Nru Nsukka

Common family names taken by Nrunians

In Nru Nsukka, these names are commonly used as you can see hundreds of families answering any of the names as surnames and each of them easily tells which part of the town the bearer hails from:

1. Agbo
2. Aleke(people from Umuoyo Nru)
3. Attah
4. Attamah
5. Agboeze(people from Umuoyo Nru)
6. Amoke
7. Atugwu(people from Iheagu, Nigeria and Ezema Nru)
8. Arumah
9. Asadu(common to all)
10. Asogwa
11. Eze
12. Ezema
13. Ezugwu(common to all)
14. Ezea
15. Egwu(common to Ezema Nru)
16. Ikah (common to Ogbagu village in Iheagu, Nigeria)
17. Ishiwu
18. Iyoke(common to Umuoyo Nru)
19. Ngwoke(common to all)
20. Okoro(people from Umuoyo Nru, Iheagu, Nigeria and Ezema Nru example Fidelis Okoro)
21. Ogbu
22. Oji(common to the Amoka village in Umuoyo Nru)
23. Omeje
24. Onah
25. Onogwu
26. Onyishi (common to all)
27. Oriko(commonly used by Amorah village in Ezema Nru)
28. Ossai(common to Amori village in Edem Nru)
29. Otti
30. Ozioko
31. Ugwu
32. Ugwuanyi
33. Ugwuaku(people from Iheagu, Nigeria)
34. Ugwuaruah(common to the people of Ezema Nru)
35. Ugwuoti(common to people from Iheagu, Nigeria)
36. Ugwuowo
37. Ukwueze(very common to Amaigboelu village in Umuoyo Nru)
38. Ugwoke

These names are the most commonly used surnames by the Nrunians. However, some of the names are still used by some other Nsukka indigenes depending on ones origin/ancestral origin.

Notable places/must visit places in Nru

1. Ncheke
2. Nru Junction an entrance gate to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka
3. Ikpa Market well known commodity market in Nsukka town
4. Otobogidi
5. Iyi-ataba
6. Ugwu Ezema
7. Ugwu arua na ato/Ugwu Amori
8. Orie-Nru
9. Umuedogbanyi the oldest village in Nru Nsukka.

Marriage

Marrying from Nru Nsukka is quite fun and the Nrunians believe that their daughters are not being sold rather they are being given out for the sake of procreation.Note: In Nru, no marriage dealings be it first/second/third stage is done on eke market day.

PROCEDURES FOR CONTRACTING MARRIAGES IN Nru are as follows

There are basically three stages of contracting marriages in Nru Nsukka

The family of the man proposing marriage visits the family of the would-be wife with 4 balls of Igbo kola nut(oji) and two gallons of up-wine(palm wine). This is the first inquiry stage. The purpose is to find out if the intending wife is already engaged or not. The answer to this first enquiry visit would be given within eight native days(two weeks in Igbo calendar. If the answer is No, that's the lady in question is not engaged yet, then, a second enquiry visit would be undertaken.

At this stage the eldest man in clans( nwaokpara umunna) of the two families especially that of the suitor must have been informed. Then the family of the man proposing marriage will visit the family of the would-be wife with four balls of kola nut, 2 or more gallons of up-wine and N2,000. This is the stage when the family of the would-be bride goes out to find out facts about the person and family background of the intending suitor. In Nsukka, this stage is called “Igba Affa” (investigatory processes on the family's background) if the facts and character/ background of the man proposing marriage as well as his family are positively confirmed, then the confirmation will be communicated accordingly through a mediator/go-between to the family of the proposed suitor(the mediator is called ahuta). At this stage, the Onyishi of the two villages involved can be informed over the next line of action.

After a confirmation that there is no established impediment to the proposed marriage, both families will agree on a date that the payment of the Bride price (ido-ego as pronounced in Igbo language) and “wine carrying” will take place. On that choosing date the family, friends and well-wishers of the intending groom will visit the family of the intending bride with kola nuts, assorted drinks, food, cultural dancing group. A day of merriment indeed. A day of official pronouncement of the consumption of the marriage between Mr A and Miss B, as Miss ‘B’ is given a glass of up-wine to give to her intending suitor. Finally, the father of the bride invites her daughter and hands her over to the father of the groom through a “Go-between”(ahuta). After the official hand-over of the bride to the father of the groom, the marriage is fully consummated.

Hospitals in Nru

1. Good Shepherd hospital. This is a private hospital owned by Dr. Uzor. The hospital is situated behind Fen park hotels Ugwu-Nkwo.
2. Nsukka Medical Center, Ugwu-Nkwo, Nru Nsukka. This is owned by Dr. Oguonu.
3. General Hospital. This is located at the boundary between Nru Nsukka and Ede-Oballa.
4. Various other health facilities such as maternity homes are in place too.

Hotels/Lodgings in Nru

Though few in number but these lodges are well known facilities in Nsukka.

1. Millipat Hotels Nsukka located in Nru Nsukka.
2. Vic Gwill Gardens located in Nru too opposite Former Boys secondary school, Nru.
3. Fen Park Hotels located at Ugwu-Nkwo.

Sub-communities/villages

Nru Nsukka is made up of 4 sub communities which are traditionally referred to as being three in number. Thus the name-Nru n'ato. The sub communities arranged in order of age/seniority are: Iheagu,Nru Nsukka,Enugu State (that's Iheagu, Nru), Ezema Nru, Edem Nru and Umuoyo Nru. Each of these sub-communities has a minimum of ten villages each.

Each of the villages are headed by Onyishi and some other bodies instituted by the villagers. The Onyishi must be the oldest man in the village. The position is never campaigned for nor contested for. Once the present Onyishi is dead, any other male following him by age takes over.

Royal home

Nru has its own traditional ruler installed not long ago Following the declaration of Nru autonomous by the Enugu state government. The present and pioneer traditional ruler of Nru is HRH Igwe Sylvanus Arumah(Eze udo 1 of Nru) as the Igbo culture and Nsukka's own stand, he works with cabinet members. Palace cabinets are predominantly picked from the sub-communities which made up Nru either by elections or nominations within the villages involved.

Occupations

The major occupation in Nru is farming. The area is also dominated by artisans who engage in various forms of handiworks such are blacksmithing Amorah in Ezema Nru, building works. On area of farming, the people of Edem Nru and some part of Iheagu specialized in cattle rearing and sales. In addition, Nrunians do excel in other areas of endeavors such as businesses and academics since it's a taboo being idle there. For the moment, the community has produced just one professor Prof. Asadu Anija Charles Livinus by name.

Education

Some of the schools in Nru Nsukka Nsukka

1. Community secondary school, Nru (former Boys secondary school, Nru)
2. Central Primary School, Nru/Ncheke
3. Hillview Primary School, Edem Nru
4. Union primary school (Eke-agu)Iheagu Nru
5. Evangel Primary School, Otobogidi
6. All Saints secondary school, Nru
7. Holy Redeemer Catholic schools Nru
8. Amicus primary school, Nru
9. Royal Crown Academy Nsukka
10. Modern secondary school, Nsukka
11. City comprehensive school Nsukka.

Presently, Nru has just one government-owned secondary school.

Heads/organizations

Vital bodies in Nru are:Nru Town Union, Igwe and his cabinet, Akpuruarua Nru and Nru Youths. Nru Town Union was formerly known and addressed as "'Nru Development Union"'. This body was established in Nru over three decades of years now. Nru Town Union determines and directs most of the day-to-day affairs going on in Nru. In fact, it remains a body to associate with if one intends reaching our to the entire community. Nru Town Union presently is headed by Chief Simon Agboeze. Simon Agboeze is from Umuoyo Nru. The body is made up of representatives from over 50villages that made up Nru Nsukka and some other representatives from the title holders.

Igwe and his cabinet is the second body to reckon with while in Nru. Igwe being the traditional ruler of Nru Nsukka has his cabinet selected from all the four sub-communities that formed Nru Nsukka. The royal chamber works in hand with the Nru Town Union and takes instruction from the body at rare cases. Presently as earlier stated, HRH Sylvanus Arumah is the traditional ruler of Nru Nsukka.

The Akpuaruas is the third body in Nru. This body, mostly made up of the eldest, contributes much in decision making with regards to Nru Nsukka and Nsukka in general. No body in Nru exists without carrying them along. The Akpuruarua is composed of all the Onyishi (village heads in Nsukka culture are called Onyishi meaning the head. Onyishi must be the oldest man among his people) and the "'Oha'" (title holders).

"'Nru Youths Association"' is the fourth body to encounter while in Nru. Though the body has representatives from all the villages in Nru, it is yet to perform up to the expectations of the "'Nrunians"' The body's executives were accused of some gross misconducts two years ago and the matter is still pending. Many Nrunians attribute the weakness of this group to the fact that it was formed by the "'Nru Town Union"', it must take instructions from them.

Social network

Nru Nsukka has a Facebook handle tagged "'Nru Autonomous Community, Nsukka"'.