Igbuzo (Ibusa) ( is an Igbo community in Delta State, Nigeria, founded c. 1450. The community is in Oshimili North. It has an estimated population of 566,310 people in 2009. The people speak the Enuani dialect of the Igbo language. The name of the community is more commonly and officially known and written as Ibusa. The movements forming the process of Ibusa can be linked to the first and second waves of the movement of Igbo migrants into the West Bank of the Niger River. The first adventure was led by Edini from Nshi (Nri) and the second of the two waves of migrations was led by Umejei from Isu resulting in the formation of Igbuzo.The Realities and Values of Anioma Identity, Dan Olisa Dieyi, Danfeyin International Co., 2001,
History
Pre-colonial history The name "Ibusa" is an Anglicization of Igbuzọ and/or Ibuzọ "Igbo bi n'ụzọ", meaning the Igbos that live by the wayside or "Were you the first to settle here?" (Ibuzo). All the names that the community bear today were foisted on them by other people. "Igbuzo" was a name used to describe the settlement by the Igbo from Nri, "Ibuzo" by Ogwashi-Uku, Asaba, Oko, Ilah and Okpanam, who are the community's immediate neighbours, and "Ibusa" by the early European missionaries who found it difficult to effectively pronounce the name of the community.
Igbo historians such as Emeka Esogbue (of Ibusa origin) and C. N. Ugochukwu (Nnewi origin) share the opinion that groups who left Benin with Ezechima and journeyed Eastward might have settled in Igbuzo considering the geographical location of the town.Ugochukwu, C. N. (2000), Isu Factor in Nnewi History. Tabansi Publishers. The implication of this, therefore, is that this new set of settlers could have been sick or generally lacking in interest in furthering their journey, this could also have resulted in their final settlement in not too distant Onitsha. This new group of settlers in Igbuzo might have become assimilated by the Umejei and Edini groups.
Oral history Ibusa is a federation of two units known as “the Umejei and Ogboli settlements. According to the oral history of the town, Umejei Nwa Eze Isu (Prince Umejei of Isu) killed his opponent in a traditional wrestling bout, an act considered “Alu” (Abomination) in the land and punishable by death. However, his death was commuted by his father who was also Eze Isu) the king of Isu and he was encouraged to go on exile with a gourd prepared and given to him by his father. Umejei was emphatically instructed to settle wherever the pot dropped, he thus set off with friends, relations and sympathizers who accompanied him. The gourd however dropped at the present site of Ani-Oshe in Omeze (Umueze) where he founded Igbuzo.
The Ogboli factor has it that at Nshi (Nri) Odaigbo slept with one of his father's wives but Eze Nshi commuted the mandatory death sentence to exile. His father, mother and younger brother, Edini voluntarily opted to accompany him. Odaigbo and Edini were given one pot each and charms by Eze Nshi with the instruction to settle wherever the pot fell and on crossing the River Niger, Edini's pot fell at Ani-Nshi (Nri) Ogboli in Ibusa. Odaigbo's pot was to fall at the present site of Ogwashi-Uku where he also settled. The groups (Umejei and Edini later became one and are known as Ibusa) The Ogboli of Igbuzo are thus regarded as part of the larger Nri (Nshi) community. The two communities of Edini and Umejei aspects later became known as Ibusa.Buchi Emecheta in the Joys of Motherhood
The Anioma people of Delta state, regard and praise Ibusa as a group of people who often refuse food in other to prosecute wars (Isu (Igbuzo) fu ogu ju nni). This statement authenticates the bravery of these people in wars. Ibusa historians are currently researching the history of wars fought by the Igbuzo people, especially in the homes of their Isu kiths and kin in Nnewi, present Anambra State to determine whether any relationship exists between the two communities.
Anglicization of name "Ibusa" is an Anglicisation of "Igbuzo" and/or Ibuzo by the early British missionaries and visitors to the town as a result of the difficulty in pronunciation. The Anglicization of the name of the town may have been effected in the 19th century following the Ekwumekwu Wars that the community-led. "Ibusa" was considered more distinctive by the British, thus was adopted as the official name of the town and made to appear in all the official documents of the colonial government. The name "Igbuzo" - Igbo bi na uzor, meaning "the Igbo living along the way or road" - is, however, the native name of the town as used only by the natives today.
The nickname of the town is, however "Isu Na Mba Ogu" (Warriors from Isu), or colloquially Igbuzo-Isu (The Igbo-uzo(r) from Isu). Igbuzo is uniquely addressed with different names and even made noticeable with different spellings such as Ibusa, Igbuzo, Igbouzo, Igbuzor, Ibuzor, Ibuza and Ibuzo. This is believed to have been necessitated by the strategic location of the town along the busy roads and the history of the settlement of the people.
Ibusa today The Federation of Ibusa is today constituted by ten Quarters or villages thus the common reference to the town as “Igbuzo ebi Ili” These ten Quarters are Umuekea, Umuodafe, Umuidinisagba, Umueze, Umuehea, Ogbeowele, Anyalabum (i.e. Ezukwu and Achalla-Igbuzo), Umuagwu, Umuezeagwu and Ogboli. The Ibusa town is today a federation of two autonomous settlements with different origins, the Igbuzo settlement and the Ogboli settlement in what Prof. M. A. Onwuejeogwu has illustrated as a friendship alliance which has developed into a complicated political union, a political union that has undergone many processes which today constitute the unwritten constitution of Ibusa. It has also been historically noted that at the beginning, the Ibusa-Ogboli federal knit had its Diokpa because the settlements have different origins, so they have different ofo. Today, the entire Ibusa clan have a single Diokpa and ofor. In 1936, the Ibusa-Ogboli union was threatened owing to a dispute as both settlements threatened to suspend marriage, but this was soon resolved amicably as both groups have continued to live in oneness.
Greetings in Ibusa are quite remarkable and usually follow a pattern of whether one is an indigene of any particular quarter or not. In Umuekea Quarter, for instance, while a native is greeted with "Omogwu", a woman being married in that quarter is exclusively greeted with "Oliofe." Familiarity is, therefore, necessary before salutation is paid in the native way of the town. The native kinds of greeting stand out the Igbuzo people and remind the people of their history and tradition.
Emeka Esogbue in his writings has advocated for more insightful research aimed at actually determining the particular Isu town in Igbo (southeast) that Umejei originated from. This, he argues will enable the people to ascertain their true kith and kin. Authorities of Igbo History and sometimes prominent sons and daughters of different Isu towns of the South-East have at one time or the other laid claims to several Isu communities as the place of origin of Prince Umejei, a co-founder of Ibusa. Prominent among these towns are Isu Awka in Anambra State, Isu Njaaba near Owerri in Imo State and probably Isu Anaocha in Anambra State.
For administrations and the purpose of determining the successor to the Obuzor throne as defined by the famous Supreme Court ruling on Diokpa vs Obuzor, the various Quarters of Ibusa are classified into three categories, thus:
Otu Odogwu-Umueze and Anyallabum Otu Uwolo-Ogboli, Umuagwu, Umuidinisagba and Umuodafe Otu Iyase-Umuehea, Ogbeowele, Umuezeagwu, and Umuekea.
The Supreme Court later classified these War Lords as a ruling house for the determination of the Obuzor of the town.
The Ibusa traditional life How the community people carried wars into Nnewi in defence of Isu and Nri people of the town considered their ancestral brothers and sisters until the coming of the British is well recorded by C. N. Ugochukwu. Igbuzo played a prominent role in Ekumeku War (1883–1914) an uprising directed against the British imperialism in Western Igboland and attempts by the Royal Niger Company to impose trade and taxation on the people. Ibusa was to play a very prominent role in prosecuting the wars in favour of Anioma and was the first of such Anioma towns to engage the British in the war in 1898. Fearing what befell the great Benin Empire in 1897, Igbuzo fiercely came all out to defend itself and other Anioma towns against the British Royal Niger Company forces commanded by Major Festing. Ibusa was subjugated after long-standing battles but the British forces sustained casualties this led to the emergence of "Ibusa" in the Dictionary of the British parliament as what punitive measures to mete to the town was for weeks debated in Britain.Anioma Essence Magazine, No. 1, Vol. 4, 2008.
After the battles, the British in admiration of the stoutness of the town established St. Thomas’ College, the first Higher Institution of Learning in Delta state in 1928, which made Ibusa an important educational centre from where missionary evangelism spread to other Anioma towns and communities and beyond. The establishment of St. Augustine's Catholic Church in 1898 by the French Missionaries was led by Father Cario Zappa.
Culture Before the advent of Christianity in Ibusa, the Ibusa practised Odinani but the people are now largely Christians, but adherents of traditional religion still exist. It is therefore not uncommon to find people placing a high priority on observation of traditions during the funerals of their loved ones etc. The Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim, the Celestial Church of Christ, Living Faith Church a.k.a. Winners Church, The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Christ Embassy, Ngozi Sabbath Mission, Deeper Life Bible Church, Christ Holy Church (Odozi Obodo), Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), The Apostolic Church are some of the numerous churches located in the town.
The people place high cultural value on the kola nut in discharging their traditional responsibilities. For instance, a visitor who rejects the acceptance of kola nut may have slighted his host. Kolanut is also used in observing traditional prayers and may be the first item used in welcoming guests at social gatherings before the commencement of discussions.
For many centuries, Oboshi, Atakpo, Oduche, and Asiama streams remained major sources of water to the people, but Oboshi and Atakpo stand out as streams venerated as deities. These two streams are venerated because of the powers with which they have protected not only the people but the whole town, according to the belief of the people. As a result, the people of Igbuzo as result forbid the eating of fish from the Oboshi River. The Chief Priest of Oboshi is “Ohene”, popularly called Ohene-Mmili. The last of the Ohene, Ohene Ezedi, died on 7 January 2009.
Ethnic identity Not a few Igbuzo indigene differ in the Igbo origin of the Igbuzo people. Recently, the Daily Sun newspaper in an interview series titled "Anioma cannot deny being Igbo. We will be irrelevant politically if we do" published on Wednesday, April 7, 2010, captured differing opinions of two political stalwarts from the community with regard to the issue of ethnic identity of the people of Igbuzo. Chief Mike Nduka Okwechime, the National President of Izu Anioma, had reportedly told a local publication: "We may speak a dialect of Igbo but we are not culturally and socially Igbos by Ohaneze's definition." In reaction Obi Modestus Nwaka, President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Delta State stated that "Our origin has never been in doubt before and after the civil war" while referring to the appointment of Anioma-born Amb. Ralph Uwechue's leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo.
The Ibusa festivals