Traditionally, the main ruler of Inyi is called “EZE” normally known as Chief in English, But the substitution of IGWE for EZE, had emanated from the Government of 1976, who embraced the Traditional ruler of Enugu state with recognition and issuing of certificates to any self-governing town rulers as “IGWE” under the Government wing of Traditional Ruling council.
The first documented Chiefs in Inyi were:
Eze ILEM ORJI,
Eze OHIAGU ILEM and
Eze EKWELE OHI
followed by Eze MADUEKESI EKWELE “Oluruoha of Inyi”. Direct 4th descendant of Eze Ilem Orji.
Maduekesi Ekwele was a famous Chief of the people of Inyi around 1890s. Who was also recognized as such by the British, before they invaded Inyi town during his reign around 1910, in a surprise military attack during an Emume (Ozo title) event of Alfra Obika on an Nkwo Abia market day. In the battle of Inyi against the British, that resulted to the death of one of his son Ezeanyibara Maduekesi and the Chief took refuge in ogba ihu nabo (double-faced cave) at Alaike (a large expanse of farmland between Enugu Inyi and Awlaw) before surrendering with a Cow.
Maduekesi Ekwele was wealthy which may have originated from inheritances of the previous Chiefs, down to him before he added greatly to what he inherited. He had Farmlands and Livestock with servants to manage them all. An area of more than one square kilometer, stretching east and west of Obu Ekwele and then going a long distance south, past the Ngele Eziagu footpath to reach a boundary with Agbozegu land is called Nkpo bi Maduekesi. That was where Chief Maduekesi lived with his 32 wives, numerous children, families of his numerous servants and probably some of his numerous paid workers. They constituted something like a village of their own, a testament to his wealth.
The Obu Maduekesi is almost directly opposite the Christ Holy Church (Odozi Obodo) on Uzo Ngele Eziagu (Ngele Eziagu Road). It was at the Obu Maduekesi that the great Chief Maduekesi and his ancestors met with their Igwe Cabinet of the representatives of Inyi towns.
Maduekesi Ekwele died around 1916, just after handing over to his Son, EZECHUKWU MADUEKESI as his successor, as a result of his Igwe Cabinet Council rejecting the initial nomination of his younger son Nzeka.
Chief EZECHUKWU MADUEKESI “Eze nwa Odu of Inyi” reigned while the British had a respectable hold in the region including Inyi. They affected a Tax system on the people of Inyi and an establishment of Customary Court Centre, which they would appoint a local representative to run on their behalf. This was most often the Chief of the town.
A British expeditionary force came from Udi in 1918, landed peacefully at Inyi and set up camps at Amankwo and Nkwo Inyi. But later left Inyi the same year without battles. This would have been a temporary garrison troop deployed to ensure peaceful administration, long after the earlier destructive invasions that conquered Inyi.
Therefore, The British recognised Chief Ezechukwu as the Warrant Chief of the customary court in Inyi. With the inheritance of the father and the new found tax system in Inyi, Chief Ezechukwu was equally as wealthy as his father. He was one of the first Chief in the region to have his own Car in around the 1930s. Resulting to the construction of wider roads in Inyi for him and other British administrative in the area.
He equally had a large compound walled round with its main gate a little after the south end of Obu Ekwele. Chief Ezechukwu had attractive symbol of a king’s awe and majesty “ebube eze”. This was a sculpture of a leopard, yellowish in colour and had spots all over it. It was displayed in his large reception hall immediately to the left after going in through the front main gate.
When Chief Ezechukwu died. Nigeria was still under the British Colony. But the indirect rule structure, through warrant Chief system was finally abolished after the Aba Riots in 1929, when they were forced to re-examine their entire system of government, In Igboland.
Duo the era of the Warrant Chiefs structure was over. The title Warrant Chief was still used for Chieftaincy appointments.
Inyi had a succession of appointed Chiefs namely: -
Chief ILOABANAFOR,
Chief UZOKA UDEAGBARA,
Chief GABRIEL UDEAGBARA UZOKA and
Chief JULIUS U. EKESI.
Finally Chief C.I.A ONYEKWERE “Omire II of Inyi”
15th July 1967 to 4th Dec 2003.
Giving way to a more distributed regional traditional ruling Chieftaincy system,
on 28th Dec 2005. Five autonomous community structure was decreed
from Enugu State Government of Nigeria.
Creating smaller village wards within Inyi town, Namely:-
• AGBADA INYI (Umuome, Obune, Amankwo and Nkwere)
• UGWU INYI (Agbaliji and Akwu)
• ENUGU INYI
• UMUAGU INYI
• ALUM INYI
Currently, each community consisting of a number of villages, wards and/or clans, can nominate their traditional ruler, called IGWE.
The Igwe has this role for life and can give titles to his community people, mostly out of recognition for their achievement and character.
The title system varies slightly from village to village, but the hierarchy itself is in most cases the same.
In Inyi, the title system starts with the Nze title, given to persons in recognition of their community contribution. When the Nze titleholder reaches the elder age in the village, he may be commissioned by the Igwe to become part of the Igwe’s cabinet. Upon becoming a senior elder or as an Ozo, the Igwe may honour him with Chieftency title, standing directly below the Igwe.
Under these modifications, the first autonomous community traditional rulers for each of the created villages were as followed: -
• AGBADA INYI = HRH Igwe Ignatuis Okpara...............Enyi 1
• UGWU INYI = HRH Igwe Emmanuel Emeribe........Ikezuagu 1
• ENUGU INYI = HRH Igwe Mike Mberedeogu...........Obibi 1
• UMUAGU INYI = HRH Igwe Edwin Alaekee. ...............Agudire 1
• ALUM INYI = HRH Igwe Festus Umeh. ..................Chieze 1
The first documented Chiefs in Inyi were:
Eze ILEM ORJI,
Eze OHIAGU ILEM and
Eze EKWELE OHI
followed by Eze MADUEKESI EKWELE “Oluruoha of Inyi”. Direct 4th descendant of Eze Ilem Orji.
Maduekesi Ekwele was a famous Chief of the people of Inyi around 1890s. Who was also recognized as such by the British, before they invaded Inyi town during his reign around 1910, in a surprise military attack during an Emume (Ozo title) event of Alfra Obika on an Nkwo Abia market day. In the battle of Inyi against the British, that resulted to the death of one of his son Ezeanyibara Maduekesi and the Chief took refuge in ogba ihu nabo (double-faced cave) at Alaike (a large expanse of farmland between Enugu Inyi and Awlaw) before surrendering with a Cow.
Maduekesi Ekwele was wealthy which may have originated from inheritances of the previous Chiefs, down to him before he added greatly to what he inherited. He had Farmlands and Livestock with servants to manage them all. An area of more than one square kilometer, stretching east and west of Obu Ekwele and then going a long distance south, past the Ngele Eziagu footpath to reach a boundary with Agbozegu land is called Nkpo bi Maduekesi. That was where Chief Maduekesi lived with his 32 wives, numerous children, families of his numerous servants and probably some of his numerous paid workers. They constituted something like a village of their own, a testament to his wealth.
The Obu Maduekesi is almost directly opposite the Christ Holy Church (Odozi Obodo) on Uzo Ngele Eziagu (Ngele Eziagu Road). It was at the Obu Maduekesi that the great Chief Maduekesi and his ancestors met with their Igwe Cabinet of the representatives of Inyi towns.
Maduekesi Ekwele died around 1916, just after handing over to his Son, EZECHUKWU MADUEKESI as his successor, as a result of his Igwe Cabinet Council rejecting the initial nomination of his younger son Nzeka.
Chief EZECHUKWU MADUEKESI “Eze nwa Odu of Inyi” reigned while the British had a respectable hold in the region including Inyi. They affected a Tax system on the people of Inyi and an establishment of Customary Court Centre, which they would appoint a local representative to run on their behalf. This was most often the Chief of the town.
A British expeditionary force came from Udi in 1918, landed peacefully at Inyi and set up camps at Amankwo and Nkwo Inyi. But later left Inyi the same year without battles. This would have been a temporary garrison troop deployed to ensure peaceful administration, long after the earlier destructive invasions that conquered Inyi.
Therefore, The British recognised Chief Ezechukwu as the Warrant Chief of the customary court in Inyi. With the inheritance of the father and the new found tax system in Inyi, Chief Ezechukwu was equally as wealthy as his father. He was one of the first Chief in the region to have his own Car in around the 1930s. Resulting to the construction of wider roads in Inyi for him and other British administrative in the area.
He equally had a large compound walled round with its main gate a little after the south end of Obu Ekwele. Chief Ezechukwu had attractive symbol of a king’s awe and majesty “ebube eze”. This was a sculpture of a leopard, yellowish in colour and had spots all over it. It was displayed in his large reception hall immediately to the left after going in through the front main gate.
When Chief Ezechukwu died. Nigeria was still under the British Colony. But the indirect rule structure, through warrant Chief system was finally abolished after the Aba Riots in 1929, when they were forced to re-examine their entire system of government, In Igboland.
Duo the era of the Warrant Chiefs structure was over. The title Warrant Chief was still used for Chieftaincy appointments.
Inyi had a succession of appointed Chiefs namely: -
Chief ILOABANAFOR,
Chief UZOKA UDEAGBARA,
Chief GABRIEL UDEAGBARA UZOKA and
Chief JULIUS U. EKESI.
Finally Chief C.I.A ONYEKWERE “Omire II of Inyi”
15th July 1967 to 4th Dec 2003.
Giving way to a more distributed regional traditional ruling Chieftaincy system,
on 28th Dec 2005. Five autonomous community structure was decreed
from Enugu State Government of Nigeria.
Creating smaller village wards within Inyi town, Namely:-
• AGBADA INYI (Umuome, Obune, Amankwo and Nkwere)
• UGWU INYI (Agbaliji and Akwu)
• ENUGU INYI
• UMUAGU INYI
• ALUM INYI
Currently, each community consisting of a number of villages, wards and/or clans, can nominate their traditional ruler, called IGWE.
The Igwe has this role for life and can give titles to his community people, mostly out of recognition for their achievement and character.
The title system varies slightly from village to village, but the hierarchy itself is in most cases the same.
In Inyi, the title system starts with the Nze title, given to persons in recognition of their community contribution. When the Nze titleholder reaches the elder age in the village, he may be commissioned by the Igwe to become part of the Igwe’s cabinet. Upon becoming a senior elder or as an Ozo, the Igwe may honour him with Chieftency title, standing directly below the Igwe.
Under these modifications, the first autonomous community traditional rulers for each of the created villages were as followed: -
• AGBADA INYI = HRH Igwe Ignatuis Okpara...............Enyi 1
• UGWU INYI = HRH Igwe Emmanuel Emeribe........Ikezuagu 1
• ENUGU INYI = HRH Igwe Mike Mberedeogu...........Obibi 1
• UMUAGU INYI = HRH Igwe Edwin Alaekee. ...............Agudire 1
• ALUM INYI = HRH Igwe Festus Umeh. ..................Chieze 1
Oji River Local Government Area, Enugu State, Nigeria
News Highlights....
|
Inyi News and Events |
Inyi Culture and highlights
Inyi people are governed by definite rules of conduct from cradle to grave. The discipline infused by these rules of conduct, are a mirror of its rich culture and Heritage. Producing a uniformity, which others see and admired in Inyi people.
Its customary laws and customs were definite, detailed, and covered by aspect of Inyi life; so that, by their existence, they attested to the antiquity of Inyi town. As it must have taken centuries of usage, and trial and error, before they could have become so generally accepted, and enforced, as law, among the people of Inyi.
There is a strong tie in religious observations, trade, marriages, Birth and Death. In each community there are associations of age grades; Social groups, Town Unions, Native councils and Traditional Rulers (Ndi Igwe, Nze na Ozo), poor and rich citizens interact with one another in war or in peace. The social organization developed in the form of an extended family to a kind of village government. All participate in community affairs, in decision-making and all development efforts, Based on the background shared, the Art, Food, Dialect and Cultural ways of life are also shared and frequently the same.
Its customary laws and customs were definite, detailed, and covered by aspect of Inyi life; so that, by their existence, they attested to the antiquity of Inyi town. As it must have taken centuries of usage, and trial and error, before they could have become so generally accepted, and enforced, as law, among the people of Inyi.
There is a strong tie in religious observations, trade, marriages, Birth and Death. In each community there are associations of age grades; Social groups, Town Unions, Native councils and Traditional Rulers (Ndi Igwe, Nze na Ozo), poor and rich citizens interact with one another in war or in peace. The social organization developed in the form of an extended family to a kind of village government. All participate in community affairs, in decision-making and all development efforts, Based on the background shared, the Art, Food, Dialect and Cultural ways of life are also shared and frequently the same.
Chieftaincy Reign
Inyi Nwa-Ocho Ucho.........................
Copyright © 2013 Inyitown.com and Inyi.co.uk - All Rights Reserved
Like our Page