THE HISTORY OF AMAGU AKEGBE UGWU.

by Paul Ewo

The oral tradition that traced the origin of Amagu people has no serious refutation hence, all of the sources agree with each other on the origin, settlement and modus vivendi of Amagu Akegbe Ugwu Autonomous Communiy. Ngeneuba, is the originator of Amagu people and is the fourth son of Akegbeze.

Akegbeze, the progenitor of Awkunanaw clan, is the son of a great hunter known as Ojiene Ntuegbeze. Ntugbueze was from Akeze Okigwe in the present Imo State of Nigeria. Ojiakome Ntuegbueze and his son Ojiene were acclaimed farmers and hunters who escaped from their ancestral home at Akeze following terrifying kindred of scuffles and settle at the bank of a stream known as Mmiri Ogwugwu. The settlement was later named Ogwugwu Ntuegbeze.

Ojiene Ntuegbeze was blessed with five sons, namely, Ogwugwueze, Akegbeze, Owellieze, Iheze and Agbogwueze which presently constitute the Ntuegbenese clan. After the death of Ntuegneze, his eldest son, Ogwugwueze otherwise known as Ubojiene inherited his ancestral home and the rest of the sons, in keeping with inherent custom and tradition, vacated their father's settlement to found their own camps.

Akegbeze left his ancestral home at Ogwugwu Ntuegbeze to settle at Isiofia forests, presently, known as Obuoffia. Upon settling down and setting up a home stead, Akegbeze married a crippled young woman he found dumped and abandoned by her people at Ubanukwu, a spot between Amuri and Agbogwugwueze.

The crippled woman eventually gave birthday to the four children of Akegbeze, namely, Akegbe, Obuoffia, Amodu and Umaa(Amechi), who are the forebears of Awkunanaw clan. Descendents of Akegbe are also referred to as Akegbe Ngwuro, which associates their descent to a crippled mother.

Because of his wife's physical challenge and handicap, Akegbeze provided her with four earth plates known as oku with which she dished out meals to her four(ano) sons, thus the derivation of the name Oku na Anu spelt Awkunanaw by the English. Descendents of the four Akegbeze today constitute the four clans of Awkunanaw, Nkanu land.

Akegbeze named his second son Akegbe, after himself, and he was highly favoured by him. In return for the exclusive love of his father, Akegbe strove to please his father in every endeavour of life. It was also the infinite love Akegbe has for his father that fired his zeal for excellence.

In spite of the fact that he was the youngest of the four sons of Akegbeze, Akegbe earned the blessings and favours of his father, due to factuality that he surpassed his other siblings in the fulfillments of the test of spirituality and purity. Imbued with spiritual potentials, sanctity and purity and visibly more pious than the other three sons of his father, Akegbe was able to move a large filling stone, Omuoha, to a spot indicated by their father, Akegbeze, a feat that in turn merited him his father's bestowal of the rights and privileges of progenitor over his three other sons namely: Obuoffia, Amodu and Amechi. This singular exploit by Akegbe which his other sibilings were in capable of accomplishing, encouraged Akegbeze,their father to bequeath his OFO,a symbol of justice, equity and fair play to his courageous, brave and beloved son,Akegbeze.
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Akegbe kept his father Akegbeze's work tradition and engaged in hunting and trailed animals at the peripheries of the valleys at the foot of Udi hills. The ravaging of large spread of palm trees in the area by birds which littered the hills with palm kernels earned the place the name, hill of kite kernels,literally meaning Aku Egbe n'ugwu,and thus the deriviation of Akegbe Ugwu

In the original and traditional set up, Akegbe-Ugwu,married two wives, the first wife begot okwuo and obeaghu hamlets which constitute Okwuo Ugwu and Okwuo Uwani Akegbe Ugwu community respectively. The second wife gave birth to three sons, Attakwu, Amagu and Umuatugbuoma hamlets. Attakwu constitute ibite Ugwu while Amagu and Umuatugbuoma are referred to as Ibite Uwani. These hamlets are presently autonomous.

Ngeneuba,the progenitor of Amagu Ibite Akegbe Ogwugwueze and the fourth son of Akegbeze settled at Obodo Uwani also called Obodo Ngeneuba where he had two wives. The first wife gave birth to two sons, namely, Ukwu which constitute Umu-ukwu kindred and Ujamta which constitute Umu-ujamta kindred. The second wife gave birth to three sons, Ngene Akum, Nkata Ujam and Ndi-uzu. These make up the five kindred, umunna or political districts of Amagu Ibite Akegbe ogwugwueze.

The leadership of Amagu Akegbe Ugwu community is rested in the following distinct but mutually interdependent organs; Amagu Akegbe Ugwu General Assembly; Igwe-in-council; Executive Council;Leaders of Thought; and council of Elders

The off-springs of Amagu in the spirit of their fore-fathers are deeply religious. They strongly believed in the creator and the supreme being Chineke,Okike kerihe, Chukwu onyeokike, Olisabuluuwa,Chukwunwa Abia omaa and Awuwa warihe, the designer of destiny. 

In concordance with their inherent pious status, Amagu people abhor evil and uphold Nso Ani and Awuwa, the taboos of the supreme Being championed by their fore-fathers. The Amagu people's abhorrence of mortal sin is based on their belief in taboos, Nso Ani, such as murder, stealing, smuggling, false witnessing, swearing false oath, prostitution and gambling.

Amagu people equally have unwavering belief in the law of karma and in the reality that there is no redemption for the evil doers. The above considerations today pattern the Amagu people's ethical and moral standards.