The Nri Connection
Enugwu-Agidi History - The Nri Connection The town Enugwu-Agidi, as it is now called, is about 22 kilometers east of Onitsha. It belongs to the Umu-Nri (children of Nri) clan, made up of Nri, Enugwu-Ukwu, Nawfia, Enugwu-Agidi, and Oruora, which no longer exist. In other words, these towns belong to the same ancestral root, the ancient divine kingship of Nri (Eze Nri). The name and place of Nri in the development of Igbo culture and tradition are at times confused with those of Eri. Eri is said to be the original legendary cultural head of the Igbo people, just as ODUDUWA is to the Yoruba people. From oral and recorded accounts, he is said to have come down from the sky, having been sent by God. Eri settled and established in the middle of the Anambra river valley where he married two wives. The first of the wives bore him five children. The first was Agulu, the founder of Aguleri, the second was Nri Ifikuanim, the founder of Umu Nri, followed by Nri Onugu, the founder of Igbariam, and Ogbodulu, the founder of Amanuke. The fifth one was a daughter called Iguedo, who was said to have begotten the founders of Nteje, and Awkuzu. As one of the children of Eri, Nri Ifikuanim migrated from Aguleri, which was and still is, the ancestral temple of the people, in search of a place of settlement. He found such a place and settled near the present Enugwu-Ukwu. A version of the oral account mentioned Mkpume Onyilenyi as the spot of the original settlement at Enugwu-Ukwu. It has to be mentioned here that accounts given of developments from the period of this Enugwu-Ukwu settlement are conflicting. And one would suppose that this might be part of the reason why some people in Enugwu-Ukwu claim headship of Nri. One of the accounts by Professor M.A. Onwuejeogwu holds that it was during the period of Nri Ifikuanim’s settlement at the Enugwu-Ukwu area that he bore the progenitor or ancestor of the Enugwu-Ukwu, Nneofia and Enugwu-Agidi peoples. And that he later left that Enugwu-Ukwu site and came down the valley near the lake to establish the town of Agukwu. This account leaves one to deduce that the progenitor of Agukwu was born later at the new settlement or that he, in fact, was born at the Enugwu-Ukwu site but moved with his father to the new place of accommodation. The second account confirms this second deduction. It holds that the progenitor of Agukwu, called Ewelana, was not only born at the Enugwu-Ukwu site but also was the first son of Nri Ifikuanim. And that he migrated to the new site with his father. It is difficult not to agree with this version of the story since it is not in keeping with the Igbo tradition for a man to make such migration without his first son. It was at this Agukwu site that Nri Ifikuanim established and became Eze Nri Ifikuanim, reigning till 1152 A.D. From written account, Nri Ifikuanim was not the first son of Eri, and one is inclined to believe this since he did not inherit the father’s temple at Aguleri. One is, because of this position, tempted to ask why it is then that Nri Ifikuanim was the most famous and influential of the children of Eri. Prof. Onwuejeogwu’s written account supplied the answer by confirming that Nri Ifikuanim inherited a lot of qualities and powers from his father. The account further stated that Eri revealed to Nri Ifikuanim the secrets of the ‘mystical world’ and gave him two types of paraphernalia called NRIMERI. One of them comprised of two staffs, OFO NRI and ALO NRI, and the other type comprised of objects of bronze, iron, and clay.