THE NEED FOR THE OGURUGU NARRATIVE IN THE QUEST FOR THE HISTORICAL ONOJA OBONYI

THE NEED FOR THE OGURUGU NARRATIVE IN THE QUEST FOR THE HISTORICAL ONOJA OBONYI

Was Onoja Obonyi a concocted mythological figure or a real/historical person? This and others are the questions that will keep begging for answers on the minds of any Ogurugu person who hears or reads of many of stories of Onoja Oboni's peddled everywhere on the internet and books.

Was Onoja Oboni like those characters in moonlight stories and fairy tales (osala) told to Ogurugu children by their elderly ones? Or was he a real human who once live in Ogurugu as the Ogurugu narrative said? Which part of the Ogurugu narrative should be accepted as true since other variants/versions from Igalaland and Igboland contradict it to an extent. 

One of the unique and mysterious features of Onoja Obonyi in most, if not all, of the stories of his birth, life, exploits and death is that he was a warrior giant with six fingers on both hands and six toes on both foots. This mysterious characteristics have made many skeptics to deny the historicity of Onoja Oboni and regard him as a mere mythological figure like the deities of Greek mythology and African stories of origin.

Due to the fact that the various narratives about the birth, life, exploits and death of the legendary Onoja Obonyi are replete with mysterious events, some skeptics have said that he was nothing but a mythological figure, that, he never existed. At this point in history when there are serious ongoing historical investigations and reexamination of some past notable historical figures, it become necessary to look into the Ogurugu version of the narrative. This is incumbent upon the fact that the traces left Onoja Obonyi such as the okpe (a hilly fortress), unyi egu (literarily "masquerade/spirit's house", a sacred grove), makes Ogurugu a mine of knowledge about the Onoja Oboni. Thus, a wholesome historical account about Onoja Obonyi must include Ogurugu key informants for who are the custodians of the ancient oral tradition of the land.

Some of Ogurugu's illustrious children have made some commendable attempt to document the Ogurugu side of the narrative. These include a small book titled: "History of Ogurugu" by Mr. Sunday Ibraham. Some Ogurugu undergraduate students have also attempted to focus their project researches on Onoja Oboni as a case study. For intance, Edwin Onyejiaka wrote about the Onoja Obonyi festival in his B.Sc. project submitted to the Department of Theater Arts, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Esther Chizoba wrote on the Onoja Obonyi in Igbo Languages in her NCE project submitted to Adeniran Ogusanya College of Education, Ijanikin, Lagos. 

There is a need to work on a proper documentation of oral narrative from key informants (elders and custodians) through interviews in Ogurugu. One of the unique and mysterious features of Onoja Obonyi in most, if not all, of the stories of his birth, life, exploits and death is that he was a warrior giant with six fingers on both hands and six toes on both foots. These mysterious characteristics have made many skeptics to deny the historicity of Onoja Oboni and regard him as a mere mythological figure.

Many stories have been documented from different places in Kogi state and Northern Igbo communities where Onoja Oboni was said to have had contacts with. Many of these accounts merely mentioned Ogurugu as one of the places where with traces of Onoja Obonyi's presence. Thus, the accounts differ greatly from the Ogurugu version of the story. That the history of an ancient figure like Onoja Oboni is "shrouded in mysterious imagery" (as some well meaning historians will like to put it objectively) doesn't necessarily amount to non-existence. 

The inclusion of the Ogurugu version of Onoja Oboni narrative in the quest for the historicity of Onoja Ononi will help to enrich our knowledge and enable us be more able to objectively examine the account along with other different accounts. This can help to provide a wider perspective of the accounts of this great legend so that we can better be guarded against some mythological distortions that were concocted into oral traditions which is one of the major sources of his history. One of the notable historians that wrote extensively on Onoja Oboni is Austin J. Shelton (1968 & 1971). Some Igbo historians, e.g. Adiele E. Afigbo (1973), have shown their skepticism of Shelton's writings. Him and others has been criticized of creating the Onoja Oboni figure. Considering how deeply rooted this "creation of Onoja Oboni figure" was successfully engrained in the minds of those who didn't even read Shelton's novel, it is very hard to easily drive the historicity of Onoja Oboni aside. When one hears or reads from the different versions of the stories from both Igala and Northern Igbo people, one will be faced with a compelling evidence of a possible Onoja Oboni, even if not exactly as that described by Shelton and other foreign writers (e.g. DeLancey, 1973) whose writings have been criticized of being "anti-Igbo" and "pro-Igala".

The question that is begging for answer is "Is Onoja Obonyi a mythological figure or a real historical personality?" Little has been documented on Onoja Oboni's grave, fortress (okpe), sacred grove (unyi egu) and shrine in Ogurugu? Due to the fact that the various narratives about the birth, life, exploits and death of the legendary Onoja Obonyi is replete with mysterious events, some skeptics have said that he was nothing but a mythological figure, that, he never existed. 

At this point in history when there are serious ongoing historical investigations and reexamination of some past notable historical figures, it become necessary to look into the Ogurugu version of the narrative. This is incumbent upon the fact that the traces left Onoja Obonyi such as the okpe (a hilly fortress), unyi egu (literarily "masquerade/spirit's house", a sacred grove), makes Ogurugu a mine of knowledge about the Onoja Oboni. 

Thus, a wholesome historical account about Onoja Obonyi must include Ogurugu key informants for who are the custodians of the ancient oral tradition of the land.

EXCERPTS FROM SOME OTHER NARRATIVES ON THE LIFE AND TIME OF ONOJA OBONYI

Onoja Oboni's personality and heritage has been shrouded in mythical imagery over time. Ranging from being the Son of Eri, the grandson of Aganapoje to being a descendant of one of the Idah royal families; the priestly sub-cian of Obajeadaka in Okete-ochaiattah. The key areas of consensus are; he was a master strategist, slave raider and trader, conqueror. coloniser and imperialist. Added to these were his diplomacy, expansionist traits and the acculturation of conquered territories. He built himself a walled city in Ogurugu and recent archaeological findings of the remnant of the ruins of his fort on the grounds of the University of Nsukka confirm this. The lgala soldiers built forts and fortifications that stretched from Ete down to Opi and then to Anambra. Oboni’s rise to power affected the history of the North-western Nsukka and the Igbo communities on the Anambra River and the Lower Niger during the Igala commercial and socio-cultural ascendancy and domination. This was the reinforcing of the golden age of lgala imperial expansion (Shelton, 1968).

"Onoja Oboni remains one multicultural epic, hero and legend that has remained exceptionally significant in the consanguinity trace of the Igbo, Benin and Ida. Onoja’s ancestry showed him a king, while his hobo depicted him as a legend in the likelihood of the cosmic hero; Ikenga. In search of ancestral birthplace, Onoja left his foot prints in Umuekete, along the Agulu areas of Anambra State; Umuonoja, a community in Nsukka; the city of ancient legends, Ogurugu; Ama-Nkanu in Enugu state, peopling population till when finally he arrived at Nkalaha where he lived in his last days and died. Onoja was survived by three children: Ofu (whom he named after his mother’s home), Omaba and Oyide. The descendants of these sons survive today as communities in the North-eastern part of Igbo land: Nkalaha and Obeagu (pronounced Ubegu). Research also proved evidence of this population in the present day Bayelsa state. Here they are the community of people referred to as Umuodumu." (Nnaji, 2018).

"It was the time when it was the turn of Itodo Aduga to reign as Attah Igala that the imperial expansionism of Benin Empire began to become realistic. Benin became an empire starting from 1440 and spread her military arms wide to conquer subordinate cities. Towards the end of Amacho’s reign as Attah Igala (1380s-1420), Onojah Oboni was born. Amacho reigned as Attah before Itodo ascended to the throne to reign as Attah Igala" (Time Life, 1994 & Atayi, 2012). 

"Within this time (that Onoja Oboni was born), the priest in charge of the customary function of Igala Mela was Idu. He predicted Onojah’s destiny to Oboni. Considering the political turbulence on ground as conspiracy was suspected among the kingmakers, Oboni resolved to put Igane, his wife away. This was the condition that brought Igane back to Ofu, her home town. Idu predicted the unusual features of the progeny to Oboni, who saw it disgusting to harbour such a mysterious child. Onojah, yet unborn, was seen as abominable child. Igane had returned to Ofu when Onojah was born. At birth, she called him Onoja Oboni (reflecting on the royal linage which Onojah belonged)." (Nnaji, 2018).

"He grew up under the care given to him by his mother, assisted by his maternal uncle who in turn acted as his father. His features placed him repulsive among his peer which invariably made him a bully. His sudden departure from Ofu was on the account of his mother’s death. Igane, his mother was killed by an ancestral python which the community had harboured. Onojah arranged and killed the snake. This attempt set the villagers against him. During this time, Itodo had been installed the Attah Igala. Following this incidence, Onojah left Ofu. He absconded with Edina, the daughter of the community’s elder. From Ofu they moved south, towards Nsukka communities where he lived in recluse. Yet he did not give up his hunting life. This sole activity gave him several descriptions in Ogurugu and Nsukka areas where he was known." (Nnaji, 2018).

About this time, Onojah moved further eastward. His name grew large in the base community and he moved eastward, for he would not want to be seen. They moved further towards east and settled first in Ama-Nkanu (then called Ama Nkalu). This was the descendants of Awuwa. It was from here he moved further in his hunting life, within and far from the village. One day, in the cause of his hunt, after he had travelled farther than he could return the same day, his hunting dog, moving back and forth, suddenly returned with water all over its body. He followed the dog and came to a river within the tick forest. He drank of the water and continued his hunt. At down, Onojah built an Ulo-Egu (tent), sat under it to take his snuff. First, he poured snuff to the ground, at the entrance to the tent and said some prayers requesting for protection in his new home. The next day, he returned to base. Since he was looking for a possible virgin land that had animals to hunt for meat, he confided in his wife. In her approbation, they moved to the land. They arrived at the new home in the morning hours when the sun was still bearable to their vulnerable skin. He did not give the land any name. They left Ama-Nkanu in the 1440s, few years after Benin became an empire. Before their departure, his first son had been born and he called his name Ofu. This is the more viable trace of his origin as his memory could keep him on. Ofu was the village of Igane, his mother, and also Edina his eloped wife (Nnaji, 2018).

"If you drive past the university town from Nsukka in Enugu State and proceed for some 40 minutes through a green landscape, you will soon arrive at Ogurugu. To get there you would also have to turn off the main road at a point, and meander along for a little while. All of a sudden Ogurugu looms before you with a kind of silent power, which you can easily sense. Here are the remains of an ancient wall which seems to have encompassed the community at some time, and even the ruined remains are quite impressive under the late evening sunlight at the time of the visit. The remains of the wall recall similar scenes which this writer has seen in the far North, so that viewing same in Eastern Nigeria is a pleasant surprise. Ogurugu, which lies deep in Igbo land, is an Igala village, which was a favourite haunt of Onoja Oboni, an Igala giant, who played a role in spreading Igala culture and presence into parts of Igbo land. The traditional account as related by the Chief Priest indicates that Onoja Oboni had six fingers on each palm as well as six toes on each foot. He seemed to have been linked to the Idah royal house, through a female, which made his claim to the throne difficult to realise.  (Okwoli, 1977).

“Onoja Oboni was an Igala giant… who was banished from Idah on this account by the Attah.” Onojah was a tall, elegant and vibrantly looking young man, fair in complexion and relatively huge. The present Nkalaha community has attributed his size to that of Ebe Nwachi (died 1939). They believe that he was the more obvious figure that took after Onoja's size among his linage of the modern time. He was a brave hunter who lived at the time when men live long. His brevity and adventure won for him the respect he enjoyed among his peer and made his name to survive his generation and beyond. His successive adventure and its accruing success survived his name as a legend" (Nnaji, 2003).

According to oral sources and the prestigious adaptation of the long narrative poem, Onojah Epic (Nnaji, 2003), the land that housed the entire population today called Nkalaha was founded 11th century ago by, mainly, three hunters believed to have travelled from Ida during a hunting expedition. Of the three were Onojah, Oji and Okpanshi. Other people came (some, through the same mission) to inhabit the land afterward. Among these were Awo and his brother Edenneye, and Eke and also his brother Egbu. These had come from Ezaa and Ikwo respectively. These men lived peacefully as brothers and share things in common. Onojah as well as the other two continued in their profession, however with little inclusion of arable farming of yams. They cultivated the head of the yams they had eaten. During a hunt, after many years, Onojah came closer to a stream where he had a noise from the other side of the stream. Another thought came into him; he thought it was an animal to hunt. He moved further, getting to the bank of the stream, he saw another hunter. They explained themselves, then Onojah brought out a piece of liver from his hunting bag. They ate together and vowed to remain undivided. The other hunter, who told him of his name as Ogudu, requested that they meet the next day. As was agreed, they came and reaffirmed their covenant. That day, they set the boundary of the two communities at Amia (the very stream where they met during hunting expedition). Edina had had a son before this time. He was called Ofu, for he was named after his mother’s village. (Onojah Epic by Nnaji, 2003).

Onojah took another wife which gave birth to two sons, Omaba and Oyide.  By this time Awo had come into the land and was accommodated also as a brother. He was given the hilly part of the land, southward. Awo came together with his brother, Edeneye. Both were descendants of Ezekuna; the ancestral father of Ezza. Awo’s descendants are called Amaezegba community. The last to come into the land was “Eke and his brother, Egbu.” they came from Ikwo. They founded Amegu communitiy. By this time and beyond, people had come to live in the land with the aforementioned men to make their villages. Onojah took another wife which gave birth to two sons, Omaba and Oyide.  By this time Awo had come into the land and was accommodated also as a brother. He was given the hilly part of the land, southward. Awo came together with his brother, Edeneye. Both were descendants of Ezekuna; the ancestral father of Ezza. Awo’s descendants are called Amaezegba community. The last to come into the land was “Eke and his brother, Egbu.” they came from Ikwo. They founded Amegu communitiy. By this time and beyond, people had come to live in the land with the aforementioned men to make their villages. (Nnaji, 2018).

"In the early 15th C, Benin was fast becoming an empire. Her military sophistication was without comparism among her neighbours. When Ida was conquered in 1434, the communities in the surrounding began to set their fate to their wit. This opportunity, again, brought Ida to the vocabularies of Edo language even though their original language had been grossly influenced by the Jukuns and Igbo language centuries gone. Many centuries ago, one of the sons of Eri invaded Igala land during when versions of Igbo vocabularies got fused into Igala language" (Okakachi, 2011). 

For instance in Anambra state, there are traces of Igala history in some communities of the Local Government councils of the state such as - Ayamelum, Ihiala, Oyi, Awka North/South, Aniocha, Dunukofia, Onitsha North/South, Ogbaru, Anambra East/West and Njikoka. The migration did not only affect the area known today as Anambra state, a sizeable portion of Enugu state's communities have Igala ancestry as well. Thus, it would be right to call it a reverse migration, occurring about eight hundred years after which Eri was reported to have founded the modern Igbo nation with its set of unique religious doctrine. It was also a period one of his sons, Onoja, was said to have departed northwards and founded the Igala land. Eri's children were listed as Nri-Ifikuanim Menri, Agulu, Onoja, Ogbodudu, Onogu and his only daughter, Iguedo. Together and respectively, his off-springs were instrumental to founding the towns of Aguleri, Igbariam, Ogbunike, Nando, Nri, Enugu-Ukwu, Nteje, Enugu-Agidi, and so many other settlements in the East and West of the Niger. From the foregoing and other numerous historical facts, it is indeed difficult to draw a line between the Igbo and Igala history. (Okakachi, 2011).

According to Okwoli (1973), a renown native Igalaman, in the ancient times, new rulers from the Igbo communities of Igala ancestry must go to Igala to be taught kingship rituals and ceremonials.  Although Okwoli mentioned that Igala and Umueri towns are related, Umueri needed not to go to Igala for any sort of tutelage. An exemption that might explain Nri-Ifikuanim and Agulu's seniority to their younger brother Onoja, the founder of Igala. (Okakachi, 2011).

There are materials that have documented that Onoja Oboni's visit to places in Nsukka gave birth to the community called Umuonoja today in Nsukka. Likewise, his visit to Anambra produced Umuekete community. 

REFERENCES

DeLancey, V. (1973). The Igbo-Igala Borderland: Religion and Social Control in Indigenous African Colonialism. 

Nnaji, O. (2018). The story of Onoja Oboni's legendary: The brief history of Onoja Oboni. Extracted from the oral text, Onoja Epic. 

Okakachi.com (2011). The bind between the Igala and Igbo ethnic naationlities of Nigeria - Some historical facts. Posted on July 29, 2011. Available online at: http://okakachi.994507.n3.nabble.com/THE-BOND-BETWEEN-THE-IGALA-AND-IGBO-ETHNIC-NATIONALITIES-OF-NIGERIA-SOME-HISTORICAL-FACTS-td3208192.html 

Okwoli, P. E. (1973). A short History of lgala. Ilorin: Matanmi and Sons. 

Okwoli, P. E. (2006). The History of the Fifty Years Reign of the Attah lgala. Alhaji Aliyu Ocheja Obaje, 1956-2006. 

Okwoli, P. E. (1977). A Short History of Igala. Illorin, Nigeria: Matanmi and Sons Printing. 

Oriji, J. (2011). Political Organization in Nigeria since the Late Stone Age: A History of the Igbo People. Spdngen 

Shelton, A. J. (1968). Onojo Ogboni: Problems of Identification and Historicity in the Oral Traditions of the Igala and Northern Nsukka Igbo of Nigeria. Journal of American Folklore, 243-257. 

Shelton, A. J. (1971). The Igbo-Igala borderland: religion 8. social control in indigenous African colonialism. State University of New York Press.