Ikwuano

The present Ikwuano Local Government Area was part of the Bende Division in the then Southern Province created by the British Colonial Government as part of their “Divide and Rule” system of government and administration towards the beginning of the 19th Century. This was as early as the time Calabar was the capital of Nigeria.

When the Southern province was further divided, Ikwuano still remained part of the Bende Division. The present Bende town was the administrative headquarters where the District Commissioner resided. The District Commissioner, Nwa D.C., as he was known and called held courts at Bende and Oloko. At this time what was later carved out as Aba Division was part of the Bende Division, under the jurisdiction of Nwa D. C. The present Umuahia township later replaced Bende as the administrative headquarters after the extension of the Nigerian rail line from Port-Harcourt to Enugu between 1915 and 1916.[7]

Ikwuano LGA was among the new local government areas that were created on 27 August 1991 when the General Ibrahim Babangida's Administration created Abia State from the old Imo State.[8] It was carved out of the defunct Ikwuano-Umuahia of the Old Imo State.

The Aba Women's Riot began in Ikwuano. The demonstration occurred when thousands of women of Igbo origin from Bende, Umuahia, Owerri and other regions in the South East made the trip to Oloko, one of the four principal communities of Ikwuano. The cause of this movement was due to the worry that a new taxation plan was being implemented that would demand women, most especially widows, to pay taxes which they were not mandated to pay earlier on.[9]

Ikwuano is known for cultures and arts which include Ekpe, which is usually in January in the different Ikwuano communities coinciding with their respective market days, New Yam (Iri-Ji) and Afo Amaghi Onuma festivals. Their cultural dances are Eketensi Ritual dance, Oro, Ikperikpeogu (War Dance), Uko and so on. They also have Oba and Ekpe societies.[10] Popular delicacies in Ikwuano include Ofe Achara, Ukazi Soup and Ugwu Soup.[11] The predominant languages spoken in Ikwuano are Igbo and English languages. The four clans speak distinct Igbo dialects though mutually intelligible. Ikwuano brides are known to have some of the costliest bride prices in Igboland. Traditional marriages are held in high esteem.[10]

It has an area of 281 km². It lies between the latitudes 5 24lN and 5 30lN and between the longitudes of 7 32lE and 7 37lE.[12]

It borders Umuahia North and Bende to its north, Umuahia South and Isiala- Ngwa North to its west, Ini to the east and Obot-Akara to the south.[13]

The population of Ikwuano during the 2006 census was 137,993. As at 2015, it increased to 175,078.[14] The area is inhabited primarily by the Igbo people.[15]

It experiences an average weather temperature of 28 °C. The area witnesses two distinct seasons which are the rainy and dry seasons. The average humidity level is put at 62%.[16][17]

Ikwuano LGA in the humid forest zone of Nigeria. The LGA has an average rainfall of 2351 mm, average minimum diurnal temperature of 22.90C and relative humidity range between 80 and 90%.[18][19]

The vegetation of the area is predominantly lowland rainforest, which makes it suitable for growing yam, cassava, maize, cashew and ginger. This has led to the area becoming the food basket of Abia State.

Farming is one of the key economic activities of the Ikwuano people. The area also hosts a number of markets where a variety of commodities are bought and sold. They include Ahia Ndoro and the Ariam Market. In fact, Ikwuano is situated in the palm belt of Eastern Nigeria. Other important economic engagements of the Ikwuano people are hunting, craftsmanship and wood carving.[20][21][22][23][24]

The four clans of Ikwuano have a total of 58 villages. They are listed as follows:[25][7][26][27]

Villages in Ikwuano are constitutionally placed under 42 autonomous communities, each autonomous community is led by an Eze. These communities are:

• Abaa Ukwu
• Afa
• Afa Ukwu
• Agbalu Ozu
• Agbo Ibere
• Agumba
• Ahaba Ukwu
• Ahuwa Ukwu
• Ajata Na Igu
• Ala-Ala Oboro
• Amanchai
• Amaoba Ime
• Ariam Ala-Ala
• Ariam Osoigwe
• Awom Na Ebo
• Awom Na Uzie
• Awom Oboro
• Awom Ukwu
• Ekpiri Elu-Elu
• Ekpiri Osaoji
• Ibere Ancient Kingdom
• Ibeuzo Ukwu
• Ikemba
• Ikputu Oboro
• Isiala Ahaba
• Isiama Oboro
• Ntalakwu
• Obi Ibere
• Obuohia Okike
• Okwe Ukwu
• Oro Ibere
• Oruigwe
• Oru Oboro
• Otu-Uzo
• Ugwuegbu
• Ugwu Ibere
• Uha-la-Uda
• Umuakoo
• Umuokeigbo
• Umudike
• Umudike Ukwu
• Usaka Ukwu[28]

• Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike[29]
• Amadeus University, Amizi[30]
• National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike[31]
• Oboro Secondary School, Ikwuano[32]
• Ikwuano Secondary School, Ariam[33]
• Ibere Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Ahia Orie, Ibere[34]
• Wesley Seminary, Ndoro Oboro[35]

• Ashley Nwosu (late), Nollywood actor[36]
• Justice Ferdinand Ukattah (late), first Chief Judge of Abia State[37]
• Buchi Atuonwu, Nigerian reggae gospel artiste[38]
• Adanma Okpara (late), wife of the first Premier of the defunct Eastern Region of Nigeria; Michael Okpara[39]
• Kenneth Omeruo, Nigerian footballer[40]
• Austin Akobundu, former Minister of State for Defence and Retired Colonel[41]
• Pascal Atuma, Canadian-Nigerian actor, screenwriter, film producer, director, comedian and CEO/Chairman of TABIC[42]
• Oscar Atuma, Canadian-Nigerian actor and film producer[43]
• Frank Dallas (late), Nollywood actor[44]
• Samson Omeruah (late), former Governor of Anambra State[45]
• Jimmy Johnson (late), Nollywood actor[46]
• Erica Nlewedim, Nigerian actress, model, entrepreneur and ex-BBN housemate[47]
• Henry Ikoh, Nigerian politician[48]
• Rev (Fr.) Christian Anokwuru, pioneer Catholic Priest of Ikwuano[49]
• Ogbonnaya Oji (late), ex-Biafran commander[50]
• Chigul, Nigerian comedienne and actress[51]
• Emeka Okoro, Nollywood actor and gospel artiste[52]
• Ccioma, Nigerian gospel artiste and songwriter[53]
• CJ Ujah, British athlete[54]
• Paul Omeruo, former military administrator of Kogi State[55]
• Augustine Ukattah, Nigerian politician[56]
• Monday Ubani, ex-NBA vice president[57]
• Onyinyechi Ironkwe, former Miss Niger Delta 2015/16[58]
• Johnbull Owoh, former Nigerian envoy to Brazil and Guinea Bissau [59]
• Sir Sunday Nwosu, Nigerian activist and founder of the Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN)[60]
• Samuel Onuigbo, Nigerian politician[61]

• List of villages in Abia State