Our Origin

Ntigha shares a common origin with Ngwa that includes a shared lineage and migration experience. They are said to belong to one large migrant group who left their original home in Umunoha in the present Mbaitoli local government area of Imo State with small luggage containing yams in search of new habitations (Nwaguru, 1973; Oriji, 1981). Upon observing that the Imo River water has receded, the group stopped by the river banks to rest and eat yam (Nwaguru, 1973; Oriji, 1981). Making a decision on how to cook the yam split the group into two with one group preferring to cook while the choose to roast (Nwaguru, 1973; Oriji, 1981).

The group that preferred boiling their yam finished their cooking, ate, and crossed over early before riverbanks overflowed leaving the roast group behind (Oriji, 1981). This made the latter group who were left behind on the other side of the river to call the group that crossed over “Ndi Ngwa Ngwa” meaning the timely or fortunate ones while the group that crossed over, in turn, called the group left behind “Ndi Ohuhu” on account of their roasting method of cooking (Nwaguru, 1973; Oriji, 1981).

Among the “Ngwa” group that successfully crossed the Imo River were eight brothers namely Ukwu, Nwoha, and Avosi from one mother; Ntigha and Nsulu from one mother; Ovuokwu and Ovungwu from the same mother; and Mbutu, son of Nwoha, who respectively founded Ngwaukwu, Umuoha, Nvosi, Ntigha, Nsulu, Ovuokwu, Ovungwu, and Mbutu (Nwaguru, 1973; Oriji, 1981; Anichie & Ikezue, 2015). The “Ngwa” group continued their migration until they came to “Okpuala Ngwa” where they established their first settlement before dispersing to different directions of Ngwa land in search of new habitations (Nwaguru, 1973; Oriji, 1981).

Ntigha and his younger brother Nsulu first migrated to Oriebe Umukalu Ntigha but due to severe water shortage, Nsulu moved eastwards to Eziala Nsulu while Ntigha relocated to Okpuala Ntigha, where he settled and planted a tree to commemorate the ancestral home (Anichie & Ikezue, 2015). Ntigha had eight sons who went on to found the eight original villages of Avor, Umuogele, Amapu, Eziama, Oria na Ugaa, Umuekpe, Umukalu, and Umunachi that represent the “Ama Asato” or “Ofor Asato” of Ntigha.

Religion
Christianity is the dominant religion in Ntigha with Catholics, Anglicans, and Pentecostals having the largest followings. However, there are a small number of people who still practice traditional religious worshipping with emphasis on ancestral veneration and belief in lesser gods such as the “Ala” deity and Nnemiri Ahia Orie.

Socio-Cultural Practices
Socialization of citizens is through the family, lineage, village, and community-based units that are often patriarchal, and the residential units are established through the rule of patrilocal or father’s lineage.

Economy
Despite the outflow of young men and women into the urban areas, the Ntigha economy is primarily agrarian with a majority of people actively engaged in farming and selling of farm produce at the two major markets: Orie Ntigha in Amapu and Ahia Nkwo in Eziama. Orie Ntigha is the more popular of the two bringing in an estimated 40,000 people from all over the Southeastern region who come in to trade on mostly agricultural produce every market day in an eight-day cycle.

Education
There are numerous elementary, secondary, and vocational schools in Ntigha with Ntigha Secondary Grammar School, Eziama Ntigha; Secondary Technical School, Amapu Ntigha; and Our Lady of Mercy/Bishop Anthony Nwedo’s Juniorate, Amapu Ntigha.

Ntigha people, like every other Igbo person in the Southeastern region of Nigeria, can be found in all part of the world living as law abiding citizens of their host countries, blazing a trail, achieving success, and transforming the world through dedication, self-help, and use of non-profit organizations such as the Ntigha in North America (NiNA).

References
Anichie, A., & Ikezue, C. E. (2015). An appraisal of violence against women: A focus on Ntigha Abia State. International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Reviews, 5(3), 1 – 9.

Asuoha, G. C., Okafor, U. P., Phil-Eze, P. O., & Ayatimo, R. U. (2019). The impact of soil erosion on biodiversity conservation in Isiala Ngwa LGA, Southeastern Nigeria. http://doi.org/10.3390/su11247192

Nwaguru, J. E. N. (1973). Aba and British rule: The evolution and administrative developments of the old Aba division of Igbo land, 1896-1960, with an epilogue on the emergence of a short-lived Aba province and the present scene. Santana Press and Publishing company.

Oriji, J. N. (1981). The Ngwa-Igbo clan of Southeastern Nigeria: An oral history overview. The Oral History Review, 9, 65–84. Oxford University Press.

Osuocha, K. U., Chukwu, C. E., & Ezekwe, S. A. (2018). Soil quality assessment and phytoaccumulation potentials of selected edible vegetables around Ntigha solid waste dump, Abia State, Nigeria. Journal of Scientific Agriculture, 2, 14-25. http://updatepublishing.com/journals/index.php/jsa

International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Reviews Vol.5 No.3, September, 2015; p.1 – 9, (ISSN: 2276-8645)