Ntigha

Geographical Location of Ntigha

Ntigha is a community in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area of Abia State that is under the Abia Central Senatorial zone of Nigeria. With a population of about 20,000 at the 1991 national census and a growth rate of 2.58 percent from 1990-2020, the population of Ntigha is estimated in 2020 to be over 41, 000. Ntigha can be located between latitudes 05°21’N and 05°29’N and longitudes 07°19’E and 07°26’E and is the last Ngwa community at the Northern borders of Ngwa land when traveling Northwards along the major old Aba-Umuahia and Enugu-Port Harcourt express roads. It is bounded to the north by Nsirimo and Abam Ubakala towns in Umuahia South Local Government Area; south by Amorji, Ihie, and Abayi towns of Ngwaukwu Community in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area; east by Umuomayi Ukwu in Nsulu Community in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area, and west by the Imo River, which serves as a natural boundary between Abia State and neighboring Mbaise communities in Imo State.

Origin of Ntigha

The origin, decent, and migratory route taken by Ntigha forefathers before establishing a settlement in Umunọha, in the present Mbaitoli local government area of Imo State, cannot be traced with confidence due to a lack of conclusive historical record or scientific evidence. However, using archeological evidence, ethnohistorical records, and statistical data derived from dating the divergence of languages, numerous scholars have theorized that the founding fathers of Ntigha, like all other Igbo ancestors, were originated from Israel/Mediterranean; been in existence in the Owerri, Awka, Orlu, and Okigwe regions since the 3,000-2,000 BC and originated from nowhere; or were the early settlers of the Niger-Benue Confluence, who subsequently migrated further south to populate the Nsukka-Okigwe axis, Igbo hinterlands, and other Igbo areas respectively. The early settlers from the Niger-Benue Confluence made use of the Stone Age technology in Prehistoric Nsukka, Ugwuele, Afikpo, and Igbo-Ukwu between 100,000-5,000 BC and also developed elaborate sociopolitical, agricultural, and iron technological systems that were used in the Nri, Awka, Ngwa land, and other Igbo areas. This latter theory on Igbo origin seems the most plausible in explaining the origin of Ntigha since it incorporates all the elements of the three major theories by scholars on Igbo origin.

Legend has it that having migrated southwards and lived in Umunọha for a while, Ntigha and his kindred packed up small luggage containing yams and migrated eastwards in search of a new habitation. Upon reaching the Imo River bank and observing that the water had receded, the group decided to rest and eat yam. However, a disagreement over how to prepare the meal split the group into two: one group preferred to cook and the other chose to roast. One group preferred boiling yams, which is a faster method. When they finished their cooking, they crossed to the other side of the Imo River. The river overflowed and the slow-roasted yam group was left behind. This made the latter group who were left behind to call the group that crossed over “Ndi Ngwa Ngwa” meaning the timely or fortunate ones while the group that crossed over, in turn, called the group left behind “Ndi Ọhụhụ” on account of their roasting method of cooking. Among the “Ngwa” group that successfully crossed the Imo River were eight brothers namely Ukwu, Nwoha, and Avosi from one mother; Ntigha and Nsulu from one mother; Ovuokwụ and Ovungwu from the same mother; and Mbutu, son of Nwọha, who respectively founded Ngwaukwu, Umuọha, Nvọsi, Ntigha, Nsulu, Ovuokwụ, Ovungwu, and Mbutu. The “Ngwa” group continued their migration until they came to “Okpuala Ngwa” where they established their first settlement before dispersing to different directions of Ngwa land in search of new habitations.

As a display of prudence over his Ngwa kindred, Ntigha picked for settlement the most fertile and choicest portion of Ngwa land that is closest to the Imo River banks. He first moved with his younger brother, Nsulu, to settle at Nkwoebe and after experiencing unexpected water scarcity, Nsulu was forced to move eastwards to Eziala Nsulu while Ntigha relocated to a choice settlement at Okpuala Ntigha, where he settled and planted a tree to commemorate the ancestral home. Ntigha later gave birth to eight sons who went on to found the eight original villages of Avor, Umuogele, Amapu, Umukalu, Umunachi, Umuekpe, Oria na Ụgaa, and Egbelu that represent the “Ama Asatọ” or “Ọfọr Asatọ” of Ntigha. The Ntigha community currently has 11 autonomous communities with corresponding 46 gazetted villages represented as follows:

1. Avọr Autonomous Community

• Umuerim
• Umugba
• Umuogidi
• Umugaa

2. Avọr na Ogele Autonomous Community

• Umuogele

3. Amapu Ntigha Ancient Kingdom Autonomous Community

• Umunka
• Umuọkatu
• Umuọbia
• Umuokuza
• Umuebeyi
• Umualata II

4. Enyiala Autonomous Community

• Imerem I
• Imerem II
• Umualata I

5. Isiala Autonomous Community

• Umuọkwa
• Umuodoghala

6. Ntigha Ancient Kingdom Autonomous Community

• Umuegbu
• Opara na Agbaa
• Oke na Ejea
• Umuekere
• Okpuala
• Umunachi
• Mbaraụgba

7. Umuekpe Autonomous Community

• Umuekpe

8. Oria Autonomous Community

• Umuololo
• Abụ
• Umuikea
• Umuochi

9. Ugaa 1 Autonomous Community

• Umuogwoka
• Umuisiukwu
• Umuọshikai
• Umule
• Umudim
• Umuwaọma

10. Eziama Ntigha Autonomous Community

• Umuọla
• Umuire
• Umuọshi
• Eziudo
• Obingwa

11. Egbelu Etiti Autonomous Community

• Umuama
• Umuokoro
• Umuevo
• Umuehihe
• Umuọsọọ
• Umuoke
• Umungwọli

Religion

Christianity is the dominant religion in Ntigha with Catholics, Anglicans, and Pentecostals having the largest followership. There are also people who engage in traditional religious worship, emphasizing ancestor worship, alcoholic drinks, and local deities like “Ala” “Ahiajoku”, “Amadioha”, “Nnemiri”, “Ofo l'ogu”, “Chukwu” etc.

Socio-Cultural Practices

Socialization of people in Ntigha is through the family, lineage, village, and community-based units that are often patriarchal even in the choice of residential pattern. Cultural practices in Ntigha include the celebration of “ichụ afọ/ afọ ọhụrụ” (end of the old year/beginning of a new one), “iri ji” (new yam festival) by August signifying the end of farming/rainy and harvest seasons, and "ime ihe ahia" Amapu Ntigha ceremony. Ntigha people also celebrate births; marriages; the death of older persons; “ọkwụkwụ” (final burial ceremony); and conferment of “Eze”, Chieftaincy, “Ezeji”, and “Ọkọnkọ” titles to deserving individuals using the “ekere avụ”, “anyantọlukwu”, “mmanwu”, “ikoro Avor”, or “ab’igbo”, “ekpe”, and “ese” cultural dances to entertain the adult, female, general public, and bereaved family audiences respectively.

Economy

Despite the outflow of young men and women into the urban areas, the Ntigha economy is primarily agrarian with a majority of people actively engaged in farming, buying, and selling of such farm produce as yam, cassava, groundnuts, and palm fruits, oil, or kernel, at their two major markets: Orie Ntigha in Amapu and Ahia Nkwo in Eziama. Orie Ntigha is the more popular of the two markets and attracts thousands of people, who come from all over the Southeastern region on each eight-day market cycle to trade mostly in agricultural products.

Education

There are numerous elementary, secondary, and vocational schools in Ntigha with Ntigha Secondary Grammar School, Eziama Ntigha; Secondary Technical School, Amapu Ntigha; and Our Lady of Mercy/Bishop Anthony Nwedo’s Juniorate, Amapu Ntigha being the most prominent.

Ntigha people, like every other Igbo person in the Southeastern region of Nigeria, can be found in all parts of the world living as law-abiding citizens of their host countries, blazing a trail, achieving success, and transforming the world through dedication, self-help, and volunteering for non-profit organizations such as the Ntigha in North America (NiNA) with a web address https://ninantigha.org/our-origin/

Notes/Bibliography

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