Ezeoke Nsu is a village in Imo State, Nigeria. A hilly town thought to have evolved in the 16th century, the earliest record of its history was in 1869, when Christian missionaries first visited the town. Before then, legend however holds it that Ezeoke Nsu originated after Nsu shared his territory amongst his eight sons. Nsu actually married 2 wives. The first known as (Nwanyi-Ochie). Now (nwanyi-ochie) had difficulties in bearing a child. The new wife got pregnant with Aghahara, alas Nwanyi-ochie also got pregnant with Ezeoke months after. So The nine sons of Nsu were: Agbaghara, Anunu, Umunohu, Ezeala (Nsu-Ihitte) Ezeoke, Opara, Duru, Agu and Dimneze (Nsu-Ikpe).
Contents
Origin of Name
Ezeoke, the Second son, rose to be the most popular settlement due to the advent of Christianity which the people first embraced and its warrior-like instincts as they were the strongest and always defended the people in the wars.. Due to the settlement of the Christian missionaries in the village, Ezeoke became the political headquarters of the Nsu villages to the extent that the paramount ruler of the communities, called the Ebichi, had his throne in the village, thereby making Ezeoke the King over his elder brothers, This drew the anger of the neighbouring villages that they engaged in bitter wars in the late 19th century. But Ezeoke prospered.
Today, Ezeoke is well known and very popular in Imo state as a religious headquarters. The headquarters of the Anglican Diocese of Okigwe South is situated in the village. Ezeoke gained much prominence from the popular Central School Ezeoke, one of the first in the whole of Okigwe zone boasting of old pupils like the late Dr Samuel Onunaka Mbakwe, first Executive Governor of the old Imo State and a host of others. Also the popular Girls Secondary School Ezeoke Nsu with uncountable successful women all over the world.
Notable residents
Ezeoke people have spread across Nigeria and the world and are known as enterprising, resilient and gifted people. Today, there are large communities of Ezeoke people living in Germany, Holland, England and the United States. Some notable people from Ezeoke include:-
Ezeoke has equally produced a long line of eminent and suave young nobles, including the budding Abuja based Lawyer and public commentator Barrister Chukwuma Nwachukwu. Nigeria's promising young author, Onyeka Nwelue, set his first novel, The Abyssinian Boy, partly in the village, where he was born.
So much has really evolved from the ancient Ezeoke to date, changes from the separation of autonomous communities that was under the rule of the kingdom, presently Ezeoke and three other villages namely umuopara, umuduru and umudimeze are ruled by a common king under one autonomous community, his HRH EZE CHUKWUBUEZE IWUNZE.