IHEDIOHA AND THE LUDE-NNARAMBIA WAR OF 1904

It was an excruciating dry season in 1904. The only source of water being the few ponds which were equally drying up. Nnanyere was a noble from Obia kindred in Nnarambia. In the dry seasons, he used to allow people fetch water from his pond. That year, it wasn't possible as he had to conserve the little remaining water by locking up the entrance with palm fronds and keeping his servant on the lookout.  When people from Umunloghocha Lude came to fetch water, the servant refused them. A scuffle ensued. An object thrown by the Lude people landed on his head, killing him instantly. The death of the servant snowballed into 'ogu Ibe ama' between the two communities. The casualty figures rose by the day on both sides. My maternal ancestor, Nwanjoku Nwagwu was one of the mighty men from Umuofor  Nnarambia. He built a watchtower (nkoro) at the location of the entrance of the new Ahiara polytechnic from where he took out soft targets. This earned him the name 'Onyike'(mighty man), a name my maternal relatives bear to this day. The  crescendo of this war was the battle of Afor Mbara. This joint market place of Oru, Lude and  Nnarambia was besieged by the warring factions, leading to its immediate relocation to a neutral ground, the  Onyirioha Oru shrine. That was how Afor Oru market was born 115 years ago.

 While the hostilities raged on into the next year, Douglass struck; attacking Ahiara after the disappearance and death of Dr. Stewart. The Lude and Nnarambia warriors had to quickly unite and joined the larger Ahiara forces against the British until their capitulation at the Nkwo Otulu massacre of 1905.

The emergence of Ihedioha as the next occupant of Douglass house has  put me at the crossroads of history. The very first campaign visit was to the ancestral site of the Nkwo Otulu massacre of 1905. As the Ahiazu PDP campaign council visited Eze Finian Chukwu, I noticed a repetition of history.
As he stood up to administer the oath of allegiance (ikwa mmuo)on the campaign council, the innocence in his face,  the seriousness  of his look and the unparalleled eloquence encapsulated the solemnity of the moment. His words of wisdom was a quick reminder of family history. His father, late Sir Godfrey  Chukwu, one of the the brainiest products of Mbaise, was my grandfather late Sir Michael Onyike's friend. Onyike was at the battle of Afor Mbara. As I looked at the campaign council, I saw the grandsons of Akpukakpu, descendants   of the glorious Osuacharaoku warriors filed out in battle  array like poisoned arrows in a leather scabbard. A war song that would have been sang at Afor Mbara and Nkwo Otulu over a century ago rang in my mind:

Ebielem umu ogum aka l'obi, onye ujo l'atu gbalagha!

 Heading one flank was Dr. Sonny Ogulewe. His ancestor Uwaoma, the founder of the Umuwaoma hamlet of Umuezerugwu Nnarambia, was a great warrior and crossborder wrestler whose life history has been retold annually for over eight generations.

On the other flank, I saw Barr. P.G.U. Madu. His mother's umbilical chord lies beneath the Nfunala palace of the  Onyekwere dynasty, my common ancestor with him  being Chileke, the founder of the Umuolugbo royal hamlet. My maternal ancestor Amaraojor and his maternal ancestor Ogbu were princes of the house of Chileke.

 At that instance, I noticed both had their eyes redened by  emotion as the oath of victory filteted through the Eze's lips. My feet began to tremble as I remembered we were renewing the battle of Nkwo Otulu, the Ogu Udongalasi and the Mbaise war of relevance in Imo State. Like the two warriors at the the war front, I too was  overtaken by emotions. For support, I held my cousin  Franklin Ojoko Ekechukwu. Our common maternal ancestor, Njoku Ukoha of Eziudo was a great seer with powers  to curse and to redeem.

At that point, I knew the battle would be won. The sweat dripping off my face was indeed  history mingled with valour, glory and royalty!

In retrospect, I remember the Lude-Nnarambia team up to face the common external agressor. I pondered about Dr. Law Osondu and other notable  Mbaise candidates who abandoned their interests for a common Mbaise one.

Today, I stand with pride between the living and the dead, pouring libations of long life to all who have fought our battles, past and present. As we take possession of the promised land, I urge us all to remember our delicate heritage which like an idol must be carried with both hands!

 Long live His Excellency Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha. Long live Mbaise. Long live Imo State.
(By Nnamdi Ejekwumadu: Udongalasi Foundation)