Introduction
Origin 
Villages
Culture, Heritage and Festivals
Pre-Colonial Era
Colonial Era
Post-Colonial Era
Crises
Infrastructures
Conclusion


Introduction:
Abatete is a Town in Anambra State in Nigeria. Abatete shared same border with Uke, Umuoji, Abacha, Oraukwu, Ogidi, Alor, Ideani, Nimo Owelle, Eziowelle. It is situated in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State. 

Origin
Okolie Otie or Okodu, a great hunter was unarguably the progenitor of Abatete, Umuoji and Nkpor. He originated from Arochukwu. Otie had three sons: 
1. Edeogu
2. Ora
3. Ideke

Edeogu his eldest son married Mgboko eke, and they had nine sons (in sequel order):
1. Viz
2. Nsukwu
3. Agbaja
4. Isiuzo
5. Akwa
6. Azu ogwa
7. Mputu
8. Odida
9. Ogbu

Ora married and had a son he named Oji. When Oji had his own son he gave him his grandfather's name. Oji's descendants are today known as Umuoji . The first village in Umuoji is Eziora as a reflection/memorial of their grandfather's name "Eziora".

Ideke's descendants are today known as Nkpor. However, Edeogu the father of abatete proudly named his nine sons as (Igwulube-otie-denoting the plurality of his children). Over generation Mbateghete was corrupted to Abateghete and to Abatete with the advent of British rule. Out of nine sons of Edeogu only four survived to form the four pillars of Abatete namely: 1. Nsukwu
2. Agbaja
3. Odida 
4. Ogbu. 

Note: Isiuzo clan had group into a quarter but was driven out of Abatete due to constant feud.

Villages:
It is made up of four villages: 
1. Nsukwu: Due to constant wars, some People from Nsukwu village took shelter to present day Ojoto and never return, today they're are the Nsukwu village in Ojoto.

2. Agbaja
3. Ogbu 
4. Odida

Infrastructures:

Church:
1. St Dominic’s Church/School 
2. Chukwura Primary School
3. Holy Trinity church
4. Girls Secondary School 
5. St John's Anglican church 
6. Most holy name of Mary Catholic Church 
7. St Martin's of Tour, Nsukwu
8. St Christopher's Anglican church
9. St Joseph Catholic church 
10. Christ De King Parish

Schools:
1. Community Primary School 
2. Dominican Sisters college
3. St John's international nursery and primary school
4. Guardian Angel nursery and primary school
5. Odida primary school 
6. Ogbu primary school
7. Anaekwe memorial primary school 
8. Notre Dame High School
9. Holy Rosary Convent School

Hotel and hospitality:
1. Bliss Hotel and Suites 
2. Onwuatu hotels 

Health:
1. Ogbu Abatete health post
2. Madueke Memorial Hospital and Maternity 

Culture, Heritage and Festivals, Random Facts:
Abatete people are predominantly farmers, traditionalist with few christians, like most Igbo communities, they has a rich cultural heritage.

His Royal Majesty Igwe Engineer Chinyelugo Emeka Efobi (MNSE), Ezeogu 11 of Abatete Kingdom is the current king (Igwe) of Abatete. Abatete regarded for its Omaliko festival every June. 

a. Ọmaliko Festival:
Advent of Ọmaliko Festival was when the families of Edeogu (Abatete) wanted to disintegrate their father's land and the strangers living amongst them wanted their own shares of the land but were declined. Reason being that when their grandfather OKOLI OTIE was alive, he divided his land into three giving each to Edeogu, Ojiofokudo and Npkoguidike but he never gave any to the strangers' grandparents namely AKWA and OWA.

 The strangers were reminded that ISIUZO, AZU, MPUTU and OHAOHIA -- the other warriors that came with their grandfather -- have long ago departed the land. Howbeit, war started among them; they fought for months trying to push the strangers away but to no avail. The opponents were more in number and were pressing on to defeating umu Edeogu (Abatete) who had begun to lose most of their warriors.

This led to the recruitment of young boys into the masquerade cult (IMA NMANWU) knowing that only Masquerades could go to war. Age grades after age grade went to the war (Agha nholi) but still they could not push the opponents out. So, they went to OGBARU and invited Ezeigwe Ojena Nmuo who later came with his wife and his young son by name OMALIKO.

 Ezeigwe was a sorcerer but his son Omaliko was an incredible hunter/warrior who could fight both humans and spirits. Omaliko the young warrior singlehandedly went into battle with the enemies of Umu Edeogu (Abatete) and killed all their warriors overnight. That was how the strangers all left the land. But for days he (omaliko) did not return. So, umu Edeogu went to check the battle field looking for him -- from Ezimuku to UgboAkwa. They came across many dead bodies as they were going and later found him under a tree in the forest there with human bones in his mouth feasting. So, they nick named him "OMALIKO OTA OKPUKPU" and in appreciation of what he did for them they later gave him that forest (Ohia Omaliko).

After then Ezeigwe and his wife lived among umu Edeogu (Abatete people) in Nsukwu land but after the sharing of land Omaliko relocated to his Forest and there he erected his 'Okwuh', married and had children. He lived very long but when he died, nine 'ndi dibia' (native doctors) were invited to prepare nine charms to empower Omaliko as powerful deity. This done, and the medicine men were paid off but to prevent the native doctors from retaining the power of the charms they had prepared, the people laid ambush and killed them and the skulls, jaws and arms of the native doctors were all deposited in the Omaliko Shrine.

Since then, Umu Edeogu (ABATETE) started a three-day celebration (Omaliko festival) in remembrance/reflection of Omaliko, the war deity. Each year, before the festival starts all the boys who were initiated into the Masquerade cult must participate in the clearing of the road/path that leads to Omaliko Shrine. All village roads are also kept clean and tidy in readiness for the festival (Asum'ezi Omaliko).

b. Ọmaliko Abatete:
Today's Ọmaliko deity was brought into Abatete from OGBARU by Ezeigwe Ojena Nmuo who later came with his wife and his young son by name OMALIKO.

Pre-Colonial Era and Fall Of Abatete:
In 1904, the British administration through the Protectorate of Southern Nigeria based in Onitsha sent a Gun Breaking expedition (Otiji Egbe) to Abatete as a prelude to imposing imperial rule. Armed surrogates posing as peacemakers were deployed in all the four quarters of Abatete. At first, they pleaded with the natives for assistance to subdue a troublesome neighboring community. They requested that every gun owner assemble at the market square with their guns. Most natives fell to the bait. What happened next shook the foundation of the town. Suddenly, the soldiers unleashed their superior firepower and burnt down market stalls and shrines. Capitulation was complete. Native guns were confiscated, stacked and set ablaze. As the fire smoldered so did the pride and power of Abatete.

Colonial Era:
In 1905, District Officer in charge of Onitsha asked the four quarters of Abatete to select their warrant chiefs. Agbaja selected Eze Omaliko-Atulee Ekusa of Ezimuku, but Ogbuefi Omenyi Anaekwe begged to differ. He reminded, “King makers” that Omaliko deity would be deeply troubled by the trappings of office of the Warrant Chief. His argument prevailed and Ogbuefi Anaekwe was selected to become a Warrant Chief. Chief Onwadiebo Nebuwa Ezekwe, the charismatic grandson of Ebube Ogu, the progenitor of Nri lineage in Nsukwu was a favorite son and well credentialed to serve as Warrant Chief. Chief Eze-Elisiaku Anyaegbu was selected and appointed Odida Warrant Chief. Otiji Egbe expedition was traumatic to Ogbu people and that bred mistrust of white men. Rightful titled chiefs declined nomination for Warrant Chief, and Chief Uduezue Omaliko volunteered and thus became a Warrant Chief by default.

The first church/school was built in 1908 by a Catholic Priest Rev. Father Ward at Agbaja. Chief Anaekwe sought and secured the approval of the project from other Warrant Chiefs. In return, quota system of equal representation on admission was instituted. It allowed 50 boys from each quarter of Abatete to enroll for classes. Penalty for tardiness/absence was one fowl for each transgression. But other Warrant Chiefs from Nsukwu, Odida, and Ogbu watched with disbelief as the loot from extortion of yam, fowl or goat for missing Akwukwo. 

Despite the fact that most of the fines were coming from their district because of distance to the school. The Warrant Chiefs of Nsukwu, Odida and Ogbu met and decided to get even by inviting the Church Missionary Society (C.M.S) to build church/school in their own backyard. There was a catch. They had to pay teachers salary of 6.00 pounds.
Chief Onwadiebo Ezekwe could afford it. He paid up and Christ Church was built at Olile-Nsukwu in 1914. Odida and Ogbu Warrant Chiefs pulled their resources together and got St John’s Church was built at Ogbu-ikwele. In 1930, both churches merged and moved to present location at Afor-Agu as Holy Trinity church. The churches did not come with schools attached. The young converts would have to attend school at a very far location at Eziowelle. It was afternoon school and at an appointed time the town crier would beckon the pupils to school with Ekwe:
Gbaghalu ji,
Gbaghalu ede
Jebe akwukwo,
Kpom kpom kpom. The town crier would reiterate.

In 1937, Holy Trinity School was built incorporated and popularly known as Uno Akwukwo Afo-Agu. In 1929 St Dominic’s Church/School Agbaja branched out to Ekeagu. Its staff residence was built by Otu-Nkwali, Ogbu. New Africa school and later renamed Chukwura Primary School was built by great philanthropist Sir P. E. Chukwura and was commissioned in 1945. Holy Rosary Convent School was built in 1948 to enhance and promote female education at Abatete. Notre Dame High School, which started life as Lugard Memorial High School was built by Chief T. O. Morah and Chief S. Mbakwe of Abacha in 1958.

Girls Secondary School was built by the Abatete Social Club of Nigeria and was commissioned in 1979. The Warrant Chiefs in their wisdom brought to Abatete Church/Schools for salvation, education, and knowledge. But they never imagined the problem religious intolerance and zealotry would create. Thus, Abatete waded from one religious crisis juxtaposed with politics and greed to another for three decades. 

Religious Crises:
Every issue had religious undertone, it was either Anglican or Catholic, nothing in between. Despite that at the time, majority were traditionalists, God was either an Anglican or a Catholic. Whether it was commissioning of maternity clinic or Igwe selection, myopic views prevailed. Abatete crisis reached a crescendo in 1959 when Eastern Region Government asked towns to nominate community heads.

Chief Peter Aroh Eze-Onyeka was unanimously selected for installation as Igwe of Abatete, but the Igwe designate had a problem: he was an Anglican extraction. Many Catholic faithful gave their blessings to Chief Onunkwo Ezenwayo for Igweship as a counter weight for an Anglican backed Igwe. Abatete was in brouhaha with two Igwes, each with enthusiastic supporters. The animosity between the two camps produced sound-bites ‘Utala n’ofe’ ostensibly referring to Peter Aroh Eze-Onyeka’s camp while ‘Akpu aghaka’ referred to Ezenwayo’s chairleaders. Such was the situation until 1963 when the impasse was resolved at Ekeagu.

In 1976 the Anambra State government made a policy requiring every town to nominate a Chief for recognition. Nsukwu, Odida, and Ogbu nominated Chief P. U. Mkpume. Other candidates Chief J. C. J. Anaekwe and Chief Anisiobi also filed their nomination papers at Ogidi. Justice Agbakoba’s Commission of Enquiry was set up to resolve the issue. In the end Chief Mkpume was the winner and Anambra State government recognized Mkpume as the Igwe of Abatete. On Nkwo, Saturday June 9, 1990, Chief Patrick Ugochukwu Mkpume was conferred as the Igwe Edeogu 1 of Abatete.

Source: Throwback Times x Idemili Connect