Everything You Need to Know About Ogbunike!
Our goal with this series is to help Igbo descents worldwide reconnect with their roots and gain a clearer understanding of who they are.
Do you know the name of your town and village? What kindred your family belongs to, both maternally and paternally? How did your surname come to be, and what stories shape your cultural identity?
We hope this series inspires you to explore, document, and preserve your history for generations to come. Enjoy!
Ogbunike Town Overview
Ogbunike is an Igbo town located in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State. It shares borders with Nkwelle-Ezunaka, Ogidi, Umudioka, and Umunya. The town is known as the “Cave City” because of its famous sacred Ogbunike Cave.
Main Villages in Ogbunike
There are six main villages in Ogbunike:
Ukalo
Umueri
Ifite
Osile
Amawa
Azu
Major Deities
Ogba (deity who formed and inhabits the Ogbunike Cave)
Nkisi Osile
Aja-Ana Ukalo
Ogwugwu Umueri
Ogwugwu Azu
Rivers and Streams
Mmili Nwangene
Mmili Ikpikpa
Nkisi Osile
Mmili Ota
Mmili Nkwako
Nkisi Amawa
Masquerades
Enweaka
Ijele
Asato
Mmonwu Ugo
Enyinnunu
Ajikwu
Atumma
Udo
Ajibussu
Ulaga
Main Market Day
The main market day in Ogbunike is Oye (Orie). The biggest market in the town, called Oye-Olisa, becomes very busy with buying and selling on every Oye (Orie) day. It is the main trading centre of the community.
Major Festivals
Onwa Isato Festival: Celebrated annually in February in Azu village, this festival is used to “count the year” in Ogbunike. The Enweaka masquerade cult is responsible for performing the traditional rituals.
Nwafo Festival: This festival honors the young men of Ogbunike. It originated from the neighboring town of Ogidi and is also celebrated in Ogbunike due to longstanding intermarriages between the two communities. The four-day celebration usually begins on Afo market day toward the end of July.
Iri-Ji Festival: This is the annual New Yam Festival, marking the end of the farming season. It is typically celebrated between August and September.
Ede-Ogwugwu Festival: Held just before the Nwafo Festival, this celebration highlights the hospitality of Ogbunike women. They prepare large quantities of Ede (cocoyam) and share it with visitors and well-wishers.
Communal Taboos
Murder
Killing of Eke (python)
Killing or eating of Mbekwu (tortoise)
Sexual relations with the spouse of anyone from the same clan or kindred
Women climbing Nkwu (palm trees)
Women plucking Oji (kolanut) from the tree
Founder and History
According to oral history, the people of Ogbunike trace their ancestry to a woman named Iguedo, who was a direct descendant of the legendary Igbo figure Eri. Ogbunike, after whom the town is named, is believed to have been the firstborn son of Iguedo and her husband, the hunter Nnamenyi.
Major Occupations
Farming
Fishing
Local Government Area
Ogbunike is part of Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria.
Did we miss any key details or get something mixed up?
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What else do you know about Ogbunike that isn’t covered here? Let us know below. Daalu!
Source:
Mr. Paul Iwuchukwu.
Research Credit:
Chinualumogu
