History, Origin, Culture and Traditions of Nibo Town in Anambra state

 
Nibo is a town located in the Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria.

##Location
The town is composed of four major villages: Ezeawulu, Umuanum, Ifite, and Ezeoye, in order of seniority. Nibo is known for its cooperative community, where the people work together for the town's development.

##Traditional Institutions
Nibo follows a rotational governance system where the traditional ruler's position, held for life, rotates among the four villages. However, this practice was not always in place. A dispute once existed regarding which village, between Umuanum and Ezeawulu, had the first traditional ruler, referred to as 'Ezeike.' The ruler of Ezeawulu was Oke Ezekwe/Ezekwem from Umuka, while Umuanum was led by Nnama Orjiakor-Ele from Umuenechi.

Nnama Orjiakor-Eleh was the first traditional ruler of Nibo before British colonial rule, receiving a Royal Warrant in 1896 from Queen Victoria of Britain. He joined other paramount rulers such as Onyeama of Eke and Obi of Onitsha in receiving the warrant. Nnama Orjiakor was also appointed President of the Awka Customary Court of Appeal (1898–1945) and served as a Judge in the Provincial Court of Appeal for Onitsha Colonial Residency. During his reign, Nnama worked to unite the warring villages of Umuanum and Ezeawulu. After years of conflict, peace was achieved when Nnama's son, Orji Joshua Nnama, married Ezekwe's daughter, Mgbafor Selina Ezekwe, solidifying the union.

Upon Nnama Orjiakor’s death in 1945, his son, Prince Joshua Nnama, chose to leave the throne to pursue missionary work. His son, GCD Nnama, succeeded him but due to a lack of proper ceremonial rights, Nibo went without a ruler for several years. Eventually, Nibo adopted a rotational governance system. Onwuegbune from Umuanum became the first ruler in the 1970s, and following his death, Micheal C. Ngene from Ifite village took over as the current Ezeike of Nibo. The traditional stool will pass to Ezeoye village after his reign, maintaining the rotational system.

Nibo has a town union led by a secretary-general, which handles the town’s administration, including revenue collection, rule enforcement, and infrastructure development. The union has branches worldwide, including an active Nibo group in the United States. This group hosts an annual convention every third weekend in July, with the Ezeike attending the 19th convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2016.

##Nnemulu – Obodo Women Group
The Nnemulu – Obodo Society is the women's arm of Nibo’s administration. Founded by Selina Mgbafor Nnama (née Ezekwe) in the mid-1950s, this society worked to establish the Nibo Maternity and Health Centre. At the time, there were no maternity homes in Nibo or nearby towns, and women often had to travel long distances to give birth. Mgbafor led a rally to build a maternity home, and the Nnemulu – Obodo Society enforced discipline and local laws, such as controlling wandering livestock. Prominent women, such as the late Nwangbafor Agubalu, Mrs. Okeke, Mrs. Pricillia Okafor, and Mrs. Chine, assisted in coordinating the society’s activities. Today, the Nibo United States group is working to expand the Maternity Centre.

##Festivals
Nibo celebrates various traditional festivals, including:

Onwa Asa (New Yam Festival)

Onwa Asato – the largest cultural event, featuring music, arts, and pageantry from December 23–25.

Ezeike Day (formerly Nibo Day) – Held on December 26, this event honors prominent individuals who have contributed to the town’s development.

Okpukpe Eke 

Ede Mmo


In addition to the main festivals, Nibo is also known for the Okpukpe Eke festival and the Ede Mmo festival, significant cultural events in the community.

##Northcote Thomas and the Re-Entanglements Project
Photographs of Nibo’s ruler, Nnama, taken by British colonial anthropologist Northcote Thomas during his 1910-1911 tour of Southern Nigeria, have surfaced. These photos provide a rare glimpse into Nibo’s historical significance. The negatives of the photos are held by the Royal Anthropological Institute and document the town’s past in unprecedented detail.