 700 and 
800 people per square kilometer. Situated in the 
rain forest zone, it has nevertheless lost much of 
its primordial dense forest vegetation to derived 
savanna and palm bush, resulting from prolonged 
and extensive human activity. One can still see 

scattered here and there, palm groves, orchards, 
and clusters of economic trees. There are no 
streams, rivers or natural water-supply depot in 
the town and this has for long led the inhabitants 
to depend largely on either sinking individually, 
deep wells or on the streams located in 
neighboring towns. The towns soil contains a very 
small degree of acid, more of humus content than 
clay, leading to both high decomposition rate, and 
average loss of water to the atmosphere, auguring 
well “for the provision of soil nutrients for plants 
which very much need nonorganic matter”.6 In her 
experience of annual high temperation (Above 85 
F)”, generally mornings, evenings and nights are 
cooler than noon periods.  

Amesi like other towns in the tropical 
rainforest zone, has two seasons:- the rainy and 
dry. The rainy season is brought about by the 
south west trade winds between the months of 
April and October, but this is normally interrupted 

by a short dry spell, known as the “August’ 
break’.7 By the same token, the dry season is 
caused by the North-East trade winds, and lasts 
from November till March, and this is known 
locally by the people as Uguru (Harmattan).  



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

17 
 

Amesi has a mean annual rainfall of 
between “60 to 80 inches”.8 

Patches of forest could still be found in 
Amesi, in such places as sacred groves or around 
the home steads. Some of the economic trees 
found within peoples’ habitational zones include; 
‘Ukwa (Bread fruit), Ube (African pear), Udara 
(African star-apple), Ogbu (ficas spp.), Nkwu (palm 

tree), Uhie (Camwood), Oji (Kolanut), oji 
(Chlorophra escadesa) ‘’’.9 etc. 
 

THE PEOPLE 
 

Amesi lies within the Igbo Core area’, and 
the people speak mainly Igbo, with no disparity in 
dialect. Agriculture has for long been the main 
occupation of the people. Supporting the view, 
Grey in his intelligence report on Mbalaolie, to 
which Amesi belonged, stated that, “The natives of 
the group earn their living chiefly by farming and 
trading in farm produces and to a minor extent by 
the rearing of livestock”.10 Principal crops grown 
were and still are yams, Cocoyam’s, Cassava, 
maize, palm produce, vegetables and fruits. The 
precolonial house – type of Amesi was generally 
rounded in shape and provided with only one door 
and no windows. 

Their door types metamorphosed through 
the ages from log of wood to artistically made 

wooden doors that bear ichi (Carved lines). The 
walls of houses were made of mud, and this was 
normally well scrubbed. The floor was also 
scrubbed with a special stone that resembles 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

18 
 

‘quartz and quarzites’ called Okwute Mmiri (water 
stone), which was usually obtained or picked from 
water courses. The people roofed their houses with 
Atari and Ayo respectively. The former was got 
from raffia palm, while the latter was obtained as 
hay, from overgrown grassland areas. 

Wealth was measured in pre-colonial Amesi 
by the number of titles an individual has taken, 

the extent of his farmland, the size of his yam 
barns and the number of livestock kept. Such 
individuals were known, and honoured as 
Ogaranya (wealthymen). However, the disabled 
and poor were not left to wallow in misery as they 
were given succor by their relatives. In as much as 
many people engaged in trading, others kept the 
different parlances of the traditional industry 
throbbing and thriving progressively.  

Justice in-pre-colonial Amesi was 
inextricably bound up with politics, religion and 
law. This assertion was re-enforced by J.C. 
Anene’s observation that; “no study of the Igbo is 
intelligible without a close appreciation of the 
pervasive reality of the supernatural world, and no 
community is complete without a shrine for the 
gods of the land”11. Social organizations like the 
masquerade, secret societies and age grades, 
helped in the maintenance of order, form and 
recreational activities in the town. The basic socio-

political unit, headed by the father (dinweulo), is 
the nuclear family. 

This included the wife/wives, children and 
the slaves, if he had any. The father, in as much 
as he holds the Ofo (symbol of power and 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

19 
 

authority), is also regarded as the representative of 
the dead ancestors, controlled religious, judicial 
and political activities of the family. The extended 
family followed suit, comprising man, wife/wives, 
brothers, children, unmarried sisters and other 
very close relatives. The Umunna (Lineage) in its 
structural make-up, settled disputes within its 
jurisdiction, such as that between couples or even 

the one based on land. Matters beyond its 
arbitration were sent to the village assembly; made 
up of all adult males, linage heads, elders, 
titledmen and men of extraordinary capabilities. 
As “Subtlety, complexity and stability 
characterized the manner in which all Igbo 
communities organized their political life”,12 
decisions arrived at in the various assemblies, 
towards the smooth running of the town’s affairs, 
based wholly on concensus, consultation and 
compromise.  

Land which is believed to be the abode of 
ancestors and earth goddess (ani), was highly 
revered, propitiated and appeased when 
desecrated. Seen as a common instrument and 
property of the living, the dead and generations 
unborn; it was then regarded as a moralistic 
symbol. For the pre-colonial Amesi people, the 
principal object of belief is the ultimate reality, 
which is referred to as Chi-ukwu (great spirit). The 

large number of ancilliary gods which lead up to 
this supreme being, suggests the people’s belief in 
the unfathomable nature of the high and lofty one 
who inhabits eternity.  



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

20 
 

‘Amesi, just like other Igbo towns, as 
against the previous allegation, did not at anytime 
spend the past centuries in ‘great isolation’, 
neither were they ‘cut off’ by their allegedly 
impenetrable environment’. 
Just as the forest zone did not initially hinder 
settlement, it clearly did not prevent Amesi from 
wallowing and perfecting in various instruments of 

inter-group relations: wrestling, warfare, 
marriages, festivities etc. in the light of this, Green 
observed that; ‘inter-marriage Creates a network of 
ties by which the cells of Ibo Society though not 
unified by any central authority, nor arranged in 
any political hierarchy are nonetheless interlinked 
horizontally each with its neighbours”. 

Amesi possesed no organized army, and its 
weapons of war included bows, arrows,  sheated 
swords, spears, matchets, clubs, stones, guns etc. 
These weapons when in the hands of  brave 
warriors, could be very effective at close range.  
 
1.2   Origin, Migration, Settlement. 

The history of Amesi is largely un-written, 
and as a result much of the reconstruction would 
depend on oral tradition, however mindful of the 
fact that existing ones are both extant and patchy, 
and so capable of leading to a … steep and 
slippery road whose end would appear invisible”.14  

The origin of the name ‘Amesi’, and the 
people who bear it are both wrapped in myths and 
legends. A popular account traces Amesi’s 
migration from Oraeri. Despite the popularity of 
the assertion, some caution has to be applied as 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

21 
 

J.C. Anene pointed out that among the Igbo; 
‘nothing very definite is known about their earlier 
migration”.15 

To suggest a date when man started living 
in Amesi is a difficult task, but using indirect 
archaeological evidence, it would appear that, 
“between the period 1000-500 B.C., man had 
already settled on the land”.16 
 

The story of Amesi’s foundation revolves 
around a putative father called Eshi or Ozo-
Akalabo. Oraeri and Eshi were two children of the 
same father, but not of the same mother, with 
Oraeri being the elder son”17. Oraeri later married 
many wives and was blessed with many children, 
while Eshi, who was famed as not only a brave 
hunter, but a powerful herbalist, spent most of his 
time in adventurous pursuits as both a hunter 
and herbalist. Legend has it that Eshi, during one 
of his expeditions, discovered an area with large 
expanse of palm trees, monkeys and medicinal 
herbs. Having stayed few days mentally absorbing 
what the area had in stock, he killed some 
monkeys, collected enough wild fruits and herbs, 
and then journeyed home with the ultimate aim of 
getting married and migrating with his family to 
the new site. 

 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

22 
 

 
 
He later not only married, but also took the 

Ozo title, and consequently was named Akalabo. 
“Eshi was reputed to have married “Nwamgbafo’ 
the daughter of ‘Nwaugwu’ from Nri”,18 who got 
only an issue for him before her death. This first 
son allegedly was ‘Amaeshi’. With his marriage to 
another woman later, Eshi got two more sons – 
‘Akpo’ and ‘Achina’. He then decided to embark 
upon his proposed migration, accompanied by 
Oraeri and his family, although the latter dropped 
and settled on the way. Consequently, this early 
migration must have got a lot to do with the 
present Nri spot and environment. 

However, it is the view of Anadi that ‘Evo’, - 
the putative father of Oraeri people migrated from 

Nri to the present Oraeri environment with many 
of his relatives and aides as a result of an 
injunction (reference to the sacred Exodus) from 
his father –Ezenri Nnamoko, who according to 
tradition, was the last major king that rulled Nri 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

23 
 

and all the towns under her hegemony. The 
probable date of this migration has been put at 
about 279 AD19.  
 

As Amesi tradition claims that ‘Oraeri’ and 
‘Eshi’ (Eri) are brothers, it would then appear that 
‘Evo (Father of Oraeri) and Eshi were sons of 
Ezenri Namoko, and that both probably left Nri at 
the same time. After Evo had settled at Oraeri 

present environment, Eshi (ri) later moved due to 
circumstances, in search of a more suitable place 
to settle, which happened to be the present 
location of Amesi. 
 

On the ‘Nri’ genealogical validity of Amesi, 
Boston had this to say: 

“….. referred to as the Anambra group of 
towns. These towns are Aguleri, Nteje, 
Amanuke Igbariam, Nri, Oraeri, Amaesi and 
Nnokwa”. 

 

These towns have identical culture and 
traditional pattern coming from one ancestor. 
They are all Nri towns and each like Oraeri 
can lay claims to the Bronzes of 
Igbo_Ukwu…”20 

 

Migration however, could be caused by a 
number of factors including war, over population, 
drought, fire, flood and other elemental 
catastrophes. According to Isichei, “when 
population pressure becomes too great, or when 

towns were divided by serious disputes, a section 
would migrate and established a new house 
preserving the memory of its origin”. 21 

 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

24 
 

 
 
Before “Eshi” died, he divided his estate 

amongst his sons. Amesi being the eldest, as a 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

25 
 

matter of tradition had to retain OBU-ESHI (their 
father’s compound), with the large expanse of palm 
trees, hence the appellation Umuakalabonkwu 
usually added to his name. 

Inclusive in Amesi’s share was a wealth of 
medicinal herbs, which helped him to perfect his 
progress in traditional medicine.  
Because of Achina’s likeness for water and fishing, 

he was given the strip of land that haboured many 
streams, while Akpo was given a very fertile land 
due to his farming ability. Akpo and Achina then 
broke away from Obu-Eshi and settled with their 
families in their respective lands.  

The name ‘Amesi’, is a corruption of the 
original name ‘Amaeshi, or ‘Amaeri’ (the gate-way 
to the domain of Eshi). With the migration over, 
Amaeshi later got four sons – Umunlobedike, 
Amuwo, Umuocha and Ubaha, in order of seniority. 

It is significant to note that these four sons 
later produced issues which made up the four 
villages of Amesi. Umuocha however decided to 
adopt his mother’s name rather than his father’s. 
Obinato and Umuocha are so interwoven 
geographically, that there is no clear-cut 
demarcation between them. Both are referred to as 
Isioye. 

Atonement for any defilement (Ikwuala), 
belongs to Oraeri people as of right, but in the 
absence of Oraeri, Amesi could preside.   



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

26 
 

  

 

 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

27 
 

C H A P T E R  

Two 
INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS 

 
2.1     Political Institutions:  

he struggle for power and influence in any 

society or community takes place within the 
context of social and political structures, 

which involved the arrangement of persons in 
institutionally controlled or defined relationships.  

The basic political unit in precolonial Amesi 
is the Ezi’nuno (nuclear family). This normally 
comprised a father, his wife/wives, children, his 
servants and in some cases slaves. The father was 
and is still regarded and acknowledged with great 
honour as the head of the family. On his death, 
the first son replaced him automatically. The 
father of the family was an embodiment of 
authority and his words were respected without 
question. 

The submission of other family members to 
his authority with powerless resignation, 
conditions their future relations with those in 
various authority base of the town. Moreover, with 
a spectrum of family socialization, there are other 
ranges of orientation which the nuclear family 

takes charge of. The indoctrination and moulding 
of the child’s character here, follows strict and 
programmed path, all aimed towards positively 

T 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

28 
 

directing his actions to fall in line with what 
obtained in the community. 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

29 
 

 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

30 
 

After the nuclear family, the next social unit 
is the extended family. This usually comprised 
upwards of about four to eight families. A typical 
example in Amesi is the Egbuacho families. 
According to Horton’s analysis, “this is founded 
not upon the conjugal relationship of husband and 
wife, but upon blood relationship of a large 
number of kin persons”.22 This extended family 

comprises wife/wives, brothers, children, 
unmarried sisters etc. In pre-colonial Amesi, 
members of nuclear families were found with their 
families inhabiting often a relatively large 
compound, called (Obu). However, nowadays, the 
eldest member occupies the Obu, in the event of 
others stepping out far off or closeby to erect their 
houses, and his duty it was to show leadership 
before the other members, which undoubtedly 
goes along way towards promoting group 
solidarity. Moreover, there is tendency towards 
communalism, especially if they live either in one 
large compound or very close to one another, 
although this is strongly being threatened 
presently both by the rising cost of living and 
western capitalism, with its emphasis on 
individualism. 

In Amesi traditional society, political power 
and authority were exercised at various levels. The 
extended family in Gailey’s view, is the “first formal 

division in village politics”,23 in that here the 
authority of the eldest male was absolute though 
he was by no means a dictator. 

Expantiating further on this, Olisa opined 
that; “The Okpara’s leadership is essentially a 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

31 
 

moral one, for he cannot take any decision alone, 
and cannot enforce the decision taken by his 
people with any form of coercion. Government in 
all levels of social structure is thus based on 
concensus of the members of the group 
concerned”.24   

 

 
 

Decision-making at all levels of the social 
structure followed a democratic pattern. Members 
were permitted dissenting opinions during 
deliberations, but once a decision was arrived at, it 

becomes binding on the whole community. The 
diokpara was responsible for offering sacrifice to 
the ancestors, and it was from this that he derived 
his legitimacy. “At his death, succession to the 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

32 
 

office follows the adelphic principle, passing from 
the incumbent to his next brother in line, rather 
than from father to son”.25  

The next politico-social level in Amesi is the 
Umunna (minimal lineage). This consists of a 
single and extended families, claiming descent 
from a patrilineal ancestor. This unit was and is 
still strictly exogamous, and members usually 

lived together within a chosen area. Amesi today 
consists of seventeen minimal lineages (Quarters), 
namely: Umunlodike village (Umu-umeoha, Umu-
Umebigholo, Umu-ofeke and Umu-Ibelaka), 
Amuwo village (Umudibie, Umu-aro, Onunaku, 
Umu-Umeanosike and Anyaji), Umuocha village 
(Umu-Okpalaibekwe, Umu-ojihie, Umu-ogbaighe 
and Umu-Umeonaku), Ubaha village (Umu-
Ezemeny, Umuduru, Umumeoka and Umugologo).  

Sexual relationship between members was 
regarded with horror. The eldest son was the head 
of the unit, and so had charge of the unit’s sacred 
symbol of Ofo. His custody of Ofo made him the 
go-between of the living and the dead. It became 
his duty to sacrifice periodically to the ancestors of 
the lineage during festivals. 

He also represented the lineage in any 
meeting of the maximal lineage (village council).  
Through the exertion of moral pressure, he 
maintained peace, justice and concord among 

members of his unit. He also listened to 
complaints and arbitrated in disputes between 
members. 

In complaints of a serious nature, the 
Diokpora summoned the lineage because while 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

33 
 

imbued with authority as the eldest male, he was 
conscious of the fact that his authority derived 
from the Umunna, hence the saying Umunna buike  
(strength derives from the lineage group). Just like 
the Nzuko ime bara (council of the extended 
family), the lineage possess the Nzuko Umunna 
(Council of the minimal lineage), which comprised 
all heads of the house holds of the unit, men of 

ripe age, members with considerable wealth and 
influence, titled and of course intelligent 
individuals.  

It was sacrilegious for the Council to 
converge for meeting in another place other than 
at the house of the Diokpara. In the event of any 
case or misunderstanding between members, 
settlement was obtained after all sides had been 
heard, questions asked, and decisions finally 
reached through concensus. 
 

This was shown either by general 
acclamation or rejected by shouts of derision. 
Blame was apportioned, while punishment 
followed. The Umunna appears to be an 
intermediary between the extended family and the 
village. It is infact a structure of coordination and 
form, for maintaining the link between official 
decision-making (output) and public feedback 
(input). 

However, when all the powers of a specific 

level of government have been applied in trying to 
solve a particular problem, and no success was 
recorded the case was transferred to the next 
higher level which was usually more powerful and 
had more influence and authority to ensure peace. 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

34 
 

The village level (miximal lineage) is the 
zenith of political organization in traditional Amesi 
society. The existing component maximal lineages 
were complementary to one another. The unit 
comprised all heads of the different minimal 
lineages, elders, titled men, men of opulence, 
wisdom and wealth, including chief Priests of 
important deities in the village. The village square 

(Ama), was taken as the rendezvous of the village 
assembly. Cases that appeared before the village 
council included that of incest, murder, stealing 
(goat and yam), arson, poisoning, disputes 
between one Umunna and another or cases that 
cannot be handled by the lineage (minimal) 
government. The village is made up of related 
kindred, and it varied is sizes, depending on the 
compound units that made it up. Each individual 
village is autonomous in its affairs. This agrees 
with Uchendu’s view that; “Each village is 
autonomous and sovereign in most matters 
affecting it. What modifies this sovereignty is the 
‘charter’, the myth from which the village group 
derives its solidarity”.26  

A maximal lineage possesses Ofo according 
to the number of minimal lineages it harbours and 
each holder of this insignia was the representative 
of his minimal lineage (Umunna), in all outside 
relations. It does appear that Amesi practiced 

much the same direct and representative 
democracy for which the western writers them-
selves often look back with appreciation and 
gratitude to the city-states of ancient Greece as the 
focus et origo of their civilization. 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

35 
 

But it must be noted that the practice of 
Amesi, in representatives of the people, did not 
however isolate other citizens, from contributing to 
debates during village meetings. Despite its short-
comings, the political system of Amesi at least 
ensured for her people, justice, peace and security 
from fear.  

However, any case that defied adjudication 

and settlement at the village level, instantly proved 
its seriousness, and so no time was wasted in 
drawing the attention of the supreme and final 
system to it. This based on much weird and 
supernatural parlance. “The services of a great 
herbalist accompanied with those of the chief 
priest of Orie and Ani deities, were arranged for in 
a sacred grove referred to as ala di uji´27 (land, 
bottomlessly deep). After the alleged invocation of 
the superhuman forces, any accused who didn’t 
disappear, after having trespassed through that 
ground, automatically proved his innocency. 

However in the light of present historical 
research, the ‘disappearance’ of some of the 
accused may have something to do with the 
Atlantic slave trading connections. 

Above the village council, stood the town 
council (Oha na Eze) This was an assembly of all 
males in Amesi, although women were also invited 
depending on the subject matter under discussion. 

The council met sparingly, and only when 
important matters concerning the entire people 
were to be discussed, such as issues of war, peace 
settlement etc. Usually, such an assembly is 
purposive, and as membership was based on 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

36 
 

representation, the views of every one present was 
needed. One could then see the assembly breaking 
up into different caucusing groups, with each 
caucus having a leader who would give the entire 
assembly; the views of his members on the issue. 
Under this platform, decision-making becomes a 
mass affair, as much as that of the individual also. 

In pre-colonial Amesi, there existed a 

hierarchy of titles which successful individuals 
were expected to pay for and be initiated into. 

A rich and prosperous man who had a large 
family would normally be required to take a 
traditional title. The higher the title, the more 
money the recipient spent. On titles, Meek has this 
to say; “The system of title-taking is one of the 
most characteristics features of Ibo society … there 
are those who confer a political as well as social 
status … the taking of title  was a costly and 
elaborate affair …”28 There were three important 
titles in pre-colonial Amesi – the heroic, ozo and 
yam titles. 

An individual was given a heroic title when 
he had exhibited several acts of bravery. 

People famed in, and others who were able 
to come back with at least a human head during 
an external war, usually received such title like 
Dike, Ikuku ama na onya  etc., hence individuals 
with this type of title, were respected in Amesi, as 

their usefulness was not challenged during 
emergency and dangerous situations.  

There were also several titles reserved for 
successful yam farmers, as a token for their 
farming prowess. Intending di ji were rated by 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

37 
 

individuals who already posses such title. The yam 
barn of the prospective title-taker was examined to 
ensure he had enough standard yams. In the event 
of satisfying the conditions, he was then directed 
to perform the ceremony associated with this title. 
After this, the successful farmer received the title 
of either of the following- Ezeudu ji (Yam 
professional), Ezeji (reputed yam farmer).   

The institution of ozo title in Amesi, 
introduced a new and important basis of social 
and political relationship. The ozo institution was 
and is still characterized by the rule of the wealthy 
(ogaranya), and this has gradually undermined the 
rule by the elders. The status of an elder 
consequently became enhanced by the taking of 
ozo title. In pre-colonial Amesi, ozo titles were 
exceptionally conferred on men of good reputation 
and integrity. The holder of that title was normally 
known as Nze, while the most senior ozo holder 
was called – Isi nze na ozo.  This conferred on the 
holder, a measure of esteem and respect. As a 
unit, ozo title holders played important roles in the 
government of pre-colonial Amesi. Towards 
expantiating further, Isichei asserted that:   

“A title was a gurantee of character and 
success. The entrant went through protracted and 
arduous rituals, and his later life was surrounded 
by religious restrictions, which became more 
onerous, as he rose in the title structure”.29 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

38 
 

 
 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

39 
 

 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

40 
 

 
However, many priviledges and obligations, 

made titles worth taking. It was a visible way of 
displaying one’s wealth, and a calculated challenge 
to the lazy and prodigal youths.  

To the title taker, it acted as a saving and a 
pension against old age. Although the ozo title 
holders played very important roles in the 

government of precolonial Amesi, they did not use 
their influence and wealth to the detriment of the 
community. Their presence did not in any way 
militate against the running of the village councils, 
hence C.K. Meek noted that; “An Igbo village was 
governed by the whole body of people, the head of 
the families and the rich or titled or noble men, 
‘forming a kind senate in the miniature republic’.30 
An ozo aspirant, was required to go through many 
clearly-ritualistic stages, before finally being 
conferred with the status. Available information 
point to a difference in stages with regards to the 
four different villages of the town. Umulodike 
village, as the eldest recipient of this social 
institution in the town, operated such stages like-
odoro mmuo, ozo – tiwaragaa, ozo-trokpu, and isa –
ire, while Amuwo village had – ichi, ozo-oziza, igba 
mmanya, odorommuo or isupu okwu and otoonu.  
 

However, if an aspirant died under the 
okpuruozo (ozo incubation period), his death was 

simply taken as an abomination, hence his funeral 
was done only by whistling.  

Sequel to the many stages which an 
aspirant must go through before fully becoming an 
ozo-titled person, on the whole, it was not often 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

41 
 

rare to find the overall estimated expenses totaling 
upwards of six hundred naira worth of yams, meat 
etc.  

Apart from the titled societies, another 
group that wielded influence and power, though a 
latent force in Amesi, was the Umuada (association 
of freeborn daughters of Amesi). They helped to 
ensure good behavior, and unity among the 

women folk of the town.  
The age-grade system played very important 

roles in pre-colonial Amesi. Its origin could be 
traced to the days when Amesi fought wars with 
her neighbours. An age-sect in Amesi, was made 
up of individuals who were born within an interval 
of three years. The age-grade system was and still 
is an effective instrument of local administration. 
It also acted as an efficient medium for community 
organization and development in the town. It 
provided a definite forum through which the oha 
na eze (town council), communicated with the 
people. 
In Uchendu’s view:  
 

“The executive function of the village is vested in 
the youth through their age grade organization. 
Besides serving as a social indicator which 
separates the senior from the juniors. The age-
grade association is a means of allocating public 
duties, guarding public morality through the 

censorship of member’s behaviour and providing 
companionships and mutual assistance for 
members. It is to them that the police functions of 
the village are delegated”. 31  

 

 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

42 
 

 
 

They exert social control through evolving the 
Mmonwu (masquerade) and other secret societies. 
The Mmonwu apart from entertainment, 
maintained peace, stability and implemented the 

decisions of the village councils. There were many 
types of masquerades, noted with the performance 
of different functions. Achikwu, Onyekulum (both 
were night masquerades which specialized in 
revealing unhealthy secrets, while moving about in 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

43 
 

the night.) Other types of masquerade included, 
Okpa-nna ya, mgbadike, ogbuoturugo and odudu 
Ibariba.  

It could then be asserted that Amesi pre-
colonial set-up exhibited detailed attributes of 
harmony and concensus, no sharp contest for 
political power, as status was ascribed rather than 
achieved. 
 

2.2     Socio-Cultural Institutions 
Apart from political institutions, Amesi also had 
other social and cultural organizations that 
assisted in the cohesion of the people. 
 The marriage system played an important 
role in pre-colonial Amesi society. It was more 
than simply a legalized sexual union between a 
man and a woman. Intra-group marriages, served 
as effective band in strengthening human relations 
and association amongst the different families of 
the town. According to Ottenberg; “marriages 
created important links between independent 
units”.32 As one informant pointed out; “In Amesi, 
as in other parts of Igboland, marriage was and 
still is regarded as something very important 
which everybody practiced in the town. Polygamy 
was practiced widely as a mark of wealth and 
prestige, in that a man, in proving his worth paid 
the bride wealth of many wives, thus exhibiting his 

affluence and ability to look after a large 
household.  

It is not unusual to note that; “In traditional 
Amesi society, girls were usually bethroted in their 
infancy, even on the very day they were born”.34 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

44 
 

Although the boy-suitor may still be young, his 
family took charge of affairs, by reassuring the 
girls’ family of their determination in marrying the 
girl. This they manifested and sealed up through 
the traditional presentation of special firewoods – 
Okwe, Ogbu, and palm wine to the girls’ parents.  

But a youngman who out of his own 
volition, wanted a girl for marriage, easily did so by 

presenting her a conconut. The girl was by 
tradition expected to show the coconut to her 
parents. Such marriage overtures were rarely 
rejected. Moreover a youngman of good behaviour 
and proven ability, who wanted to get married to a 
girl, but lacked the finance, could still be allowed 
to marry, provided he rendered an agreed amount 
of work to his in-laws. 

In normal circumstances, a man paid the 
sum of forty cowries (two bags of money) as bride 
wealth, and in addition presented three kegs of 
palm wine to his father-in-law as stipulated by 
tradition. During the ceremonies that accompanied 
a marriage, relations of both the bride and bride 
groom will be invited. It was for this reason that 
Arinze noted thus; “The Ibos have great respect for 
marriage, and the family. 
Family ties are strong. Marriage is not just the 
affair of a youngman and his fiancee, but a long 
process between both families”. 35 

Childless couples in Amesi, were likened to 
a tree without fruit, and bareness amongst women 
was abhorred.  Sexual promiscuity such as 
adultery, incest, homosexualism etc., were also 
regarded with horror.   



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

45 
 

A typical Amesi traditional marriage 
underwent and involved a detailed investigation by 
the suitor about the bride’s character and family 
upbringing, as this went a long way towards 
determining the smoothness of the marriage. A 
particular Amesi saying states that, Ezi omume 
bum ma nwanyi (good manners make a beautiful 
lady). Amesi tradition therefore places high 

premium on the good behaviour of a bride. A good 
wife was expected to be sociable, clean, 
hardworking, respectful and obedient to her 
husband and the elders. “Previously, a new bride 
is expected to be a virgin, and this was insisted 
upon; this social requirement is no longer being 
insisted upon”.36 After the payment of the bride 
wealth, merry-making and a sum-ptous banquet 
follows: 

Amesi consequently held in high esteem the 
word ogo (in-law), and whom soever it was used in 
addressing. Furthermore, when a child visits his 
mother’s original home, he is addressed as 
Nwadiana (child of the soil) and treated with care, 
as this place is not only his second home, but a 
usual place of refuge. He is expected to bow or 
genuflect while greeting them. 

Mothers whose married daughters gave 
birth, often spent about four weeks with them, 
during which time she looked after the baby and 

mother. This act was known as ile omugwo. 
When embarking on the visit, they normally 

carried with them enough food stuffs, with which 
to prepare delicious and nutrition’s dishes for their 
daughters, in order to enable them recover quickly 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

46 
 

from the strains of child birth. By the same token, 
the other married women in the village fetched 
fire-wood, water and weeded farms for the newly 
delivered mother.  

Such friendly assistance was given until the 
latter was able and strong to cope with these 
chores. 

Recreational entertainments were and still 

are a strong part of Amesi social life. 
Wrestling contests were periodically 

undertaken in Amesi, under diverse circles. This 
not only promoted intra-town friendly relations, 
social homogeneity, but also encouraged the spirit 
of sportsmanship, recreation and tolerance 
amongst the people. By the same token, Uchendu 
stated that: 

“Wrestling is a popular Igbo sports shared 
by all. The Igbo are extremely boastful of their skill 
in wrestling present or past. The thrilling bouts are 
inter-village group wrestling competitions, where 
the characteristic tricks and twists of each group 
are demonstrated. Wrestling is done to the 
accompaniment of music …, wrestling leads to life-
long friendship between equally matched 
patners”.37 

Interestingly, wrestling in pre-colonial 
Amesi was practiced by both men and girls (Mgba 
Okorobia, Mgba Umuagbogho). However, the 

different sexes engaged members of their sex in 
wrestling matches. Such contests were organized 
on the eighth month of each year, on a particular 
day, in honour of orie-Amesi god. 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

47 
 

Each village of Amesi sent its best wrestlers 
who on the appointed day would assemble at the 
Orie-Amesi square. The atmosphere at the square 
then, resembled that of a big carnival, as people 
thronged to the place, to watch their star 
wrestlers, and to see which village would win the 
tournament.  

Good wrestlers often won the hearts of 

many girls, and this bred several friendship and 
courtship alliances, which often ended in 
marriage. 

A typical wrestling match was proceeded 
with the announcement of the contestants by the 
talking drums. Their villages were mentioned 
together with their previous exploits. As the drums 
beat faster, the contestants danced into the arena, 
each stepping and flexing his muscles in sequence 
with the music. In this mood, they danced around 
the square for a while, and with the instant change 
in the music’s rhythm and crescendo, they quickly 
went for each other. Having been gingered up, fear 
was replaced by pride and courage, resulting in a 
show of class, wit and mastery. 

At the end of the day, winners were 
rewarded with praisenames and glory. According 
to the wrestling rule, an opponent was defeated 
when his back touched the ground. But this was 
sometimes flouted, as defeated contestants could 

resort to fighting out of shame. However, the elders 
normally intervened and stopped such a situation. 

Dancing was an important form of 
recreational activity among pre-colonial Amesi 
society. Most of the dances were associated with 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

48 
 

important religious-social events and festivals. 
Among the important traditional dance forms are – 
egwu-okibi (funeral dance), egwu-oriri, egwu-abia, 
egwu-ntiri (diety/market dance), oziza (performed 
during marriage ceremonies), and egede dance. 
“Egede oziza dances were also usually performed 
by adolescent girls during moonlight plays”.38  

During full moon, people usually converged 
at the different squares, located in the various 
villages, and at these places, young men and girls 
engaged in moonlight plays. As the elders watched 
protectively at the goings on at the square, the 
girls danced, while the men wrestled. The nostalgia 
raised by such occasion on the minds of elders 
and aged, has led to the saying that – onwa tibe, 
ijegaguba agadi nwanyi (the old woman develops 
the longing to travel under the moon light). 

Moreover, there was also the famous herbal 
exhibition, which promoted competitiveness, 
progress in the field of herbal cure and 
recreational base to pre-colonial Amesi society. 

People were treated to new findings, 
entertained with weired, mysterious and 
unbelievable feats.  

The Mmonwu (masquerade) secret society 
as previously mentioned was another important 
instrument that fostered social discipline and 
intra-group harmony in pre-colonical Amesi. 
Initiated members not only regard themselves as 
‘brothers’, but shared their secrets together, 
irrespective of their different families and villages, 
while the uninitiated were regarded as Ogbodu (the 
untutored). The best in masquerade entertainment 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

49 
 

often occurred during the annual Igbammonwu 
(the masquerade dancing competition) which was 
always awaited with great expectation. They 
constituted objects of attraction and enjoyment 
during festivities. Amongst the many important 
masquerades, the activities and social functions of 
the Achikwu and Onyekulue, cannot be easily 
overlooked. Both were night masquerades; 

Onyekulue appeared in a female form (in relation 
to its social function), while Achikwu, of course 
manly type was the more dangerous. Onyekulue 
as mentioned earlier, broadcast openly all the bad 
behaviour that people partook in secretly. She 
always carried her mission in the night when 
everybody was expected to be at home. No name 
was too great for her to mention, and no sin’ 
shameful for her to expose. She descended more 
on talkative women, gossipers and incorrigible 
social misfits. “while she roared her denunciations, 
cold silence descended on that section of the town. 
When she had thrashed that section to her 
satisfaction, she announced her flight to another. 
The next moment, her voice confirmed her arrival 
there”. 

In the same form, Achikwu came and went 
on a separate night, in a lime light of dramatic 
display. As it approached, all lights went out in the 
town, followed by a quick succession of thunder 

from unknown directions; blood-cuddling, nerve-
wrecking, and heart-rending roars deafened the 
ears miles around. With the warning completed, 
the town went silent within an hour, it announced 
its emergence from the earth through loud songs 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

50 
 

that struck fear into the hearts of children. With 
the stage set, it embarked upon its mission of 
social criticism.   

There were also the dancing masquerades 
(Mgbadike, Ojionu) and the singing masquerades 
of the night (Achikwu, Onyekulue). The Night 
masquerades judged aright in their behaviour, can 
be regarded as a, “choral club whose principal 

objective was to entertain with music, jokes and 
humourous satire, one club against another as 
politicians do today”. 40   

A lot of regulations and rules, prevent the 
people, girls in particular from bringing the 
masquerade’s honour to the dust. Offences against 
them, were not private matters, but public issues, 
which attracted the attention of other 
masquerades from the different villages of the 
town, and even beyond. They collectively punished 
the offender. 
 

From the foregoing, it would be seen that, 
apart from the personal satisfaction and 
enhancement of social status which ceremonies, 
masquerades, dances etc accorded and still accord 
to individuals in Amesi society, they provided 
occasions for peaceful intercourse, mutual regard, 
entertainment, recreation and friendly exchanges 
between male and female, rich and poor, young 
and the aged.  

 
2.3      Religious Institutions 
The history of any pre-literate people is 
undoubtedly best studied through their religious 
beliefs and practices. Consequently, pre-colonial 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

51 
 

Amesi maintained through various ways, the 
traditional bonds between the dead ancestors, the 
gods and the living. The importance of this act can 
more clearly be seen from the idea that “the 
spiritual is as much as part of reality as the 
material, and there is complimentary relationship 
between the two, more powerful than the 
material”.41 

With this in mind, the necessity to 
propitiate and manipulate the powers that operate 
outside the sphere of human control, became a 
dominant feature in the life of ancient Amesi. 

These religious beliefs, although enshrined 
into a very complex system, unequivocally rests on 
Chi-ukwu (the supreme God, the creator of the 
universe), to whom is attributed all supreme 
powers, including that of life and death. This 
supreme force is known and referred to through 
many names, but there is the firm belief that a 
community of the dead (ancestors), and an 
ancilliary of gods (deities), exists alongside the 
community of the living, and that there is a 
mutual beneficial partnership between them. The 
core of this traditional religion is the, “polarity 
between Chi-ukwu and Ani (earth goddess), 
between the transcendent and the visible”.42 

 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

52 
 

 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

53 
 

The ancestral cult was associated with Ani – 
the source and judge of human morality. 

Homicide, kidnapping, poisoning, stealing 
farm products, adultery and giving birth to twins 
or abnormal children are offences against Ani. As 
shrines for this goddess existed in every compound 
in Amesi, her powerful integrating nature amongst 
the people cannot be easily denied.  

Although no dualism existed in this 
traditional religion, but the people accordingly 
believe that all human evils emanated through the 
diabolical works of ekwensu (devil). 

Yet the peoples’ spirituality generated the 
practice of trying to penetrate into the being of this 
mysterious Chi-ukwu through prayers, 
invocations, incantations, sacrifice, and annual 
celebrations, in the pleasing of the constituents of 
this Godhead. Igo-ofo, - marks the invocation start 
of this sacrifice, whereby other sub-spirits are 
invited. 

Associated with everyone’s personality, 
according to the religious thoughts of the people, 
is a genius or spiritual double, known as Chi. 
According to llogu. “The magnamity or ignominy of 
(everyone’s) actions, as well as his successes and 
failures, are due to his Chi.43 

It could be understood that the particular 
minor deities, given place of prominence, reverence 
and worship in Amesi, are really the ones out of 
many the people have chosen, for the purpose of 
obtaining instant solutions to their problems and 
needs. Such gods included – “Oye (orie), Eke, 
Agwu, Nkwo, Ezeogwugwu, Isigwu, Mpamoru etc.  



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

54 
 

The Chief deities – orie (the god that gives 
life), and (earth goddess of fertility), and Agwu (god 
of healing and protector of life) were worshipped by 
the whole town, while others received the attention 
of particular villages and lineages. Amesi is still 
famous in the art of traditional medicine, 
particularly the healing fame and power of her 
Agwu is still highly regarded even today. 
 

However, one cannot help admitting the 
unifying aspect of this common worship and 
traditional religious feeling amongst the different 
families/villages of Amesi.  

Moreover, ancient Amesi society possessed 
a lot of taboos, which they dreaded to go against, 
for fear of inviting the wrath of these gods; that of 
Ani in particular in her capacity as goddess of 
morality; hence “incest, adultery, climbing of palm 
trees by women, willful destruction of yam 
tendrils, murder, poisoning, stealing (Yams and 
goat in particular) and manslaughter etc. were 
abhorred”.45  

A lot of taboos guided Amesi society, and 
failure to observe them attracted severe penalties 
like death, banishment, fine, and sale of the 
defiant into slavery. Robbers or burglers killed in 
action, twins, those who died of oedema of the 
testicle, distended stomach, dysentery, smallpox, 
leprosy and other diseases considered to be 

caused by wickedness were all buried in Ajo ohia 
(evil forest).  

Towards the perfection of the peoples’ 
religious institution, a lot of signs and symbolisms 
were evolved, for example – the Omunkwu (Young 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

55 
 

palm frond), connotes the sign of danger, whenever 
it is seen or placed on anything. It was also placed 
as signs especially where traps are hidden; thus 
signifying danger. If placed beside a tree, with 
some food items, it shows nothing but a sacrifice. 
The elders and titled men could place it on a 
disputed land, while a masquerade can also place 
it on a place, tree or thing. In all of these cases, it 

reminded the public that an embargo has been 
placed on those particular things. 

The Nzu (white local chalk), connotes peace 
and warm affection. As soon as a stranger entered 
into an Amesi man’s house, than he was presented 
with Nzu, and then perhaps kolanut. This meant 
that the visitor was welcomed. 

Lastly, the people’s mode of worship is also 
shown on the ekwena-ano or Ikoro (a giant wooden 
drum). This is still placed in the Orie-Amesi 
square. On the walls of the little house harbouring 
it, are many fowl feathers, while the entrance to 
the house is surrounded with palm fronds, which 
added a lot to its mystery. The drum, six feet high 
and four feet wide, carved from hard wood, is a 
traditional socio-religious emblem used for 
extolling gallantry and bravery, burial ceremonies 
of important personalities and used on the eve of 
important festivals. It was also beaten during 
emergency to summon all the four villages of 
Amesi, hence the name – Ekwena ano (four drums 
in one). 

Amesi based her traditional calendar upon 
her religious practices, as the different seasons 
were marked with many different religious 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

56 
 

festivals. The people marked the following 
important festivals such as Igbandichie (feast of 
the wealthy and titled). Agwu feast (marked during 
the fifth month), while Onwaisii (sixth month) was 
honoured as a time of peace, and a moratorium 
was placed on both funerals, marriages and child 
birth celebrations. The seventh month (Onwa isaa) 
was marked by the commemoration of the new 

yam festival, while the eighth month marked the 
period of sacrifice to Orie and Okwunehie deities, 
by the whole town. During the ninth month, 
preparations for the veneration of Ani would start 
and end in the tenth month.  
“Ezeogwugwu deity, is honoured in the eleventh 
month” 46 etc.  

In Mrs. Exeuduji’s view, “one of the most 
important festivals which we never failed to mark, 
was the new yam feast (iri ji ohuu)”47. 
Before the planting of yam, some rituals were 
done, beckoning Ani, including the ancestors to 
prevent locust, ants and scavengers from eating or 
destroying the planted crops. 

Similar to that of a newly born baby, the 
onset of new yams was heralded with a festival. 
This was done in perpetuation of the dignity of 
labour, while appreciation went to the gods for 
keeping the labourer alive, to enjoy the fruit of his 
labour. 
 

The festival was started with the traditional 
sacrifice with a particular specie of yam (ji mkpisi) 
to Ani goddess of fertility and good harvest. 
Nobodoy was allowed to eat this sacrificial yam, 
but after the second sacrifice with (ji ichie) yam, 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

57 
 

people were then free to eat new yams. On the 
actual feast day, the people were free to use their 
biggest yam tubers, fat fowls or goats, in the 
festival and merry-making. The pre-colonial Amesi 
beliefs and practices, embodied in her religion, 
provide a good example of the discrepancy between 
theory and practice. 

Below is a list of some of the deities existent 

in Amesi, including their location. 
 
OBINATO VILLAGE 

Orie-Amesi  - Owned by Amesi Town 

Isigwu-obinato - Owned by Umeononakume    
                                    family 

Ubanano  - Owned by Umeononankwume   

  family 

Oda Obinato  - Owned by (once served Amesi  

        Akpo & Achina) 

Isigwu-Nwoyeike - Owned by Nwoye Ike 
Agwu-Madinka - Owned by Agwughi dike   

  Umeohukwu family – which gave    

   them the knowledge of bone-     

   setting. (Umumeoha family) 
 

Agwu-Umuagwo -  Umuagwo family (incidentally    

                                     This deity has stayed for long     

                                     uncared for, due to the      

                                     decimation of some Amesians    

                                     amongst whom were the   

                                     Umuagwo family by Akpo   
                                     people). 
 

Ezeogwugwu -  Ikpe-Akutekwe Obenoke (from   

                                  this family, we had people who 

were not only very powerful 
herbalists, but could use rope to 

climb to the sky.  



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

58 
 

They were also victims of Akpo  

   invasion. Since then, the ofeke   

                                  and Ezeliora families have taken   
                                  charge of this deity. The above   

                                  mentioned feat cannot be  

                                  continued due to the seemingly   

                                  impossible requirement that must    

                                  be met with before success could  

                                  be assured – (3) three heads of  
                                  foreigners, accompanied with   

                                  abstinence from alcohol for four  

                                  months etc.  

 

AMUWO VILLAGE   
Agwu-Amesi  - Umudibie family, (but serves the  

      generality of Amesi) 

Agwu-Adiala  -  -  - 

Isigwu   -   Umudibie family 

Ikenaejeogu  -Umeojirinnaka Ezeashilaa family 

Ngwo-obodo  - Osudegwu 
Nkwo   - Ezenduka 

Agwu-Adiala  - Okorongwu 

Uziowerri - Dimanushionwu (Umoocha          

                                    villages) 

Ojukwu  - Akarue 
Oda-Agu - (A very strong Ala messenger 

located in front of Ezeagwu’s 

house, near the Agwu Amesi 

forest. Herbalists use it and 

Ngwonwo deity in their warelion –

secret art. 
Nkwo-Amuwo  - Ezenduka (for ozo titleship and 

Ichi) 

 
 
 
 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

59 
 

UMUOCHA VILLAGE 

 

Okwunehie  -Owned by Amesi (formerly, a   
                                  river was there, as we were made   

                                  to understand. However, due to a  

                                  childless widow’s carelessness,  

                                  the stream annoyed, moved down  

                                  to Uga town and formed what  

                                  later came to be known as Obizi  
                                  river). 
 

Ohia-Aboeze -It is without any priest now, due 

to the fact that it continuously 

killed all its propitiators. This 
wicked act has been turned into 

an adage in Amesi – Aboeze na 

egbu onye na enye ya nni. 

(Aboese that kills him who feeds 

it). 
 

Isigwu-Umuocha - Ezeakabekwe family. 

Nwudo   - Umuojihie family 

Isigwu Ezenwosu - Ezenwaosu family 

Nwaogwugwu  - Ezenwere family 

Udo   - Anukwa (Umuojihie people) 

Nne-Agu  - Ezeohuaku 
Agwu-Umuokwadinihu- Umuokwadinihu 

Agwu-agba  - Umuagba Agwu-Nwebe 

    Umeononaku/   

    Umuokwanawuzie/ 

 Okwaraibekwe. 
Agwu-Mgboko - Umuogbaghi (here, every   

individual who carried any 

‘strong’ masquerade must first be 

washed in readiness for the task). 

Nwgu Ogbaegbe -Umulodike (emergency and 

protective deity, evolved during 
Uga-Amesi hostilities. 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

60 
 

UBAHA VILLAGE 

 

Mpamoru  - Akamikpu, Ezenizugbe,  
  Okwaralekwe (but in service of   

  Amesi). 

Isigwu-Nnagha - Ikeako Ezekekwe 

Ezeogwugwu  - Umuaro-Ezeanyanaso 

Ngwonwo  - Owned by Ubaha. 

 
Information Supplied by – Umenduka Umealaukwu 
Umechukwu Umenwaliri, Ezeobioha Ezeabasili, 
Akamikpu Okwara Okerue, Ezeodimegwu Okpara 
Uzoegwu, Egbuacho Silvanus and Ezeahurukwe 
Abazie. 

 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

61 
 

C H A P T E R  

Three 
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES 

 
3.1   Agricultural – Labour Organization 

t has previously been stated that Amesi is 

geographically very small, with regards to her 
landmass. As a result of this land scarcity, 

Amesi people were forced to evolve different 
approaches towards achieving and obtaining their 
required needs. In pre-colonial Amesi, “Agriculture 
was the matrix in which economic activity was 
set”, 48 and one can still argue that generally, it 
still “… remains as in the past the matrix in which 
all other and genous economic activity is set”.49 As 
land was and still is the principal resource, the 
individual’s relationship to it has been regulated 
by a highly developed land tenure system. 

Before the commencement of each farming 
season, the land was divided according to age (the 
older the man, the larger his share), and the more 
willingness to use land. Helping in the clearing of 
the farm land, not only reflected an individual’s 
willingness, but certified his claim to a portion of 
land. 

In Otternberg’s views; “during the sharing 

exercises, certain provisions were made to account 
for increased age, death, illness, and the presence 
of new farmers”.50 

I 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

62 
 

However, no woman had direct right and 
authority over land as such, even if she inherited 
the land through a deceased brother or husband. 
The nearest male relative, or even her son, in the 
case of inheritance through her husband, has to 
claim control of the land. But a man could allow 
some of his lands to his wife, thereby giving her 
the chance to plant cassava, cocoyam and 

vegetables, among his yams in the farm. In pre-
colonial Amesi, land was jointly owned and never 
sold by any community. In repayment of debts, 
land can be pledged rather than sold. Due to the 
scarcity of land, the people mostly practiced 
migrant farming, while some other people took to 
trading and complimented it with subsistence 
farming. Ezeuchwgbu further opined that; “Amesi 
farmers hired virgin lands for cultivation from 
such places like Achina, Umuchu, Isiokpu, 
Agbudu, Akokwa, Uga and Enugu-Umuonyia”. 51 
This practice is still prevalent up till today. 

Diverse systems were adopted by the 
people, towards enhancing detailed crop yield in 
Amesi. The farmers took up rotational bush fallow 
system, landed bush fallow, mixed farming and 
permanent cultivation. The reason should by now 
be obvious why the bush fallow and permanent 
cultivation systems were mostly adopted. 

However, those farmers who succeeded in 

getting enough land externally, easily practiced the 
rotational bush fallow system. Some farmers who 
had the capital, engaged in animal husbandry, 
while women generally kept a relatively small 
poultry. 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

63 
 

Livestock (cattle, sheep, goat) in pre-colonial 
Amesi society were not simply for domestic 
consumption but were also kept as capital stock. 
Returns on this capital, took the forms of sales of 
milk and manure to cultivators. Cattles, sheep and 
goats were indeed highly priced, but their function 
as a status-symbol, derives from society’s 
appreciation of their economic worth. The man 

who possessed a large number of cattles, was 
respected not for his unthinking devotion to 
ascribed values, but for his skill in controlling a 
major resource.  

Amongst the implements used in farm work, 
Ikeagwu (sickle) was used for weeding, while 
Mbazu (iron rod) was deployed for harvesting yam. 
Many crops like yam, cocoyam, cassava, maize, 
melon, and beans were produced. The palm tree 
was exploited fully for food, fuel, broom, rope, oil 
and wine. 

The household, was the basic unit of labour 
organization and recruitment. Some times, 
relatives in-laws and committee of farmers could 
help one another. This enhanced speedy progress. 
Internal and external hunting activities were also 
undertaken in the dry season. 
 
3.2  Crafts and Industry 

Amesi engaged in weaving, pottery, carving 

and other artistic works: These crafts were evolved 
to meet the practical domestic needs of the people. 
Some of the products were sold outside Amesi-at 
Uga and Igboukwu markets. According to one 
informant; “Most Amesi women learnt the art of 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

64 
 

weaving from the Uga women married into Amesi, 
but it is a simple fact that we taught all our 
neighbours, the art of bag weaving”.52  

Teenage girl’s specialized in the making of 
agbarada (a special long basket). The most basic 
standardized industries in Amesi were the arts of 
mat and pottery-making; both of which Amesi 
indigenes claimed and still clam to have taught 

others. The raw materials needed for the pottery 
were got from Umuomaku town, while those for 
mat-making were obtained from Enugu-Umuonyia 
town. 

These arts were highly developed in Amesi. 
“Our women made many pot forms – ite Mkpukpa 
(for storing waste oils from palm nuts), ite 
Ugbugba (for soup-cooking), ite Akpu (for cassava 
fermentation), while basket types include Ngiga, 
Abo, Nkata and Atari”.53 Some of these artistic 
products when surveyed, reflect an astonishing 
level of technical virtuosity and a delight in 
intricate craftsmanship. They appear naturalistic 
in style and humanistic in emphasis.  
 
3.3  Trade 

Although agriculture was the premier 
economic activity in pre-colonial Amesi, trading 
occupied the second place. As already mentioned, 
scarcity of land in the town, made those who were 
not interested in migrant farming to engage in 
trading. This has resulted in the emergence of 
many professional traders within the town. Trade 
was seen as the mechanism by which the products 
of agriculture and manufacturing sector were 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

65 
 

brought within reach of the consumers. In its 
complexity of organization, individuals, families, 
villages, towns, and regions were involved. As 
markets were the main venue for commercial 
exchanges, the major local markets that existed, 
and are still existing in Amesi are-Orie, Afo and 
Eke. These markets were sacrificed and ministered 
to. Besides, an early periodic morning market, 

called Ozuru was usually held on non market 
days, as a help to those who needed urgently 
particular food items, but could not wait for the 
next market day. 

 

 
 

The above mentioned markets, 
supplemented one another, as none was 
exceptionally larger or more influential. It could 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

66 
 

well be that the establishment of the local markets 
was an attempt to minimize inconveniencies 
inherent in the centralized markets that held only 
once every four days. 

 

 
 
In the heydays of Orie Amesi market, it 

maintained three big routes through which Amesi 
Akpo and Achina indigenes maintained their 
fortnight presence. These routes, classified as 
Ama-Amesi, Ama-Achina, and Ama-Akpo, though 
not anymore in use, still defy physical extinction.  

Articles sold and bought at local markets 
included agricultural products; 

“….very little fish, plenty of palm wine, raw 
and cooked yams, clay pots,…”54 and industrial 
articles (hoes, mat, basket set etc). The medium of 
exchange was previously by barter; very much 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

67 
 

based on use value rather than on exchange value. 
However, prices of articles fluctuated seasonally.  

Both women and men engaged in trading, 
but women would appear to have dominated the 
marketing scene, hence Ekejiuba opined that; 
.Igbomen generally took no part in the actual 
buying and selling of goods in local market”.55 In 
women’s professionalism in local trading, madam 

Egbuacho pinpointed that; “Many local women 
traders, were known to have become very wealthy, 
even to the extent of financing their husbands into 
taking the Ozo titleship”.56 

Local markets, also served as centres for the 
dissemination of news, making of new friends, and 
strengthening of the towns bond of unity, hence 
any action which caused commotion in the market 
Imesu ahia, was abhorred by the community. 
The guilty were severely punished. 
 
3.4   Traditional Medicine 

“Amesi people also made their living greatly 
as herbalists. Everybody in the town, was a 
herbalist, specializing in different field”.57 As has 
been mentioned earlier, most people became 
medicine men in order to off set the constraints 
placed on them by land scarcity. Many people, 
especially men, reverted to being full time 
traditional herbalists. Areas covered include-

psychiatry, gynaecology, orthopaedics, pediatrics, 
general medicine, antidotes against poison, 
surgery and metaphysical aspects of medicine 
such as soothsaying and rain-making. Women 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

68 
 

specialized mainly in the gynaecology and 
pediatrics branch.  

Agwu-Amesi deity, was and is still perceived 
to be the main force behind these curative 
measures. Thus people who live within and 
outside Amesi, often bring their problems 
indirectly to the deity for solution through its 
herbalists. 

At times, these problems are solved through the 
direct invocation and appeal to Agwu. 

Apart from being consulted at home by 
people, most of the herbalists often travelled to 
other places for the purpose of administering 
medical cure. Occasionally, some built local 
hospitals, where they admitted and treated their 
patients. Consequent upon the fact that different 
lineages, villages and people specialized in 
different aspects of herbal cure, trade monopoly 
was discouraged, and progress enhanced amongst 
the inhabitants. “The town’s fame in traditional 
medicine had spread so much that our medicine 
are always eagerly sought after by many 
communities”.58 

 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

69 
 

 

Basket Holding Water has remained in the the past, 

an exhibit of Amesi professional identity. 

 
As a result of many years of practice, these 

herbalists have succeeded in preparing a widely-
accepted medical concortion antidote which people 
now use effectively against snake, dog, insect and 
scorption bites and stings (Ogwuojii). Apart from 
providing relief to pain and curing diseases, most 
of the herbalists in Amesi, have equally been 
materially rewarded through their practice of 
medicine. A little detail is infact needed at this 
juncture, to illustrate further –  

 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

70 
 

 
 

 

3.5   Rain-Making 

A highly metaphysical aspect of herbalism was 
very popular in Amesi town. All investigations, 
point to the town’s father (Akalabo), as the 
originator. Amuwo and Ubaha villages were 
specialists in this field. In Amuwo, Ezeugokwe 
Muotolo of Umuanyaji family stood out as one of 
the best, including the already deceased obiakor 
Nwele of Onunuaku family. They employed diverse 
instruments and forces towards achieving this 
feat, like Nkuku, snail, pot etc. However, 
condiments varied depending on the sort of rain 
one wanted to ‘make’ (thunderous, lightening sort, 
dew or windy type). This rain-making ability is 
often accompanied with the capability of 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

71 
 

preventing or withholding rain from falling. 
Consequently, this art can be advantageously and 
disadvantageously applied. Economically, it can be 
used towards irrigating farmlands. As a lucrative 
venture, (in that they were often consulted and 
payed towards obtaining any of the above needs) 
the trade was also most exacting, demanding and 
difficult. Rainmaking is easier done during the 

rainy season, than during the dry season, due to 
the scorch atmosphere. At this point, one cannot 
help agreeing to the originality of this art, to the 
town, for the palace of Igwe Umeononankume is 
located on top of the mysterious Akalabo’s water 
stone.   
 

Informants -    Igwe Umeononankume 
- Chief Obidigbo Ezeagwu. 

 

ANTIDOTES: 

This branch of medicinal herbal preparation 
was in the portfolio of the Amuwo people. Almost 
all herbalists in the village participated in the 
mixing of this concortion, as a result of many 
years of experience and hardwork. This widely – 
accepted mix-up is tagged Ogwu-ojii (Black 
medicine). Such substances and materials used in 
making the preparation included – palm kernel oil, 
dried bodies of many dangerous animals and 
insects, herbs, millipedes (male specie), tortoise 

etc. This curative is effective against snake, dog, 
insects and scorpion bites/ stings, including 
protection from enemy machinations.  
 

Informant – Chief Obidigbo Ezeagwu. 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

72 
 

 
WAR AMULETS AND FORTUNE-TELLING  

Amuwo village specialized in the above 
branches, really due to the location of Agwu deity 
shrine in that place. War charms were prepared 
even during peace times, and stored in a big pit, 
situated formally behind the present Anglican 
church site at Amuwo village.  

These amulets were called into play, during 
any emergency situation. There existed four big 
amulets, representing the town’s four villages. 
Some people who were experts in this branch 
included Ezeonwurie Umegesi, Ikeotuonye 
Ejebionu (Chief priest of Agwu oracle), 
Umeokwuegbu Ndimuta Ndiukwu etc.  

However, some available facts proved that 
two veritable oracles of aggression and vengeance 
(the Ngwo onwo and Oda-Agu oracles located at 
Amuwo and Ubaha villages), respectively played 
vital roles. Besides, the town engaged in Iwu Agwu 
(the deployment of Agwu against enemies). A lot of 
damages could be done wherever this is applied – 
unexpected stampede in the enemy’s market 
places at the peak of commercial activities, 
mysterious deaths and  sights etc. this was carried 
through against Akpo, Ntueke and Abam warriors.  
 

Informant – Ezeobioha Ezeabasili. 
 

 
PSYCHIATRY AND BONE SETTING  

Ubaha and Amuwo villages are specialists 
in this field. Various types of mental disorders can 
be efficiently treated by those herbalists 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

73 
 

professionalizing in this branch. The treatment 
and materials needed for the treatment of any 
mental problem, highly depended upon the type 
the patient is suffering. Traditional psychological 
cure, largely accounts for the treatment. In Amesi, 
experts in this field include -Edward Ezenduka, 
Azubogu, Ezennamaka Ezeananyanaso, Jonathan 
Umeora etc.  

Moreover, the popularity of Amesi is never 
challenged in the field of orthopaedics. Cases 
abound, where accident victims, that, couldn’t be 
successfully treated in westernized hospitals, were 
effectively handled in the many localized 
orthopaedic houses in the town. These traditional 
doctors have gone a long way in proving the 
efficiency of local herbs and medication. 
 

Informant – Chief Umechukwu Umenwaliri. 
 
 
 
GYNAECOLOGY 

In Amesi, all the four villages are reputed to 
have traditional gynaecologists, who were versed in 
the use of local herbs in solving birth and 
perdiatric problems. They know when and how to 
apply each medication, all in relation to the type of 
problems their patient has. Before the advent of 

the alien maternity hospitals, Amesians have been 
having it easy and smooth in child birth and child 
care. It is significant to note that though the 
localized gynaecological method in childbirth is 
simply a shorter system, it has not much 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

74 
 

meticulous application like the present existent in 
the many maternities.  
 

Informant – Mrs. Ezeobinwa Orieoma 
 
METAPHYSICAL 

This field of traditional herbal practice in 
Amesi can be truly tagged – the adverrtisment 
medium. It accords a seal of recognition and 

exhibition, while maintaining at the same time, a 
mastery of the act. No particular village can claim 
superiority in this branch, over the others though 
individual herbalists may through this medium 
prove or maintain their progress in their 
knowledge of the herbs. Different scenes are 
usually presented during Akaiabo festivity. Many 
of them tend to make the impossible, possible, the 
unthinkable, thinkable. The borders of 
impossibility are infact reduced to the barest 
minimum, whenever Amesi herbalists are in 
action. Professionalism in herbalism has more 
than anything, promoted the popularity of Amesi 
to far and near places. Infact, that is the macus 
symbol of Amesi. 

 

Informants – Herbalists in Amesi.  



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

75 
 

C H A P T E R  

Four 
 

4.1    INTER-GROUP RELATIONS  

vailable historical information has shown 
that pre-colonial Amesi was not an Island 
unto itself. Apart from interacting amongst 

them-sleves, the people also associated with other 
people outside their borders. Just like other 
autonomous entitities in Igboland, Amesi engaged 
in external relations, with not only her immediate 
neighbours, but also those other communities that 
settled relatively further off. This relationship has 
rested on several factors, such as ancestry, social, 
religious, economic and military. A precise 
investigation of these factors will perhaps aid our 
understanding of Amesi’s external relations.  
 
ANCESTRAL CONNECTION 

The myth of origin if looked at critically, 
would reflect greatly the existence of certain 
historical affinity binding Amesi, oraeri, Achina 
and Akpo towns. Regardless however, of how 
authentic this local tradition could be, it has gone 
a long way in normalizing the town’s relationship 
with themselves. Even at the present moment, 
efforts are still being made to maintain the links. 
Commenting on the role common traditions of 
origin could play towards the upkeep of inter-
group relations, Arinze had this to say; “wide areas 
were often united by … the traditions of descent 

A 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

76 
 

from a common ancestor ….”59 Based on this 
historical piece, Amesi from the earliest times, 
associated with Oraeri town, regardless of the 
problems of distance (with that town). Supporting 
this tradition of origin, and the uniting part it is 
still playing between Amesi and Oraeri towns, 
Chief Umeononankume has this to say; “Oraeri 
and Eshi were two children born of the same 

father. Eshi later married and got Amaeshi, Akpo 
and Achina as children”.60 Capitalising on this 
tradition of Origin, Amesi people have for long, and 
on continous basis, interacted in different ways 
with Akpo, Oraeri, and Achina peoples. 
 
SOCIAL CONNECTION 

Inter-group marriages have constituted a 
big visible factor in the external relations of Amesi. 
About this, Afigbo pointed out that “village was 
linked to village, village-group to village-group, 
tribe to tribe and so on by ----- Matrimonial and 
social ties”.61 Amesi people have always 
intermarried with the people of Akpo, Achina, 
Umuchu, Akokwa, Arondizuogu and Uga towns. 
Marriage between Amesi and other nearby towns 
have really unified them. Relationship bwteen 
Amesi and these other towns have been sustained 
through the married daughters (Umuada), and 
their children (Nwdiana). They have in times of 

emergency and crisis, acted as peace agents 
between their home town and that of their mother. 
Today, Amesi and Uga maintain very cordial 
relationship because of marriage ties.  



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

77 
 

Supporting this view, Pa Ezenkwele asserted that, 
“Uga people do not usually refuse their daughters 
to Amesi men when it came to marriage. This 
decision was borne out of the Abam invasion of 
Amesi, which depopulated them.  

To help increase their number, we stopped 
charging them highbride price….”62 This sustained 
inter-group marriage between Amesi and the other 

nearby communities has given rise to intimate and 
intricate personal relationship, which have bound 
her with several other peoples. As Green has 
contended; “This fact of inter marriage between 
different and potentially hostile groups have 
contributed in no small degree to the survival of 
the Ibo people”.63 Marriage in precolonial Amesi, 
engendered reciprocal visits amongst in-laws, 
thereby fostering mutual protective feelings and 
co-existence. 

Wrestling was amongst the different forces 
which Amesi employed towards extending her 
external relations. Wrestling was so developed in 
the town in pre-colonial times, that girls even 
participated. Wrestling contest in the town usually 
started with the normal preliminaries. The best 
wrestlers were then selected from all the four 
villages, and through the process of elimination, 
the best male and female wrestlers were chosen. 

On an approved date and venue, wrestling 

matches were then organized on town levels, 
specifically between the various champions from 
the various towns. Through this sporting and 
recreational activities, Amesi succeeded in 
developing closer ties with Akpo, Achina, Umuchu 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

78 
 

towns. As Amesi wrestlers visited the above 
mentioned towns for competitions, so also did 
other people from these towns come to Amesi.  A 
general wrestling carnival normally came up every 
three years, which involved Amesi and a majority 
of her neighbours. This was not only usually very 
well attended, but acted as a binding cement for 
town and town, towards unity and friendship. 

The masquerade secret society has for long, 
tightened the bond between Amesi and her 
neighbours. Quite unlike many other Igbo 
communities, Amesi had for long shared the same 
tradition, custom, dialect and way of life, with the 
Akpo, Achina, Uga and even Umuchu people. As a 
result, such masquerades that exist at Amesi 
could still be found in the neighbouring towns. 
Membership of the masquerade society in any of 
the above mentioned towns, infact conferred on 
the individual freedom of movement, whether at 
Amesi or within the neighbouring clans, that 
posses similar masquerades. On this, Ifemesia has 
noted that. 

“The Igbo secret society (Mmonwu), provided 
a bond of union which transcended kinship 
affiliations not only within the community, but 
also between it and others in which similar 
institutions obtained”.64 
Offences against an Amesi masquerade, were 

taken not as private or internal matters only, but 
public issues also, as the attentions of other 
masquerades from the different villages of the town 
and beyond are attracted, in seeking redress on 
the offender. 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

79 
 

Music it appears, cannot be separated from 
the life of Amesi and her neighbours. In Amesi, 
there existed dance groups, numerous in dance 
and forms. Some of the dances were borrowed 
from towns, just as these towns borrowed from 
Amesi also. Amesi borrowed from her neighbours 
such dances as – Kokoma, Ericoo, Igba-eze etc. The 
neighbouring towns learnt from Amesi such dance 

forms like Igba Mmonwu, Egedege, and Oziza. It is 
well known that to learn a new dance from a 
different town, requires either associating very 
closely with them or inviting them to teach it, 
while living in the town. Amesi fully associated 
with her neighbours in the pre-colonial times. 
 
RELIGIOUS RELATIONSHIP 

To pre-colonial Amesi, religious issues was 
in all its ramifications an effective moral booster to 
the establishment of both internal and external 
relations. Commenting on its role in inter-group 
relations, Arinze stated that “wide areas were often 
united by religious ties, ..hence the communal 
worship of Ani, the earth spirit”.65 Amesi just like 
other Igbo communities believed in the over-
lordship of Chi-ukwu (Almighty God), Ani (earth 
deity), Agwu (god of medicine), and a host of other 
deities, who of course carry out different functions 
in the daily life of the people. In the belief of Amesi 

people, Chi-ukwu is the supreme God that should 
be propitiated through other intermediaries.  

Fortunately, amongst these minor gods and 
deities, each community chose or decided which 
she needed. This could account for the existence of 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

80 
 

Agwu deity only in Amesi, and not in the other 
towns. Sequel to this, many neighbouring people, 
especially herbalists, diviners and ardent 
religionists, visited, and still visit Amesi, just to 
have a closer, encounter with Agwu. By the same 
vein, many Amesi indigenes frequented other 
neighbouring towns, just to consult also, some 
deities that are non existent in the town, as Amesi 

was not self sufficient with regards to all her 
Religious needs, Anadi explained further that;  

“Amesi in those pre-colonial days, obtained 
some religious services from our people …. Our 
people never failed or refused any call from Amesi 
towards the amelioration of any aru (abomination) 
… committed by anybody”.66 
 
ECONOMIC CONNECTION 

Pre-colonial inter-group relations in Amesi 
was sustained also by economic factors. As was 
previously mentioned, the primary occupation of 
the people at the earliest stage of their settlement, 
was agriculture. Almost every family practiced full-
time farming. With the population of the town 
increased, land scarcity consequently resulted. As 
there was no room for agricultural (farming) 
expansion, most people began to engage in 
migrant farming. This however required the 
friendship, intimacy and co-operation of Amesi 

and her larger neighbouring towns. In showcasing 
this, Mr. Ezeaku stated thus; “Akpo people easily 
leased out their lands to Amesi citizens during the 
farming season, as a form of economic help, in 
that Amesi generally lacked land”.67 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

81 
 

In enjoying this help, Amesi got lands from 
Achina, Akpo, Umuchu, Akokwa, Uga and even 
such other farther towns as Ezira and Umuomaku. 
During the farming season, due to the relative 
distance of some of these towns, Amesi farmers 
usually migrated and camped in those towns. This 
move really promoted relationship between Amesi 
farmers and those they did visit.  

Amesi farmers cultivated such crops as 
yams, cocoyam’s, cassava, anyu (pumpkin), inine  
(amaranthus), onugbu (piper guineese). These 
migrant farmers being mainly males, the chief crop 
which they planted was and still is yam, with such 
varieties as adu (discorea), (bulbitera), ji abi  (d. 
odorotissima), Ona (d. dumentorum),  jiocha  (d. 
rotundata), ji anunu (d. cayenensis), ji abala  etc.  
Their basic labour force during both planting and 
harvesting seasons included family relatives and 
friends.  

Hunting was another viable economic 
endeavour to which Amesi retreated in her attempt 
at solving her food problem. To the town, hunting 
supplemented the meager meat supply, and was 
not really undertaken for the sake of making 
money. Since Amesi lacked extensive forest, her 
hunters hunted in towns like Akokwa, Uga, 
Isuokpu, Umuchu and Arondizuogu. Supporting 
this fact, madam orieoma said; 

“… some hunters killed by setting traps, 
while professionals amongst them, went to the 
extent of going on hunting expeditions which took 
them as far as Ikpa Umunze  (Umunze 
wilderness)”68 as a matter of fact, Amesi hunters, 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

82 
 

usually spent many days in the forest in trail and 
pursuit of their game. 

Amesi also interacted effectively with her 
neighbours in the industrial aspects. The principal 
carvers, blacksmiths and cloth weavers, in those 
days, filtered into Amesi, due to the fact that these 
crafts wasn’t indigenous to the people. A very 
notable Uga carver that lived at Amesi is Ikemudu. 

Smiths came from towns like Awka, 
Nkwerre, Agulu, and Akokwa towns. For the same 
reason, many Amesi people moved over to 
neighbouring towns practicing their own art also, 
including traditional medicine. Moreover, foreign 
apprentices were easily welcomed into Amesi, and 
adequate knowledge and education imparted to 
them, in relation to their need and objective. 

A very popular pathetic local tradition 
amongst the people, recounts how a childless 
widow involuntarily caused the drying up of the 
only natural source of water supply in Amesi. The 
validity of this story is infact not the main concern, 
but that of how the people did re-adjust towards 
the provision of their water need. For a very long 
time ad even up till now, to an extent the town 
have been using the streams located in the nearby 
towns. All these above mentioned factors have 
really gone a long way towards simulating and 
providing peace and good relationship between 

Amesi and her neighbours.  
On trade rested the core of Amesi pre-

colonial external relations. The town attained more 
professionals in trading than in farming. Perhaps, 
it needs to be re-emphasized that this change from 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

83 
 

the agricultural occupation, to trading, was due to 
scarcity of land in Amesi. The need for exchange 
should be seen as a secondary factor. People 
engaged in regional or long distance in addition to 
local trading. Local trading was and is still 
dominated by women. 

In the regional trading, Amesi traded with 
Uga, Achina, Akpo, Umuchu, Nkpologwu and 

Akokwa towns etc. (specifically her immediate 
neighbours). Inhabitants of these towns usually 
met in border markets, mainly on bigger market 
days. In these markets, agricultural, industrial 
and house hold materials were bought and sold, 
including fruits and vegetables. 

On their usual days, these market 
commenced very early in the morning, and traders 
from neighbouring towns came as early as the first 
cock crow. Unlike local traders who exchanged 
mainly subsistence commodities, relay traders who 
attended these markets, sold specialized products 
such as barrels of palm oil, bagged kernels, goats 
etc. as Meilasoux put it, “… they did not acquire 
goods for their use value, but for their exchange 
value”.69 

Long distance trade was developed in 
Amesi, out of the need to make up for the 
economic deficiencies of the local and regional 
trade. Men were mainly involved in this, due to the 

farness of the markets. Such markets include – 
Nkwo-Igboukwu, Afo-Ufuma, Oye-Ajali, Afo-ogboji, 
Eke-Agbaja, and even Otu Nkwo Onitsha market, 
which started later. According to one informant. 
 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

84 
 

“On moving from Amesi, we usually passed 
through Akpo, Nkpologwu, Isuofia, Neni, Ogidi, 
Nkpor and finally to Onitsha …, some did divert to 
Ogboji, Arondizuogu and Oguta”.70   

Earlier, the transaction was by barter,  but 
later cowries and iron currencies were adopted. To 
overcome the dangers posed by marauders, 
kidnappers, head-hunters etc.., traders travelled 

in convoys of caravans, carrying their goods and 
employed armed escorts and spies. They also 
engaged in Igba ndu (bloodbond) with different 
influential people or communities inhabiting the 
trade routes. Strong marriage and friendship ties 
were also entered into to ensure security and 
commercial gains.  

The traders purchase items like dane guns, 
stock and dried fish, blankets, tobacco, hot drinks, 
salt, while sold off articles like palm oil, kernel, 
yams, pots and domestic animals.  

Slave trading was not previously known and 
practiced by Amesi traders. None-theless, with its 
later introduction, “considerable labour and 
capital’, hindered majority of the traders from 
engaging in it. In Davidson’s view; “Slaving was the 
business of kings, richmen and merchants”.71 
However, some Amesi wealthy traders did engage 
to a small degree in internal slave trade.   
 

MILITARY CONNECTION 
Many communities in Igboland, as a matter 

of fact fought with their neighbours. These wars 
were caused by a variety of factors, such as petty 
jealously, land hunger etc. land was to the Igbo, 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

85 
 

the dominant factor of production; suffice it to say 
that the slightest encroachment on their land, 
whether community or individual land, 
tantamount to tampering with the livelihood of the 
people and as such was usually seriously  resisted. 
Afigbo expantiated on this when he said; 
 
“wars were usually waged by communities whose 

lives and livelihood were interlocked to an almost 
inextricable degree. And they went to war simply 
because these interlocked interest could not be 
sorted out to the satisfaction of all concerned by 
other means”.72  

Amesi had no organized and specially 
trained army; and initially the selection of 
youngmen for defensive purposes was on ad hoc 
basis. Sometimes people were recruited and 
selected during emergency situations from one 
lineage, and occasionally all of them were killed 
thus wiping out such lineage. In order to prevent 
such from continuing, a system of proper selection 
of guards and forces through age-grades was 
started, some age-grades became famous for their 
daring and panache in war. Among the noted age-
grades were Ada, Oganikpa, Agbaji, Ajanku, 
Mbakwerike, Oputaoka and Ogbajirigwe. 

Different tactics and plans were applied by 
Amesi warriors towards the achievement of victory. 

Sometimes, they crawled stealthly in the dead of 
the night to the enemy’s rear, and laid in wait with 
the idea of springing surprise from their positions 
once dawn sets in, causing confusion and disorder 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

86 
 

in the enemy ranks, which Amesi exploited to its 
advantage. 

Amesi engaged in two basic categories of 
war – Ogu-Okpiri and Ogu-egbe. In the former, loss 
of life was forbidden to an extent, but in particular 
that of killing of women, children and burning of 
markets and houses. As no formal declaration of 
war was needed, sticks, stones and matchetes 

were used, although those wielding matchetes took 
pains to avoid striking fatal blows. In the later, 
which can be described as a full scale war, the 
oposing sides strove to burn properties, kill their 
enemies, and carry their skulls home as trophies. 
Isichei remarked that; “the skull was valued as a 
souvenir, and as a concrete and unequivocal proof 
of personal valour, which brought different types 
of honour”.73  

To pre-colonial Amesi, religion-magical 
protection was at least as important as 
conventional weaponry, in the preparation of war.  

No war preparation was complete without 
the dibia (herbalist) who gave out charms, 
arranged supernatural protection both for 
individuals and for the whole town. The warriors 
thereafter camourflaged themselves with leaves, 
while tying up their waist with aji (loin cloth made 
out from tree bark). 
 

However, many reasons have been 

attributed to the cause of war between Amesi and 
towns like Akpo, Umuchu, Ohafia, Nkpologwu, 
Uga and Achina. 

But it is now a historical fact that, “the 
major cause of most of the wars in pre-twentieth 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

87 
 

century Awka – nri Zome, was the land 
question”.74 The geographical smallness of Amesi 
today, relative to her neighbours can easily be 
seen as the long-term result of the series of land 
disputes and other problems between her and the 
neighbouring towns. 
 
AMESI-AKPO HOSTILITLES 

Many incidents culminated in Akpo 
invasion of Amesi, although both towns have been 
working peacefully together. It happened that a 
man from Umuanum family if Amesi, due to his 
wicked and evil plans, murdered an Akpo indigene, 
who paid him a visit. He then hid the body of the 
deceased in a cocoyambarn. After two days, the 
dead man’s relative being worried due to his 
absence, organized a search party. With detailed 
investigation on their part, accompanied by the 
extra part played by the deceased’s dog, the body 
was later traced to where it was hidden. 
Consequently, Akpo became greatly agitated and 
enraged. In answer then to Akpo’s expectation for 
an answer for the killing, Amesi had no option 
than to pacify them with some of the culprit’s 
relatives, who are now members of Ezenwobodo’s 
family in Akpo. After this incident, peace returned 
between the two towns.  
 

Within long however, a very serious land 

dispute resulted between Amesi and Akpo. Events 
that finally led to this emanated originally from the 
incident that took place between a particular 
funeral ceremony then, at Umuaro’s family in 
Amesi. It happened that an Akpo indigene who 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

88 
 

also attended the funeral, frenzied with the 
prevailing situation involuntarily cut down 
Umuaro family’s age-long totem banana tree. The 
owner shot and killed him instantly, while the 
other Akpo people having witnessed that, all 
quickly fled home. Within long, the news of this 
ugly incident filtered through Akpo, leading to a 
planned vengeance against Amesi.  

However, after an elapse of about seven 
months, the planting season came up, and as was 
usual then, Amesi got some lands leased out to 
them. Following the format of their plan, Akpo 
land owners instructed these Amesi farmers to 
harvest their crops on a particular day. During the 
course of doing so, ignorant of Akpo’s plan, Akpo 
warriors descended upon and massacred them, 
including Umuagwo families of Amesi who 
inhabited on Akpo-Amesi disputed borderland. 
One Echeta-ibe of Akpo was however indicted, with 
the invention of this plan.  

Amesi infuriated, replied by invoking Agwu 
(iwa-agwu) against Akpo town. Sequel to the 
aforementioned, many people died mysteriously, 
while a good number of Akpo women turned 
barren. Echeta-ibe having witnessed the death of 
many of his family members, quickly evacuated 
the disputed land.  

On consultation, and covertly assisted by 

Amuwo village herbalists upon the payment of 
penalty, forgiveness and consequent amelioration 
of Agwu, Akpo’s predicament later stopped, though 
not without Amesi’s intercession on their behalf in 
relation to Agwu. A boundary trench was later 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

89 
 

erected between Akpo and Amesi, and peace soon 
resulted.  
 
AMESI-UMUCHU HOSTILITIES  

There was no direct hostility between Amesi 
and Umuchi, but there was between Umuchu and 
Achina. It can easily be understood that Amesi, 
Akpo and Achina had a peace treaty and alliance, 

hence their name onu ogunato (three fighting 
fronts.) Umuchu and Achina allowed their minor 
differences to degenerate into war.  

An Achina indigene it was alleged, went to 
Ogwugwu village (Umuchu), after much drinking 
and prolonged dialogue, the friendly overtures 
degenerated into an open confrontation and 
assault. The Achina man was killed in the process, 
and this later led to war. Achina fought against 
only Ogwugwu village initially, but other sections 
of Umuchu villages later, allied with Ogwugwu 
against Achina.  

Overwhelmed by the more populous 
Umuchu warriors, Achina then sent an appeal to 
other members of the Onu ogu nato (Tripple 
alliance), who came to her aid. Amesi once again 
appealed to their herbalists, who helped to defeat 
Umuchu. Umuchu before long, sued for peace, and 
in the settlement that followed, a man from 
Ogwugwu village, (Umuchu) was given to Amesi, 

Akpo and Achina as replacement for the Achina 
man that was previously killed. Later, 
representatives of the triple alliance, converged at 
Obu-Akalabo (Akalabo’s residence) in Amesi, killed 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

90 
 

and used the victim’s body (Ogwugwuekwe) in 
offering for the cleansing of the land.  
 
AMESI-ABAM HOSTILITIES  

An encounter, which is still very fresh in the 
minds of many people in Amesi, was that which 
involved Ohaofia-Abam warriors or Umuchukwu. 
Amesi’s war with the Ohafia warriors was 

accidental and not pre-planned. Ohafia warriors 
planned an invasion of Agbaja (nnewi); but to get 
to their destination, they had to pass through 
Amesi. Amesi’s permission, to allow these warriors 
to pass through her territory was obtained, and 
Amesi people were advised to steer clear of the 
invasionary force’s route.  

Unfortunately, the plan fell on the same 
date that one Umeojiako of Umuaro (Ubaha village) 
was celebrating the second funeral ceremony of his 
dead mother. Umejiako was then advised not to 
fire any gun or cannon shots on that day. This he 
refused to do. The Ohafia warriors, who were still 
in Amesi’s borders, felt they were being shot at, 
and mistook the gunshots as warning signals to 
Nnewi people. They felt betrayed by Amesi; whom 
they henceforth descended upon.  

About forty Amesi people were killed, and 
the neighboring Uga town also suffered some 
causalities. However, the combined forces of 

Amesi, Uga, Achina and Akpo, quickly rallied 
round, and dispatched the enemy. Many were 
killed while some were caught alive and sold into 
slavery. Amesi was not satisfied with this victory, 
but also invoked Agwu against Ohafia town. 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

91 
 

However peace returned with the later 
appeasement of Agwu deity. 

In addition, Amesi also fought briefly with 
Ntueke and Arondizuogu people who were on 
different occasions, purported to have sold some 
Amesi indigenes into slavery. On each occasion, 
Agwu was invoked against them, although they 
later appeased it. (Ntueke did so in 1972). 

 
AMESI-NKPOLOGWU SKIRMISH 

Some Nkpologwu people took it upon 
themselves to continuously deny some Amesi 
farmers of their hard-earned yield, by conducting 
raids on farmlands owned by Amesi. The culprits 
were later caught and killed as of tradition. 
Nkpologwu however felt challenged, and the end 
result was the Ogu okpiri (club and stick war), 
between Amesi and Nkpologwu. However this did 
not last long, before the British invaded Amesi. 
The shirmish was stopped. “This took place 
around 1916”.75 

 
4.2      Eclipse of the Old Order  

The twentieth century dawned on Amesi 
and most other Igbo communities with a lot of 
drastic changes, in their political, social, cultural, 
religious and economic organization. The 
underlying factor in these changes, was the 

‘whiteman’ who came with colonialism, 
westernization and Christianity. According to 
Isichei; “…Igboland was surrounded by an 
inexorably rising tide of alien encroachment”.76 as 
a matter of fact this encroachment was done 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

92 
 

through organized coercion, and in the face of over 
whelming odds, Amesi and her neighbours finally 
succumbed to British rule. 

Amesi’s resistance could be likened to that 
of Uzuakoli people who were aware of the fact that 
they were militarily inferior and weak, compared to 
the Aro, Awka and even among stronger 
neighbours who had been subjugated, decided, “… 

just before the (british led) troops entered the town 
.. not to offer any resistance”.77 

Having conquered Amesi, the British chose 
a chief and invested him with a warrant. This 
undoubtedly proved a watershed in Amesi’s 
subsequent history. Thus, the genesis of British 
paramountcy, the eclipse of the old order, and the 
subsequent superimposition of British imperial 
rule, marked the inception of a new era. 

This was a people who knew nothing, about 
rulers and kings, but forced now to accept 
undemocratically chosen rulers. 

Many revolutionary changes in the people’s 
way of life took place. The machineries of 
colonialism – education and Christianity 
accompanied with western architectural designs, 
brough a lot of changes to the traditional lives of 
Amesi people. The same urge to excel in all areas 
of human endeavours was now transferred to the 
opportunities made available by the whiteman. 

Education invariably came to be seen as the open 
sesame.    
 
 
 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

93 
 

 

 
 

P A R T   T W O 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

1900 - 1991 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

94 
 

C H A P T E R  

Five 
 

 EMERGENCE OF NEW ‘AMESI’-1900 

TO 1991 
  

 

5.1    The Colonial Government 
The years after 1906, marked the take off of 

the pre-planned British forced colonization of 
Igboland. The danger signal echoeing through to 
Amesians from the various Igbo communities 
located far and near, visited the corridors of the 
town as from 1916, though, not before detailed 
sacrifices and rituals have strategically been 
offered aimed towards a possible aversion of this 
alien encroachment.  

Amesi, relatively a small town, 
unquestionably from all intents and purposes 
resisted this external aggression not for months, 
but for decades with such bravado and tenacity of 
purpose that was unmarred by disaster. The 
resistance was never lethal, for the people needed 
no prophets to forcast to them how suicidal any 
attempt at armed resistance would be, in the face 
of the destructive diversified British maximum 
guns. However, Prof. Afigbo’s researches have 

shown that “many groups in the Onitsha, Awka 
and Orlu areas, which apparently did not resist 
the British physically … were infact, relying on the 
agency of the dibia”.78 The author was reliably 
made to understand that “the British armed 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

95 
 

detachment entered into Amesi during the dry 
season of 1917, and settled in the vicinity of Agwu 
Oracle groove”.79 Their mission was to subdue 
Amesi and environs. Nevertheless, continuous rays 
of stiff diplomatic and armed defiance continued to 
emit from Achina town, against these colonialists. 
In order to meet up with this organised opposition, 
they decided to move over their base to Achina, in 

a swift move, devoid of anything compassionate, 
fully equipped with willful burnings, destructions 
intimidations of all sorts, and massacre, Achina’s 
dauntless daftness was violently brough to 
submission. Like Uga town, many of their elders 
were incarcerated in the notorious Aguata make-
shift prison.  

While the smoke of resistance was clearing, 
the colonialists instantly checked Amesi’s 
solidarity with the introduction of some divisive 
machineries, under the umbrella of ‘a total new 
freedom’. The cult of individualism was created 
and haboured amongst the people; accountability 
became personal, decisions came not from a 
general concensus anymore, but from the minority 
above, while status previously achieved, became 
ascribed. Infact, Amesi and her neighbours were 
thrown into a time of ordered anarchy. 

To many, in particular the aged, this new 
dimension was too bitter to swallow. In dormancy, 

they moped speechless, whishing that this rather 
turnout to be a nightmare than solid reality. The 
whiteman’s new wealth and power offered 
promising platforms. These attractions though 
facial, hilariously allured the town’s gentry. The 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

96 
 

traditional building core was exposed to 
continuous institutionalized attack and weakness. 
Order was over-taken by disorderliness, peace by 
troubles, security by insecurity, while the 
supposed verdicts and valedictions of the oracles 
and deities were handled by the gradual but 
powerful wind of aspersion and disregard.  

The British government official while 

stationed at Achina, embarked upon the 
construction of roads that criss-crossed Amesi and 
environs. Warrant chiefs were appointed all over 
these areas, though against the peopl’s wish. 
These two above mentioned projects, appearing 
good-intentioned outwardly ended up as a running 
sore to Amesi and her neighbours. 

After a thorough investigation, the British 
authority noticed that out of the seventeen minial 
lineages existent in the four villages of Amesi, that 
of Umu–Umeoha is the eldest. Following the rites 
and processes involved, “elder Umeonanankume 
was summouned later, to take up the leadership of 
the town, as a warrant Chief. This offer, he 
unequivocally refused”.80 Having failed in this 
‘legalised’ approach, the colonialists resorted to 
choice by appointment, backed with force. Mr. 
Umealadi (father of warrant Chief Ezechukwu) 
from Onunaku quarter of Amowo village, became 
the first Amesian to assume the warrant 

Chieftaincy position.  
Chief Okoloigwe later took over from him. 

Warranted to rule, as the case may be, they 
personified the British government, in the 
execution of the indirect rule policy in Nigeria. At 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

97 
 

any material time, their decisions were final in the 
town. Equiped moreover with intoxicating absolute 
power, one should not wonder long why their 
records are usually full of cultural dreadry. No one 
dared challenge them in anything, for that would 
clearly tantamount to being charged and convicted 
for acts classified under ‘opposition to British 
colonial governance’ They were the law. 

Customary courts simultaneously replaced 
the traditional system of dispute settlement. Amesi 
at no time housed any customary court but, 
“Depending on the type of cases involved, the 
British district officer at Awka, might entertain 
some court sessions in the town. Such cases 
include that which was held between Onunuaku 
people and Amowo village, held at Ezendu’s 
compound in Amowo”.81 

To many, such opportunities were rare. This 
goes a long way in explaining the preparation and 
expectation fever that grips the town whenever a 
white district officer is to visit. This was so for 
various reasons far from clear understanding and 
knowledge. To some, this was the much awaited 
opportunity to see for the first time, the ‘wonderful 
whiteman, who talks with the nose, while for 
others, it is a blessing and an attainment of 
political recognition by the colonialist government. 
Large crowds of people witnessed such sessions, 

even under harsh weather conditions; 
consequently, all social-economic activities stays 
still for such day to pass. 
 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

98 
 

According to elder Umenduka Umealaukwu, 
“The warrant Chief always seized such 
opportunities to prove his efficiency to his alien 
boss. Compulsory contributions of food items was 
often undertaken from amongst Amesians, under 
the excuse of providing for the needs of the visiting 
colonial officer”.82 This undoubtedly, is a daylight 
act of extortion and exploitation against the 

people.  
There was the Okachanma Court, held at 

Orie-Achina square, which Amesians attended 
also. This court held intermittently,” entertained 
cases external and internal concerning Amesi, 
Akpo and Achina towns, while that involving Uga, 
Ekwulobia, Ezinifite, Umuomaku and Nkpologwu 
was handled at the (infamous) Mbamisi court”. 83 A 
reflection of how customary these customary 
courts were and operated, would portray an 
institution full of euphoric and ‘high sounding 
nothing’. The indigenous custom was rather than 
protected, stamped upon. Traditional patterns of 
dispute settlement was cast aside, while 
convoluted westernised esoteric mysteries, termed 
court procedure was adopted. In answer to the 
problem of language barrier the colonialists 
employed the services of court messengers and 
clerks, who acted as interpreters. Two Amesians –
Court messenger Umeonaribe and Court Clerk 

Edward Ezeabasili, all from Umulodike village, at 
different times, were recruited, trained and served 
in the Okachanma Courts at Achina. 

The colonial government showed its 
presence in Amesi with remarkable tenacity. 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

99 
 

Forced unpaid labour, usually bitterly resented by 
the indigenous population, was often enunciated 
by the warrant Chiefs during road constructions 
and for personal labour. The roads aided not only 
the swift movement of the West African frontier 
Force, but the extraction easily of agricultural 
products from Amesi area. 

Law Courts served as altars where legal and 

traditional lambs were mercilessly sacrificed. The 
people’s cultured behaviour was scaled and judged 
according to the stipulations of the Western 
system of law, which needs, curves and contours 
they were ignorant of. It maintained a parlance 
where the outcome of a case depended wholly 
upon ones ability, wit and persuasion in argueing 
his way through on the one hand, or how far the 
individual could go in bribing the court interpreter. 

Traditional Amaeshi suffered and decayed 
progressively. The colonial regime however, 
brought some developmental projects into the 
town. Inter-town raids, coupled with periods of 
insecurity vanished. Harsh customs and 
behavioural patterns were abolished. In this 
atmosphere of relative peace, economic and social 
endeavours progressed. Western education sprang 
up and grew continuously amidst the people’s 
suspicious stare at it. 

Amesians were really suspended between 

two ideas- the intentions of the whiteman for 
introducing it, and the assured advantages if any. 
Many then shunned the call to enroll children, 
while some felt much better gambling with their 
female issues. The gains of agriculture and other 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

100 
 

commercial activities haboured clearer gains to the 
people, than this idea of ‘education’. 

Well, to prove this, the British imperialists 
needed the determined services of their brotherly 
‘pathfinders’ – the missionaries.  
This feat, they primarily embarked upon later, 
hiding under the façade of proselytizing 
Christianity, all in the move towards bringing 

‘light’ to Amesi – the devilish cesspit of smelling 
darkness. 
 
5.2      The Growth of Christianity 

The objectives of the religion – Christianity 
in Africa as a whole, have for long been and to a 
larger extent, still retains the attention of many 
historical analysts. 

Its vigorous evangelization and 
preselytisation peaked with the forceful jetlike 
depredations of colonialism in Nigeria. 

Consequently, Christian missionaries 
became not only mere ‘path finders’ but complete’ 
‘collaborators, with the British Government in 
imperialism. 

In as much as the history of Christianity in 
Igboland dates back to 1841 (with the evangelism 
of Simon Jonas – an Igbo ex-slave at Aboh), the 
first permanent mission in Igbo land was however 
established at Onitsha by  the Church Missionary 

Society, under the leadership of another Igbo ex-
slave, Rev. Christopher Taylor. Following the 
settlement of the Holy Ghost Missionary Fathers at 
Onitsha in the year 1885, detailed energy, vigour 
and determined Catholic Missionary zeal was 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

101 
 

added to the previous efforts of the Christian 
Missionary society’s attempts at missionizing. 
Before long, this speedy growing cobweb of 
Christianity engulfed almost the whole towns and 
settlements within Onisha environs. Long distant 
traders and travelers from Amesi area easily acted 
as harbingers of ‘tall tales’ about this new faith by 
1900.  This white man’s religion was however to be 

introduced into adjacent communities, thereby 
creating a good opportunity for Amesians to see 
and hear with their eyes and ears, what appeared 
to them before, a far cry in the wilderness. Just as 
Christianity came into Igboland through Onitsha, 
the heritage of Amesi’s Christianity could 
indirectly be traced to towns like Aguleri, Adazi, 
Nteje etc. 

The story of early Christianity in Amesi 
vicinity is largely that of the Catholic Church. 
From all intents and purposes, the R.C.M right 
from the beginning showed clearer signs of 
dynamic preparadness for a competitive Christian 
evangelization, as against the Church Missionary 
Society, who were relatively tepid.  

Before the formal introduction of Roman 
Catholicism into Amesi by the ending months of 
1912, the town could already boast of a handful of 
staunch catechumenate, amongst whom were – 
Mr. Benedict Umeozulu, Messrs Albert Umeozulu, 

David Unije, Francis Egesimba, Paul Obidiegwu, 
Mathew Okpalanyia and Juvaniel Okwaraji, all of 
blessed memory. 

The beginning was not at all easy for these 
men, for Christianity was introduced into Amesi 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

102 
 

not without the practicalisation of the belligerent 
indifference of the Igbo people. Amidst total 
ostracism from the traditional religious adherents, 
threats of the calamitous impending danger 
emanating from the thunderous powers of the 
anger-charged gods and the awesome 
punishments awaiting their perpetuated 
abominations against the land, the devotion of 

these early Christians to the cause of the new 
religion was undoubtedly adamant; faithwise 
dogged; and actionwise, full of bravado. However, 
one should not forget that the visible arm of 
British colonisalism, as typified then in the 
warrant Chief was present to shade them. They 
made use of Umeozulu’s compound at various 
times, for meeting or prayer sessions, and once in 
a while, a reverend father would come from either 
Adazi of Agulueri to strengthen them. By 1915, 
with the gradual increase in the number of Amesi 
Christians, a small thatch roofed clay house was 
erected. Mr. Umeozulu could rightly pass for a rare 
gem in the early christianisation of the town, for 
he single handedly gave up his portion of land, 
(about half a kilometer from his residence) for the 
execution of this project.  

As time went on, because of the continued 
relatively small number of Catholic Christians in 
Uga, Amesi, Akpo and other nearby towns, moreso 

to make it easier for the visiting pastors, Rev. 
Father Grace suggested the errection of a bigger 
church house, at a site still known as Ikpa-
nwaowere, bordering Amesi, Uga and Akokwa 
towns. This religious merger plan of Amesi and 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

103 
 

Uga adherents, received the blessing and support 
of Late Chief Ezechukwu of Amesi and 
Okpalaozigbo of Oka-Uga. When arrangements 
were fully completed, this took off as from 1916. 
Significantly, it should be noted that this fulfilled 
merger plan, came when it was very much needed. 
Unified now, these early converts enjoyed a viable 
populous stand, and like one zealous and 

charismatic family, maintained an unshakable 
front to the depredations of the traditional gods 
and their messengers.  

Nonetheless, Amesi traditional society 
suffered greatly from this spreading new religion. 
Obtrusively and imperceptibly, Christianity went 
on adding more and more adherents daily through 
its captivating catechism and magnetic 
dogmatism. In those days, it was not hard to 
identify a Catholic in the town. Usually, they wore 
their blessed chaplets hanging and dangling from 
their necks, as a depiction of their inward sanctity 
and piety, and a weapon to ward off devilish 
attacks.  

As time went on, more new catholic 
converts from Achina, Umuchu, Enugu-Umuonyia, 
Umuomaku, Nkpologwu, Akokwa etc. joined Amesi 
and Uga Christians. This warranted the setting up 
of a mat-roofed church building. At this juncture, 
the alien spiritual assistant saw the need towards 

educating the converts, thereby enabling them 
towards understanding the messages of the bible 
well. This brought forward, the need for a resident 
delegated catechist. Before long, a catechist’s 
domain was erected, and Mr. Philip Otutu, from 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

104 
 

Onitsha was sent to open classes for the converts. 
Sunday schools and catechism sessions provided 
remarkable platforms for restructuring these 
devotees. 

Rev. father Bubendoff after taking over from 
Fr. Treich, visited the Uga-Amesi Catholic station. 
On seeing the eagerness exhibited by the people 
there, he was impressed. To show his appreciation 

and unwavering support, he later fulfilled his 
promise of sending teachers for the take off of 
infant classes. Inwardly convinced about the 
people’s understanding of the gospel, Fr. 
Bubendoff went on further to suggest the building 
of a permanent concrete church house. Everyone 
welcomed this idea, and the collection of stones, 
wood and other building materials took off in 
earnest. Truly, this task proved very tedious from 
the on start.  

The Catechist then needed a little religious 
psychology to muster totally their determination 
and hardwork. In convincing them, a beautiful 
picture was painted for them, on how big their 
rewards would be in heaven, for helping to put up 
a house for God. This building which was started 
in the last days of 1924, was finished by early 
1929. With glory to God and on earth peace to 
men of goodwell’, Late Archbishop Heerey 
Triumphantly marched, and formally opened it not 

only with a baptismal name – St. Vincent’s 
Catholic Mission, Uga – Amesi, but also with a tag 
– “The Gate of Heaven”. The local Christians 
rejoiced in their accomplished task, while the 
missionaries heartily counted another area for 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

105 
 

Christ. Within a space of two months, a rest house 
for the mobile Rev. Father was built, and a 
Christian cemetery was added as the final rest 
ground for Christians from Uga and Amesi.   

Thus within a very limited time, viable 
departments of Catholicism and Western 
education were instituted in Amesi. Suffice it then 
to emphatically state that the town became set 

towards witnessing an unprecedented bazaar of 
Christiansation, under the strict regrimented life of 
British Colonial government. 

Initially, Amesians didn’t actually 
understand the meaning and purpose of the 
school. To most of them, it was simply a waste of 
time and energy. Subsequently, in their vacouse 
imagination, almost all denounced the programme 
as that meant for lazy men and society’s indolent 
loafers. The message of the missionaries and the 
colonial officials appeared going directly contrary 
to the natural tenets of the people’s agelong 
tradition. The rythmn of the early morning school 
bell was interpreted as that which demanded of all 
able bodied youths and children to forgo farmwork 
and all house hold chores and go to the school. A 
great number of  Amesi elders passed this as an 
abomination, hence it was nothing of amazement 
to find in the school then, only the children of poor 
converts, while the sons of wealthy and noblemen 

were carefully and meticulously guarded, lest they 
go there and end up in their life time being the 
towns social misfits and unproductive. 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

106 
 

Nevertheless, Catholicism and Western 
education, in their unquestionable, romance with 
the stones’, thrived and throbbed on. 
In the school, emphasis was laid on the teaching of 
the three R’s and latin, while the Catechist spent 
detailed time holding sessions of Sunday schools 
where the twists and messages hidden in the bible 
parables were unraveled to the adults. 

From the inception of this school in 1912, 
many catechists and teachers, all of whom have 
the reputation of being foreigners, were recruited 
to assist in seeing that the manpower need is met. 
They include – Mr. Philip Otutu (Onitsha), Richard 
Nwakobi and Mathias Odife (Nkwelle), Anselem 
Obiamalu (Nnewi), Mathew Eke (Ozubulu), Vincent 
Ekwedike (Adondizuogu), George Onuorah and 
Josiah Okoli (Agbudu), Julius Amasiani (Nteje), 
Benjamin Ilozumba (Obeledu) and David 
Okpalajesi (Uga).  

The progress of St. Vincent’s Church school 
Uga-Amesi could easily be measured, when one 
considers the fact that by 1935, the school had 
grown up to standard three in strength. That same 
year, the parish Priest – Late Fr. Liddane, following 
Bishop Anyaogu’s earlier advice, added with the 
support of both Uga and Amesi adherents, 
transferred the school totally to Oye-Uga 
compound. 

As at this time, Christianity, considering its 
devotees and number in the town, portrayed 
practical signs of a religion which never came to 
play the second fiddle.  Many new converts 
seemingly intoxicated by the aroma and gingering 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

107 
 

fumes of this new faith, set out to create a base for 
this religion not in the outskirts but at the heart of 
Amesi town. This idea solidified into action, by 
July, 1942, when a delegation was sent on behalf 
of Amesi Catholics to father Liddane, with a formal 
request for a new church station to be sited in 
Amesi. Although this request was turned down, 
undaunted and unpertubed this idea went on like 

a smoldering fire. 
In any case, by 1943, Catholicism appeared 

to be advancing faster in Achina than in her 
neighbouring Amesi town. Consequently, the 
church found it convenient to formalize its stand 
in that vicinity by instituting in 1945 what became 
known as “Achina parish”. Rev. Fr. Oniel was 
hitherto appointed the first parish priest. It is 
important to note that as from this time, all Amesi 
Catholics, including those of Oka-Uka, came 
under the care and directives of Fr. Oniel.  

During the ending months of the second 
half of 1948, a very serious controversy fell out 
between Uga and Amesi members of St. Vincent’s 
Catholic Church, Uga-Amesi. Preceeding events 
however proved that the parish priest, Fr. Oniel 
was at the core of this problem. From the above-
mentioned date, for reasons best known to him, he 
professionally started to omit the name “Amesi’ 
from all records pertaining St. Vincent’s Catholic 

mission. He found it more convenient to refer to 
the church house as Uga-Otikpo-Uga or simply St. 
Vincent’s Otikpo. At first, Amesi Catholics thought 
that this was as a result of either ignorant 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

108 
 

omission or a case of perennial slip of tongue on 
the part of the reverend father.  

However, as this persisted, they wisely and 
openly called his attention at it, but to their utter 
consternation and disbelief, he not only blatantly 
rejected the correction, but made no move to effect 
any visible change in the matter. Uga Catholic 
Counterparts, as the case may be, selfishly-

oriented, soon saw and took this as a shorter cut 
towards laying absolute claims to the ownership of 
the mission station and its properties. This 
marked the actual beginning of discord and land 
controversy between Uga and Amesi Christians.  

Another dimension was added to this case, 
when indigenes of both towns resorted to either 
writing whatever they wished on the sign post in 
front of the church house or even uprooting each 
others signposts. In this daylight war of 
inscription, Amesi stood for a joint name tag, while 
Uga members rather supported that omitting 
Amesi. Uga adherents went forward to institute 
legal actions against Amesi. This rather than 
helping, worsened the situation. Amesi on her own 
part, forwarded an emergency appeal to his Grace, 
latter Archbishop Heerey, who was in charge of the 
vast Onitsha Archdiocese. He subsequently 
delegated the Eastern Nigerian Catholic Council to 
investigate this matter. Later, two members of the 

Council, Hon. J.M. Nwosu and P. Chukwurah 
submitted documents in support of joint 
ownership of the church house and its properties 
by both Uga and Amesi. 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

109 
 

Time truly proved the council’s findings and 
investigations as inefficacious and theoretical, in 
that the situation was allowed to decay the more. 
Disappointed in the impotency of the ‘religious’, 
Amesians eager to obtain justice in its true sense, 
took the matter to court. 

From the above evidence and records at 
hand presently, imperatively it does appear that 

Rev. Fr. Oniel’s general behaviour in relation to 
this case, typified a personality manipulated by 
conspiracy, negativism and carefree debaunchery. 
To an uninfluenced analyst, the Revered must be 
far from uprightness and truth, for allowing such 
little wound to develop into a running sore. 

Unfortunately, as fate would have it, the 
Nigerian/Biafran war took the stage before the 
case could come up in court for hearing, and Rev. 
Oniel had to travel home. The distractions, 
disturbances and insecure atmosphere of the war 
period, undoubtedly postponed indefinitely all 
hopes of possible immediate settlement. During 
this pandamonious three years (1967-1970), and 
their adjoining inferno, the matter obviously 
decayed greatly.  

Nevertheless, the chapters of history can 
never fail to recollect the dynamism of Rev. Fr. 
Raphael Ikenga Ozigbo, Uga Parish Priest from 
1967-1971. He vehemently applied his youthful 

energy in attempting to restore peace in St. 
Vincent’s Uga-Amesi mission station. In his 
unrelenting urge for progress, he in 1971, set up a 
social centre in St. Vincent’s church premises for 
the training, education and preparation of Catholic 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

110 
 

girl’s for married life. By October 1973, this social 
centre was carried over to the premises of 
Immaculate Heart Church compound, Uga, during 
the tenureship of Rev. Fr. A Anyi-Chie as parish 
priest. A bold step was however taken in obtaining 
peace in the on-going rift between Amesi and Uga 
members of St. Vincent’s mission between 1974 
and 1980.  

Rev. Fr. Ignatius Ughonu (the Parish Priest), 
narrowly instituted a period of unsettled peace 
which even lasted up till 1985. This interregnum 
was ushered in with a holy mass of peace offering, 
celebrated by Rev. Msgr. M. Obiukwu on 13th 
October 1974. 

This mass was held at the controversial 
mission compound. At this juncture, one would 
not fail to comment that lasting peace has 
continued to elude Uga/Amesi members of St. 
Vincent’s all these years because the totality of 
attempts made towards settlement have been 
devoid of adequate tact, diplomacy, dedication and 
untainted will power, on the part of the arbiters.  

A promising light rose from the horizon by 
1993, with the in-coming of the astute Rt. Rev. Dr. 
A.K. Obiefuna on the plat-form of the newly 
created Awka Bishopric. Zeal, admantness, 
positivism and the spirit of God with which he 
enunciated his leadership mission, saw him as a 

real ‘Daniel come to judgment’ in this St. Vincent’s 
issue. He quickly instituted an enquiry panel 
under the chairmanship of his chancellor – Rev. 
Fr. Solomon Amatu. Acting on the 
recommendations of the panel, Bishop Obiefuna 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

111 
 

proceeded to divide the mission compound into 
two. This he cemented with the peace agreement 
which he made both Uga and Amesi members of 
St. Vincent’s Church to sign.  

This agreement empowered both parties to 
develop their individual portions of the mission 
compound. With this, came the end of a turbulent 
era. 

The pill cannot to totally written off as bitter 
to Amesi Catholicism. It does however appear that 
the period though disturbing facially, ended up 
later in mixed blessing. This incident seemingly 
diabolic, truly slowed down catholic evangelization 
in Amesi during the morning hours of this dispute, 
and at the same time resulted positively in the full 
scale planning and subsequent errection of two 
different Catholic mission centres in the two towns 
- St. Joseph’s Catholic Mission in Amesi, and the 
Immaculate Heart Catholic Mission in Uga. 

The admirable account of this missionary 
in-road into Amesi would appear incomplete if the 
transformations witnessed before this autonomous 
mission house was built, is not traced. 

As has earlier on been pointed out, Amesi’s 
dream of a separate church house dated back to 
1942. Never ready to take ‘no’ for an answer, the 
town sent delegation after delegation to Rev. Fr. 
Liddane on this issue. Rather than buy the 

spiritual directors explanations as to why the town 
would not be granted such as at then, Amesians 
(both Catholics and non Christians), invented 
many interpretations as to this situation. Many 
saw it as a clear case of favouritism against Amesi 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

112 
 

in relation to her other neighbours. This idea 
(whether true or not), in a day light flashlight of 
clasping thunder and lightening, emitted rays 
which infected men of thoughts, words and action. 
This resulted in a flame like patriotism which cut 
across religious demarcations in the town. 

Amesi calling diplomacy into play, decided 
to exploit the existing circumstances. A balanced 

delegation, comprising men of rare qualities like – 
Chief Ezeanyanaso Ezeudeogu, Ezeibekwe 
Okpalla, Ezeonyejekwe Okpalla, Ezeonyejekwe 
Nwokediugwu, Chief Ochiaka Umeakuka etc. were 
selected to meet Fr. Liddane once again, on behalf 
of the town. They again failed to carry through 
their mission due to Fr. Liddane’s unyielding 
posture. Amesi delagates instantly resorted to the 
lucrative ‘dance of the beautiful bride’. This they 
did by threatening to grant to the Church 
Missionary Society missionaries, their age-long 
evangelization approaches to the town, if their 
wish is not met. To this, the Reverend was answer-
less. He was left with no alternative than to recant. 
Thence forth, he enumerated some conditionalities 
which Amesi Catholics would fulfil. He demanded 
that Amesi Catholic must count up to a reasonable 
number, so as to sustain an autonomous new 
church.  

The town’s Catholic population instantly 

moved all out to provide for the new church. The 
problem of site and land for the erection of this 
mission house was solved through arrangement 
with Mr. Ekeka Onwuharaonye (the chief Priest of 
Okwunehie deity then), not after the Catholics 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

113 
 

agreed to train one of his sons up to standard six. 
Permission then granted, a part of the Okwunehie 
forest was cleared in readiness for this project by 
both the Aladinma and Okikadigbo age-groups 
from Obinato and Umuocha villages. A makeshift 
mission house/school and structure was then 
erected on this site, on time before Fr. Liddane’s 
fact-finding visit. 

Specifically, on July 14th, 1942, Rev. Fr. 
Liddane with his entourage, finally visited Amesi 
town. The mission house was practically filled with 
an over-whelming population of children, women 
and men. Over-joyed and convinced erroneously 
though, towards believing that all present at the 
church were altogether new Amesi Catholic 
converts, he praised the town’s progressive growth 
in faith. Moreover, he placed an embargo on the 
allowance and involvement of Amesi members of 
St. Vincent’s Church Uga-Amesi in this new 
church. He even empowered Mr. Patrick Okoye 
(the Headmaster of St. Charles Catholic school 
(Achina), and John Anowai (a teacher in the same 
school) to ensure that this directive is 
implemented. Fr. Liddane consequently presented 
an Uga indigene, Mr. Victor Umeobieri, as the first 
station teacher of this new station. Liddane’s 
stipulation before long, survived ideally than in 
reality, in that most of those banned old coverts, 

later meandered into this as new pioneer members 
of the new church included Eugene Egbunihie, 
Pius Okpalanwa, Elias Umeoduagu, Jacob 
Umechukwu and Moses Aletuo.    



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

114 
 

In the final analysis, glowing tributes 
should be payed to the members of the Eburunabo 
age groups and the old Amesi Christian converts of 
St. Vincent’s Uga-Amesi, for the successful 
erection and stabilization of this new church 
centre for the town. While the age groups provided 
the labour and the much needed catechumenate 
population when it was needed, the old catholic 

converts acted as a bedrock of morale booster 
towards the eventual existence of what is today a 
separate parish station St. Joseph’s Catholic 
Church. 

Presently, Amesi Catholicism could boast of 
many indigenous priests and religious amongst 
whom are – Rev. Fr. M. Ezeabasili (Cool and 
calculated) 20th July 1962.  Rev. Fr. Pantaleon 
Umechukwu (Visionary), 1st July, 1983. 

 

Rev. Fr. B. Umenwanne (witty, wise and sound), 
12th August, 1987 
Rev. Fr. N. Abazie (Innovator and Charismatic), 5th 
August, 1989. 
Mr. Peter Okpalaeke – Deacon 
Mr. Victor Egbuocho – Deacon Etc. 
Sr. Mary Trinitas Umeh first professed – 1972 
(I.H.S.) 
Sr. Mary B.A. Ezeliora first professed 1976 (D.D.L.) 
Sr. M.M. Ozigbo first professed – 1977 (I.H.S.) 

Sr. M.C. Umeozulu first professed – 1977 (D.D.L.) 
Sr. M.B. Ezeabasili first professed – 1982 (H.R.S) 
Sr. B. Onwuka first professed – 1983 (I.H.S) 
Sr. C. Ezenwuba first professed – 1984 (H.H.C.J) 
Sr. P. Ezechukwu first professed – 1985 (I.H.S.) 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

115 
 

Sr. D. Ezeanuna first professed – 1985 (D.D. L.)  
etc.  
 
There are a host of senior seminarians, novices, 
postulants and junior seminarians. 
 

Informants: Messers Philip Onwuka, Jacob 
Umechukwu, Jeremaial Ezeanyanaso etc. 
 
THE SALVATION ARMY 

The above mentioned sect was generally the 
second Christian group that penetrated the strong 
– holds of Amesi those early days. However, one 
could notice after detailed investigation, that the 
salvation army Christian faith was actually the 
first of its kind wholly established in the town, 
independent of any foreign assistance, In the 
words of one of the surviving founding members 
elder Christopher Ezeonyebuchi, “The salvation 
army church officially came into Amesi, by June, 
1940 from Achina town, after many years of 
emigrational spiritual allegiance by some dedicated 
Amesi converts”.84 Those early Salvationists 
included Crprain Okorugo, late Simon Nwokekwe, 
Elias Onyeka and late James Uju etc. 

It is significant to note that this Christian 
formation came with her own sets of policy and 
doctrine, which openly threatened some existing 

traditional beliefs and deeds.  Though their 
progress appeared outwardly minimized in 
comparison with the speed of Catholicism in that 
area, baptized with daft determination even in 
their few number, they stabilized the dawn to 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

116 
 

dawn creeping of their mission in the town. Like 
soldiers, the early catechumen trugged on, 
undettered by the rugged terrain of proselytization, 
while seemingly armed with the total convinction 
that the town’s’ salvation was destined to come 
from none rather than them. Harder, they prayed 
and worked. 

They later resolved to erect a permanent 

salvation army mission station in the town. To 
procure land for this project infact proved a hard 
nut to crack. After sometimes, bored by a long list 
of problems, needs, and difficulties, these 
foundation members, numbering about ten, finally 
started to entertain the fear that their dreams 
might never be opportuned to leave the drawing 
board. All moves that were made to purchase land, 
ended negatively. More and more, the fate of the 
faith became shaky. As a last alternative, they 
succumbed to clearing and using the dreaded 
Ezeogwugwu forest. Accordingly, “Salvationists 
converged on an appointed day, armed with 
matchets, and having said some prayers, 
embarked on accomplishing this task, of course 
not without the fearful denunciations and specified 
repercussions voiced by some of the town’s 
traditional religionists”.85 Two of their members 
(Enemuo Udokoro – Amowo village, Allonye 
Onwukoha – Ubaha village), later helped the more, 

by giving piece of lands which were added to the 
former. 

In the tasks of building, the church drew 
her manpower from Amesi and Achina adherents. 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

117 
 

After the completion of the structure, the mission 
embarked upon increasing their population in the 
town, through the employment of various 
approaches. At one time, they tried to mirror the 
gap between the traditional religious formula and 
the Salvation Army Group, when they even 
resorted to inviting and allowing Amesians to 
attend the church with their Ofo emblems and Ozo 

title anklets. To this call, many answered but 
before long, this boom turned to doom, when the 
rules of the game; in order words, these sources of 
hilarious inspiration and attraction were 
withdrawn. 

However, the town cannot easily forget the 
Salvationists for infact one Christian formality 
which they single handedly started. Popularly but, 
notoriously, they were derided as Uka Akumaka’ – 
congregation of the hand clappers, by the people. 

The other Christian sects and local 
inhabitants within and around Amesi, largely 
measured and gauged their unseriousness in 
prayer and worship with their childlike clapping, 
drumming and dancing, infront of God’ when they 
suppose to adopt a turgid air of calm, meditation 
and ferventness.  

Many years have passed, and what do we 
see? The Salvationists, though presently boasting 
of a little above a hundred and fifty members, are 

still there in the town, while her worship style have 
totally been copied by virtually all her accusers. 
 
 
 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

118 
 

THE CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY 
The Amesi C.M.S. was not only a child of 

circumstance, but the total brain child of elder 
Christopher Ezeonyebuchi. It should be recalled 
that he was one of the founding members of the 
Amesi Salvation Army Mission. During the early 
days of Christianity in the town, rudimentary 
knowledge in the acquisition of Western education 

lay in the hands of officials of the different 
Christian Congregations, meant specifically for 
their personal converts and Catechumens.  

As earlier on pointed out, the Amesi catholic 
had the advantage of utilizing the school set up at 
St. Vincent’s Uga- Amesi, and the later one at Eke 
market square, while the salvation army mission 
had no such advantage to its reckon. 
Consequently, it lost many of its education-hungry 
followers to the Catholic fold, while some others 
like Christopher Ezeonyebuchi taking the bull by 
the horns, went all out and tried to find either a 
solution or an alternative, rather than succumbing 
to the Catholics without a fight. In order to 
accomplish this task, he needed the help of 
seasoned supporters and a concrete idea and 
connection with another preferable faith that has 
got good provisions for imparting Western 
education. In the search, he met Mr. Ezekwe from 
Umuchu (Ezinifite village)), who led him into a 

promising future in the Church Missionary 
Society. 

Before anything could be done, Mr. Ezekwe 
ultimately saw to it that elder Ezeonyebuchi cross-
carpeted from the Salvationist mission to the 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

119 
 

C.M.S. In so doing moreover, many Amesians 
followed him. “It happened that at this time, the 
town pursued a blanket scholarship policy with 
regards to all Amesians schooling within the 
premises of Amesi”, According to elder 
Ezeonyebuchi. “We subsequently swung into 
action under the umbrella of the C.M.S., towards 
seeing that we did not miss this bonus”.86 

After sometime, the C.M.S. faithful 
continued to grow in number and strength. For 
certain unidentified reasons, the mission later 
decided to shift over all her student population 
into the government established country school 
Amesi, at least run independent of any mission’s 
control. 

Nevertheless, due to a litany of versatile 
grievances and problems under the 
headmastership of one Mr. Ezeuko from Achina 
town, added with organized open attacks and 
proven ostracism meted out by the town’s Catholic 
population against the relatively smaller C.M.S. 
adherents, their stay in the county-school was 
short lived.   

Under the leadership of elder Ezeonyebuchi, 
about ten Amesi C.M.S. members sent for the 
immediate help and support of Nkpologwu, Uga 
and Achina C.M.S. mission stations, towards the 
establishment of a permanent C.M.S. Church-

School in the town. In the same way the initiative 
for this action evolved, the financial and land 
needs towards its final execution went. It was 
generally an Ezeonyebuchi affair. (Christopher and 
his wealthy brother). 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

120 
 

At this stage, it is important to note that 
while the structures were being put up, academic 
and catechism classes simultaneously went on in 
the two make shift mud houses located in the 
same compound. Adult and children’s education 
were basically handled; some of the pioneer 
member who worked relentlessly include – 
Jeremiah Agbagwo, Samuel Umeakuta, Catherine 

Umeakuta, Susana Ezeana etc. The contributions 
of Mr. Wilson Ihemeje (from Owerri) as the school’s 
first teacher cannot easily be overlooked.  

Be that as it may, the C.M.S zinc-roofed 
Church house was finally commissioned in 1975, 
while the congregations scanty population of 
thirteen on 1st take off in the town, presently could 
tender more than three hundred faithful on the 
whole. 
 

A clear evaluation of what transpired during 
the church’s earliest days in Amesi would easily 
prove that the C.M.S. has come  to stay, having 
weathered what may be referred to as detailed 
Amesi Catholic enemity, rancor and selfishness. 
Prolonged tribulations infact has toughened the 
Amesi C.M.S. It is a sad sequence to note that this 
melodrama at Amesi stage was and still is a clear 
reflection and presentation of the unhealthy 
competitive spiritual colonization of Igbo land. 

Factually, the R.C.M. – C.M.S. evangelistic rivalry 
cum scramble, sowed some seeds of discord 
amongst the Christianized. Without mincing 
words, a faith handed down in an unpeaceful 
atmosphere of this nature, would thrive in nothing 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

121 
 

less than gyroscopized suspiciousness and 
turmoil. 

“It is no more unity in diversity, but the 
clear cut dichotomized opposition and disunity 
noticeable in the diversity”.87 

It is somewhat zany to note that Christ 
really prayed “may they be one”, but to assume 
that this has been attained, one must need a large 

doze of salt.  
Historical annals are never silent on the 

drunken drama witnessed in Europe, that 
culminated in the emergence of splitter Christian 
groups. This happened when Africans South of the 
Sahara stayed and lived ignorant of Christ. With 
such preceding situation, it is very disheartening 
for one to notice the fearful chasm existing 
between the different Amesi Christian sects. 
Amesians were taught to abhore any dealings with 
one another on account of religious differences, by 
some arch-conservative missionaries and 
catechists. This divided and dis-socialized the 
town.  

However, with the emergence of younger 
and wiser Christians in the town presently, added 
to a better understanding of the philosophy of 
Christ – love of all alike, Amesians have started 
fraternizing, thereby stimulating the town’s 
progress in different fields.  

 
 

 
 
 
 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

122 
 

CONSEQUENCES  
“I came, I saw, I conquered”, veni, vini, vici.  
 

With due apologies to Julius Caesar, this 
analysis truly and summarily depicts what 
Christianity did in Amesi traditional society in 
particular and Igboland in general. The 
missionaries saw themselves not only as ordinary 
proselytizers and evangelists, but from all 
ramifications as daft ‘soldiers of Christ, teleguided 
by the ever-echoing order of destroying and over 
throwing all African customary inheritance. To 
them, Lucifer and his agents have been drinking 
and dining with the people for long. In order then 
to save these souls from the devil’s manipulation, 
all links with the past must be severed. The ‘black 
air’ which Amesi and her neighbors have been 
swimming, rolling and rollicking in for hundreds of 
years, must be replaced. Their mission never knew 
caution. Igbo traditional practices and cache that 
took time to evolve was mercilessly subjected to 
instant, spontaneous and systematic death blows-
indeed a destructive macabre. Regardless of how 
religious Amesians were, just like any other Igbo, 
iconoclastic and spiritually revolutionary 
Christianity was ever determined against any 
dialogue. 

Most elders took the cautionary road, while 
some youngmen swam and even bathed in this 
alien teaching disregarding prescription. Frenzied 
and spiritually drunk, the towns religious, social, 
political and economic institutions were exposed to 
the full swings of their matchet cuts. In the face of 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

123 
 

over whelming and confusing odds, many 
Amesians then accepted Christianity. 

In enunciating the Christian dogma, the 
people were made to see the difference (if any) that 
existed between the Chi-ukwu they worshiped and 
the Jesus Christ which the missionaries talked 
about. The town’s religious taboos, as natural as 
some of them were, was out rightly rejected and 

replaced by the more important Ten 
Commandments and church laws. Rev. Fathers 
and Catechists, took over the functions of the 
traditional Chief Priest, with their attendant 
sacrifices and consultations. The Catholic Church 
was referred to as Uka FADA (the priest’s church). 
When studied intently, this localized corruption 
would appear ideal for according to Fr. I. Ozigbo, 
“he governed his mission like a benevolent and 
paternal monarch”.89 

Amesians were christened ‘idol 
worshippers’. Their different many deities were de-
godded and written off as mere woods and clay 
artistic masterpieces, while replacing them with 
the Christian signs and status. The town’s 
enviable and heroic ancestors were relegated, 
while tales about the powers and exemplary lives 
of uncountable alien saints occupy the peoples 
daily thoughts. Various Christian sacramentals 
(holy water, medallion, scapular, stickers) quickly 

replaced the traditional charms, amulets and 
medicines in the arena of protectiveness. Largely 
unintelligible esoteric latinised séances took the 
stage in place of localized songs and dances. 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

124 
 

Christianity having gained a very strong 
ground in the town, with its attendant Catholic 
majority, the catechists and missionaries enjoyed 
unequalled political control amongst the people. A 
clear division was established between the 
converts and the so-called heathens, thereby 
setting disunity in motion. Ordered Amesi was 
then disordered. Christians should have nothing to 

do with either the pagans or else, one stood the 
risk of being suspended from receiving Holy 
Communion. The town was subjected to the heat 
of a faith whose primary material was gathered 
from the vast field of Palestine; industrially 
manufactured in Europe, while cut and thailored 
in Rome.  

The consequences of the in-coming of 
Christianity into Amesi were enormous. The town’s 
traditional theodicy was over-turned, the various 
valued instruments that aided cohesion and total 
allegiance amongst the people was systematically 
anathemised. In the eyes of the missionaries, 
nothing practically appeared good or seemingly 
manageable in the people’s cultural cum religious 
armoury, as to warrant co-option.  

Since the advent of Christianity into Amesi 
its growth in all ramifications, has been largely 
perepherial. The alien theological formulae 
catechetically and doctrinally had found it hard to 

stablise because of the evangelization style and its 
lack of real inculturation. The people’s feelings and 
ways of life must be taken into account, if real 
progress is to be witnessed. In as much as this is 
so, Amesians cannot forever be passive recipients. 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

125 
 

Christianity in Amesi should not in total be 
the same with Christianity in Turin (Rome), due to 
the unquestionable difference in people, culture 
and environment, though the major substance of 
the faith must remain the same.   

Infact, it is a holy “white mail” forbidding or 
dismissing every innovation African in essentials, 
under the pain of deviation from orthodoxy. 

According to menirad Hegba, “For Africans to 
perpetually forgo all their evolved traditions in the 
face of that of the alien, would place them 
succinctly in a ‘state of eternal juniority. Suffice it 
then to say that is not a question of making 
Christianity acceptable to Amesians, but rather of 
making the town’s values acceptable to 
Christianity. This has been a great incubus upon 
the advancement and emergence of Christianity-
originale in Amesi, and Igboland in general. 
 
5.3 The Growth of Western Education/ 

Patterns of Social and Economic Change 
Western education, could be said to be the very 
first strong vestige of Christianity and colonization 
in the Igbocore area. The history of scholarcistism 
in Amesi is traceable first to the Catholic Church. 
However, all the Christian sects that later operated 
in the town, employed the academic rudiments of 
reading, writing and interpreting during their 

missionizing task. The importance and use of 
Sunday schools and catechism sessions towards 
enlightening these devotees of Christ cannot be 
underestimated. 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

126 
 

Though the art of reading and writing did 
not come to Amesi on time, when it finally came, 
the people viewd it with putation suspicion and 
controversy. Many saw it simply as falling into a 
vicious darkhole, though mention was constantly 
made of its abundant promising delicacies and 
advantages. Examples were even cited of certain 
known few, from nearby towns, who have 

succeeded in life, after gulping some of this 
Western knowledge. This was done to convince 
Amesians to change their adamant posture. 

Having been converted to Christianity, the 
Amesi Adherents under the St. Vincent’s Catholic 
Mission Uga-Amesi, were the first in the town to 
start off the act of reading and writing. However, 
some amongst them not fully convinced, wisely 
decided to embark upon this ‘risk’, by allowing 
either their daughter or any of their unfavoured 
sons to enroll in this programme. Though classes 
went on, generally, early-morning school bells were 
interpreted as officialised invitation for training of 
people into professional loafers and unproductive, 
otherwise how can one explain the visible gains of 
the daily farm works as against that of this 
everyday school. It was normal to witness scholars 
cajoled in songs as guided misfits. 

At this stage, it is important to point out 
that the work of the early African Missionary 

Catechists and school teachers, none of whom 
came from Amesi, was very dynamic.  

They bore the tedious brunt of convincing 
the people as to the future advantages of Western 
education. In some cases, they even took the pains 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

127 
 

of staging uninvited evening visits to different 
families. During such call, they took time 
convincing dogged elders and parents, on the 
destined lofty and alluring rewards of befitting 
white-colar jobs, obtainable through this alien 
academic pursuit. Many of these school teachers 
were even poorly paid, though usually of humble 
beginnings, equipped with little education. From 

their numerous needs, pupils seldom gathered 
firewood, and fetched water for them. 

However, Amesi did not stay long in the 
opposition. This resulted from the fact that they 
were advantaged to seeing practical gains attained 
by some nearby town’s indigenes who have gone 
through some rudimentary Western education.  

Moreover, some of the town’s long distant 
travelers and traders, witnessing how fashionable 
this new thought has become in places like 
Onitsha, did not stop at only advising their 
relatives at home, but returned and quickly 
enrolled at least one of their children. Many lucid 
thinkers at home, having viewed this idea and its 
expected prospects with equanimity, also gave in. 
Right from the smoldering piece of coal, the fire 
finally took off, and the race for the Golden Fleece 
started. 

The school house located at St. Vincent’s 
mission, Uga-Amesi, served the town’s needs in 

this direction, until the beginning of 1936, when 
through the application of the colonial 
governments’ universal free primary education 
policy, the County Primary School Amesi was 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

128 
 

erected, on the piece of land which was mainly 
procured from one Akamikpu (Ubaha village).  

Be that as it may, the enterprising Catholic 
members, succeeded after weathering several 
difficulties in setting up St. Joseph’s Primary 
School (the present central school) at Eke Amesi 
vicinity in 1942. Being a full fledged missionary 
school, it was placed under the care of Achina 

Parish from its inception, up till 1945, when it 
became autonomous.   

According to my informat, “To take on and 
shoulder such a project, demands dedicated, 
determined and seasoned academics. Such was 
the qualities embeeded in the first school teacher 
of the school – Mr. Innocent Uwakwe, from Ndi-
Okpalaeze town”.90 Before long, some other pioneer 
teachers and headmasters came to his assistance, 
amongst whom were Mr. Victor Umeobieri (Uga, 
the first headmaster of the school, Mr. Augustine 
Okpalla) (Akpo, the second Headmaster and Mr. 
Sylvester Dim, the third Headmaster).  

Now that the old and the young appeared to 
have understood the advantages of Western 
education, and the consequent scramble for its 
acquisition resulting, all policies that formerly 
projected its freshness and openness, were 
gradually dropped. The payment of school fees by 
the pupils started. This threw many determined 

pupils into embarking on various money yielding 
ventures, while some parents and wards had to 
guarantee their children’s academic pursuit, by 
even selling off their lands, domestic animals and 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

129 
 

economic trees. What a sacrifice in quest of the 
Golden Fleece. 

After acquiring the rudimentary part of this 
alien education, many ambitious and determined 
Amesians, went for the commanding height. 
Henceforth, teachers training colleges in Adazi, 
Agulu and even Onitsha contributed in no small 
way to the eventual production of the trained elites 

from the town.  
It should however be noted that both 

Christianity and western education never made 
their fruitful inroad into Amesi, without some 
negative effects.  

The traditional environment, and the 
normalcy of the peoples’ life pattern were the worst 
affected. It was in recognition of this factor, though 
critically, that V.C. Uchendu unreservedly opined 
that,” “Religiously, the planting of Christianity 
(and western education) hit at the very soul of the 
Igbo society, and invariably caused problems of 
varying magnitude in Igbo life and culture”.91 

It is abnormal infact to contest at this 
juncture, whether there really emanated any 
visible changes, rather it does appear better to 
reflect on the magnitude. 

It was tempestuously revolutionary, thereby 
leading to the submergence of certain existing 
social order and the town’s cultural nationalism. 

Amesi witnessed, “a sudden and regrettable break 
with a glorious past, as a result of which things 
began to fall apart”.92 

This above stance does not mean to say that 
the emergence of westernization and Christianity 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

130 
 

in the town, is devoid of all attributes of 
positivism.   

Ancient Amesi was not an abode of 
laisezfaire morality. Its pre-Christian guide was 
firmly based on religion, strict moral principles, 
determined code of conducts, established penalties 
and denunciations against malefactors, tested 
taboos, all summed up in the mechanism of 

control, classified as the people’s custom. Due to 
the tangled and intertwined nature of custom and 
religion in the town, tabulated moral sanctions 
were mainly religious sanctions. The people’s belief 
in this divine moral code, and the ability of the 
gods to punish any deviant instantly, was never in 
question or isolation. This became the most 
powerful and effective mechanism of social control 
in Amesi society. Values like truthfulness, 
hospitality, kindness, love and respect for elders, 
built an unshaken honour, integrity and a 
promising longevity for one in the town. 

However, in contemporary Amesi society, 
beaten left and right by westernization, the scope 
of morality has begun to dull down. “Foreign 
cultures have begun to teach morality, as that 
which is based not on religion and its sanctions, 
but on that complex which suits men in their 
present circumstances or in the concensus of 
human opinion”.93 Deliberately, morality is been 

portrayed as a pragmatically relative element or a 
sort of utilitarianism. The validity of morality in 
any social concensus is thereby highly questioned. 
 

Amesi cultural peculiarity, simultaneous 
with the generality of the core Igbo area, the fruits 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

131 
 

and determinant of the people’s history, at the face 
of this present danger, proved a giant with a clay 
feet. A lot in the indigenous life system was 
extirpated, while the few that survived this 
inundation, before long merged with the 
imperialist culture, giving rise to a totally new and 
different arrangement. Some daft Amesians 
nevertheless, stuck to the past, while watching 

this drama with cynicism. 
Probably, the colonialists, with their 

cultural bankruptcy wouldn’t have succeeded 
easily in distabilising the indigenous social and 
religious platforms, if not for the initial vital roles 
played by the missionaries with their schools and 
bibles, and the imperialist government with their 
instruments of power. Law courts became 
perfected squares where the people’s tradition was 
constantly cajoled, skeletised and scattered as 
mere testaments of barbaric chaos emanant from 
untamed heathens.  

In their myopism, they strove to sweep 
clean this Augean stable evidenced in the 
indigenous heritage. All Christian coverts must 
first be purged of all attributes of traditional 
socialization. This gave rise to a handfull of 
converts in and around the town, who went 
around attacking and writing off existent organs of 
the traditional society as inferior and ungodly. 

Local names and even dances were dismissed as 
paganic. This way, the Devil Theory was applied in 
the cruxificion of a people’s identity. 

Nonetheless, one must note that western 
education was introduced, not for the total 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

132 
 

advantage of the indigenes, than it was for the 
total efficiency of colonial exploitation. Rather than 
applying their newly acquired knowledge towards 
defending the old, many Amesi educated elites 
ended up becoming “a poor imitation of 
Europeans. Respect and honour previously 
accorded to age, wisdom and experience, was 
overnight transferred to them. 

 
5.4   Patterns of Social and Economic Change 

Economically and socially, Amesi found it 
hard to hold onto her ways tightly. The influence 
and attraction of education on the Youths, and the 
massive way they succumbed to it, dealt a 
deafening blow to agrarian endeavours, thereby 
relegating it to a mere subsistence. 

Long distance trading subsequently 
degenerated, giving way to petty local trading 
largely in the town. The need and urge on the part 
of the colonialists, to exploit the important 
agricultural products of the Igboland interior, 
however led to the building of new roads. To 
embark and fully carry through such project, 
forced labour was applied on the people, through 
the co-operation of the warrant Chiefs, though this 
was bitterly and whole heartedly resented by the 
indigenes. 

The greatest impact of colonialism on the 

town, surfaced in the indigenous social catharsis. 
Christianity and Westernization after their byrial 
vault into the town, presented academics as 
ultimate, infact the “summon Bonum” of this new 
era. The position of the educated elites thus 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

133 
 

elevated, social inequality was magnified, and 
accountability became personal. 

Decisions rather than filter from concensus, 
was dropped from above. Kangaroo courts were set 
up in the name of colonial law courts, where 
purposeful oppositions were expertly nipped from 
the bud. Western traditions were applied in 
determining the positivity of Igbo ways of living. 

One has to really bribe his way through the court 
clerk, or smartly apply sheer witticism, common 
sense and persuasion, to win a case. 

Western system of dressing, foods and 
beverages, new mannerisms and etiquette were 
adopted as valued symbols of social prestige. 
Immorality was largely adopted as a necessary 
pattern of living, under the name of civilization. 
Western medication as opposed to herbalism took 
off from utter rejection, putation and controversy, 
back to high wonder and admiration, when certain 
ailments like the dreaded leprosy appeared easy to 
handle.    

Amesians followed the wind’s current in 
pursuance of industry, progress and livelihood in 
the big cities and towns in the country; and before 
long, zinc-roofed houses started to replace 
thatched ones.  

It would totally be wrong to assume that 
everything that had to do with pre-colonial Amesi 

was annihilated. Rather, it does appear that much 
of these new concepts co-existed with the old as 
the case may be. In this vein, V.C. Uchendu had 
this to say – “igbo is a society in which the old and 
new co-exist, and the one modifies the other, in 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

134 
 

order to make the co-existence possible, the 
church, the school, the city, the politics have all 
created new status”.  

A new social order has emerged in the town, 
bringing with its diversity, flaming and consuming 
geocentricism and divisiveness. Amesians based at 
home feel somehow different from those abroad. 
Nonetheless, the town must not be allowed to 

decay, hence the rural masses and the educated 
few must close the gap between them, and in so 
doing, have opened the way to the new synthesis. 
This is natural, for it is they who would make what 
cabral suggestively defined as a, “forced march on 
the road to cultural progress, on the road to a new 
comity consciousness, fruits of the past as well as 
of the present, a national unity of work and 
struggle”, 95 in the town.   
   
  



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

135 
 

C H A P T E R  

Six 
 

THE NIGERIA/BIAFRA WAR YEARS 
 
The Game of Death/Survival  

etailed dancing and hilarious celebration 

marked the country’s attainment of 
independence in 1960. Nevertheless, that 

year, unknown to the generality of Nigerians, the 
colonial time bomb was set into motion. Overnight, 
many Nigerians became drunk with only a little of 
the freedom wine, which was gulped without 
caution. This resulted in unhealthy ethnic rivalry, 
parochialism, provocative favouritism and 
unbridled profligacy amongst the people. Fearing 
that the situation might degenerate into something 
terrible, some khaki boys, under the leadership of 
Major C. Nzeogwu flashed a lighting coup de’ etat, 
on January, 15th 1966. A strong air of uncertainty 
and numbness came with this coup, having been 
interpreted in certain circles as a clear ‘Igbo coup’. 
Major General Ironsi, an Igbo who took over power 
had to pay with his life the price of a supposed 
Igbo domination. This coup became the final 
arbiter of separation and the eclipse of fraternal 
confidence. This incident turned the country into a 

basilica of confusion. Unprecedented killings both 
in the North and the East, added more colour to 
the gathering clouds. Hot exchanges went on 
between the Easterns and the Federal government. 

D 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

136 
 

The handshake has infact passed the elbow. This 
culminated in the secession and declaration of the 
republic of Biafra, as a separate entity from 
Nigeria, on May 30th, 1967, by Lt. Col. Odumegwu 
Ojukwu. General Gowon however vehemently 
opposed this, hence the cataclysmic Nigerian-
Biafran War (1967-1970). 

This war was welcomed in Amesi, just like 

in any other autonomous Igbo community with 
dogged natural pride, backed by convincing 
bravado, resourcefulness and jealously-gaurded 
patriotism to the baby-BIAFRA. Consequently, 
right from the on start, many sons of the town, 
serving with the Nigerian armed forces, swiftly 
changed baton and fought on the Biafran side.  

Moreover the many fresh volunteers were 
not left out. When the war took off, the initial 
vigour with which Biafrans fought was unequalled. 
Solid military battalions under the able leadership 
of foresighted commanders, were strategically 
stationed here and there, while the Biafran 
propaganda machinery never failed to psyche all 
and sundry up in the need to defend the East with 
iron and blood. With foreign assistance, two 
military air bases were set up at Uga and Uli towns 
respectively. 

At the initial stages of the war, the Biafran 
successes was tremendous, hence one analyst 

reflected that ‘soldiers fought like Biafrans’. In the 
first months of 1968, a crack unit of Biafran 
troops in a dazzling move, ran through the 
Midwest, bursting at Ore, in the present Ondo 
State. At this, the enemy commanders started 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

137 
 

entertaining some fears at the security risks posed 
by the continued habouring of the seat of the 
federalist government in Lagos. However, their 
headache was short lived, as sabotage and 
divisiveness came to their rescue against the 
Biafrans. 

The Ore setback should never be underated. 
The Scenario staged at Ore undoubtedly placed 

the Biafran march into that of forward never, 
backward ever, till the lights went off.  

Previously, the ongoing war was told like 
folk tales in Amesi, but from the middle of 1968, 
when the Biafrans were helplessly beaten back 
from almost all sectors, the picture became 
clearer, disheartening and bitter. The initial 
enthusiansm in the town was henceforth 
frustrated by the frightening fear of defeat. 

Enugu fell into the hands of federalist 
troops; Onitsha fell, Port Harcourt, and then 
Owerri. Fear enveloped sleep in the eyes of the 
people, and the real drama of the war was 
witnessed live in the corridors of Amesi and the 
surrounding towns. 

Sequel to the proximity of Amesi to the Uga 
air base, not all the Lyricism of this civil war 
missed the notice of the town’s people. When the 
enemy war planes started to appear on the town’s 
skies, Amesians were initially caught up by their 

evasive acrobatic numbness. Some ignorant men 
and women, even openly hailed them vocally as 
Biafran’s Amesi and other surrounding towns were 
victims of this erroneous idea. The stage was 
excellently set up at Uga, one Oye market-day, 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

138 
 

when two federalist planes visited the town. 
Believed to be Biafran war-planes, traders in the 
market came all out, shouting and waving at them 
in welcome. It was pandemonuim galore when 
these planes divide in and poured in their bombs 
in the market. Foreigners who attended the market 
that day, and who were lucky to have escaped with 
their lives (Amesians inclusive), needed no further 

details in relation to the awesome destructive 
capability of bombs. This incident, like wild fire 
spread to the hearing of towns around. 
Consequently, whenever any war plane was 
spotted in the skies, Amesians never waited to 
confirm its identity before fleeing into the nearest 
available under ground buncker. 

Once in a while, the unhealthy atmosphere 
of peace in the town was disturbed by the 
rhythmic staccato of machine guns, interspersed 
with anti air-craft coughing and oozing out from 
Uga air base. Anti-air craft security measures were 
even taught to children in the town, when the 
visits of these messengers of death became 
rampant. Houses with glittering corrupted iron 
roofs were well disguised with coats of palm leaves 
to blind the notice of the enemy pilots. 

The African toad, so it is said, does not run 
in a broad daylight for nothing. This adage best 
explains the continued visits of Biafran solders to 

the town, while the war theatre was boiling. Army 
conscriptors raided the town to capture able-
bodied up-to-age males for enlistment into the 
Biafran army, now it has became clear that 
volunteering has became a dead issue, moreso in 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

139 
 

the face of continued Nigerian offensives. Those 
soldiers who meandered away from the consuming 
inferno of the war fronts into the relatively 
peaceful air of the towns and villages, were also 
trailed after. The hunt for able-bodied youngmen 
for fresh enlistment, presented a funny drama in 
Amesi and its environs. Due to the fact that these 
conscriptors carried out their assignment day and 

night, these youngmen who were afraid of joining 
the army, operated a twin plan hiding. 

During the day time, they usually 
meandered into the bushes, while hibernating in 
the barns (yam or cocoyam) or climbing into the 
rooftop at night. However, unlucky ones were 
seldom caught after long period of hiding. Houses 
that had asbestos ceiling, really harboured weights 
more than it could carry. In one incident, while the 
five Biafran conscriptors were still around in the 
house, the roof creaked, the wood broke and the 
three young men staying in it, instantly found 
themselves hitting hard on top of their 
conscriptors, who mercilessly handled them. In 
another incident, the youngman being the only 
child of the mother has hid for long. Duly informed 
about this youngman’s smart moves, these 
conscriptors later visited the pyramidal elephant 
grass roofed house with dry pepper. They poured 
this pepper into the little fire that they made on 

the floor inside this house. Before long the young 
man was out smarted, when the surging choking 
peppirish smoke caught up with him. Unable to 
hold on any longer, he hurriedly climbed down, 
coughing profusely.   



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

140 
 

The war raged on, with the federalist 
running past Awka to Agulu. By 25th November 
1968, they were stationed at Adazi junction. 
Starting from the capture of Biafran strategic 
towns like Onitsha, Enugu, and Port Harcourt, the 
hardship debacle which people witnessed can 
never be quantified. The real blockade of Biafra in 
air, land and sea was achieved. Hunger, 

malnutrition, the towering refugee problem, added 
with the federalist genocidal approach, saw Amesi 
and other potential Biafra towns, a promising 
mass grave. Some people even started doubting or 
questioning the existence of God, while others took 
solace and lay belief in the eventual hopeful 
realities of the priest’s Sunday homilies. 
Attendance to church sessions in the town, even 
appeared risky, while many withdrew their 
children from school. Marriages and funeral 
ceremonies, coupled with moonlight plays were 
conducted with minimum noise. Families even 
resorted to preparing their supper during the day 
time, when the reality of night raids dawned on 
Amesians.  

News about Amesians who had lost their 
lives in patriotic service to their cherished Biafra, 
was usually swallowed with painful resignation of 
faith and confidence in the almighty. The 
continuous chatter of machine guns and the heart 

rending sounds of mortar shells in the near 
distance, became frightful lullabies of night. In this 
confusion, scarcity of food resulted. Some people 
though tried to ease things up by engaging in the 
nefarious and dangerous ‘affia attack’ (Smuggling)  



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

141 
 

Amesi in all totality, showed resilience and 
adaptability even at the point of death. Though in 
hardship, refugees were welcomed and 
accommodated, while some were quartered in the 
school areas. Pupils resorted to taking their 
lessons under tree shades.  

Amesi did not suffer the lack of drug 
syndrome, like some other communities in Igbo 

land. This could be traced from the fact that as 
basic originators and professionals in the tradico – 
medicinal practice, they had no alternative than to 
make do with the bird at hand. Towns nearby 
brought in their patients to the treatments of 
Amesi herbalists, in the face of continued scarcity 
of foreign drugs.  

The self reliance which this war stimulated, 
also affected the agricultural circles. The people 
utilized all available pieces of land for planting 
yam, cassava cocoyam and vegetables.  

Nevertheless, all these adjustments never 
prevented the indomitable Kwashiokor from 
striking, though the casualty figure was very low. 
Children with distended stomachs, falling cheeks, 
yellowish cornea, swollen feet, and general 
anaemia were seen in some families. 

Much thanks and appreciation should go to 
the Amesi relief materials committee (Ichie I.A. 
Ezeonwuka, amongst others, who worked hand in 

hand with the nationally based group- CARITAS, 
(Bishop A.K. Obiefuna, Dr. Ikenga Ozigbo, and the 
leader – Fr. Anthony Byrne) who took it upon 
themselves to distribute in a fair and judicious 
manner the cornmeal, garrigabon, salt, stock fish, 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

142 
 

powdered milk, canned beef and drugs that were 
alloted to the town. Some Amesians prayed to pass 
the Kwashiokor test at the hands of the CARITAS 
officials, so as to attract or obtain some of these 
materials, while really not wishing or ready to 
suffer from the ailment. 

The town witnessed generally, no decadence 
in morality and crime control during this war, 

though some incidents present mere dotted spots. 
The culprits were later forgiven because everybody 
saw their acts as mere unconscious attempts to 
make ends meet, rather than out of real criminal 
rectivism. 

Just like a spark to a keg of gunpower, the 
Biafran offensive took off at the dawn of 27th 
November, 1968. According to Gen. Madiebo, it 
started with the deadly bombardment of the Ugwu-
Ugoro enemy’s sector at Agulu with, “one 105mm 
artillery gun firing 100 rounds, and two 81mm 
mortars that fired 150 bombs”, 97  

The deadly Umuahia commando brigade 
took up the fight, and after about six hours of 
heavy fighting, liberated Agulu. While this incident 
was cooling off, Biafran troops again recorded 
significant successes at Abagana on December, 
24th 1968. Owerri was recaptured on 15th January, 
1969, while Aba was liberated in June 1969. The 
war dragged on like this, till Biafra finally decided 

to throw in the towel, though gallantly on January 
12th, 1970.  

 
 

 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

143 
 

6.2     The Aftermath 
With the Biafran imbroglio over, Amesi 

finally heaved a sigh of relief. Spontaneous 
celebrations, interspersed by drinking and eating 
moments, and masquerade displays added 
towards welcoming the news about the eventual 
stoppage of hostilities. People exchanged greetings 
and congulatory messages with one another, for at 

least surviving this war, though some how 
painfully without their darling Biafra.  Lucky as 
the town was, it never entertained any bullet-hit or 
bomb-drop. Many illustrious sons of the town who 
fought and survived the war, were heroically 
received, while chicken-hearted roof cats, left roof-
tops alone and finally appeared in public, 
However, some Amesians due to one reason or the 
other never returned from the war. Though they 
may be dead, the town can ever forget their 
patriotism. They are infact remembered as agents 
of Biafran future germination. 

Family, village and town meetings were 
easily fixed and had without the slightest fear of 
either what may happen next or the unexpected 
deadly visits of enemy supersonic jets. The 
dynamics of conviviality in the town was once 
more fully stimulated, as markets and schools re-
opened. The war came and went, not without some 
hard lessons on Amesians. 

At the beginning of the war, many of the 
town’s indigenes, just like some other Igbos, 
hurriedly ran back home from their various places 
of habitation, many without their household 
properties. This situation placed them 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

144 
 

emphatically in beggary and trying condition 
throughout the hell-like three years period of the 
war. Some who were opportuned to get some of 
their properties, ended up suffering the problem of 
lack of shelter, back home. They turned to 
professional strangers and wanderers in their own 
town. 
 

Immediately the war ended, many Amesians 

who possessed landed properties in various parts 
of the country, hopefully went to reclaim them. 
The luck ones got theirs unscathed, some met 
theirs bombed out, while other lost theirs under 
the hazy ‘abandoned property’ term especially in 
the present Rivers state area. 

A popular adage has it that ‘a bird in hand 
worths more than two’ in the bush, hence those 
Amesians who previously had even a thatch roofed 
mud house in the town before the war felt more at 
home during this grueling three years of death 
wish, and became even surer of a base to start off 
from whenever the war ended. North, South, East 
or West, home is home. The experiences of this 
war was normous. Those who even stacked money 
in the banks, had to start life afresh with the 
officially granted twenty pounds. Life at this stage, 
appeared to many Igbos, a mission impossible. Be 
that as it may, astuteness, determination mixed 
with natural enterprise and industry encouraged 

all towards the survival road. 
Amesi recorded a glorious revolution, right 

from the end of the war in 1970, up to the present. 
An important break with the past was witnessed in 
the people’s life patterns, though care was taken in 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

145 
 

tailoring elements of the indigenous tradition for 
the better. 

Thatched roof mud houses gave way to 
western related architectural edifices, comparable 
to the ones obtainable in the big cities, thereby 
transforming the town from its typical rural 
stature to that of a full-fledged urban. While 
embarking on this, Amesians stationed abroad, 

saw the need in visiting home at least once in a 
week. This is quite unlike before the war. This 
culminated in unequalled community progress. 
Communal approach was applied towards solving 
the town’s perennial water problem. Large 
asbestos water pipes was procured and laid along 
the three major triangular roads traversing the 
town, thereby making it easier for people to 
connect or tap water to their houses, using steel 
pipes. After due consultations and settlements 
with the Obizi-Uga water authorities, the pipeline 
was connected, and the town started enjoying 
daily water supply, though two and half years 
hardly elapsed before the story turned far to the 
opposite. Today, Amesians could be said to have 
wisely married the best alternative. Some house-
holds have resorted to setting up strong cemented 
water reservoirs, into which rain water channeled 
from zinc-roofed houses pours in, during the rainy 
season. 

Infrastructural advancement was not the 
only feature of Amesi after Baifra. Masquerade 
displays and dancing groups which nearly died out 
during the war, was once more awakened to their 
fullest heights. The magnetic exicitment emanating 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

146 
 

from all these social stratas, did not however steal 
the people’s mind from organizing progressive 
forums like youth organizations, women leagues, 
herbalist associations and co-operative groups. 

The story of Amesi after the civil war can 
never be complete if the fatherly role played by the 
Amesi improvement Union, under the able 
chairmanship of Chief Elias Egbuacho, is not 

recorded. The Union in its benevolence, saw Amesi 
in tears, and unhesistantly caressed and soothed 
her. Lack of finance only limited their moves.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

147 
 

C H A P T E R  

Seven 
CENTRALIZED POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS 

 
7.1    Emergence of the ‘Igwe’/Ichie’: 

he changing dynamics of every society 
usually reflects its progressive advancing 
nature, or its distablishing approach. While 

Amesians were still busy nursing the deep wounds 
of the three year civil war, hardly did they ever 
suspect what the year 1975 had in stock for them 
and their age long custom. 

It happened that the then military governor 
of the East central state (Anambra/Imo states)- 
colonal Atom Kpera, allying to the demands of his 
government, detailed every autonomous Igbo 
community to present an individual each, who 
would be looked upon as the traditional chief of 
that entity. This demand initially sounded plastic 
and indigestible to the peoples’ constitution. Some 
Amesians saw it as an ordinary make-believe, 
while those who spared time to even think about it 
for a while, dismissed the idea as that which has 
to go as it came. As months rolled by, the 
government’s stance on this policy proved 
stubborn. It even went further to draw the criteria 
for the selection of any such individual. 

It was initially hard for most Igbo 
communities to conjecture, understandably due to 
the alien-nature of such a centralized status in 
relation to Igbo traditional statusquo.  Centralised 

T 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

148 
 

chiefdoms could only be traced to such 
communities like Nri, Onitsha and Arochukwu 
areas in the pre-colonial era. Though another 
order relating to that, which obtained during the 
colonial depredations was the warrant chief status, 
which received the people’s total resentment. 

For the towns who already had traditional 
rulers, as formality and officialdom would require, 

the government had not problem in handing over 
to their rulers staffs of office and recognition. 
However, communities like Amesi, which lacked 
such, resorted to doing one thing or the other in 
other to meet up to the government’s deadline. 

At this juncture, it will not be anachronistic 
to remark that this chieftaincy race really threw 
Igboland into the furnance of anarchy, disunity 
and confusion, in that almost all communities 
concerned harboured more than one aspirant. 
Over-ambitions contestants applied various 
ammunitions in their arsenal. Thugery, naira-
power, personal influence and lobbying all 
contributed to the eventual distablisation of such 
communities. Peace vanished with progress. While 
this was going on in different towns far and near, 
the scenery witnessed in Amesi was completely 
different. 

It would nonetheless appear a simple tall 
story, if in recounting the incidents that finally 

culminated in the choosing and making of the 
Amesi chief, all acrimony entertained is divorced in 
toto, so as to present an undented account.   

The Amesi Improvement Union under the 
able chairmanship of Chief L.M. Ezeofor, after 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

149 
 

series of executive meetings, finally decided to act 
with the final concensus of the generality of 
Amesians. After several consultations, the people 
democratically decided that the would-be chief 
should be chosen traditionally. Hence out of the 
four villages, Obinato the eldest was chosen, with 
Umu-Umeoha as the ancestral kindred which 
produces the town’s father and founder-Akalabo. It 

was however not difficult at this stage to pick the 
family of Umeononankume Ekwunihe as the eldest 
and first household in that kindred. Yes, at this 
stage, almost everyone in the town found it easy to 
spot the one whose head the revered cap would 
rest.  

Though this was so, amongst the town’s 
populace, pockets of the dissenting feelings lay like 
small kegs of gun powder. Some Amesians felt that 
the town’s chief should be one of wealthy 
background and resources, while others selfishly 
aggrieved, felt that some ‘colonial parameter’ 
should be adopted towards maintaining what 
appeared to them a reasonable continuity. These 
feelings, lacking merit and popularity, quickly 
fizzled out.  

It henceforth went down in the annals of 
Amesi past that Mr. Emmanuel Ikechukwu 
Umeonanankume, has been nominated to rule the 
town. The year was 1976.  

While this drama was busy going on, the 
chief-to-be was away in Aba engaging seriously in 
his commercial endeavors.  It was not long before 
news filtered to him about the town’s final 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

150 
 

decision. Besides, his identity was hardly known 
by one-quarter of the town’s population.  

An official delegation was dispatched to 
inform and confer with him, by the A.I.U. executive 
members. The delegates went with exalted 
expectations, at least as honored albatross of this 
happy news. Mr. Emmanuel surprisingly stunned 
them by receiving the message coldly. He was 

unyielding in his refusal towards assuming such a 
position, though with pointed reasons. Calling 
natural humility into play, he stated thus,  

 

“I really cannot accept this chieftaincy 
offer from you, neither now nor in the 
future, for that is above my present 
status. I am not the oldest, most 
educated or wisest Person in Amesi. 
Where is the wealth and affluence to 
withstand such a position? Besides, I 
am just a 30 year old bachelor”.97  
 

The delegates were left with no option than 
to resort to convincing him, in order to obtain the 
needed positive answer. Mr. Emmanuel knew the 
importance of any final decision he would take; 
such would factually prove whether the town has 
finally got a would be ruler or not. When this 
thought appeared too hot to handle momentarily, 
and fearing a haphazard decision, he finally agreed 

with the messengers, to meet and collect the 
answer on a new date.  

He vacillated from one idea to another, 
finding it still hard to visualize himself ruling the 
town. Knowing on the other hand, what a difficult 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

151 
 

scene that would be entertained, to give the 
messengers ‘No’ as an answer, he decided to hide 
away on the appointed day. 

The day saw Mr. Emmanuel hiding at the 
house of one Mr. Nwagwu at Ngwa in Imo State. As 
the delegates couldn’t locate him, they dejectedly 
left. The game has now resorted to a hide and seek 
one. Indeed, unknown to Mr. Emma, the fruits of 

the same seed he sowed was to be harvested and 
served back to him. 

Trickishly, the chief-to be was informed 
through his younger brother about his urgently 
needed presence at home on an arranged day, to 
sign a document recognizing another supposed 
later nominee as the chief of the town, taking 
congnisance of the fact that he Mr. Emma has 
refused bluntly to assume that position. This plan 
went smoothly. Mr. Emmanuel, accompanied by 
his brother, returned home and only learnt about 
the plan then. Left with only one option, he signed 
the expected government official documents, that 
saw him accepting the leadership of Amesi town. 
This accomplished, Amesi ancestors heaved a sigh 
of relief from their resting places. 

A day was fixed during the town’s mass 
return of December 1976, on which to formally 
present the chief to the generality of Amesians. At 
this juncture, according to the Chief, “I was 

praying that the people should refuse me, but God 
never heard my prayers”.98 Amesians could hardly 
wait for that day, as many people still lack the 
identity of this new chief.  



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

152 
 

Finally, the day came, and in the presence 
of indigenes, old and young, at home and abroad, 
and some government delegated representatives, 
Mr. Emmanuel Ikechukwu Umeononankume was 
officially presented as the leader of Amesi town. In 
a tingling show of honour, acceptance, faith and 
solidarity, the people showed their submission to 
his suzerainty. The signing of some important 

documents followed thus by volunteered 
representatives from the various villages of the 
town. – 
 

Obinato to village  –  Umechukwu Umenwali 
Amowo village  –  Umeozulu Basil 
Umuocha village –  Okpalla Alexander 
Ubaha village  –  Abazie Simeon 
A.I.U.    –  L.M.E. Ezeofor 
Government   –  M.U. Mgbodile    
 

Mr. Emmanuel later received his certificate 
of recognition and staff of office from the then 
governor – Col. Atom kpera. 

This piece would appear incomplete if it 
maintain silence on the personality and character 
of this new chief. 

Without mincing words, Chief E. 
Umeononankume is a person of unquestionable 
integrity, massively and impressively built. He 
never finds it difficult to smile. Removing all traces 

of exaggeration, he is an embodiment of honesty, 
sincerity, justice, unity and fair play. Though 
typified by these jealously-guarded virtues, this 
does not practically canonize him a saint. Young at 
heart and in body, he is elderly wise in the 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

153 
 

tradition of the ancients. He never finds it hard to 
learn, or to put his sense of equity to work, hence 
his command of the people’s approval, likeness 
and unalloyed followership. Rather than to rule, he 
really came to lead, to serve rather than be served. 
Amesi is lucky to have in the personality of their 
first traditional ruler, Christianity humbly 
personified. 

Moving speedily according to the dictates of 
unassuming tradition, an ubiquitious search was 
launched for one to occupy the position of the 
chiefs’ better half. Like terms in this case attracted 
each other, when a lady graduate of mathematics, 
was spotted in the family of one Ezeoba at Enugu 
Ukwu. 

 

 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

154 
 

 
Imbued with all attributes expected from 

one who should occupy the exalted position of the 
town’s first lady, the Chief had no problem in 
taking her to the alter in 1979 with the support of 
the Almighty, this union had been knotted with 
purposeful issues. 

The town’s traditional ruler although 

chosen cannot govern alone. Consultations were 
made amongst the town’s elders as to possible 
parameter that should be employed towards 
choosing the needed lieutenants. The line of 
cultured tradition and history was chosen. 
Consequently four people were selected from the 
head families of the four villages, and regarded as 
the town’s Prime Ministers (Ichie Akalabo), 
incharge of the four villages at Amesi. 
 

These four Ichie Akalabo are:- 
Obineto village – Chief Umechukwu Umenwairi (late) 

Amuwo village – Chief Anasonye Ezeonwuka 
Umuocha village – Chief Ezeuko Okpalaeke 
Ubaha village – Chief Ezeakonobi Nwoke 
Chief Ezenwegbu later replaced Umechukwu.  
 

Directly following the Ichie Akalabo in the 
cadre of administration is a council of ordinary 
Chiefs. According to the number of families in the 
town, they were supposed to be seventeen in 

number. Some people were also meritoriously 
capped Chiefs an account on certain contributions 
they have bequeathed to the town in the recent 
past. 
 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

155 
 

 
The list went like this:- 
 

OBINATO VILLAGE: 
Umu – Umeoha family – None 
Umu – Umebighdo family–Chief Cajetan Obidiegwu 
 (late) 
Umu – Ofeke family - Chief Mark, Ezeuchegbu 
Umu – Ibelaka family – Chief Samuel Ibeanu 
 

AMUWO  VILLAGE: 
Umu – Dibie family  – None 
Umu – Aro family  – Chief Samuel Ezemba 
Onunuaku family  – Chief Bernard, Ezeagwu 
Umu – Umeanosike family – Chief Wilfred,  
 Umerika 
Umu – Anyaji family – Chief Aloysius, Ezeunachukwu 
 

UMUOCHA   VILLAGE: 
Umu – Okpalaibekwe family – Chief Cosmas,   
  Okpalla 
Umu – Ojihe family  – Chief Alex., Okpalauzuegbu 
Umu – Ogbaighe family – Chief Peter, Umeakuana 
Umu – Umeonaku family – Chief Anthony Anya 
 

UBAHA  VILLAGE: 
Umu – Ezemenyi family – Chief Mathew 
Umu – Duru family  – Chief Oliver, Ezeanya 
Umu – Umeoka family – Chief Svlvanus, Ezeibenne 
Umugologo family – Chief Nathaniel Ezeaso 
 

One cannot help pointing out that certain 
unexplained discrepancies still exist in the 
fulfillment of this expectation. 
 

…Meritoriously, the following joined the above 
council:  



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

156 
 

Chief E. Egbuacho (Ex. A.L.U. President) 
Chief L.M. Ezeofor (Ex. A.I.U. President) 
Chief C. Osondu (Ex. A.I.U. Official) 
Chief A. Ozigbo (Ex. A.I.U. Official)  
Chief D. Ezeliora (Ex. A.I.U. Official) 
 

Monday, April 20th 1982, has gone down in 
the tabulated history of Amesi as a memorable 
day.  The town victoriously passed an important 
milestone. It happened that on this date, Chief E. 
Umeononankume and his cabinet were officially 
crowned and capped. Though the ceremony fell 
into the Easter period, all preparations in the 
town, were virtually for this cornonation.  

Trying to recreate fully the colourful scene 
that was withessed that day is simply as hard as 
one trying to recount everything that went on in 
the market on a busy day. 

Before the day arrived, towns far and near, 
personalities big and small were all formally 
invited. 

A royal pontifical mass held at St. Joseph’s 
Catholic Mission Amesi, blazed the trail on April 
19th. Being the eve of this all important day, well 
articulated cultural displays transfixed the 
people’s attention in the Chief’s palace. 

The day was finally ushered in with several 
cannon shots, by the Obi Akalabo, and his four 
Ichie Akalabo, in their various villages. Thus the 
event was officially announced. 

Visitors in their thousands, thronged the 
town, en route to the palace square. Dr. Alex. 
Ekwueme (the then vice president of Nigeria), Chief 
Jim Nwobodo (the then Governor) etc were 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

157 
 

amongst the dignitaries that graced this great 
occasion. In line with the cultural tradition of 
Amesi town, the four prime ministers of the town, 
crowned the Obi Akalabo I of Amesi. However, the 
highlight of this occasion was when the Oraeri 
traditional ruler (on account of their traditional 
historical affinity with Amesi) J.M.C. Obiako, 
Ezenri XVIII, stepped on top of the rostrum and 

handed the Igwe, his Ofo- the paraphranelia of 
adjudication. This act was meticulously 
dramatized, moreso under the curtain of the 
symmetrical barrage of twenty-one cannon-gun 
shots. Having successfully crowned the first 
traditional ruler of the town, the golden past 
materialized in the present. Amaeshi 
metamorphosed into Amesi with nothing lost 
politically. The traditional ear of collective 
responsibility thus gave way to that of individual 
captainship in administration.  

The Igwe was later invested with the full 
condiments that created the aura and royal 
antecedence of his royal highness – the Obi 
Akalabo I of Amesi. 

Amesians in groups and families, added 
with the town’s well wishers greeted the Igwe with 
numerous significant gifts. A myriad of 
masquerades and cultural dancing groups added 
fun and grandeur to this occasion. All activities 

relating to this coronation were rounded up in the 
evening with the blessing of rainfall which was 
successfully ‘prevented’ from posing a threat to 
this event. 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

158 
 

All in all, it could very well be said that 
Amesi has never before witnessed such magnitude 
of celebrations that ushered in the existence of 
chieftaincy status in the town. 

In all its ramifications, the chieftaincy 
experiment in the town had yielded positive 
results, thereby passing well as a veritable culture-
based democracy. It has adopted stabilized 

avenues of social communication and relationship 
towards averting stands of possible deadly 
schisms, in so doing, obtaining purposeful unity 
for the town. 

Eleven years after, the Igwe and his cabinet, 
thought it wise to create and institute another 
chieftaincy-based group the OTUGO GROUP. The 
members include – Chiefs B. Obiakor, Lawrance 
Ezeliore, Paulinus Ezeibekwe, Reuben Ozigbo and 
Bede Ekwo-mmadu. 

Their choice was meritorious and supportive 
at the same time. In their elevated platform, they 
were expected to be philanthropic as to the 
progressive needs of the town, material and 
immaterial. Such status also exposes one towards 
actively participating in the community’s 
aspirations. In categorizing and re-organising 
Amesi Chieftaincy status for the better, one would 
rightly feel that the former five meritorious Chiefs 
that served under the A.I.U. executive, should be 

made to officially stay and perform under this 
present Otugo group. 

As events would have it, the Otugo 
members were capped on 23rd of December, 1987. 
 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

159 
 

TRADITIONALISM 
VS 

WESTERNIZATION IN AMESI 
 
7.2 Traditional Egaltarianism/ Western  

      Constitutionalism – A Reconsideration 
Like any other Igbo town, Amesi forcedly witnessed 
colonialism and its attendant Christianity and 

Westernization. Having been immersed into the 
depth of these foreign waters, what surfaced in all 
expositions, begs for a case study. The power play 
between what constitutes the original and that 
which is foreign and alien still rages on. All fabrics 
of the town’s life pattern appears to be under 
siege.  

Before the coming of Christianity into 
Amesi, the people jollied in all tenets of the 
traditional religion. The people thought; laughed, 
talked, lived and died religiously, hence hanging 
the pivot of their life on religion. People were 
careful to the barest minimum not to go against 
the laid down principles, so as not to attract the 
anger of the gods. A child was cultured towards – 
keeping to the many taboos lying left and right.  

More importantly, the judicature of Ani 
goddess was never overlooked. Though the 
intricate services of the various deities in the town 
was recognized, the omniscient and 

unquestionable fatherhood of chukwu was never 
underrated. 

It is really an eyesore to glance at the moral 
condition of the town from the colonial period up 
to this time. One cannot help stating that the 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

160 
 

success of Christianity was the down fall of 
traditional religion in the town. This operation 
though appearing reasonable, should not have 
been allowed to be as catastrophic and detrimental 
as it has been. In as much as this does not portray 
one’s ingratitude to the many advantages of 
Christianity in the town, no right thinking 
individual would on the other hand be a party to 

the dangerous trend of forcefully, stifling of a 
people’s treasured indigenous legacy. Both 
religions posses what is good and negative 
somehow, sequel to their human dictates.  
 

A chance should have been accorded them 
to try out a conscious dialogue and understanding. 
Infact, one cannot doubt that much of the 
atrocities and immorality presently bedeviling the 
town, are traceable to some iconoclastic, and 
fanatic Christians. 

Not up to one-quarter of Amesians are 
currently traditional religionist, while the rest are 
Christians, with Catholics in the majority. With 
this picture, one would expect a small town like 
Amesi to be a haven of unadulterated peace, order 
and understanding. Amongst practicing 
Christians, suspiciousness, fear, hatred, 
mudslinging and acrimony however thrive at their 
best. 

How can the town witness constructive 

progress and unity in the face of all these? People 
should decide to instantly do away with 
“Churchianity” and embrace Christianity. 

Furthermore, there is a need for a healthy 
incarnation and enculturation of ‘Christ’s body in 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

161 
 

the locality of Amesi and environs. Real 
Christianity must not destroy nature, and should 
be at home in every culture. As the second Vatican 
council remarked in paragraph thirteen of its 
major document on the church, “Every nation 
should come to Christ bringing its gifts’99.  

Moreover, Pope Paul VI during his address 
to Catholic Bishops of Africa in Uganda, remarked 

thus “… Africans can and should be African in 
their Christianity”.100 All that is contained in the 
town’s traditional religion should not be written off 
as paganistic and heathenistic. Such abundant 
values in the indigenous religion which can enrich 
Christianity include – sense of the sacred, 
emphasis in human relations, respect for elders, 
love for life, celebrating the joy of living and for 
sacred ceremonies, live and let live philosophy, 
altruism, hospitality and sense of community 
spirit. All these need to be purified, elevated and 
universalized, “lest we forget, all religions seek 
answers to the ultimate questions concerning 
human existence on earth”.101 

The same that is decimating the traditional 
religion, has never spared even an atom of mercy 
on the towns customary profession. The town’s 
medico – herbal institution, previously known and 
acclaimed far and wide have been facing 
systematic British destruction, since its exposure 

to the machinations of the dangerous devils’ 
theory. Today, Amesi is just managing to hold on 
to the shadows of a glorious past. Applying a 
blanket condemnation on a people’s heritage 
doesn’t appear a good approach. 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

162 
 

Culture is the distinctive mark which sets 
off mankind from the rest of the animal kingdom. 
Furthermore, it can be seen as, “All that one 
learns to do as a member of his society, including 
all the knowledge, common understanding and 
expectations that the people of a group share and 
that their children learn”.102 Amesi indigenous 
socio-cultural engagements has undergone a 

tumultuous reorganization, starting from the 
colonial period. Childbirth, marriage, funeral and 
recreational ceremonies, have taken different 
dimensions, in the face of alien influences. One is 
forced to wonder where the town is heading to, 
under these circumstances.   

Take the example of a poor household that 
is bereaved nowadays. Its lamentations and 
bewails would have much to do with the difficulty 
and hopelessness of exposing them towards 
entertaining, providing for the food needs and 
hospitality of the numerous mourners and well 
wishers, than for the heart-rending feeling of loss 
of their cherished one. It is even fashionable 
nowadays for the bereaved to collect loan or sell 
some valuables or landed properties, just to 
withstand this sapping ordeal. Sympathizers troop 
in and out, weeping more than the bereaved. It is 
simply a ‘hell let loose’. Once the last shovel of 
sand is placed on the tomb of the dead. A day light 

struggle and scramble for practically everything 
consumable results. This is foolishness and 
exploitation at their best. Food items are even 
packaged, hidden, and smuggled away by 
‘mourners’ for later consumption with their 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

163 
 

families at home. One tried to consume in 
consonance with how long he cried for the 
individual that died, or in relation to how much 
money he is to hand over to the bereaved. Needless 
relating the atrocities of the Umu-ada group. This 
is simply madness.  

Even if these acts has any thing to do with 
the indigenous custom, one feels that such a way 

of life which cannot constructively help anyone, if 
not purged, should be completely abolished.  

Amesi is blessed with abundant educated 
and wise individuals. The town’s numerical 
smallness can be harnessed towards its full 
advantage and development. A lot is therefore 
being expected from the numerous educated and 
traditional elites in this direction.  

Truthfully, education is an instrument of 
raising society to a higher moral level, but can 
Amesi stubbornly say so in its own case?  Almost 
every single family in the town can boast of even 
more than two averagely educated individuals.  

If this is so then, one is bound to wonder 
why the town’s developmental speed is moribund. 
Modern education should be oriented towards 
bolstering and underpinning the framework of the 
best and the most genuine element in the tradition 
of the town. Amesi common folks are in dire need 
of the assistance of these people more advanced 

and experienced in the skills necessary for 
progress in the modern world and for escape from 
the drab world of illiteracy, ignorance, 
egocentrism, superstition and squalid existence 
into the brave new world of better living 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

164 
 

conditions, coo-operation and a higher standard of 
moral and spiritual well-being.  

Amesi is lucky at this time to have a 
visionary and purposeful Igwe and A.I.U. 
executives, who constantly draw from the 
abundance of the past, mixes with the present, in 
readiness for the future.  

No leader can ever satisfy all her subjects, 

but those that hold the mantle in Amesi, should 
never forget that it is a two-way street; respect and 
loyalty, on the one side, balanced by service and 
obligation, on the other.  

Consequently, the legitimacy and credibility 
of any system of leadership are not guaranteed by 
such a claim to an abstract title alone; what 
matters above all else are the character of the 
purpose and the richness of the visions, to the 
realization of which the leadership has committed 
itself as a dedicated vanguard.    

The traditional egalitarian system of 
decision-making should synthesize with modern 
constitutionalism to produce a lively and 
productive whole. Echoes of a fast coming 
evolutionary Amesi constitution undoubtedly 
would spring lots and lots surprises. To talk about 
the proposed rotation of the chieftaincy in Amesi 
(With reference to the town’s constitution waiting 
for adoption), is only a tip of the iceberg.  

 
  



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

165 
 

C H A P T E R  

Eight 
 

THE RACE FOR COMMUNITY 
DEVELOPMENT 

 

8.1  Amesi Improvement Union 

he urge to develop Amesi has been in the 
minds of Amesians, starting from when the 
town started. Community related exemplary 

works and achievements of the town’s numerous 
ancestors are today milestones in the people’s 
history, which defy the vicissitudinous night and 
day.  

Nonetheless, efforts towards concretizing 
the town’s machinery of progress started 
materializing during the colonial period. As should 
be noticed, the advent and stabilization of 
Christianity in Igbo land, later brought in her 
needed addictives of church meeting and 
organizations, which helped to indoctrinate 
members all the more. This was witnessed more in 
the big cities and towns. It was not hard then, for 
the different indigenes of the various towns, 
residentially based in these various cities, to 
borrow a leaf in this direction, when they 
embarked upon the formation of town-based 

improvement union. Moreover, such other reasons 
like, the need for companionship, social security, 
attraction of amenities into the home town and the 

T 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

166 
 

preservance of culture and unity, all added up to 
pull together these urban dwellers. 

Available information has it that Amesians 
started settling at Onitsha as from 1920. They 
were mainly engaged in numerous menial jobs like 
tailoring, carpentry, load carrying, driving etc. 
temporarily though, just to raise enough capital 
towards starting more lucrative commercial 

ventures. Amongst them includes – Marius Umeh, 
Fredrich Umegesi, Paulinus Ezenduka, 
Christopher Odimegwu, Daniel Mba, Peter Dim, 
Samuel Okpalanyia, Jeremiah Ezeanyanaso, Obed 
Chibuzor etc. (All of blessed memory).  

The decimating influence of the 1920s, 
culminated in the general inoculation of the 
1930s, and the resultant death saga witnessed 
during that period. Indigenes of Amesi and nearby 
towns resident abroad, were not left out. Amesians 
based at Onitsha, came together, and resolved to 
contribute a compulsory levy of £1.00 each, 
towards helping the families of the deceased 
members. Mr. Obed Chibuzor acted as the clerk, 
but later Samuel Okpalanyia took over from him. 
The fund collected was even used towards helping 
the Onitsha-based Achina indigenes affected by 
this incident.  

What remained however, as the balance 
from the fund, was used in starting up an 

inaugural meeting of Amesians in 1936 in Mr. 
Fredric Umeh’s house. With Marius Umeh and 
Obed Chibuzor as chairman and secretary 
respectively. The association of Amesi, Onitsha 
branch, by 1943 had grown so strong as to exert 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

167 
 

strong influence on issues at home. A group made 
up by representatives of the four villages of Amesi 
was later formed, under the leadership of Mr. 
Marius Umeh, with a view aimed towards the 
formation of a full-fledged association that would 
embrace Amesians at home and abroad. After 
summoning the towns two market committee of 
Afo and Eke in 1944 successfully, what is today 

known as the Amesi improvement union was born. 
It should be remarked that the processes leading 
to the formation of this union wasn’t as smooth as 
it has appeared in black and white.  

Until the present moment, with the 
association under the mantle of Mr. P. Ezeuchegbu 
(chairman), and chief E. Ezenwegbu (secretary), 
numerous sons of the town have given in their 
bests, in seeing that Amesi marches on towards 
joining the comity of other progressive towns.  

Amesi improvement union, has to its 
advantage, many achievements, which may be too 
numerous as to be contained in this piece. It 
successfully laid a water pipe line from Obizi 
stream (Uga) to Amesi, aimed towards solving the 
perennial water problem affecting the town. 
Though this project did not live long to tell its tale, 
plans appear to have reached advanced stages in 
relation to its resuscitation. Christ the Redeemer’s 
College Amesi, starting from its foundation till it 

was handed over to the government authorities, 
was a bona fide achievement of A.I.U. Besides, that 
the town is presently enjoying electricity, emanates 
totally from the arch-determination of the A.I.U; 
needless talking about the union’s mature 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

168 
 

captainship, that led to the smooth chieftaincy 
selection in the town. 

Moreover, land has been acquired for the 
establishment of a community hall for the town 
and a health center. The union also embarks upon 
roads maintenance usually, while imposing a 
useful ban on the unnecessary exploitation of 
existing forests in the town. This is aimed towards 

environmental protection, and also towards 
evolving a properly planned town in the near 
future. 

The A.I.U. has never relented in its efforts 
aimed at the town’s development and progress, 
hence its constant arousing of leadership 
awareness in the town’s youth and women. As a 
step further in this direction, the A.I.U women 
branch is no more a plan, but a reality in the 
town’s affairs. 

The A.I.U. has also set up a committee for 
the systematic development and preplanning of the 
town’s Afo market square. The Amesi community 
bank scheme which is another ambitious project 
which the A.I.U. has initiated, in seeing that the 
indigenes of the town, financially are not left out.    

Be that as it may, one may be forced to 
remark that Amesians should tread softly, wisely 
and truthfully, though dynamically in all dealings 
concerning this bank project, especially now that 

the Nigerian society is bedeviled with 
squandermania, dog eat dog morality, and dupery.  

All in all, the A.I.U. starting from its humble 
beginnings, to this present time, is a veritable 
edifice even in the face of a labyrinth of odds.  



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

169 
 

 

INFORMANT – Chief B. Obiako 28 June, 1991.  
8.2 The Age Grades: A New Dimension  
Reintroducing this topic at this stage of tracing the 
Amesi past is never an unforeseen repetition. This 
is infact so simply because of a dire need to gather 
all the scattered piece of the town’s transitional 
march, and shower them into limelight.   

Amesi is currently blessed with ten Age 
groups: Egboteghi, Mbakweluike, Ogba jiligwe, 
Oputaoka, Aladimma, Okikadigboo, Ifeadigo, 
Oganiru, Ifedioranma and Ojurumbuo, the above 
listed are not the only age-groups in the town, but 
the ones that are still lively.  
 

According to Maraihe Emenike.; 
 

“In the Pre-colonial times, Amesi had Age-
groups like Ada, Oganikpa, Agbajji, Ajanku, 
Mbakwelike, Oputaoka, and Ogbajiligwe. 

The members of Ajanku and Ogbajiligwe 
age sects were notable famous warriors 
and heroes, who excelled in executing 
warfares”. 103  

There is however lots of disparity between 
the activities of age groups in pre-colonial Amesi, 
and what obtains today. Almost the same maxim 
is still being adopted in the selection of members. 
Both women and men are grouped according to 
their parity; those in each group must either be 

people of the same age or with maximum of three 
years gap. Circumstances have indeed changed 
the work of the age groups from largely seeing to 
external and internal security arrangements, to 
the present day constructive community 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

170 
 

development and welfarism. Simply put, “They are 
(now) a prop to buttress the society, a fountain to 
replenish it with new life materially and socially, a 
beacon of hope and encouragement in times of 
need, a force to enrich it with practical and 
progressive ideals and a link between the old and 
the new (Amesi) generations”.104  

It is significant to remark that most of the 

present age groups in the town metamorphosed 
from what appeared like a mere family association 
in either a village or two. 
 

Ifeadigo age group as one of the agents of 
convivial and socializing dynamism in the town, 
was inaugurated in 1948. As their name depicts, 
they set out in full force to attract and really prove 
that ‘light’ has come to Amesi. Apart from setting 
up different machineries towards stimulating 
unadulterated unity in the town, they came all out 
to promote and uphold Amesi’s past heritage for 
the advantage of posterity. In the words of Chief 
Dennis Ezeliora, “Ifeadigo age group practically set 
various standards, which other groups copied”.105 
In order to harness their activities smoothly, they 
set up four different but homogenous executive 
parlances in-charge of the four villages of the 
town. Apart from their various achievements, 
available information reveal that the age group did 
not disappoint Amesians during the tedious 

process of setting up the Christ Redeemer’s 
College.  

Though Amesi thrived under the caress of 
Ifeadigo age grade, the Oganiru group 
unquestionably towed the same line in drawing the 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

171 
 

town along the corridors of development. Running 
like a trickle or water by 1960, the Oganiru age 
group was finally launched into prominence in 
1962, with the formal amalgamation of their 
members from the different villages of Umuocha 
and Obinato. Before long, the group became strong 
as to start granting financial loans to its members. 
In the words of Mr. Patrick Ezeuchegbu, 
 

Oganiru Age Group did not die with the civil 
war.Instead, it was greatly reviewed, revised 
and revitalized after the war, when all the 
four villages of Amesi were inculcated into its 
membership base, before the end of 1971. A 
general record of dead members was taken, 
and befitting funeral accorded them on town 
level”.106 

 

Acting in line with the needs of Amesi 
community, Oganiru Age Group wisely provided 
cassava grating and palm cracking machines in 
the early 1970’s. However, largely due to poor 
management, these two machines stayed not long 
to recount their stay in Amesi. Hence they were 
sold off. Amongst other achievements that cannot 
be easily overlooked were – a vehicle gift to their 
member, the Obi Akalabo I of Amesi, a three 
thousand naira worth of five classroom 
blockhouse, erected at Christ the Redeemer’s 
Collage Amesi, the revival of the famed Egede 
dance, and numerous donations to the A.I.U. and 
the different religious institutions in the town 
towards the accomplishment of versatile projects. 

The annals of the Ifedioranma age group 
Amesi, is pregnant with achievements. Infact, their 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

172 
 

progress can in all respects qualify to that of the 
Oganiru group. As the instructive adage requesting 
an ignorant blacksmith who is not versed on the 
ways of fashioning an iron gong to learn from the 
kites’ tail, by the same token, the youngest age 
group in Amesi – (O juru Mbubo), shouldn’t 
hesitate to copy from the older ones.  

Having been inaugurated, they should aspire 

towards meeting up to the expectations of the 
community, while divorcing all traces of Youthful 
exuberance, unnecessary rancor and bitterness. 
This is their time and turn. 
 

8.3     Amesi Co-Operative Union 
Co-operative ventures and organizations 

have for long occupied the attention of Amesians 
since the end of the civil war, all aimed towards 
survival and progress. This search for individual 
and community advancement have led the citizens 
in experimenting various commercial ventures and 
departments. Different groups of Amesians have at 
various times, formed several commercial 
enterprises, companies and corporations. 

Nevertheless, a notable advancement was 
made in the town, when in the dying months of 
1966, specifically on December 26th, some 
Amesians concluded concrete arrangements in 
relation to the formal establishment of a co-

operative society in the town. The need and the 
idea has survived for long, but these indigenes 
stubbornly took the bull by the horn, and so on 
February 27th, 1967, Amesi co-operative society 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

173 
 

was inaugurated, in order to serve its expected 
purposes. 

Co-operative societies are the most effective 
means by which socio-economic development is 
made possible in the rural areas, an avenue for 
distributing scarce commodities to a rural 
population. Groups and individual co-operators 
raise specified capitals for individual and group 

projects, and this promotes social cohesion 
amongst the members. As a wholesale and 
retailing forum, the Amesi co-operative society 
usually stocks many house need essentials, for 
sale to the towns folk at relatively reduced prices, 
in comparison with the open market rate.   

The initial attempts variously applied 
towards convincing the populace on the need and 
advantages inherent from such a society, all hit 
the rocks. The glorious founding members 
intensified campaigns and visible progress of the 
society later paid off. According to the society’s 
secretary, “…. At first, the foundation members 
were only twenty-eight, while today, the 
membership number is about six hundred”.107 

In accordance with its establishment 
motive, one has to qualify exclusively as an 
indigene. The executive members of this society 
are undertaking a herculean task in seeing that 
the organization is strengthened. With the 

availability of capital and necessary education on 
co-operative principles and advantages, tomorrow 
would be brighter throughout the town, in relation 
to the provision of the people’s consumption 
needs. 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

174 
 

Co-operative approaches should also be 
diverted to other enterprises non existent at 
present in the town. At this juncture, one cannot 
overcome the urge to comment about the ready-to-
be born Amesi Community Bank project.  

Though a right step in the correct direction, 
Amesians should be cautious of wolves in sheep’s 
skin. 
 

The quality of life of an ordinary Amesian 
would be greatly improved, when adequate 
provision is made for the provision of common 
needs at cheap rate. The town would thence-forth 
wallow in development, when capitals are pulled 
together, and self help projects radicalize and 
revolutionize progress in Amesi. 

Infact, one cannot at this stage over look 
the indefatigable strides of the Akalabo Women 
Social Club, and the gradual growth of the Akalabo 
training institute Amesi. These practical facts, 
have gone a long way in proving the efficiency of 
the Amesi woman in general community 
development.    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

175 
 

 

C H A P T E R  

Nine 
 

 PLANNED INSTITUTIONALIZED UNITY 
 

9.1  Intra-Social/Cultural Evolutions  

istory has factually proved that any 
cataclysmic incident never goes without 
some immediate, later and remote effects, 

on the human and his environment. Time may 
very well affect the development and 
materialization of an effect.  

Having said that, it is a proved fact that the 
Nigerian civil war came and went with certain 
seismic force. Leaving on its trail, wholesome 
destruction of lives and properties. Igboland really 
managed to withstand those agonizing three years. 
Significant enough, that imbroglio, taught the Igbo 
among other things, that home is home. Needless 
recounting the unforgettable heart breaking 
Northern Nigeria pogrom on the Igbo, the merciless 
bombing runs of the enemy pilots on all that 
moved in Igbo territory, and  the unbelievable day 
light property-robbery saga tagged ‘abandoned 
property issue’. 

All these and many more, taught Amesians 
as a reasonable part of Igboland, that much truth 
lies in the adage which states that the enjoyment 
and practice of brotherhood lay in the constant 
physical contacts with one another. Consequently, 

H 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

176 
 

upon the end of the war, Amesi saw the crystal 
need to tabulate, modify and synthesize her unity.  

Amesi improvement  union, acting in 
accordance with the expectations and dictates of 
the people, made home – coming compulsory to 
every Amesi  indigene living anywhere, once every 
three years. This was planned in such a way as to 
suite the itinery of most indigenes, hence the 

December Christmas holiday period was chosen. 
Different meetings were often staged, where 
important issues and deliberations were looked at. 
 

Moreover, the A.I.U. in trying to immortalize 
the fatherhood of Akalabo, and in keeping alive 
some customary resorts of the town’s ancestors, 
marked the 27th day of December as the AKALABO 
DAY.  Though an annual festival, its magic and 
weight is more felt internally and externally, 
during the town’s mass return year. As an annual 
festival, the unity binding all Amesians is 
protected and assured under its umbrella. 

A typical Akalabo day held during a return-
year period, is better witnessed than imagined. 
Activities ranging from group meetings, traditional 
dances, masquerade displays, wrestling matches, 
soccer engagements, held during such period, 
always climaxed with the almighty Akalabo 
herebal displays. The Obi Akalabo’s Ofalla festival, 
though unique, can once in a while bring a minor 

date adjustment. 
All the above-mentioned festivities, are as 

social as they are traditional, and as unifying as 
they are educative. The town has a litany of 
dances, masquerades and traditional 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

177 
 

performances that often blessed the mass-return 
period. Can one talk only about the lyrical 
crescendo of the famous Egedege music or the 
added cacophony of the dignifying Igba-Eze Music? 
Even then, what of the thrilling Igba-mmonwu 
displays, and the gruttaral howls of the many 
elderly masquerades? 

Perharps, the greatest event that has 

publicized Akalabo festival to even beyond the 
boundaries of Igboland, is the herbal display. The 
act in its entirety, tries to present Amesi past and 
present to the world. It is not only a clearer 
reflection of what the town has been known with, 
but also a forum for medico-herbal advertisement. 
Some of these displays which shatter the borders 
of impossibility include breaking of palm kernel 
with an egg, climbing into the sky with a rope, 
collecting and holding water with a basket, etc. 
 

These various avenues of intra-social 
communications have planted viable seeds of 
unity, where there was discord. 

 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

178 
 

 
9.2      Summary - Conclusion 

From the study, it has been shown that 
Amesi historically, has common origin, through 
Eshi or Eri (Ozo Akalabo): The migration of Eshi 
from his original home at Nri, was as a result of 
many factors; the most important being-land 
scarcity, petty quarrels etc. it was the need to solve 
this problem that led to the eventual settlement at 
Amesi present environment. It is however 
indisputable that Amesi harbours an aged artery 
of communication and affinity with Oraeri, Akpo 
and Achina towns. Moreover, constant threat of 
war from larger and stronger neighbours, unified 
Amesi, Akpo and Achina towns, into an effective 
military triple alliance (Onu Ogunato). With 

settlement over, some Amesi indigenes from Ubaha 
village, due to some unidentified reasons, left the 
town, and settled in Arondizuogu, under the name 
of Ndi Ejezie. 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

179 
 

There existed in pre-colonial Amesi various 
instruments that promoted social cohesion, 
common religious beliefs and practices, and 
political stability. In her essential fluidity, a noted 
orator could influence debate, while a warrior of 
proven courage and wisdom would have a leading 
role in warfare. This exceptional accordance of 
status was however temporal. Elders, titledmen 

and chief priests, manipulated the activities of the 
town, strictly based on Omenani (tradition). 

The people’s religious faculty was and is 
continuously being dominated by the needs and 
directives of Chi-ukwu (Supreme God), of course 
through his messangers. In Amesi, the living, the 
dead and the unborn, form part of a continuum.  

Economic mobility in pre-colonial Amesi, 
helped the people towards keeping body and soul 
together. Labour was smoothly organized, while 
different farming methods were adopted towards 
obtaining bountiful harvest. There existed a great 
deal of internal healthy competition amongst the 
people, which on the whole put the town on the 
progressive path. In the field of traditional 
medicine, Amesi’s professionalism and superiority 
was acclaimed far and near. 

Scarcity of land really proved a serious 
endemic problem, although diversionary avenues 
were later stimulated – trade and industrial 

endeavours – to the full advantage of the 
indigenes. It does appear that the works of Amesi 
women in pottery specialists were determined 
mostly by excellence and utility, though in 
execution they did not ignore proportion, 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

180 
 

originality and beauty. Limited patronage for 
decorative objects must have to some extent 
circumscribed their economic horizon.  

Pre-colonial Amesi, through various 
parlances, strengthened and tightened her 
relationship with near and far people. Undefined 
relationships were at various times settled and 
solved through ordinary hostilities, and on rare 

cases war. 
Nonetheless, the British invaders and 

imperialists, revolutionaized Amesi traditional 
society after their advent. The democratic and 
egalitarian institutions of the town were replaced 
with the alien warrant Chief autocracy, while 
Christianity, western education and other aspects 
of foreign socialization, replaced the indigenous 
fabrics. In reality, the gains of colonialism and 
Christianization in Amesi and environs, appear 
checked.  

The town participated actively in all 
endeavours warranting the granting of 
independence to the generality of the country, 
hence they like other citizens, on October 1st, 
1960’s eve, went haywire with celebrations. 
Scarcely did Nigerians know that this little freedom 
will intoxicatingly land them into a thirty-months 
macabre war. From the on start, Amesi saw 
survival as an unnegotiable task, and instantly 

worked towards it. As traffics of time are simply 
troubled marches through history, the story of 
Amesi during and after the war is from all angles 
thrasonical. 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

181 
 

Amidst seemingly insoluble odds, the town 
wobbled into the ‘70s’ a determined people. The 
government policy of instituting centralized 
political institutions, a new wine in all its contents, 
was however consumed with meticulous caution. 
This drama, starring peaceful Amesians in action, 
was generally marvelous; to the admiration and 
commendation of the state government and lest 

one forgets, to the added jealousness of the many 
surrounding communities. 

Under the atmosphere of peace, the town 
pursued development, under the captainship of 
the A.I.U. The age groups, the Amesi Co-operative 
Union, and even the women, were not left out in 
the modernization and modification. 

Nevertheless, in introducing modernity, it 
should be noted that peace, cultural plenitude and 
traditional aesthetics were never kept in vista.  
 

NAMES OF INFORMANTS/DATE OF INTERVIEW 
 

S/N NAMES TOWN/VILLAGE DATE 
1. 
2. 
3. 

4. 
5. 
6. 
7. 

8. 
9. 
10. 
11. 

12. 
13. 
14. 

15. 
16. 
17. 

Igwe E. Umuononankume 
Maraihie Emenike 
Obidigbo, Ezeagwu 

Ume Nduka, Umueaniukwu 
Ezeobioha, Ezeabasili 
Ezeuchegbu, Ezeaku 
Sylvanus, Egbunacho 

Mrs. J. Egbuacho 
Edward, Ezenkwele 
Umechukwu, Umenwaliri 
Ezeanyim Thomas 

Ezenduka, Ekeruike 
O. Ezeaka 
I.C.K.  Anadi 

Mrs. B. Orieoma 
Mrs. Ezenduji M. 
Moneke John 

Amesi (Obinato) 
       “       “ 
       “  (Amuwo) 

Amesi  
Amesi 
 “ 
Amesi   (Amuwo) 

Amesi    “ 
Uga   (Umueze) 
Amesi  (Obinato) 
Achina   

(Umuezeiyi 
Umuchu, 
 Oraeri 

Amesi  (Amuwo) 
  “             “ 
Akokwa   (Akwu) 

29/7/86 
    “ 
30/7/86 

28/7/86 
5/8/86 
6/8/86 
10/8/86 

15/8/86 
20/8/85 
12/8/86 
13/8/86 

14/8/86 
12/8/86 
10/8/86 

15/12/68 
18/12/86 
16/12/86 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

182 
 

18. 
19 

20. 
21. 
22. 
23. 

24. 
25. 
26. 
27. 

28. 
29 

Akamikpu Okereue 
Elebeke, Ezeagwu 

Ezenduka, Edward 
Festus O. Okpalaeke 
Patrick, Ezeuchegbu 
Dennis, Ezeliora 

Philip, Onwuka 
Jacob, Umechukwu 
Jeremiah, Ezeanyanaso 
Innocent A. Ezeonwuka 

Ben. Obiakor 
Christopher Ezeonyebuchi 
 
 

 

Amesi      (Ubaha) 
Amesi 

Amesi   (Ubaha) 
Amesi 
Amesi 
Amesi 

  “ 
Amesi   (Amuwo) 
  “             “ 
Amesi    (Amuwo) 

Amesi 
Amesi  (Amuwo) 
 

10/11/86 
29/7/86 

16/12/86 
12/13/87 
10/8/88 
12/12/88 

6/6/86 
7/6/86 
10/6/86 
10/7/91 

28/6/91 
12/5/87 

 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

183 
 

 
 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

184 
 

REFERENCE NOTES 

 

NOTES ON CHAPTER ONE 
 

1.  J.C. Anene, Southern Nigeria in Transition: 1885-

      1906. London Cambride University press, 

      1966. p. 44. 
 

2.  A.E. Afigbo, Ropes of sand: Studies in Igbo History 

      and Culture (Nsukka: University Press,           

          1981), p.16 
 

3.   P.P. Grey, Intelligence Report on Mbalaolie Group 

      of Towns, Comprising Amesi, Akpo, Achina, 

      Umuchu and Enugu-Umuonyia:  Awka        

      Division N.A.E., C.S.E. 1/85/6078, E.P.       
      12073, 13570327(1944), p.2.  

 

4. Extract from Okigwe Compositie, sheet 312. Scale 

      1:125,000. Federal Surveys Lagos. 
 

5.  Reference to Figure  2.  
 

6.  E.B. Firman et. al. (ed), Soils in Relation to Growth, 

      New York, Reinhold Group. 1965, p. 40. 
 

7.   P.H. Ady, Oxford Regional Economic Atlas: Africa; 
      London, Oxford University Press 1965.P.55. 

 

8.   OP. Cit., Sheet 312. 
 

9.  B.N. Okigbo, Plants and Food in Igbo Culture and    

      Civilization in 1980 Ahiajoku Lecture,     

      Published by Ministry of Information;      

      Culture, Youth and Sports, Owerri, Imo      
      State,1980, pp. 18-34. 

 

10. P.P Grey, Intelligence Report on Mbalaolie Group of 

  Towns, M.A.E. O.P. 1269/27, On Prof.  
  8/1/4750, 7th oct., (1975), p.4. 
 

11. OP. Cit., pp. 12 – 23. 
 

12.  Ibid., p. 14 

 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

185 
 

 

13.   M.M. Green, Tbo Village Affairs, London: Frank 

  Cass, 1964.  p. 8. 
 

14.   A.E. Afigbo, Traditions of Igbo Origin: An Analysis 

  (Unpublished paper)  1979, p.2. 
 

15.   Ibid,  p.  12. 
 

16.  Escavations at Ezira that yielded bronze objects 
  dated to 15th century and linked to Nri, and 

  escavations at Igboukwu, dated to 9th century 

  A.D. Also See. C.C. Ifemesia Traditional  

  Human Living Among the Igbo: An Historical  

  Perspective. (Enugu: F.D.P.), p. 17.  
 

17.   Chief Umeononankume (Obi Akalabo I of Amesi), 

      65 years, Interviewed at his palace On 29th 

      July, 1986. 
 

18. Umenduka Umeaniukwu, from Umulodike-Amesi, 

  C. 96 years interviewed at his Home on 28th 

  July, 1986. 
 

19. I.C.K. Anadi, The kingdom they knew not: A  

  Groundwork History of Umunri Igbo and Nri 

  Kingdoms in Nigeria. Dec. 1972, Ochumba 

  Press Enugu, pp. 21-22. 
 

20. Reference to the speech delivered by Chief J.C.  

  Major Azike, Igwe III of Igbo-Ukwu, As a  

  welcome address to Prof. Thurstan Shaw, on 
  the occasion of his farewell visit to Igbo- 

  ukwu, on the 11th of May, 1974. To be found 

  in I.C.K. Anadi: The Kigdoms They Knew Not.  

  p.93 
 

21.  E. Isichei, The Igbo people and the Europeans: 

  The Genesis of Relationship up to 1906,  

  (London: Faber and Faber, 1973), p. 18. 

 

 
 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

186 
 

NOTES ON CHAPTER TWO  
 

22. P.B. Horton et al. 
 

23.  H.A. Gailey and M.S.O. Olisa, (In their respective 

  works). Quoted by L.U. Ejiofo, in Dynamics of 
  Igbo Democracy: A behavioural Analysis of 

  Igbo Politics in Aguinyi Clan: Ibadan,  

  University, Press, 1981. p. 40. 
 

24. M.S.O. Olisa, Political Culture and Political stability. 
  Couch Vol. III, No. 2. 1971. p. 19. 
 

25.  V.C. Uchendu, The Igbo of South Eastern Nigeria, 

  New York, Holt. 1965, p. 41. 
 

26.   Op.  Cit., p. 39. 
 

27.  Ezeuchegbu Ezeaku, C. 80 years. Ozo title holder, 

  Ubaha. 6th August, 1980. 
 

28.  C.K. Meek, Law and Authority in a Nigerian Tribe, 

  London: Oxford University Press, 1973. pp. 

  164 – 174. 
 

29.  E. Isichei, A History of the Igbo People, London; 
  Macmillan Press, 1976. p.22.  
 

30. Op.  Cit. p. 335. 
 

31. Op.  Cit.  p. 43. 
 

32.  S. Ottenberg,  Ibo Oracles in Inter-Group Relation – 

  In South Western Journal of Anthropology. 

  Vol. 14, No. 3., 1958 p. 298. 
 

33.  Ezeuduji Maureen, C. 96 Years. Lolo Amuwo- 
  Amesi. 18th December 1986. 
 

34. Egbuacho, C. Years. Lolo, Amuwo-Amesi. 15th  

  August, 1986. 
35. F.A. Arinze, Sacrifice in Igbo Religion: J.S. Boston 

  (ed.) Ibadan University Press Ltd. 1970, p. 7 
 

36. K.A. Opoku, West African Traditional Religion, FEP 
  International private Ltd., 1978 Singapore p. 

  129. 
 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

187 
 

37. Ibid. p. 102. 
 

38. Maureen Ezeuduji, C. 96 Years Interview cited. 
 

39. I.C.K. Anadi, The Kingdom they knew Not: A  

  groundwork History of Umu-Nri Igbo and Nri 
  Kingdoms in Nigeria. Dec. 1972, Ochumba 

  Press Ltd. Enugu, p.40. 
 

40. Op. Cit. p. 42. 
 

41. C. Achebe, Chi in Igbo Cosmology in Morning Yet on 

  Creation Day: Essays, Heinemann, London, 

  1975. pp. 93-103. 
 

42. Op. Cit. p. 29. 
 

43. I. Iiogu, Igbo Life and Thought, University Publisher 

  Coy. 1985. Onitsha, p. 10.  
 

44.  Ezeobioha Ezeabasili, C. 85 Years Ozo title holder, 
  Ubaha-Amesi, 5th August, 1986. 

 

45. Sylvanus Egbuacho, C. 85 Years. Ozo title holder 

  Amuwo –Amesi. 10th August, 1986.  
 

46. Umenduka Umeaniukwu, C. 96 years. Ozo title 

  holder. Umelobedike-Amesi. 28th July 1986. 
 

47. Maurren Ezenduji, Interview cited. 

 

NOTES ON CHAPTER THREE 
 

48. P. Hill., Some Characteristics of Indigenous West 

  African Economic Enterprise (In Economic 

  Bulletin of Ghana).No. 6 1962. pp. 13-14. 
 

49. A.G. Hopkins, Economic History of West Africa. 

  London: Longman, 1973, p. 28. 
 

50. S. Otternberg, Inheritance and succession in Afikpo. 

  (In J.D.M. Derrtt (ed). Studies in Law  

  succession in Nigeria). London, 1965.P.61. 
 

51. Ezeuchegbu Ezeaku, C. 80 Years, Ubaha-Amesi, 

  Ozo title holder, 6th August, 1986. 

 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

188 
 

52. Orieonia Ezeobinwa, C. 92 Years. Lolo, Amuwo- 

  Amesi. 15th December, 1986. 
 

53. Josephine Egbuacho, C. 76 Years, Lolo, Amuwo-

  Amesi 15th August, 1986. 
 

54. E. Isichie, The Ibo and the Europeans. London, 

 1973, p. 19 
 

55. F.I. Ekejiuba, ‘Omu Okwei’ The Merchant Queen of 
 Ossomari, J.H.S.N., Vol. II, No. 4, June 1987. p. 

 634. 
 

56. Josephine Egbuacho, Interview cited. 
 

57. Ezeobioha Ezeabasili, C. 85 Years. Ozo title holder, 

 Ubaha-Amesi 5th August, 1986. 
 

58. Obidigbo Ezeagwu, C. 75 Years. Ichie title holder, 

Amuwo-Amesi. 30th July, 1986. 

 

NOTES ON CHAPTER FOUR 
59. F.A. Arinze, Sacrifice in Igbo Religion: J.S. Boston 

   (ed). Ibadan University Press, 1970 p. 7. 
 
 

60. Chief Umeononankume (Obi Akalabo I of Amesi), 65 

   Years Umulobedike-Amesi.        
 

61. E.A. Afigbo, Indigenous Political System of the 
      Igbo, Tarikh, Vol. 4 No. 2,1977, P.22.  
 

62. Edward Ezenkwele, C. 105 years, Ozo title holder 

  Awalasi-Uga. 20th August 1985.  
 

63. M.M. Green, Ibo Village Affairs:  London, Frank 

  Cass and Co. Ltd., 1964 p.8.  
 

64.  C.C. Ifemesia, The Traditional Human Living  

  Among the Igbo:  An Historical  

  Perspective, Enugu F.D.P, 1980, pp. 80-

  81. 
 

65.  Op.  Cit. p. 7. 
 

66.  I.C.K. Anadi, C. 68 Years. Ozo title holder Oraeri. 
10th August 1986. 

 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

189 
 

67. Onyemekwe Ezeaku, C. 75 Years. Ozo title Holder. 

      Udo-Akpo 12th August 1986. 
 

68. Ezeobinwa Orieoma, C. 92 Years.  Lolo Amuwo-

      Amesi. 15th December 1986. 
 

69. C. Meillasonx (ed)., Developing Indigenous Trade 

      and Market in West Africa. Oxford Press, 

     1971 p. 68. 
 

70. Ezeobinwa Orieoma, Interview cited. 
 

71. B. Davidson, The African past. Hermond-sworth, 

      1964.  London, p. 213.  
 

72. A.E. Afigbo, The Age of Innocence: The Igbo and 

      their Neighbours in Pre-colonial Times, 1981.   

      Ahajioku Lecture published by Ministry       
      Information, culture, Youths and Sports, 

      Owerri, 1982. pp. 14-15. 
 

73.  E. Isichei,  A History of the Igbo people: London, 
  Macmillan Press Ltd., 1976. pp. 80 – 81. 

 

74.  Op.  Cit.  p. 79. 
 

75. Chief Umeononamkume, Interview cited. 
 

76. Ibid. p. 111. 
 

77. A.E. Afigbo, Ropes of Sand: Studies in Igbo History 

     and Culture, Lagos: University  Press. Ltd., 

     1981. P. 303 
 

NOTES ON CHAPTER FIVE 
 

78.  A.E. Afigbo, Patterns of Igbo Resistance to British 

      Conquest, An unpublished Memograph., p. 

      14. 
 

79.  Oral Information from – Ezenchegbu Ezeaku, 

      Umechukwu Umenwaliri. 
 

80. Oral Information from – Obi Akalabo I of Amesi. 
 

81. Oral Information from – Elder Umenduka       
      Umeanukwu. 

 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

190 
 

82. Oral Information from – Elder Umenduka  

      Umeanukwu. 

83. Extract from National Archives, Enugu in relation 
      to Mbalaolie group of towns. 

84. Oral Information from – Elder Christopher            

      Ezeonyebuchi. 
 

85. Oral Information from – Elder Christopher  

      Ezeonyebuchi 

86. Oral Information from – Elder Christopher  

      Ezeonyebuchi. 
 

87. Rev. I.I. Nwokenna, The Emergence of the  

     Independent African Churches. An article 

     published in the Insght Magazine Vol. 4, No. 

     1, p. 32. 
 

88. Culled from St. John’s Gospel, Chapter 17, verse 

     21, Good News Bible. 
 

89. I.R.A. Ozigbo, Roman Catholicism in S.E. Nigeria, 

     AFP Pub. p. 228. 

90. Oral Information from – Mr. Onwuka. 
 

91. V.C. Uchendu, Misionary problems in Nigerian 

      Society, (practical Antropology, Vol. 2., No. 3.  

      1964), pp. 105-106. 
 

92. A.E. Afigbo, Revolution and Reaction in Eastern 

      Nigeria 1900 – 1929,  J.H.S.N., Vol. 111,  No.   

      3 (1966), p. 539. 
 

93. Isu Marcel Onyeocha, CMF., Authentic African 

      Christianity, An article published in The 

      Insight Magazine, Vol. 4 No. 1 pp. 12- 14. 

94. V.C. Uchendu, The Igbo of South Eastern Nigeria, 
      p.117. 
 

95. Amilcar Cabral, Unity and Struggle: Speeches and 

      writings, Monthly Review Press. N.Y. London 

      1979, p. 140.   
 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

191 
 

NOTES ON CHAPTER SIX 
 

96. Alex. Madiebo, The Nigerian Revolution and the 

      Biafran war, (Enugu, Fourth Dimension Pub.  

      1980, p. 297. 

 

NOTES ON CHAPTER SEVEN 
 

97. Oral Information from – Obi Akalabo I of Amesi. 
 

98. Extract from Vatican II Document on the Church. 
 

99. Oral Information from – Obi Akalabo I of Amesi 
 

100.  Culled from Pope Paul VI address in Rubaga          

      Cathedral Uganda. 
 

101. Meyer Weinberg and Oacar E. Shabbab, Society 

      and Man, 1960 p. 90. 
 

102. Extract from an unpublished article, ‘Man and 
      Environment’ 1986 by Ezeonwuka I.F. 
 

 

  NOTES ON CHAPTER EIGHT 
 

103.  Oral Information from – Maraihie Emenike. 
 

104. Extract from the Constitution of Ifeadigo Age      
     Grade, Amesi, P.I., Embro Press, Onitsha. 

 

105.  Oral Information from – Chief Dennis Ezeliora.  
 

106.  Oral Information from – Mr. Patrick Ezeuchegbu. 
 

107. Oral Information from – Mr. Festus O. Okpalaeke. 

 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

192 
 

INDEX 
 

A 

Achina · 1, 2, 9, 12, 43, 48, 53, 

62, 63, 65, 68, 70, 74, 76, 77, 

78, 83, 84, 86, 91, 95, 102, 

104, 105, 108, 116, 156, 168, 

171, 174 

Adazi · 89, 90, 117, 129 

Agbudu · 48, 94 

Agriculture · 4, 47 

Aguleri · 10, 89 

Agulu · 69, 117, 129, 131 

Akalabo · 8, 9, 56, 77, 138, 

144, 146, 147, 161, 164, 166, 

167, 168, 175, 178, 180, 181 

Akokwa · 48, 63, 68, 69, 70, 91, 

92, 171 

Akpo · 1, 2, 9, 12, 43, 44, 53, 

59, 62, 63, 65, 68, 70, 71, 74, 

75, 76, 77, 78, 86, 91, 117, 

168, 171, 174, 179 

Arochukwu · 137 

C 

Cassava · 4 

Catholicism · 89, 93, 94, 95, 

99, 102, 104, 181 

Christianity · 79, 80, 88, 89, 

90, 91, 95, 106, 110, 111, 

112, 113, 114, 115, 118, 121, 

142, 148, 149, 150, 151, 155, 

170, 181 

Cocoyam · 4 

E 

Enugu-Umuonyia · 48, 50, 

91 

Eshi · 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 63, 168 

Ezira · 68, 175 

H 

Harmattan · 3 

Homicide · 39 

Hunting · 68 

I 

Igboland · 1, 2, 29, 62, 72, 79, 

82, 88, 110, 114, 121, 137, 

165, 167 

Isiokpu · 48 

Isioye · 12 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

193 
 

J 

Justice · 5 

L 

Lineage · 6 

Livestock · 49 

M 

Marriage · 30, 63, 64 

Masquerade · 134 

Mbalaolie · 1, 2, 4, 174, 180 

Music · 66, 167 

N 

Nigerian-Biafran War · 125 

Nkpologwu · 1, 2, 70, 71, 74, 

78, 86, 92, 108 

Nkwo-Igboukwu · 71 

Nsukka · 1, 2, 174 

Nteje · 10, 89, 94 

O 

Oguta · 71 

Ohaofia · 77 

Okachanma Court · 86 

Okigwe · 1, 2, 174 

Onitsha · 71, 82, 89, 92, 94, 

97, 116, 117, 126, 129, 137, 

156, 177, 182 

T 

Traditional Medicine · 54 

U 

Ubaha · 12, 18, 46, 56, 58, 59, 

78, 105, 116, 141, 144, 168, 

171, 176, 177, 178 

Uga · 1, 2, 45, 46, 48, 50, 63, 64, 

65, 68, 69, 70, 74, 78, 83, 86, 

91, 92, 93, 94, 96, 97, 98, 99, 

100, 102, 106, 108, 115, 116, 

117, 125, 126, 127, 134, 157, 

171, 179 

Umuomaku · 50, 68, 86, 92 

W 

Wrestling · 32, 64 



The Ultimate Account: A History of Amesi People from the Earliest Times to the 

Present 

194 
 

 

 
 
 


