Amaba is a community under Isuikwuato local government. Isuikwuato is a local government area in Abia State in southeastern Nigeria. The name Isu-Ikwu-Ato translates from Igbo as 'three Isu families or lineage' and refers to the three lineages that made up Isuikwuato.
Brief History of Amaba
Amaba can be traced from the history of Isuikwuato. The founding fathers of Isuikwuato began from Ojim to Okaka to Obiagwu.
Obiangwu had 3 sons = Enyi, Awu and Ogudu (present day Enyi, Isuamawu and Oguduasa) in order of seniority. While Enyi and Ogudu are from the same mother, Awu was the only son of a different mother.
Awu had 8 sons (Isiyi, Aba, Asua, Obialaugo, Ojim,Ebe,Uta and Mkpa). The settlement area of Awu’s offsprings is Isuamawu (Ama Awu).
In Igbo land, Ama, Umu, Ali, Ndi all indicate the offspring of an individual and their settlement locations. Thus Isuamawu is made up of 8 towns in order of seniority = Isiyi, Amaba, Umuasua, Umuobiala, Eluama, Amaebe, Amuta and Otamkpa.
Aba one of the 8 sons of Awu had 4 sons = Abiri, Okwaraugo,Inyim, Okwo(present day Abiri, Umuokwaraugo, Amainyim, Amaokwo) in order of seniority. Dike the first son of Abiri inherited his father’s homestead (Obi) including the OFO regarded as the symbol of authority both spiritually and physically.
These four sons of Aba later formed became the 4 kindred families comprising the following
Abiri = Alia Dike, Elugwunta and Umukuru
Umuokwaraugo = Amangwu, Amaegbu, Amaikonkwu, Umuokezie, Ugwuagbala and Ndi Otogu.
Amainyim = Amainyim uhu and Amainyim Ohia
Amaokwo = Umuamoko, Umuogwara and Umuzi.
The people of Amaba first settled in Abiri and later some moved to settlement locations at Amaokwo, Amaegbu, Ohoro and Ndiohia. Thus in these settlement locations are found members of the 4 kindred families as follows
It is in this generation that Abiri Alia Dike and Amaegbu integrated and formed Amaokwo settlement area.
With the location of Isuikwuato local government headquarters, Nigeria railway, General hospital etc, Amaba became cosmopolitan. It attracted workers from Isuikwauto and beyond. Two settlement areas developed to accommodate these workers at the Quarry Amaba and Uzorie Mbalano.