History of Obosi and OCA
HISTORY OF OBOSI
Obosi is a town in Idemili North Local Government Area, Anambra State, Nigeria, West Africa. Obosi is located in the Southeastern part of Nigeria. There are various accounts of the origin of Obosi. OCA does not claim any superior knowledge of the history, the history contained here are as understood through review of various research reports reported by others.
A man named Adike was the first to settle at the place now known as Obosi town. His wife was Akwugo. Adike was the youngest of three sons of Nri. The three sons of Nri, in their order of birth, are Alor, Ojoto and Adike. As they grew up the three brothers lived together in Alor town. Later Ojoto and Adike moved to the present Ojoto town and settled there. Adike was a hunter and farmer. A hunting expedition took Adike to the present Obosi which was a thick forest. Adike was impressed by the abundance of hunting game in the area that he decided to settle there. He went to Ojoto and brought his wife with him back to Obosi town. As he tried to build a mud house, the house kept falling when the mud dried up. Due to the difficulty of building a house with the mud, Adike called his new found home Obosi (meaning land with mud or sand that falls apart).
Adike and his wife had two sons namely Oba (first son) and Okodu (the second son). Oba married and had a Son who married and had three sons namely Okpala (first son), Ezeana (second son) and Okpo (third son). Okodu, Adike’s second son, married and had three sons namely Nnebo (first son), Uru (second son) and Owulebe (third son). Nnebo married and had two sons Ota (first son) and Ire (second son). Uru married and had one son Umuru. Owulebe married and had three sons Mmakwum (first son), Uruowulu (second son) and Ugamuma (third son). Therefore, Adike had two sons, four grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. Adike’s nine great grandchildren form the then Obosi town and were referred to as Obosi Ebo Itenani.
Adike’ great grandchildren in order of seniority by birth are Okpala, Ezeana, Okpo, Ota, Ire, Umuru, Mmakwum, Uruowulu and Ugamuma. Historians indicated that one King of Obosi (Igwe Messa 2) decreed that during first harvest, all the yams in the head of the barn (isimkpa) of every Obosi farmer will be given to the King. Farmers put their best harvests in the head of the barn hence the king would get the best of the yams. One Umuru farmer put his best yams in the tails of the ban (odumkpa) and his lesser yams in the head of the barn. The king noticed the change and ordered his men to get the best yams from the tail of the barn. The Umuru farmer protested the King’s conduct of taking yams from odumkpa rather than from the isimkpa. In his anger, the Umuru farmer killed the King. The other great grandchildren engaged Umuru in a war to avenge the murder of the King. Four out of the nine great grandchildren died in the Umuru war. Those that died are Okpala, Ezeana, Okpo and Umuru. The surviving five great grandchildren namely Ota, Ire, Mmakwum, Uruowulu and Ugamuma formed the five villages that comprise Obosi town presently. Descendants of Umuru were exiled because of the abomination their brother committed by killing a King. When Umuru descendants left Obosi, their properties were taken as spoils of war and their land shared among the surviving great grandchildren of Adike and their descendants. Umuru land is currently known as Little Wood Estate in Obosi.
HISTORY OF OCA
Obosi Community Association of New York Area, Inc. (“OCA”) was formed in 1994 by Obosi people residing in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. Membership in OCA is open to anyone residing in one of the four States listed above, and who is connected to Obosi through parental lineage, birth or marriage. OCA membership has grown over the years from a few to as many as approximately 30 families. OCA was set up as a way to bring Obosi people together and for doing charitable projects.
At the onset the name of the organization was Obosi Indigenes Association of New York Area (“OIA”). In May 2000, the organization was incorporated in the State of New York as a not-for-profit corporation. In December 2005, the name was changed to Obosi Community Association of New York Area, Inc. (“OCA”) to reflect its broader scope and activities.
In November 2000, OCA was granted tax-exemption status by the Internal Revenue Service according to the Internal Revenue Code sections 501(c)(3), 509(a)(1) and 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) (public charity); and 2055, 2106 or 2522 for tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers, gifts and donations.
ITO-OGBO IN OBOSI
Every three years Obosi town will celebrate birthday for all Obosi people who are between ages 80 through 82 years old.
These Octogenarians are celebrated for longevity. Their families, villages and the entire town gather to celebrate with the Octogenarians.
The King of Obosi issues a certificate of merit to each Octogenarian. After the ceremony each male Octogenarian will be given a red cap (hat) and bestowed the title of Ogbueshi.
The female Octogenarians would be given red scarf and bestowed the title of Ogbueshi Nwanyi.
The Octogenarians who are Christians will go to church after the celebration to thank God for long life and good health. The Non-Christians would go to Eke Market to pay homage to the Eke deity.