Ohakpu-Town

Ohakpu

Ohakpu, is an ancient town in Oru West L.G.A of Imo State, famously known for their age long masquerade (Nne mmuo) called Ikwe Ohakpu. It is made up of five villages, Ezukwu, Ikenga, Amafor, Ubahudara and Umuchukwu (Ndiokwaraeke) named in their order of seniority.

Their origin can be traced principally to Ezukwu the aboriginal inhabitant living in a cave, after migrating from Egbema. He was met by a hunter named Ikenga, who co-inhabited with him, hence the tussle’ on who arrived first. Dara and Chima originally part and offsprings of Ezukwu moved out to become Ubahudara, Amafor migrated from Okija in Anambra State and Ndiokwaraeke came from the wave of migration from Arochukwu. 

In general the original inhabitants claim to have come from Egbema near Oguta hence the similarity of culture and name bearing as can be seen in the performance of Owu festival, igu, names like Ejebilagbo, Ekwegbara and deities like Ekwensu, Ogwugwu, and Enyinja. Other migrants abound from other communities in and around Oru and Ihiala.

Ohakpu is a boarder town on the boundary of Imo state and Anambra state. Their closest neighbours are Uli and Amorka in Ihiala, Anambra state, Ozara in Oru-West and Egbuoma in Oguta Imo state. The traditional stool is presently occupied by HRH Eze Ben Ononuju Ojiaka (Ogbuehi V). The community has a primary and secondary school. The natives are predominantly Christians and a small chunk of traditionalists. The community singly built St Aloysius Catholic Church, Community Primary School, Commercial Secondary School and Electrification of the entire town.

Being a table land, there is no presence of a river and the predominant source of supply is from streams in adjoining towns like Ozara, Uli and Amorka before the advent of pipe borne water. The major occupation of Ohakpu natives is farming, hunting and Trading. Their hunting spree led to the emgiration of Ekwem a famous hunter who later formed Ubahuekwem community in Ihiala. Their farming explores takes them to far away Ogada, Egwe and Osemoto all near Oguta.

The culture and tradition of Ohakpu people cuts across the famous Ikwe Masquerade and Ekeleke of the Ndiokwaras, Owu festival, Igu Aho and Iro mmuo. They have two markets Eke and Afor Ohakpu, which trade every four days.

Engr. Kelechi Okeke
Umueletamuzo, Ubahudara, Ohakpu
2012
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18 Comments

  1. Ohakpu is town of peace and unity where brotherly love reign. Though not large a community but full of men and women of timbers and calibers.
    God bless Ohakpu.

  2. Thanks Engr. Okeke for representing your community. Now we/our readers will be happy to know your community and our children will be proud when they read something about your/their community. Now, can other communities that are not yet represented see the need for such history and representation. Let it be a challenge to others. Until all the communities are adequately represented and their history told, Oru will be seen as domestically incomplete and globally non-existent.

    Tony Ibenacho

  3. Thank you Tony.
    Please keep up the good work.
    God will continue to bless us all.
    Oru Kpoo Oku, Oru Azaa

  4. Thanks Engr Okeke. I’m from Unuchukwu, Ohakpu and I’m proud to know more about my community. God bless you.
    D KANU
    Dizzo Consulting UK

  5. Thanks Engr. Okeke for the work. We need to upgrade it with more information. Am building a site for it. Pls. my people i need more information From Amafor ohakpu

  6. Thank you my PC Engr. Nonso Okoli Ihenatuoha. Please reach me via my email, lets work together. My further research has expanded my discovery on the origin of the respective villages in Ohakpu and towns in Oru and her neighbours as whole. God bless us.

  7. What a beautiful write-up by Engr Okeke! Thank you for putting Ohapku on the cloud where people can read and appreciate our cultures and values from any part of the globe.

  8. My brother, Engr. Kelechi Okeke, well done! I am so happy for your efforts here in putting us out and in other areas. You captured what I grew up to know as the history of Ohakpu. A lot still needs to be said, thank you so much and God bless.

  9. This is a beautiful work borne out of jingoistic patriotism.

    Keep it up, my brother from another mother.

    Ihenatuoha Peter,
    Amafor.

  10. Engr. Kelechi Okeke, thank you so much for putting Ohakpu in the history books. God bless u richly.

  11. Thank you Engr Okeke for your great insight and understanding of our community, Ohakpu and all that you put out was part of the history of our great community. Also, the names that you mentioned according to their prior arrivals were in order but not been able to mention the first arrival of the great Iroko that established a village for Umu Chukwu created a question mark.
    In the early eighteenth century, Mazi Otti Nzere Okwara Okonpi migrated from ancient Aro kingdom to a community called Ohakpu and negotiated with the very few men then to dwell with them and after certain traditional rites were observed and covenant made, Aro Ndeokwara Ohakpu was established till date.

  12. Thank you for all the comments.
    Apologies that I have been off the radar for sometime.

    I have made more consultations, research and findings in all five villages of Ohakpu since my write up in 2012. I will update all soon.

    NB: On Ezukwu not being Egbema of which I am an offspring and Umuchkwu from The great Otti, Nzerem and Orji arriving Umuogu Ọzara first before entry to Ohakpụ.

    Ọrụ kpọọ òkù, ọrụ azaa.
    Demeniooo

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