The purpose of this chapter is to
examine exhaustively the life of the Ututu people before contact was made with
the white-people at the beginning of the 20th century. A convenient point to
begin this scrutiny is the method of acquisition of land; this is because land
was the single most important property that determined the status of an Ututu
man in the pre-colonial days.
There are two categories of
land in Ututu; i.e.
(a) Residential lands.
(b) Farm lands.
As enunciated in the previous chapter
the Ututu kingdom was initially founded through war. The first group of people
that arrived the Ututu ridge had to drive away a group of Ibibios that sparsely
inhabited the area. At the time it was just Amaeke Village,
but with the passage of time other Villages were clearly differentiated by their
hearthstones “ Nkuma Etiti-Ogo”.
As the people settled in
their villages, the need for farmlands arose since the people's major
occupation was farming. Three categories of farmlands became discernable. The
first were lands acquired jointly by the Clan which became Community land, and
the Clan Head Eze Ututu was charged with the custody of such lands which were
clearly demarcated with odu trees. The second was village lands which was
acquired jointly by a particular village and thereafter referred to as Village
lands and was put under the custody of the Village Head, and the third was
family or Kindred/Compound land which belonged to a particular family. Those
kindreds whose ancestors were hard working benefited most in this quest for
farmlands, whereas the lazy kindred’s became the losers, this search for
farmlands continued unabated until all lands had been acquired.
After the death of Eze Akuma Ukwu, the
first son of Otutu Ezema, Eze Ijo Mgbeke also from Ndi-Eziakuma Compound became
the next holder of Offor Ututu or Eze Ututu. It was during the reign of the
third Eze Ututu that Ukwen Eze, the son of Isii Koko and the grandson of Koko
Ukwu (the second son of Otutu Ezema who had made his home in Ujara) decided to
join his kiths and kin in Ututu. The Ututu people welcomed their brothers
whole-heartedly, infact it has been asserted that it was the arrival of
Ihechiowa people that was responsible for the departure of Ukwen Eze and
members of his family to the Ututu ridge.
In those days only the Villages of
Abuma and Ohomja occupied the big stretch of land that will eventually be known
as Umuiwe Ututu. On arrival at Ututu ridge Ukwen Eze and members of his group
were shown this varse stretch of land, and it is here that they established
their Village which was called Ukwuakwu Ututu. At their former home Ujara (near
Ihechiowa), they had kept their deity of Anyunku, which ensured peaceful
coexistence among the Koko Ukwu Clan. This deity was now transferred to their
new home in Ukwuakwu Ututu, and became part of Obasi Ututu. A New Court known as Awada Ukwen Eze was
established and became part and parcel of Awada Ukwu Ututu in Ndi-eziakuma
compound.
As already explained in Chapter One,
the Ututu Government up till the time of Eze Akuma Ukwu consists of Ndi-Akpa
Asaa, or holders of the Seven Sacred Portfolios, this body continued to rule
Ututu singly during the reign of Eze Ijo Mgbeke even though other new villages
were springing up in the Clan.
It is perhaps Dr. C. O.
Okoreaffia, a renowned anthropologist that best describes the stratification of
Ututu Villages.
"Ututu is an autonomous community
of 19 Villages. These Villages are zoned into 4 anthropological groupings,
which have stood the test of settlement stratification from the very beginning
of the Ututu settlement. The zones are in alphabetical order:
Zone One: Ututu Akasi: made up of 5 villages,
namely;
1. Amakofia
2. Eziama
3. Obijoma
4. Ohomja
5.Ugwuogo
1. Amasa
2. Amaeke
3. Amankwu
4. Amodu
5. Nkpakpi
6. Obiagwulu
Zone Three: Ututu Umunna Isii made up
of 4 villages, namely;
1. Amaebem
2. Obiakang
3. Obialuoko
4. Ukwuakwu
Zone Four: Ututu Umu Ugwuonyiri made
up of 4 villages namely;
1. Abuma.
2. Amaetiti
3. Obiene
4. Ubila
We must not loose sight of the natural
idiosyncrasy, definitely certain, which gave rise to the unsavoury nomenclature
of ELEOHA and UMUIWE. These are words of doubtful etymology, and have
consequently been exploited for all sorts of purposes in religion and
politics...”
C. O. OKOREAFFIA PH.D
23.2.1959
By way of analysis, let us take a
closer look at the origin of the (19) Nineteen Ututu Villages. In terms of
seniority, Amaeke and Amasa
Villages are the most
senior by virtue of the fact that they were the Villages established by Otutu
Ezema and his group, the first set of people to firmly establish themselves in
the Ututu ridge. The Village Amodu is an offshoot of Amaeke Village.
Next in seniority are Abuma and Ugwuogo Obiene, let
us recall the hunter Cheke Ukwu and his son who were permitted by Otutu Ezema
to form the Village
of Abuma as security
measure againt Ibibio invasion. When Cheke Ukwu had firmly established himself
in Abuma Village, that is he placed his
hearthstones (i.e. Nkuma etiti-ogo and Nfjioku), he now left the Village for
his son Nzerem and established another home known as Ugwuogo Obiene. It is in
his new home that he lived until his death.
Sometime later when Cheke
Ukwu who was then residing in his new home, a remarkable event took place that
will be of great significance to the history of his former home of Abuma. One
eventful evening, Nzerem his son visited him in his new domain. “There is a
stranger who has arrived Abuma
Village - said Nzerem - I
have come to seek advice on what to do with him”.
Cheke Ukwu thanked his son
for his thoughtfulness in coming to him over such a sensitive matter. At this
period people were not as civilized as they are today, and the obvious
treatment given to any stranger was to be killed, and the body eaten, for Ututu
people were still cannibalistic. After getting all the details concerning the
stranger Cheke Ukwu advised his son to do nothing about the issue until he had
heard from him. The next day Cheke Ukwu was in Abuma Village
and had the opportunity to see the stranger Amaezie.
Recalling his own experience with the
Otutu Ezema group, he advised his son to have Amaezie as a neighbor, he
suggested that Amaezie should be allowed to occupy the northern section of the
town where yam and cassava had just been uprooted (Ugwu Ukabi). But as a
seasoned colonizer Cheke Ukwu was conscious of the fact that this agreement
could be breached in future, he now entrusted the deity of Acha to Amaezie, the
reasoning was that if he ( Amaezie) goes against the terms of the treaty that
Acha should kill him.
We have already traced the origin of
the Village of Ukwuakwu which gave birth to other
Villages like Obiakang, Amaebem, Obijoma, Ugwuogo and Amakofia. We have also
traced the origin of the Village Ohomja, which had made an independent
migration to the Ututu ridge. Another Village known as Obialuko is said to have
been founded by Aluoko Nkee who originally resided in Abuma Village.
Aluoko Nkee a popular blacksmith he was indispensable to the community for the
supply of smith products especially during ceremonies like Ila - Asaa.
The Akpa Villages in Ututu are
Amaetiti, Obiagwulu and Amankwu. The Villages of Obiene and Ubila were bastions
of defence established to check the intrusion of the Ibibios. These
Villages had very strong links with Ukwuakwu and Abuma. Finally is the Village of Nkpakpi. History has it that this
Village was established as a camp for prisoners of war, with the passage of
time it was elevated to the status of a full Village, but it was still their
responsibility to produce one of their group when the community needed a human
being for sacrifice as often happened in pre-colonial Ututu.
Eze Ijo Mgbeke had a hard time
administering these Nineteen Villages with his Council of Akpa Asaa. It was
customary for Akpa Asaa messengers to go round the Nineteen Villages after
every major decision at Awada-Ukwu Ututu. It was the next holder of Offor Ututu
Eze Orie Nwa Ikemi whose administrative genius will be bequeathed as a legacy
to future generations of Ututu people.
other of seniority are Ndl-Akuma Ukwu and Ntlte Nwaba. This
fourth Eze of Ututu was reputed as one of the wealthiest farmer of his
time. Before this time it was customary for the people of Ututu to provide
food, money, etc. for the upkeep of the Eze Ututu on the grounds that he should
concentrate his potentials in his onerous duty instead of pursuing his own
means of livelihood, but Eze Orie Nwa Ikemi abolished that practice,
principally because of his great passion for yam cultivation.
As already stated the job of governing
the Nineteen Villages in Ututu had become too ardous for members of the Akpa
Asaa Ututu, especially the task of going round the Nineteen Villages, to inform
the people about major decisions taken at Awada-Ukwu Ututu in Ndi-Eziakuma
Compound. It was in order to lighten the burden of governance on the Akpa Asaa
Ututu that Eze Orie Nwa Ikemi decreed the existence of a new-body to be known
as Uke-Eke. This body was to comprise of representatives of the Nineteen
Villages. The term "Okpu Abosi” was used to identify the first family that
established themselves in a particular Village. It was this family that
produced the Eze Ogo (Village Head) who was now admitted into the deliberations
of Eze Ututu and members of his cabinet.
Henceforth, Ututu Traditional Government will comprise of
two bodies namely; Akpa Asaa (holders of seven sacred portfolios) and Uke-Eke
(made up of village heads of the nineteen villages). Together these two bodies
became referred to as Amala Ututu - the highest traditional authority in Ututu.
Eze Orie Nwa Ikemi therefore was the
Eze Ututu that established a democratic traditional government in Ututu,
because for the first time representatives of the Nineteen Villages had the
opportunity to assemble at Awada Ukwu Ututu with the Eze Ututu and members of
Akpa Asaa to make policies and laws for the smooth government of the community.
It is imperative at this point to comment on another classification of the
Ututu Villages. It is customary to hear that a particular Village belongs to
right flank (Utuga Ikenga) or left flank (Utugu Ibita). This classification
came about as a result of how individual Villages became part of the Ututu
confederacy.
Right flank is used to describe those
Villages who were part of the Otutu Ezema group including those of his sons
Akuma Ukwu and Koko Ukwu. These Villages include Amaeke, Ukwuakwu, Amasa,
Obiakang, Eziama, Obijoma, Amakofia, Amodu, Obiene, Ubila, and Ugwuogo. Whereas
left flank are those Villages who joined the Otutu Ezema group after they had
established themselves in Ututu, namely; Abuma, Obiagwulu, Amankwu, Amaetiti,
Obialuoko and Amaebem.
The order of sharing things in Ututu
however cuts cross this classification, and is in accordance with the seniority
of the Villages in the traditional hierarchy as follows; Amaeke, Abuma,
Ukwuakwu, Amasa, Amankwu, Amaetiti, Obiakang, Eziama, Ohomja, Obijoma,
Amakofia, Amodu, Obiagwulu, Obiene, Nkpakpi, Ubila, Ugwuogo, Obialuko, and
Amaebem. The next Eze Ututu after Eze Orie Nkemi was Eze Ntite Nwaba (Jnr.) of
the Ntite Nwaba Kindred. Very little is known about this Eze Ututu, possibly
because there were no administrative changes in the Ututu traditional
government during his reign.
The stage was now set for the greatest
Eze Ututu of all time, the great Chief Okore Nne Agwu who was the Sixth Eze
Ututu. It was this Eze Ututu that the white people met when they arrived Ututu
in 1923, even at that there is no evidence to prove that there was any direct
contact between the great Eze and the British colonizers. Chief Okore Nne Agwu
popularity did not derive so much from the fact that he was the Eze Ututu when the
white people arrived the Ututu ridge, but due to the administrative structures
he incorporated into the Ututu Traditional Government.
The Amala Ututu refers as
earlier elucidated to the two bodies Akpa Asaa Ututu and Uke-Eke Ututu
established by Eze Akuma Ukwu and Eze Orie Nwa Ikemi respectively. During the
reign of Chief Okore Nne Agwu, three other bodies were established to smoothen
the process of Traditional Government in the Clan. They are;
UKE-AFOR: This group was the
equivalent of spies in modern Government. The duty of this body was to report
to the members of Amala Ututu any infringement on the native laws and custom of
Ututu people. It was their duty to present to disputing parties the “Omu"
(palm front) sanctified by touching it at the Offor Ututu, this act was an
injunction that the parties should be of good behaviour until their disputes
have been amicably settled by the Eze Ututu and members of his cabinet known as
Amala Ututu. One of their most common duties was to report to Eze Ututu and members
of Amala Ututu anyone who harvests the new yam before the day has been approved
by members of Amala Ututu.
The head of UKE-AFOR was known as Otonke (Chief
spy). There were messengers and spies to the Eze Ututu and their presence was
always recognized at Awada Ukwu which is the Court of the Eze Ututu.
Sometimes this body
undertook the role of the Police. This they did through another body known as
UKE NKWO. Membership of UKE-AFOR was on heredity basis that is members were
selected from certain families. When it was desired by the Eze Ututu to arrest
any citizen; it was the UKE-AFOR that carried out this instruction. The Otonke
and his cohorts will go to the village where the arrest is to be made and
conscript young people in the culprits
Village who are then
referred to as UKE-NKWO. Thus UKE-NKWO was a temporary body conscripted by
members of UKE-AFOR to execute the wishes of the Eze Ututu in any Village in
the Clan.
Besides informing and
carrying messages for the Eze Ututu, the Otonke and members of UKE-AFOR
sometimes acted as emissaries of the Eze Ututu in other Clans. For instance it
was members of the UKE-AFOR who sold questionable characters to the Aro’s as
slaves. Also when slaves were required for certain sacrifices, it was the
UKE-AFOR who negotiated the contract. And when criminals were sentenced at
Awada Ukwu Ututu and were to be executed at the Execution Tree (Akwu-Ndi Ochu),
it was members of UKE-AFOR who took the criminal to the spot, and then caused a
slave to actually carry out the execution.
As a result of his numerous
offices the Otonke of Chief Okore Nne Agwu, by name Mazi Kalu Okwara from
Ndi-Ubuo Eke, a Compound in Amaeke Ututu became very popular during the reign
of the Sixth Eze of Ututu. But his
glamorous career was to end in disgrace, when during the course of his job he
stole a dog. He was tried at Awada-Ukwu and found guilty, as a result of which
his family was banned from occupying any traditional office in Ututu.
CHINYOM : This body also
established by the legendry Chief Okore
Nne Agwu was for women. Their functions included.
a. Ensuring unity of women
in the Clan.
b. Treatment of matters on
women immorality and indecent
behaviour, all cases of abuse of sexual intercourse among women were referred
to them.
c. Rendering special
services to the community in the such area as:
i. Cleaning of roads
ii. Marriage, dance, war. Etc.
CHINYOM was used in case of recovery of debt, especially
in cases when one or both parties was a woman. If a woman debtor refuses to pay
back the money she had borrowed, the creditor would go to the head of CHINYOM
in the Village (usually a very old woman). A messenger would then be sent to
the debtor telling her to pay. If she still refuses to clear the debt, the
creditor with CHINYOM (now made up of other women from the Village) will deck
themselves with feathers and other articles, and armed with sticks they would
enter the debtors Compound backwards, after which they beat the house with
their sticks singing scurrilous songs until the money was paid. At this stage
the debtor would have to pay much more than the original debt. The interest
would be divided between the creditor and CHINYOM. In essence CHINYOM was
referred to as the women's God.
correct!!
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