UMUERI THE CRADLE OF IGBO RACE

Oral History Of Umueri, the Cradle of Igbo Race*

Much have been said, twisted and re-chronicled as it concerns the first Igbo Settlers that infiltrated into the Omambala Valley, in early 940.AD. But there are still a verified account of the Migration though not popular but have all along be part and parcel of *Umueri(pronouinced Umuleri) Oral tradition. In this account, unlike the earlier one peddled by her Neighboring Village of Aguleri and Nri and others with Igala cultural influence, there are anthropological cum cultural practices that suggest that the wave of migration was actually led by founders of modern day Umueri- descendants of Eri.

According to Umuleri Oral tradition, the town was nucleus of migrating but nomadic Clan which traced its origin to wave of migration led by a priest of Eri clan of Isreal known as Dabawor. Various accounts now linked or equating him as the Biblical Eri, who was mentioned as Son of Gad, the son of Jacob(Gen 29 vs 30.). the Although there were no written records existing to back up this assertion, its indeed true that the religious practices obtained in the area was a mixture of ancient Jewish and animistic religion, as confirmed by the Early whitemen that visited the area.

Oral story has is that the first Wave of migration was not actually led by Eri but a man from Eri clan of Isreal named Dabawor. This man was highly regarded as mystical Priest. Unlike the earlier version of Eri that claims that he has two wives, Dabawor and other families of Eri clan migrated into the valley. On Arrival at the place, they nicknamed the settlement *Umu-Eri Clan*, implying *Children of Eri* The aborigine villages of Umu-Nri clan, that include Agukwu, Enugwu Ukwu, Nawfia and Enugwu Agidi are also descendants of the first Settlers who left from Nri-Aka Ugumana Ugume Umueri. At the new settlement, the culture of Hebrew worshiping, circumcision, burial & other customs remained visibly the same with some modifications. There was no king or culture of king-making until the invasion of the land by the second wave of migration from the Igala descents who brought the system of priest-king along with it.

Although Historians have not agreed on exact place the travelers came from. But it was quite clear that they migrated from the east and moved further down and settled temporarily with his followers (among them Dabawor, Nri Ifukuanim, Nnamenyi, Arodi and many others), to an area near the confluence of the Niger and Benue Rivers (present day Igala land). From there, the settlers moved to the Anambra Valley and finally settled near the coast of Omabala river (corruptly called Anambra by the White men) at Okpotoevi (In Ugume Umueri) near Obuaga, which was part of the ancient Umueri clan but now in modern day Aguleri. Some other accounts hold that Dabawor was specifically the direct descendants of Eri, the son of Gad who is the 10th son of Jacob ( Israel ). (Ref. Gen: 46:16; Numbers 26:16). What is however certain is that the settlers were all from clan of Eri and Eri was the father and progenitor of Umueri and other Umueri clans and that his residence in Umueri remains the ancestral homes of the Igbo nation.

Archaeologically. the traces of the habitat of the Early Igbo Settlers are still visible today in Umueri, for instance, "Akpu Nri" and "Okpotoeki" are still at Ugume Umueri. Where as Akpu Nri is an antiquity of Great importance. Its over a thousand year Old tree located at Ama Iruakpu-Ugume Umueri. It was said to be founded by founders of the early settlers of Agukwu Nri who left long time ago. The Surviving Generation of Elders confirmed it as antiquity of Great Historical Importance. One Problem that had affected the fact of Aguu-Nri is contradiction emanating from the Nri,Aguleri and Other Communities claiming head to the origin of Eri. In this bid, a lot of distortions came up either by design or Ignorance of true Position.

But In spite of these distortions, the name Umueri which literally means "Children of Eri" is a natural and unbiased nomenclature indicating Umueri relationship with Eri. Whatever historical view may be, One point remain untainted- that all the Children or Descendant of Eri once had their ancestral home in Umueri, as borne out by archaeological, oral and anthropological records. Perhaps one pointer to these assertions is the existence of several trace of Umueri lineage in Some Northern Igbo towns and even western igbo areas. For instance, Umueri Ogbunike, Umueri Nteje, Umueri Okija, Ugume in Kwale area,Umuriam Nawfia, emanates from Umuriam Umueri(Descendants of Riam, son of Dabawor) and a lot of other traces. It’s indeed worth to note that with exception of Umueri, there are no other towns that have such proof elsewhere.

Apart from oral tradition & archaeological evidence, the early European visitors confirmed Umueri communities in Anambra valley as the cradle of human existence in Igboland. “According to the works of Dr Elizabeth Isichei, while quoting L Froberius, wrote. “The first cradle of human habitation in Igbo area was probably the Cross River and Anambra River Escarpment. In each of these areas, latter Stone Age sites have been excavated. The scholar cited an ancient storage relic which was excavated in Umunagu Umueri in 1975 by Mr. Emmanuel Ozoemena which shows human existence in Umueri during Stone Age era probably before 980 AD’ Elizabeth Isichei went further to state, ‘This picture of an early nucleus of settlement in northern Igbo land is confirmed by Igbo traditions’.