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THE EKUMEKU RESISTANCE

THE EKUMEKU One of the Reasons The British Hates the Igbos!

The British-Igbo War That Lasted For 31 YEARS:

The resolutions of the Berlin conference of 1884-1885, gave European nations the rights to lay claim to lands and resources in Africa.

Britain, who had engaged in the trade with coastal cities before and during the 19th century, made bold their intentions to covet resources and rule over indigenous nations all over Africa. Tribes resisted the British invaders, and this led to protracted wars. Many African tribes put up a great fight against the superior fire power of the suppressive British.

One of such tribes are the Igbo people of ancient Biafra, who are now one of the three major tribes in Nigeria.

The Ekuemeku Movement was the name of Igbo army, that held the British at bay and fought them for 31 years.

The Ekumeku movement consisted of a great number of attacks and uprising by the Anioma people of land, against the British, from 1893-1914.

The Ekumeku warriors were bound by a secrete oath, and meticulously utilized guerrilla tactics to attack the British Royal company, who were determined to pe*****te Igbo land. The Ekumeku warriors were drawn from thousands of Anioma youth from all parts of Anioma land.

As the war rages on, the Ekumeku warriors defended their rights tom live peacefully without foreign interjection, while the British used heavy armaments. They destroyed homes, farms, and roads, by bombardment.

The British invaded Ndoni in 1870 and bombarded Onicha-Ado (Onicha) on November 2nd, 1897, from River Niger. This set the tempo for the rest of the war. The Royal Niger Company was commanded by Major Festing. They engaged the Anioma people of Ibusa in 1898.

The battle was so severe in 0wa/Okwunzu, in 1904, that the commander W.E.B Crawford requested for more arms from the British headquarters to crush the Western Anioma communities. The people of Owa again in 1906 engaged the British in a gruesome battle that consumed the life of the British commander S. O. Crewe.

Ogwashi-Ukwu faced the British on the 2nd of November 1909, and dealt a heavy blow to the British, who sustained many casualties, with the death of H. C. Chapman.

The Ekumeku became a formidable force in Igbo land and was a great source of nationalism for the Anioma people. It also served as a uniting cord that held together various towns who were independent of each other in the past. The Igbo were a republican people and each town had a leadership that was drawn from its oldest of men and families.

The war would have lasted longer, and possibly ended in a British defeat, if the Anioma people had equivalent fire power, and had more allies from other great Igbo kingdoms and towns. But even at that point, other tribes were facing the British on their own.

After almost 20 years of battle, decided to strike with great force. And in December of 1902, they sent a powerful expedition to Anioma kingdom. A great number of towns were destroyed. Civilians and soldiers alike were killed. And their leaders were arrested and imprisoned.

After this, the British were sure that they had suppressed the Ekumeku military cult, and that victory was theirs. The British officers boasted: “the Ekumeku and other secret societies have been completely broken.”

To their greatest surprise, two years later, in 1904, the fearless Ekumeku rose again. The Igbo are a proud and egalitarian people. They don’t go down that easily.

When the Ekumeku started their renewed campaign, they changed tactics, and abandoned the guerrilla warfare style of 1989, for individual defense of each town.

The last battle began in 1909. There was a succession dispute in Ogwashi-ukwu, and the British tried to remove the rightful king and enthrone someone else. One of the heirs to the throne, Nzekwe, the son of the last Obi, sensed the plot of the British and went to war with them to fight for his inheritance.

On November 2nd 1909, the British sent an expedition to Ogwashi-ukwu to capture him, but they failed. No amount of fire power at that point could defeat or quench the sympathy and dedication of the people towards the Ekumeku. In Asaba, the sympathy for the Ekumeku was so high that the people had a disposition to throw off the already British government in certain parts.

At the time, the acting Lieutenant-governor of the Southern provinces sent an agitated telegram to Lagos. It read: “Whole country is above are… is the state of rebellion.”

After this, reinforcements were sent from Lokoja, for another confrontation at Akegbe. The war raged on, till 1914, when the Ekumeku movement was defeated. That was the same year, the Northern and Southern protectorates of Nigeria were joined as one country.

Some of the heroes of that 31-year war included Dunwku Isus of Onicha-Olona, Nwabuzo Iyogolo of Ogwashi-Ukwu, Awuno Ugbo, Obi of Akumazi, Aggbambu Oshue of Igbuzo, the Idabor of Issele-Ukwu, Ochei Aghaeze of Onicha-olona, Abuzu of Idumuje-Unor, Idegwu Otokpoike of Ubulu-Ukwu. These men are remembered in Anioma land till date.

The Ekumeku war remains one of most bravely fought wars and campaign against British rule and plundering. It later inspired other rebellions around Africa, such as the Mau Mau of Kenya.

The Ekumeku have long been defeated, and that kingdom is now part of the greater Igbo land, in today’s Nigeria. But no matter how far we travel in time, history always remembers that a brave tribe defended their ancestry, heritage and legacy against the tyranny of Wilberforce.

Till date, in Nigeria, the Igbo remains one of the few tribes that still resist British rule over them and their resources. It can be said that these sentiments were at play when the British supplied weapons to the Hausa Fulanis in the Northern part and the Yorubas in the Western part of Nigeria to fight and kill the Igbos during the Nigeria Biafra War between 1967-1970 .

BRITISH EVILS AND ATROCITIES AGAINST IGBOS IS UNCOUNTABLE!!!

BIAFRA: FACTS & HIERARCHY

Independence : May 30, 1967

Capital: Enugu (Umuahia from Oct. 1967)


Population: 15 million

Area: 30,000 sq. miles

Ethnic Groups: Igbo, Ibibio, Efik, Ogoja, Ijaw, etc.

Resources: Palm produce, crude oil, coal, natural gas, limestone, iron ore,
cocoa, timber, etc.

Human Resources: 500 doctors, 700 lawyers, 600 hundred, 300 economists, etc.

University: University of Biafra, Nsukka [projected University of Port
Harcourt]

Head of State:
General Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, jssc.

Chief of General Staff:
Major-General Philip Effiong

Chief Secretary:
Mr. N. U. Akpan

GOC Biafran Army:
Major-General Alexander Madiebo [replaced Brigadier Hilary Njoku]

Commander, Biafran Air Force:
Wing Commander G. I. Ezeilo

Commander, Biafran Navy:
Captain. W. A. Anuku

Director of Military Intelligence:
Mr. Bernard Odogwu

Military Assistant to the C-in-C:
Colonel David Ogunewe

Principal Officer to the C-in-C:
Colonel Patrick Anwuna

Prominent Division GOCs:
Brigadier Tony Eze, Brigadier Pat Amadi, Colonel Joe ('Air Raid') Achizie,
Colonel Nsudo, Colonel Iheanacho, Colonel Archibong, etc.

GOC, 101 (ROB Liberation Army): Brigadier Victor Banjo [later executed for
sabotage]

Inspector-General of Police:
Mr. P. I. Okeke

Chief Justice:
Sir Louis Mbanefo

Attorney-General & Commissioner for Justice:
Mr. J. I. Emembolu

Special Advisers to the Head of State:
Dr. Akanu Ibiam & Dr. M. I. Okpara [respectively former Governor and Premier
of defunct Eastern Nigeria]

Biafra’s Roving Ambassadors: Dr. Nnamdi (Zik) Azikiwe (ex-President of
Nigeria, later left the breakaway republic); Dr. Kingsley Ozumba (K. O.)
Mbadiwe, Dr. Okechukwu. Ikejiani, Professor Kenneth Onwuka D**e, Mr. Chukwuma
Azikiwe, etc.

Chairman , Consultative Assembly:
Dr. Alvan Ikoku

Chairman, Atrocities Commission:
Mr. G. C. M. Onyiuke

Chairman, Rehabilitation Commission:
Dr. S. E. Imoke

Chairman, Development Commission:
Professor A. Modebe

Chairman, Marketing Board:
Mr. C. C. Mordi

Relief Coordinator:
Dr. S. E. Cookey

Chairman, Food Directorate:
Mr. Bob Ogbuagu

Chairman, Housing Directorate:
Mr. P. O. Nwakoby

Commissioner of Home Affairs:
Mr. C. C. Mojekwu

Commissioner for Information:
Dr. Ifeagwu Eke

Commissioner for Health:
Mr. James Udo-Affiah

Commissioner for Transport & Communication:
Mr. Felix Iheanacho

Commissioner for Education:
Mr. M. T. Mbu.

Commissioner for Labor:
Mr. Emmanuel Aguma

Commissioner for Rural Development:
Chief Frank Opigo

Commissioner for Agriculture:
Professor Eyo Bassey Ndem

Commissioner for Forestry & Animal Husbandry:
Mr. U. O. Imo

Biafra Representative in London:
Mr. I. S. Kogbara

Biafra Representative in France:
Mr. Ralph Uwechue

Vice-Chancellor, University of Biafra:
Professor Eni Njoku
[ex-VC, University of Lagos]

Director, War Information Bureau
Dr. Michael C. J. Echeruo

Direct Military Aid:
Count Carl Gustav von Rosen (a Swede) of the "Biafran Babies" [Minicon
fighter planes] fame.

Relief Organizations:
Caritas International
World Council of Churches (WCC), International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC)

Nigeria Declaration of War:
July 6, 1967

Military Administrator of Republic of Benin (ROB):
Major (Dr.) Albert Okonkwo

How Mbaise was created.

There are many oral traditions of origin for the people of Mbaise. “Nfunala” by Ekwerazu and Ahiara, claim that the people did not migrate, instead their ancestors were created in the present location. Oboama na Umunama in Ezinihitte believe Orie-Ukwu, was where God (Chineke) came down to earth and created people of the world, who migrated to their present location.

Another myth suggest a relationship with Ngwa clan. According to tradition while the people where migrating they stopped to drink and eat yam. As the Imo River was rising the people of Ngwa, “Ndi Ngwa Ngwa” (fast fast) picked up their yam and ran across the river to the other side leaving the people of Mbaise “Ndi-Ohuhu” (the roasters).

The name Mbaise never existed during the early colonial era. Before 1940, the area was an array of villages located side by side. Ahiara, Onicha, Nguru, Ezinihitte and Ohohia were some of the prominent villages.

The area of modern day Mbaise, formed part of the Niger Coast Protectorate created on 1 February 1896, by the British. Sir Ralph Moor was the Commissioner and Consul-General. In 1900, he became the High Commissioner of Southern Nigeria Protectorate, formed by the merger of Niger Coast Protectorate and the chartered territories of the Royal Niger Company.

Hostility between the Mbaise inhabitants and the British developed during the Aro War, which was a major route taken by the British soldiers as part of the invasion to fight Aro. It was claimed that the military often harassed the local inhabitants of Mbaise.

The ongoing conflict culminated in the death of Dr. Stewart on 16 November 1905, who was travelling by bicycle from Owerri to Calabar, to serve as a medical officer in the military. On passing through Udo, he reached Ezinihitte where he was confronted by the inhabitants who thought he was Douglas, the despised District Commissioner.

He was taken to the central market, Afor Ukwu Onicha, where he was killed, with his body parts cut into pieces and shared amongst the villages. As the story goes his bicycle was tied to tree to prevent it from travelling back to Owerri..

The resistance of the Mbaise natives to the British colonial control, was one of most heavily fought war in the Igbo province. It was the fierce confrontation during the early British colonial era, which created the negative image of Mbaise people as dangerous. The negative image continued to develop during the colonial era and was spread throughout the region. The region was frequently patrolled by British troops.

From the advent of the colonial period 1900, the British system of administration, governed the Igbo Mbaise region by “indirect rule”, through intermediaries. They established native courts with administration units and loyal warrant chiefs to carry out their directives. The “indirect rule” imposed on Mbaise had no regard to existing Igbo structures in particular the patrilineage ( ụmụnna ), the cornerstone of Igbo structure.

The “ụmụnna” defines the arrangement of every individual in a family structure and describes their social position in the community.The British also had disregard for titles, social groups and age grades, which often afforded status and influence within the democratic structure of the Igbo village.

Memo by the Major H.C. Stevenson District Officer, submitting report of Mr G. I. Stockley, Assistant District Officer
In 1931, an intelligence report on the study of Ekwerazu and Ahiara, Owerri Division, was written by Mr G. I. Stockley, Assistant District Officer. The report which was certified by the Major H.C. Stevenson District Officer, amongst other challenges sought to address the problems of the internal administration.

The region which was volatile, came under the jurisdiction of the Nguru Native court, which was destroyed on 10 December 1929 during the Women’s Riot. The report noted that there had been three distinct attempts to address the administrative shortfalls in the region, all of which had failed.

The report proposed to merge Agbaja, Ezinihitte, Ekwerazu and Ahiara into a federation in the future, the first time such an administrative structure had been formed.

In 1943 the merger of Agbaja, Ahiara Ekwerazu, Ezinihitte and Ovoro was completed under the Native Authorities Ordinance No.17 of 1943.

Mba (village/town) ise (five) was created from the five communities or clans which emerged from the British, colonial, native courts. The native courts were located in the

Ekwerazu – Uzuaku-Obohia in the North
Ahiara – Orie Ahiara in the North
Ezinihitte – Itu in the East
Oke-Uvoro – Uvuru in the South
Agbaja – Enyiogugu in the West

Most of Igbo land including Mbaise resisted the British colonial rulers in many ways, manifesting in a series of violent wars and battles. The Women’s War of 1929 was the breaking point, which redefined the history of colonial administration in Igbo land and the entire Eastern Nigeria. In 1930, the British set up a commission of inquiry, which documented gross failings and fundamental flaws by the colonial administration. The report led to urgent reforms, which created “native authorities” under the Native Authority Ordinance (No. 43 of 1933).

The formation of councils removed the practice of the warrant chiefs and spread authority among council members. Every clan under the Owerri Province formed part of a council, which gave rise to the modern day Mbaise.

In 1905, the location of modern Mbaise came under the Owerri district which was created 1902, with Harold M Douglas as the first District Commissioner. In 1897, Douglas arrived in Nigeria and was a major contributor to Aro expedition. The people knew him as a brutal autocratic ruler. He was a hard task master that used punitive military action to punish anyone who opposed his authority. He was renowned for physically assaulting any Igbo person who failed to follow his orders.

With Douglas in charge of the newly created Owerri District, the colonial administration established district officers, government houses, courthouses, warrant chiefs and road construction. Using forced labour, Douglas was keen to construct a road network, which opened up the hinterland to enable easy trade access for the British administration.

From his appointment up until to 1906 when he was transferred to Onitsha, Douglas had constructed over two hundred miles of roads in the Owerri district. As a notorious man he became known by many names such as the road-building whiteman (Beke ogbu ama) and beke ojoo (bad whiteman). It is speculated that Owerri, having the best road network in Eastern Nigeria, was the reason it remained, the only major, colonial city in the region, not connected to the rail network by the British colonial administration.

Following 1960 Nigerian independence, three local government areas (LGA) were created from the five clans as part of the new Imo state carved out in 1976, from the former East Central State. Ahiazu Mbaise LGA from Ahiara and Ekwerazu, Aboh Mbaise LGA from Oke-Ovoro and Agbaja and Ezinihitte Mbaise LGA excluding Umu-Ohiagu and Isu-Obiangwu which merged with Ngor-Okpala.

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Today in History: Nigerian-Biafran war ended.

On Jan. 15, 1970, exactly 53yrs ago today, the Nigerian-Biafran civil war came to a much anticipated close. Having claimed over 3.5 million lives of Ndigbo, it's believed that every Igbo household lost at least a relation to the war.

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