Brother, Stanley Okeke.
HISTORY OF NIMO MONARCHY
Before engaging in this discourse, I would take the time once again to commend you, for your sincere effort to share your knowledge about our beloved Town,
Nimo. Also, am taking this opportunity to express my 100 % support for Mr.
Akumuo’s suggestion on how to collate pieces of the whole story. His suggestion reminded of the good literature by Chimamanda Adichie, titled the “The
Danger of a Single Story”.
I write not only as a good citizen of Nimo, but as a member of Eze Onyiuke Royal family, who had the privilege of oral history about how my family was conferred with
“hereditary right” to the throne of Nimo. This hereditary righ t as I would later explain, although existed before the institution of monarchy in Nimo,
later found its hereditary expression in the “Eze” Crown of Nimo Town. The obvious questions as to controversial concepts as to the hereditary right and origin of the chieftaincy stool could only be answered by a short story of Chief
Achuamokwa Ginimefolu Onyiuke (Anu Anachu Ama-Okwa).
To understand Achu-ama, one has to appreciate the era of his existence, which was partially pre-colonial period. Nimo was a pagan society that was notoriously cannibalistic. The dexterity in human eating was only equaled by their war mongering. As you well had recounted, towns like, Ozalla, Ezike, Okpo, Owa ,
Owe, and Nochi were victims of Nimo’s might and bellicosity. It was a period when might and valor reigned; and off course the fittest and villain commanded obedience from the weak. This was the era of human slavery, when the weak sought protection from the strong.
Achu-ama was the son of Okpala Tabansi, half-brother to Ezekwueche Chidume, in Abba village, Ifite-enu, Nimo. He was an extremely strong and fearless man;
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and his strength was born out of the fact that he was a giant (seven footer, in those days). His children whom were mostly six footers, were comparatively midgets to him. As he was tall, so also was his massive frame. Interestingly, his height and massiveness never hindered his agility, which enabled him to single handedly humiliate Uke town to submission. As you would reckon, he practiced cannibalism like most Nimo indigenes of that time; but such savagery was never practiced against Nimo person, as “adi eli ka di eli”.
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In his notoriety, he never mistreated any Nimo man; in fact, Nimo indigene were immunized from slave hunters from neighboring towns, as any known act of savagery perpetuated by outsiders against any Nimo man or family was brutally revenged as occasion warranted. His awe sounding name was derived from his savagery and villainous actions. Example, when neighboring villages go to farms, far away from their homes; and if Achu-ama’s foot prints were observed by the farmers, it was “red-light” that all should run home, or the obstinate few would be gone. He was known specifically to challenge brave men of neighboring towns ; as he would send his emissaries to the strongmen of other towns to await his presence in their jurisdictions; and he was always reckoned to bring such strongmen back to Nimo, unless they barter their freedom with their live stalks.
Because of the humiliation suffered by the Uke people, the town decided to send large life stalks in exchange for Achu-ama to stop raiding their families and snuffing off their lives, thereby placing the entire community in constant state of fear. With many near death confrontations with the Uke people, his peers in
Nimo began to call him “onyia - uke”( later, Onyiuke). Hence, he changed his name from Achuamaokwa Nwa –Okpala, to Achuamaokwa Onyiuke.
His errors of commission in Nimo:
As stated earlier, Achu-ama never proved his mettle in Nimo, rather in no little way, he gave most Nimonites protection from mayhems of those days. He established the pact with Ogidi town, through his friend, Amaobi , as Ogidi people were second to Nimonites in cannibalism; such that any Nimo person could pass through Ogidi without fear of loss of live; and likewise, any Ogidi person could pass through Nimo, with same protection to life and limb.

However, Achu-ama once let his anger dictate his action in Nimo, and the result was not good. Without disclosing the family name of the actor, a known strong man in Ifitenu, Nimo, humiliated Achu-ama’s sister ( something like rape), and
Achu-ama did nothing. However, during usual village meeting , the Ifitenu strong man not only insulted Achu-ama, but specifically reminded him of the humiliation he gave to his sister; he further taunted him to do something about it, if he was really a man as he claimed. Well, Achu-ama did something immediately; he sliced off the man’s head, and his lifeless body laid down to everyone’s fright. But
Achu-ama had committed a
sacrilege
, and therefore, he must go into exile for seven years, according to Nimo customary law(he committed a fratricide).
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His Years In Exile
Achu-ama went into exile for seven years, and settled in Ukwulu town in present
Njikoka local Government. It was while he sojourned at Ukwulu that he begot
‘Mouyekwu’ who was his third son. When he went into exile, some of his kinsmen, in solidarity and for purposes of protection joined him into exile. Such of those kinsmen, was the grandfather of late Prof. Mitchell Mbabuike, called Okoye
Alusi. As a matter of fact, Mitchell’s last name was derived from the occasion of their grandfather’s exile in foreign land. Okoye Alusi was a very prosperous farmer at Ukwulu and because the logistics of seasonal farming did not permit him to leave with Achu-ama-Okwa back to Nimo after his required years of exile was completed, he decided to stay back at Ukwulu to continue his farming prospects. Okoye Alusi later changed his last name to Mbabuike to celebrate his farming fortune in foreign land. He died in exile, but his son who was born in exile like Michael Muoyekwu Onyiuke returned to Nimo during the reign of Chief Alfred
Onyiuke, the Eze Onyiuke, 3 nd .
A providential event:
As with the pervasive savagery of the time, slavery was also practiced. Prisoners of war could be sold into slavery; there were slave hunters and as well as head hunters. But the most savage of all was the fact that a man could sell a member of

4 his household; specifically a son or girl into slavery for just or unjust reason. For example , a lazy boy could be sold into slavery; or man with too many daughters, may decide to sell one for economic reasons. Shortly after the years in exile,
Achu-ama’s return to Nimo was met with severe economic hardship; hence, he was prompted to sell his only daughter “Arudeh” for economic reasons.
The story was that he wanted to sell one of his sons, but his daughter was so worried and alarmed that her father would even contemplate selling his male child that was highly regarded much more than female child. She then, offered herself to her father to be sold instead of any of her brothers. She reasoned with her father that as a maiden she would eventually be married out of her father’s house, and that the only difference was the circumstance of her departure from her father’s house. However, she obtained a promise from her dad that he would send his brothers to come and pay for her emancipation when the economic situation changed for the better. Her buyer was from Aguleri town. When Achuama’s two big sons grew older ( Ebu-nkpolo and Esinta), they honored the promise made by their father to their only sister, and went to Aguleri to rescue
Arudeh from slavery by force. However, Arudeh, did not return back to Nimo, having grown into a woman, settled at Onitsha, and got married to CMS man.
One of the descendant of Arudeh, are the Eduzos of Enugwu Ukwu.
In Nimo, Achu-ama had decided that Muoyekwu, was a worthless child, as he was not given to the ways of his father, like his senior brothers; hence, as little as
Muoyekwu was, he was disowned by his father, and was banned from entering
Achu-ama’s compound in Nimo, or he would be sold into slavery on being caught .
After suffering from lack of care, Muoyekwu remembered that his senior sister,
Arudeh, resided at Onitsha; and with the help of his immediate senior brother,
Esinta, he was able to make it to Onitsha and became a loving member of his sister’s household.
It was while he was at Onitsha that he struck the gold of receiving the privilege of enrolling at CMS primary school
; an event, which became a game changer in the later social, economic and political events in Nimo. He had just completed standard three before sudden life circumstances relating to his father brought him back to Nimo.

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Pre-Crown Community Service.
Achu-ama served Nimo in various capacities; for example, he was the war leader, in all the wars fought by Nimo in his life time; notably, the Owa and Ezike wars.
Like in his private life, the wars that he prosecuted were wars of extinction. No living soul were left behind, except “ndi nwadi alas” ( children of the daughters of
Nimo married into the community about to be invaded by Nimo). When the Owa town was sacked, he was in fore front, and he personally collected the only existing artifact of Nimo/Owa war, called “ekwe owa”. The Nimo victory over the
Ezike Town extended the boundaries of Nimo to Enugwu-ugwu. In fact, most of present Abba village” belonged to the Ezike people; and one of the popular “juju” groves , called “Offia Udo-Owele is still managed by the off-springs Ezike Umu
Nwadi –alas. In all the years of his prominence pre-colonial Nimo, no town that dared Nimo still existed.
Pre-Crown Political Life:
Achu-ama was not the chief or Eze of Ifitenu, for there was no institution of such, in pre-colonial Nimo; but he was the most prominent titled man in Ifite-enu, and by extension, the most prominent opinion leader of his Ifite-enu quarter. There were equally notable prominent men of his time, who like Achu-ama were not
Ezes or Chiefs, but local opinion leaders. Principally; ifite-enu, there was Onyiuke and Chidume; in Ifite-ani, there was Obiwalozor and Nwaelom; in Etiti-Nimo, there was Aro Ezeamii; and in Egbengwu, there was Analikwu. Although there was no intrigue in the affairs of Ifitenu, same was not true with Nimo. Nimo had numerous men of valor and prominence, and naturally, the territorial zones of influence were exclusively protected by respective chieftains. However, Achuama was known to cross political jurisdictions to settle issues. If his interests elapsed with any other chieftain, he would boldly satisfy his interest, no matter whose ox is gored; and such actions did not sit well with other local Chieftains.

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As the saying goes, “Igbo ewe Eze” ; no monarchy existed in Nimo before the enthronement of Achu-ama. To rule is to command obedience, and none was personally seised of the power to command obedience from Nimo people. The only institution that actually commanded authority was the village square assembly
, and the opinions of the preeminent titled men were highly regarded individually, but not sacrosanct to legally necessitate sanctions. Sanctions only attached to the dis-obedience of the consensus or decree of the Village assembly.
Civil matters were settled not by one person, e.g., Onyiuke, Ezeamii, Nwaelum,
Obiwalozo, Analikwu, etc. but by body of red-cap chieftains called “ichies”. The legitimacy of the “ Assembly of Ichies”, and the deference the body enjoyed, lay with the fact that all of them were titled men that “swore oath of truth” (called
“isa ekwu”). Hence, before the warrant chief phenomenon in Nimo, the actual local potentates were not the above mentioned eminent men, but the local respective village assemblies, which had republican representation. The age grade system was part of the enforcement channels of the Village Assemblies, as each age-grade had special civil duties to perform. Thus, because of the diffusion of power in Nimo, as in most Ibo society, the British sought to create a monarch- like political authority that converged power on one man; hence, they created the
“Warrant Chiefs
”, which was indirect rule system of government. Thus the formulas was to find local strong man that ordinarily was revered and feared by his people and confer on him the authority to rule his people on the behest of the Queen.
The
Covenant between Achu-ama and Nimo.
The contact with “white man” impacted different Ibo communities in divergent ways, and Nimo was no exception. But there was one common denominator in the response of these communities; all their traditional strong men rejected the settlement or the interference of the white men in their local affairs; both in the intra-community affairs, and inter-communal affairs. In inter- communal level, it meant that every sovereign community was limited in power and territory as duly

7 granted by the colonial power. Within a short time, bellicose towns like Nimo, learnt that their savage right to decide which neighboring town be sacked or permitted to co-exist with Nimo was inconsistent with Queen’s claim of sovereignty over every community. Moreover, Nimo as foremost cannibalistic town would soon pick the eye of the Colonial government at Awka, as such evil and obnoxious practices were already deemed inhuman and punishable as criminal acts. As Nimo was reckoned by all in Awka district and beyond to be land of warriors and savagery, so also was Achuamaokwa Onyiuke recognized by the colonial government prominent player in what was good and bad about Nimo. In hind sight of that observation, the Colonial government envisioned to utilize
Achu-ama’s strength and prominence amongst his people to further the interest of the Queen. Thus, the colonial District Officer at Awka sent emissaries to Nimo to summon Achuamaokwa to Court at Awka. The emissaries gave Nimo official notice that Achu-ama was wanted at Awka; and Nimo was under an order to produce him, or face the wrath of the District Officer.
The initial response of Nze na Ozo Nimo to the novel situation was that of solidarity, and they informed the emissaries that production of Achu-ama was a feat beyond their capacity; hence, they withheld information about the whereabouts of Achu-ama from the emissaries. Primarily, the impetus to act as one was for self-preservation as the records of Nimo atrocities abounds; hence, no one knew who was going to be next on the roll. The emissaries did not make matter easy for both Achu-ama and the “ndi Nze na Ozo” Nimo, as no charges were alleged against Achu-ama, and the no notice of crime was given to them as to the reason why Achu-ama was summoned. Moreover, if the offense Achu-ama might have committed was in the course of serving Nimo, it would be an abomination to throw him under the bus. Although, the emissaries left without
Achu-ama to Awka, Nimo knew that the issue was not settled. Hence, Achu-ama, left his Ifitenu kindred to seek refuge at his friend’s house at Egbengwu, Nimo.
The name of his loyal friend was “Odibelu”; whom he later married his daughter,
“Ugoye Odibelu; and she begot for him, Felix and Alfred.
However, although Nimo kept the code of silence as to the whereabouts of Achu, the possibility that his political detractors could undue him through treachery,

partly caused him to decide to meet his fate in hands of “Nwa Onye Ocha”.
Before the summons, Achu-ama had lived with his head high above all within his world; he had dared and conquered; the mere mentioned of his name struck unimaginable fear in his foes of whatever nomenclature; all that he set to accomplish was never unaccomplished; he had gone into exile for seven years and survived to be still relevant in Nimo affairs; but now
, he was a shadow of himself; or better still, afraid of his own shadows. He could not adjust to the fact that he had lost his liberty to live as he pleased, and for indeterminable time would be hidden as women and children were, from the eagle eye of the “Aro” slave hunters and head hunters. Therefore, he came to the conclusion that he must answer the summons, and whatever befell him, was his fate. In light of the determination, he summoned the “ndi nze na ozor “ (sala egwu) of the four quarters of Nimo to make a final pronouncement.
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The meeting was not quarter meeting, but a central meeting held at ”Okwu Oye”
(Oye shrine). At the meeting , he made his pitch. He told Nimo that he would no longer tolerate being hidden as a woman, and that he had decided to save Nimo from the potential attack by the colonial power( that was their belief then, as
many obstinate towns have suffered such fate); hence, he was ready to face his fate. However, he requested of Nimo to promise and make covenant with him that upon his decision to answer the call of the “white man” on behalf of Nimo, if the circumstance led to his death, he would honorably die for Nimo; but if the circumstance produced benefits to him, the benefits would not only be accorded to him, but to heirs of his body for generation to come. He requested that Nimo should swear oath before ‘Okwu Oye’ and before Achu-ama’s personal shrine, to the effect that his demands would be honored as covenant between Nimo and him. The leaders of “ Nze na Ozo” of the four quarters of Nimo, including,
Nwaelum, Obiwalozor, Aro Ezeamii, Analiukwu, were present. They heaved sigh of relieve; commended his bravery and accented immediately; and all swore oath on behalf of Nimo Owelle. Hence, Achuamaokwa Onyiuke entered into a sacred oath with Nimo for a leap of fate; the subject matter of oath was either the shading of his blood for Nimo, or receipt of potential “unknown benefit” that

could result from the meeting of the “white man” at Awka; the potential
unknown benefit was termed the
“hereditary right” of Achuamaokwa.
Nimo, had no illusion as to his fate; at least his political foes, as it was believed that he would join the ancestors, or at a minimum, imprisoned at Awka for life(nga nkpulu-oka), as had become the pattern of civil discipline meted to his likes, strong headed native leaders. Moreover, how best to dispose of their menacing wayward kinsmen for good, without the sacrilegious route of fratricide.
He was banished for seven years but he returned; and with the British hegemony piercing the savage veil of the hinterland, his might and war skill was of diminishing value to Nimo that was already adapting to the new reality of British presence. Arguably, no mind in Nimo did fathom the potential political outcome of their oath taking, otherwise, Achu-ama’s local rivalries would not have contracted the demise of their influence in their zones of influence and in the affairs of Nimo. What befell their imagination had no template to afford them cautionary contemplation of potential political benefits that could result from apparent ominous encounter that foreshadowed death. However, a few local chieftains who were covenanters at the Okwu Oye did not want to leave Achuama to his fate, it was an opportunity to elevate him to the pedestal of Nimo ancestors; and they made their move.
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Achu-ama, after consulting his Ummunna, and placing his half-brother, Chidume in charge of affairs of the clan, set out with his two elder sons to Awka, who were to be harbingers of his fate to Nimo . At Awka, Achu-ama was hastily jailed, apparently to cow the native into submission to the dictate of the District Officer.
However, although his custody was not per se imprisonment, it could have turned into one if Achu-ama dared refused the offer or directive of the District Officer.
At far away Onitsha, the disowned young Muoyekwu heard that the white man had ceased his father, and he was languishing in jail at Awka; he set out on a journey to find out, and travelled with his “leggediz-benz” from Onitsha to Awka.
On arriving at Awka, he immediately ascertained the whereabouts of his father and was very happy that he would at least say good bye to him. Muoyekwu , like his elder brothers remained at Awka till their father’s arraignment before the

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District officer. Interestingly, there were Nimo Chieftains who came to Awka, not to show solidarity or tender to their curiosity, but to ensure that the fate they wished Achu-ama came to pass. In the watchful eyes of young Muoyekwu, his
Nimo Kinsmen bribed and colluded with Court ‘cotuma’ (court interpreter) to mislead the District Officer with regards to any representation made by Achuama.
On the day of arraignment, Muoyekwu sat with his brothers, while those Nimo
Chieftains sat separately. Ladies and gentlemen, it was God’s providence that
Muoyekwu was in that Court. While the District Officer was making his remarks about Achu-ama and stating the reasons why he was summoned to court,
Muoyekwu who was now educated and could understand and speak English language, quickly realized that his father’s fate was not ominous after all as everyone had thought, unless his father rejected what seemed to be unimaginable offer of political authority in Nimo Town. The Cotuma’s interpretation of District Officer’s remark was drastically unrelated to the true meaning of what the District Officer actually said and meant. The district officer informed Achu the intent of the colonial government, but the offer was conditional on Achu undertaking to denounce practices of cannibalism and slavery; respect territorial integrity of neighboring towns; collect taxation for the
Queen; and agree to the enforcement of colonial criminal and penal code in his territory.
Thus, the District Officer only wanted to know whether Achu-ama accepted the offer and willing do and rule as they colonial government desired. The Cotuma told the District Officer that Achu-ama refused to denounce those obnoxious practices, and had rejected the authority of the Colonial government over Nimo.
At this juncture, young Muoyekwu could not stomach this misinterpretation and started raising his hands for audience in court
. The cotuma kept on shouting him down, but with Muoyekwu’s insistence, he caught the District Officer’s attention, and who was really intrigued by
Muoyekwu’s youth and audacity. The DC overruled the Cotuma and permitted
Muoyekwu( now known as Michael) to speak to the court.

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Michael alerted the District Officer about the Cotuma’s crass misinterpretation of his remarks; and that his father responded to questions other than those asked by him. He narrated to him what had transpired in court; what the Cotuma told
Achu-ama about his remarks; and the extraneous questions responded to by his father that were never asked by the District Officer, in the first place. The district officer went mad, and ordered the Cotuma to step aside, and requested little
Michael to properly communicate to his father all that was said in court. Off course, Achu-ama accepted the offer, and with all attendant conditions.
Incredulous, the little
“efulu-efu”
that was disowned by his father, ironically saved his father from the conspiracy of the Cotuma and his father’s Nimo foes.
Thus, in
1888
, the colonial government created
“warrant-Chief stool”
in
Nimo, and installed Eze, Achuamokwa Onyiuke, as the first Monarch of Nimo.
With the installation of Chief Achuamaokwa Onyiuke as the sole potentate of
Nimo, he ruled Nimo from
1888 to 1912.
The receipt of the staff of Warrant
Chief by Achu-ama meant that the positive benefit from meeting the “whiteman” would not only be accorded to him, but to heirs of his body for generation to come as was covenanted between him and Nimo. Eze, Achu-ama did not waste time to lay claim to this “hereditary right” to the throne of Nimo. The dumb founded ndi Ichie Nimo, could not challenge his right as they were numbed by the oath they freshly took, which amounted to blood oath. If death had been the outcome of the afore stated summons, Achu-ama would have died for Nimo honorably as a hero, which he was; but since fortune had smiled on him, he made no pretention to damn any human being that dared stood to challenge his hereditary right. However, as the time passed by, all but
Obiwalozor and Analikwu tested the water, and challenged the throne; but the result was not splendid , and the manner of resolution left a lasting bitter taste in the mouths of off springs of the actors . Eze, Achuamaokwa did the unexpected; he sheathed his sword and might, and used his brain and newly acquired political power to deal with the situation. With the advice of his son Michael, he simply charged the Chieftains with the offense of rebellion against the officer of her
Majesty; all received substantial terms of imprisonment at Awka ; and the existing enmity and hatred deepened.

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As Eze Achu-ama was aging, he decided to step aside in
1912
, and installed his educated son, Michael Mouyekwu Onyiuke, as the Eze Onyiuke, 2 nd . This deft move was partly to ensure in his lifetime that Nimo continued to keep its part of the covenant. Achuamaokwa Ginimefolu Onyiuke, the Eze Onyiuke, 1 st , died in
1920, at the 8 th year of the reign of Michael Muoyekwu Onyiuke.
During the reign of Eze Onyiuke, 1 st , Nimo never went to war again with her neighbors, and all her conquered lands were never violated. Also, slavery and cannibalism were outlawed; and with young Michael Muoyekwu l Onyiuke as influential member of his cabinet , rule of law reigned, which enabled the missionaries to hastily make incursion into Nimo. For the records, no Nimo man was ever deprived of his / her land or property; and he never appropriated either to himself or to his Umunna any Nimo communal land or property by force.
Eze, Michael Onyiuke, succeeded his father without much rancor, as apart from being the scion of
“Madu yiri Agu”,
he had acquired personal political weight and goodwill that he was one of the most consequential personalities in Awka and
Onitsha district. Moreover, he was uniquely qualified by his education; and he was also buoyed by the unparalleled goodwill he enjoyed with his association with the Irish Missionaries who had developed personal interest in all his enterprise.
Although, no Nimo person dared challenged Achu-ama again in his time, lingering envy and torrents of political shenanigans festered Nimo political history after his death, especially since the coronation of Eze, Onyiuke, 3 rd in 1937. Alfred who was in the seminary when his brother Michael died was forced by circumstance to abandon his priestly quest, and ascend the vacated throne since his senior brother, Felix G. Onyiuke abdicated the throne for his police duties at Lagos. His change of career was dramatic, but the one and the only,
Ichie, Ojibeka
Achuoru,
na Irukofia, ably and wisely guided him through the early stage of his reign. Ojibeka Achuoru who was undoubtedly the wisest Ichie of his days, held nothing back in his guidance of Eze, Alfred in his traditional duties. Except for the insufficient familiarity with the vast customary laws and traditions, Alfred had all he needed in staff, as he had the tested competent hands of Eze, Michael

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Muoyekwu’s cabinet. The truth and issues about his ascendancy and reign would be discussed at a later time.
The living has to keep the faith
Questions and answers
To be continued.
David C. Onyiuke, Esq.