By Momodu Tony

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Akoko–Edo is a Local Government comprising various ethnic groups, each one maintaining its identity with historic pride and enduring pasture. Akoko Edo occupies a land mass of about 1300 square kilometers of 5.6% of Edo State the Nigeria Population Census of 203 recorded a population of 262 thousand and some fractions for Akoko Edo Local Government Area.

 The Local Government shares a common boundary to the West with Ondo State and Kogi State to the North. One of the numerous historical groups in Akoko Edo is the Uneme tribe and they are settled in about six villages of Akpamu, Ekpedo, Aki – Osu, Erhurun, Enekhua, and Aiytoro

 The Uzoro festival of the Uneme Enekhua is majorly for mothers in the Community and the betrothal of young girls to their suitors. The Uneme are one of the ethnic groups or nationalities in present-day Edo State, Nigeria residing in Etsako and Akoko Edo the Northern parts of the State.

They migrated out of central Nigeria (Bini), with other related tribes like the Esans natives in Bini, Urobo, Isoko, etc., and settled on the hills of Akoko Edo Southern part of the confluence. Isaac Imue Irabor .

 During the Ogiso Era, the Uneme’s were advised to move close to the Igodomigodo, because of their gift in the utilization of metal craft iron melting and production of blacksmiths in the uncommon era. In that era, they also forbid their children to marry outsiders for reasons to keep the secret of iron malting to themselves.

After the reign of Ogiso, and the emergence of the Oba dynasty from Yoruba land. They started having issues with the Binis. In 1370 AD when they could not coexist with Oba Egbeka due to a series of wars.

The kingdoms they migrated to are as follows: Ugboha in Esan land, Egueben, Obadan in the outskirts of Benin, Agbede, Atsako central, and Akoko – Edo Dr. Hakeem B, Harunah.

The large contingents of blacksmiths who left Benin from the Igun guild home at Ugboha during the reign of Oba Egbeka 1384-1400AD in reaction to the King’s pressure for a disputed Lion Skin, the Uneme refused to surrender to the Oba. Coupled with the selling of arms to their neighboring villages scattered and lost members on the way, as they move on further and further from the metropolis of Benin.

BRIEF HISTORY OF UNEME IN AKOKO-EDO

Uneme-Akpama: This became the earliest place of Uneme concentration in Akoko Edo land after they departed from Benin. From there they moved in Bonds to Uneme Enekhua, Uneme Ekpedo, and Uneme Akiosu. Uneme Akiosu inter-change population enforcement with Uneme Erhunun, which was so named because it was located on a hilltop.

Uneme Nekhua meaning (Uneme of the great ones) was the most progressive and most exposed to the modern sector of development among the Uneme communities in Akoko Edo land. It has historical allegiance to Akpama as its root

Uneme Nekhua is a linear settlement along Igarra Ibillo road about 8 kilometers from the Local Government Headquarters. Their major occupation is blacksmithing and farming. Uneme Nekhua is culturally endowed with traditional festivals. The most popular ones are the New Yam Festival, Masquerade Festival, and Uzoro Festival.

UZORO FESTIVAL

During my interview with Late Omozuefor E. A. after one of the concluded “Uzoro” festivals, a retired public servant and the former chairman, of the community development association, spoke extensively with me about the historical background of the “Uzoro” festival. According to him, the ”Uzoro” festival started at the inception of the community as a hamlet.

 In the interview, he said it is a communal festival celebrated by all from the village both far and near. Usually, the hosting right is zoned to different locations of the nation where Enekhua Community Associations are located and the date is determined by the moon at a particular month.

The “Uzoro” festival is all about a woman who sought a child after years of marriage and the act of betrothing suitors traditionally.

“Uzoro” river is a river that serves as a source of water to the entire community. On this faithful day, a woman who has been married for years without a child decided to go to the stream to fetch water, on getting to the stream, she decided to pray to the gods of the water, asking for a child and there she took an oath. If “Uzoro River” assists her with a child, she will come back to give thanks. After nine months, she gave birth and finally disclosed the oath she took to her people (Elders) of the community so she could redeem her vow.

The community and her family members decided to go with her, while they were going, they went with “Elozo” i.e. traditional moimoi to fulfill her oath. Immediately all the barren women in the community took her steps and “Uzoro River” visited them as well.

These now brought to notice the ancestral use of this river. It also became a communal festival called “Uzoro festival”. Leaving the barren women out of it.

CELEBRATION: According to Mrs. Adebowale Margaret and Madam Omotola, prominent women in the community the “Uzoro festival” starts nine days after the New Yam Festival, along the line appease their gods. This process is called “OSO” (Ancestor). The Elders go to the traditional land of the community, to celebrate another nine days involving women who have given birth to children goes about grinding beans for the celebrations of the “Uzoro festival”. Every mother makes two rap for each child and herself. The usual leave for wrapping this (moimoi) is called “Ebekafu” i.e. strong leave. This memoir can be preserved for a month without losing its taste.

On the ninth day of the celebration, the moimoi is cooked and the “Ekha dance” celebration follows immediately and “ends in the ancestral place known as “Ughele” where you have the “River Uzoro”.

According to Omotola, the festival begins with the drummers, who are made to drum at the Centre of the village to send information about the commencement of the festival.

The festival is replete with aged women in beautiful native attires, with coral beads around their necks and hands, packed hair decorated with beads, ankle bazaars, and Indigo designs on every part of their bodies. Also attracted by this drum as it sounds are the young single girls on the same day. They go dancing naked around the town.

The aged women and single girls sing seven songs of traditional songs dance around the town and return from where they started.

To further enrich the celebration, the old women sing yet another seven songs to emulate the single girl’s virginity till that day of betrothing her, because there is so much significance attached to this. She will be decorated with beads, native attires, tattoos, and all forms of traditional decorations, and above all Tiger claws to decorate her hair signifying how wealthy her family is in the community. The “Ekha” dance ends in the ancestral place of the village (Ughale) where the “River Uzoro” is being worshipped by the community. The age group called “Usenieveughale” are those representing the community in sacrificing to the river with the “Elozo”. They cut out all the wraps of “Elozo” (moimoi) brought to the riverside and throw them into the river and the other ones for the community.

The Elozo moimoi is shared among the three kindreds of (1)Emigolo (2) Emie- Rushi and (3) Emie Amuza.

The most interesting mystical demonstration of the river is the appearance and disappearance of a tortoise with the sacrifice (Elozo) moimoi to demonstrate the acceptance of the sacrifice.

However, the advent of religion to some extent has reduced participation. Notwithstanding, the Enekhua people are great traditionalists and so, hold the festival in very high esteem. Some of the Christian class do not see anything wrong in participating. They also believe in the mantra “give what belongs to Ceaser to Ceaser and what belongs to God to God”.