Eziowelle

6°09′00″N 6°56′00″E / 6.1500°N 6.9333°E / 6.1500; 6.9333

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Eziowelle is a town in Idemili North local government area of Anambra State, Nigeria.^[1] Eziowelle translates into English as 'a good place'. It is an agrarian community lying about twenty-three kilometers east of Onitsha. The Vatican Cardinal Francis Arinze is a native of Ezoiwelle.^[2] Eziowelle is in Idemili North Local Government Area.Historically, Eziowelle, Nimo Owelle, Abagana and Abba; all in Njikoka local government except for Eziowelle are siblings. Eziowelle is the first son of Owelle and is followed by Nimo, then Abagana and Abba being the last child. Their father was Owelle hence Eziowelle and Nimo Owelle bore their father's name while others still do but it's more pronounced in EziOwelle and Nimo Owelle than others. It has boundaries with Abatete, Abacha, Nimo Owelle, Abagana, Ogidi, and Umunachi. Eziowelle is made up of five villages which are Umuikwele, Umunnama, Ezinimo, Okpaliko, and Ubulu. According to Peter Emelumgini, in his book, A Compendium Knowledge of Eziowelle, "the first people to settle in Eziowelle were the Uruojukwu and Uruogbuefi of Umuikwelle ... before Umuikwelle Etiti migrated from Ifite-Ikwele and settled, with the originals. In Umunnama, the Uruezenebo were the originals, or settled earlier before others came from Umunoha of Port Harcourt side. In Ezinimo village, the Umu-oba, Umuoradigwo, Umu-Chidobelu-Ezeokobu, Umuagu, Uruama, Umudimatuand Umuawa settled earlierthan others before others came from Isi-Uzo Nsukka side when they were driven and scattered as a result of tribal wars. Some others later joined the village from other locations when they were driven out of the town as a result of misunderstanding and constant quarrelling from their relatives and that made them move and settle with the early settlers." The last two villages which are Okpaliko and Ubulu are believed to have migrated from Nteje, a town in the Anambra State of Nigeria between the 18th and 19th centuries. The town is ruled by a traditional ruler called "Igwe" as obtainable in other neighboring Igbo-speaking towns. The Igwe of Eziowelle is also called the Owelle of Eziowelle after Owelle the great ancestor of Eziowelle. The current Owelle of Eziowelle is Igwe Mike Okonkwo Etusi..The first OWelle of Eziowelle, Igwe Christian C. Anene relinquished the throne to the Owelle 2, after his death in 1990. The current Onowu of Eziowelle is Obi J. Akukwe.^[3]