UMUOFOR About Umuofor People Umuofor is a small community of less than five thousand people located in the border

of Oguta and Mbaitoli local government of Imo State Nigeria , West Africa . Address: Mile 2 Ukwuorji Oguta Motel Road, Umuofor - Oguta Local Government Area, Imo State - Nigeria. Umuofor as of today is one the Autonomous Communities in Oguta L.G.A of Imo State and it is made up of three villages UMUNWEGBE, UMUDIBIE and UMUDURUAJUNWANNA. The indigenous Umuofor people are said to have migrated from Awomama in OruEast L.G.A & ISU in Njiaba L.G.A of Imo State and said to have first settled at Ameabiam and finally settled in one of their fore-fathers farmlands at the present day Umuofor. Some of the early settlers include Duru Osimiri, Chionye, Nnadi, Ubah, Abor, Ibeanusi, Nnabugo, Ubawuchi , Nnadirinwa , Emetumah , Anyaibe Nzediegwu , Nwawubem ,Ndimememe , Nnawuaku , Nwabuihe , Agbakegbe , Amaogaranya , Diogu, Osoagba , Ezeribe , Idu,Iroka and many more . There has been an unresolved land dispute between the Umuofor and Akabor people. In the 60s, Chief Emmanuel Ubah, Emmanuel Nwawubem and Chief C. A Ubawuchi gave their money to salvage Umuofor land . They were assumed the owners of the land until the Umuofor people redeemed their land in the late 70s. CULTURE The Umuofor people have an annual local ceremony called THE OWU FESTIVAL that takes place once ayear, it is a male dominated and initiated ceremony. Women are not allowed to participate. There aremasquerades called OKOROSHA . However some religionists oppose this culture calling it demonic, oneof the greatest opponents of this was Mr James Nwosu , the first pastor of Umuofor , (THE FATHER OF REVIVAL) . Mrs Janeth Ubawuchi also refused to partake and also refused to recognize the Ekenjiaba (python snake god) . In the early days, these snakes used to roam around peoples' compounds and were welcome by the people. Umuofor had two ritual bushes NJABA and OTANGBO . It was said that Mr. Benneth Nwabuche on another man's instruction cleared that land. That is where the Umuofor market is situated today. RELIGION Umuofor people are very religious. The first church in Umuofor is the Anglican church and some of the pioneer members of this church include Mr. Andrew Osoagba , Mark Osimiri , Clement Ubawuchi ,Silvanus Emetumah(later Alhaji Gafaru Emetumah) , Boniface Amaogaranya , Benson Nnadi, Emmanuel Uba and others . James Nwosu also pioneered the Apostolic church while Mr. Oguerilem and the brother brought the Cherubim& Seraphim church. Umuofor has also produced MEN OF CLOTH (CLERGIES).Pastor Iyke Peter Ubawuchi is the founder and senior pastor of JOHANNESBURG INTERNATIONALCHURCH, SOUTH AFRICA and president of GRACE WORLD OUTREACH, a global ministry that affect millions of lives. He is also the director / coordinator of the MILLION MAN MARCH FOR JESUS, Reverend Eugene and Eze Onwubie are canons in the Anglican Church. ISLAM Alhaji Abdul Gafaru Emetumah was the pioneer of Islam in Umuofor. He was also the traditional ruler of Akabor community. UMUOFOR PATRIARCHS CHIEF MARK OSIMIRI - Was one of the foundation members of Christ Church Umuofor and was very involved in Umuofor land disputes, he was a builder by proffession and lived in Lagos, his children include Mr. Felix who lives in USA with his wife Dr Philomena and their children who include Brian , Stephanie,Derrick andothers, Mark's other children inlude Chief Jonathan [ a buisnessman in Aba NIGERIA], Barrister Shedrack(Obioma), who lives in the USA, Dr. LEVI (CARRIBEANS) Mr Felix is very involved in assisting umuofor indigenes and entire community including the reconstruction of the new Anglican Church building which is said to be one of the best in the Diocese on the Lake, Nigeria. CHIEF CLEMENT UBAWUCHI Ubawuchi Ezeoru had four sons, Iwunamara , Clement , Anyanasuro , Sunday and Eric . Ubawuchi lived to be over a hundred years old and passed away in 1975.

Chief Clement is the second son of Ubawuchi . He worked for over 32 years as an administrative manager in NEPA , during which time he used his influence to employ some people in NEPA including Mr. Eddy Anyaibe and Emmanuel Nwosu . He is a philanthropist even during his pension days, people still came to him for financial assistance where he gladly obliged them. Chief Ubawuchi at this time of writing2010 is about 85 years old and still counting. He built the first upstairs in Umuofor (in the 70s) . His children are Mr. Goddy , Dr. Emeka, Mr. Uzoamaka , Ps Iyke& Engr chudi and two girls. CHIEF BENSON NNADI Chief Benson Nnadi was a well known figure in Umuofor land and beyond. He was known for all his selfless efforts and contributions in Umuofor community where he retired as a Principal Supervisor of Schools. Nicknamed Chief Ochumaogide, Chief Nnadi was credit with establishment of so many projects in Umuofor including Town school Umuofor, Christ Church Umuofor among others. He served his father land for years as Community Secretary General as well as Community Speaker/Government Representative. He was a very kind man who shouldered responsibilities caring for peoples problems but hated by Umuofor Neighboring towns for his love for Umuofor. Chief Nnadi was married to Cecelia , and survived by Benedict , Benjamin , Bethel, Bertram , Bernard and others . Though lived as an average man , hee lived a happy man and died at the age of 84years in 2006 after a brief illness. EZE (ALHAJI ABDUL GAFARU EMETUMAH) Is the second son of Emetumah . He was the first Igbo Muslim evangelist and pioneered Islam in Umuofor. He was also the Eze (traditional ruler ) of Akabor autonomous community . He was an influential man in his own right. He lived to be over seventy years and passed away in 2007. Eze Emutumah married three wives and was survived by Alhaji Fatai , Sani , Bashiru , Amin, Chigiozke and others . ANDREW OSOAGBA Mr. Andrew Osoagba was one of the pioneers of the Anglican church in Umuofor and was the pastors' warden until his death . He loved working in the church. Married to Rosanna and survived by Mr. Nathaniel, Gabriel and Uche Osoagba (who is a knight in the Anglican Church) ALHAJI SANNI [ ANTHONY] ANYAIBE Alhaji Sanni formerly known as Anthony was one of the pioneers of the Umuofor Anglican church. He retired as a manager at the plateau Construction Company. He also used his position to employ some of Umuofor citizens. He loved hunting. He married three wives and was survived by Mr. Amos , Elias , David and others . He lived to be over 70 years and passed away in 2006. MR EMMANUEL NWAWUBEM He was the first successful business man in Umuofor plying his trade in Kano State Nigeria . He had houses in Kano , Enugu and Port Harcourt . He was married to Susanna and survived by Samuel and others. He passed away in 1970. MR BONIFACE AMAOGARANYA He was one of the pioneers of the Anglican church in Umuofor and a very vocal person and Umuofor representative during the early days of the land dispute . He was married to Angelina and survived by Kingsley , Achinike and others . Passed away in 1969 . EMMANUEL UKACHUKWU is the first son of Mr. Ukachukuru who lived in the Cameroon and worked probably as a butcher there . He had another son Joe who was a business man in Cameroon until his untimely death . VINCENT AKPUCHUKWU was the first barber in Umuofor , he lived to be almost 75 years and passed away in 2008 , survived by his son Chilem whose mother died shortly after he was born . BONIFACE , EBENEZAR and DAVIDSON were sons of AMAOGARANYA - Boniface passed away during the war , Davidson who was a teacher in ISU passed away in the late 70s , he was married to the late Matilda and survived by their son Kennedy who lives in LAGOS . Boniface was also survived by Kingsley who lives in the United States , Achinike and Abednego who lives in Nigeria . Adeline and Stella (Sinte) are their sisters , their mother's name is Angelina , married from Ogbaku .

EMMANUEL And BENJAMIN are the sons of NWAWUBEM . Both of them died in their mid-ages .Emmanuel a successful businessman who owned properties in different parts in Nigeria was survived by Samuel who lives in Portharcount . He also had daughters , Christiana , Grace , Florence , Ngozi and Ndidi . Ngozi lives with her family in MANCHESTER , ENGLAND . Oluchi passed away . There is also the twins Okechukuru and Kelechi (who are soccer players in MALAYSIA ) . NONSO and NENE who live in Portharcourt. Clement Nlewedim is the first son of Mr. Nlewedim (known during his primary school as Gramarian ) , healso had other brothers including Nelson .Adizuo , Alhaji Sanni (Anthony ) , Alhaji Adamu (Samuel ) and Edward (their half brother ) are all sons of ANYAIBE . Adizuo is probably the oldest man still living in Umuofor at this time of writting . His first sonShedrack Anyaibe lives with his family in Italy . Shedrack Anyaibe is probably the first man in Umuofor to travel overseas (around the early 70s ) . His younger brother Josiah is a builder and resides in Umuofor . ALHAJI SANNI was survived by Mr Amos , Elias (R.O ) Anyaibe . Amos is a builder . Elias lives somewhere in the Northern Nigeria . ALHAJI ADAMU (SAMUEL ) is the younger brother of Sanni , his first Mr Son - Saliu , ISA (Innocent ) and the first surviving twins in Umuofor . Hansan and Husseni . Hassan livesin ALGERIA. NNANEMERE , FELIX , EDWARD and EPHRAIM and SOLOMON are all sons of NZEDIEGWU .Nnanemere is a palm wine dealer and a farmer . He is also an initiate of the revered NZE/OZO . His firstson is IFEANYI , followed by IKE who is said to be pastoring a church in ITALY . Edward Nzediegwu livedin Cameroon . OKACHANMA & OKEMEZIEM AZARAMA are the sons of AZARAMA . These two had feuds that lastedtheir life time and even affected their children . Okachanma was survived by LAWRENCE , PHILLIP ,STEPHEN , NNAA , and NDADI . While Okemezien was survived by SAMUEL (who disappearedmysteriously , last seen at ONITSHA ) and Adolphus who is working at shell Izombe . Okachanma wasmarried to Nwogoma from EZIAMA while Okemeziem was married to FANI from EJEMEKWURU . Mr Xwas a half brother of Okachanma , AZARAMA , he committed the first suicide in Umuofor history .Survived by GABRIEL who is a carpenter .BATHRAM and OZO (DANIEL ) are the sons of ANOO . Bathram is a civil servant through thegovernment compensation of the war veteran as he was injured during the NIGERIA - BIAFRA CIVILWAR ( 1967 - 1970) , while OZO is the Umuofor town crier . OZO was also a member of the then popular local music group (BONGO ) in the late sixties and early seventies . The other group members of Bongowere Mr Vincent Anyaibe(drummer) , Solomon Nzediegwu , Isaac Uba(Jantamanta) , PhillipOkachanma,life ( if you know any other members please send the names to.. umuofor initiative..........). . PAUL (EBIOGWU) EZERIBE , SIMEON and THEOPHILUS are the sons of EZERIBE from UMUDIBIE UMUOFOR . Paul was the head of the OWU festival before he gave it up , Simoen was a very religious man of the Apostolic church , while Theophilus was a spiritual healer . Paul was survived by ABASCO ,THEOPHILUS and SIMEON also had sons of their own. ONYEDIKA purpotedly died after he took Ubawuchi's male goat and was eating it alone and was killed bytoo much fat .Mr Nnadiegbulam was a quiet man who went about his own business , one of his sons is a pastor JUSTUS (ALOO) and AKOLAM are sons of.....................................Their mother's name was NWARIEM.Akolam passed away in the early nineties . JOSEPH ORUMEZIEM was a fish merchant and was the only man that accompanied THE AGWU -during the OWUOMA that took place once in seven years . He was survived by PETER who also passedaway and other sons . UBAWUCHI EZEORU was probably the oldest living man in his time , said to have lived above a hundredyears . His children include STEPHEN (IWUNAMARA) , CLEMENT ANYANASORO , SUNDAY andERIC who died during the NIGERIAN CIVIL WAR . Eric went to the war with Cyril Thedoro , LawrenceOkachanma , according to Mr Lawrence , Eric was warned to stay behind by Ubwuchi when they went tobe prayed for by him before embarking on the journey . Ubawuchi had other daughters - Adanma ,Ihejiaba (who passed away in may 2009) , Nnenia . Stephen died in 1984 , probably through tetanus . Hewas survived by Gozie , Uzoma and Amaechi . His daughters include Adania , Sussana , Edna , Oby .Clement ANYANASORO Ubawuchi married Janeth Ubawuchi and together they had seven children .Gordy , Christopher (Emeka) . who lives in England, Uzoamaka(Brown) Ngozi , Mary , Peter (Iyke) wholives in RSA and Paul (Chudi) . Gordy Ubawuchi lives

in the USA and his children include Sinclair (I.K).Rudolph (Emeka) , an American Marine currently at IRAQ , A.J , and the girls - Thelma(Oby) , Yvonne , a) and Nikki . Emeka Ubawuchi - is the first medical doctor in Umuofor , presently lives in ". His life changing words on television isecognizable faces from The first one is Chukwuemeka Aboh . ng brothers - Mr Life and late Nnamdi . Umuahia . MR ephen , Nnaa and Ndadi . All these have their own children . Lawrence's first GO was an elder in Umuwuegbe , he was survived by Ofozuonu , Innocent, Ofozuonuother whose sisters were Ogadinma[ married to Wahab oliver] and one of which is Chidi . H . Reverend Eugene is the current chairman of the Umuofor community .