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Okpofe

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Okpofe is an autonomous community located in Ezinihitte Mbaise LGA, Imo State, Nigeria with common boundaries with Itu, Ezeagbogu, Ihitte and Amumara autonomous communities.Okpofe is the very centre of Ezinihitte Mbaise Clan. It is the only town in Ezinihitte Mbaise that does not share a boundary with another local government area in Imo State. It is quite a unique town in Ezinihitte. Most of the general activities of Ezinihitte people hold in Okpofe due to its Central position. It is also on record that the Roman Catholic Church first established in Okpofe town in the whole of Ezinihitte Mbaise(by 2018, the town will be marking the centenary celebration of the existence of the Roman Catholic Church in Okpofe.) The Anglican Juniorate in Mbaise is located in Okpofe.

Contents

Map of Okpofe, Nigeria

Okpofe Town is a very peaceful community in Ezinihitte Mbaise. Its first traditional ruler was Late Eze Ewulonu Modestus C. Anyanka, an amiable, handsome young man who ascended the throne at the age of 42, born by an Umuimee daughter to an Okwu man. He joined his ancestors in 2005 after leading the town to an enviable height. Today, the traditional affairs of the town are under the care of His Royal Highness Eze Sir Reginald Jesse Chukwuma Aguwamba, a gentleman that is being described as "the man of the people" and whose uncle was the last warrant chief that also crowned the Late Eze Anyanka in the late 70's. Eze Reginald Aguwamba was born by an Umuimee man. (Take note of the importance of this village Umuimee in the history of Ezeship in Okpofe). A surveyor by profession, Eze Aguwamba retired voluntarily from the Owerri Capital Development Authority to serve his fatherland as the Eze Oha II. He has so far lead the community to an enviable position in the Oji Ezinihitte Festival that no other community in the clan has attained during the 2013 Oji Festival at Okpofe and the recently concluded one at Ezeagbogu. Within his first few months in office, some other developmental projects from the Imo State Government came into Okpofe. This is the sign of a good choice of traditional ruler!

The story of Okpofe cannot be complete any day without mention to Late Sydney Ngozi Njoku. He almost single handedly financed the building of Okpofe Secondary School, Okpofe Town Hall, The Okpofe Post Office. He undertook and concluded several human and structural developmental projects in Okpofe, Ezinihitte and Imo State at large. Singoz as he was popularly called died in 1983 at a very youthful age of 42 years.

Villages

Okpofe, which is broadly divided into two sections- Umuerim and Imoko, is made up of 12 villages namely:

  • Chukwuoma
  • Umuafoeze
  • Umuocha
  • Umumgbadi
  • Okwu
  • Okpuala
  • Umuoma
  • Umuimee
  • Umuotirikpo
  • Dimukwu
  • Umuke
  • Okwuaba
    • Note that this list is not in order of seniority. The first six villages belong to Imoko while the last six villages belong to Umuerim.

    MARKET

    Okpofe has a central market called Afo-Ekiri Market,which is located at the centre of the entire community.It is also called Ahia Afor because it holds on Afor days.The second market which is at Umuke village is called Nkwo-onyeokamma.It holds on Nkwo days.

    Churches

    The two largest churches in Okpofe are; Christ the King Catholic Church and St. Marks Anglican Church.There are also the Apostolic, Assemblies of God, Christ Chosen, Christ Faith, SDA,Cherubim and Seraphim,Christ Solution Ministry,etc.

    Schools

    Okpofe Community has a secondary school (Okpofe Secondary School), and an Anglican Juniorate (Mary Sumner Juniorate) three primary schools (Central School aka CKS, Community School, and Group School Okpofe), and a private Secondary School (Bro Fab)

    Other facilities

    Micro-finance bank, Okpofe town hall, health center, post office, etc. in Okpofe.

    Okpofe Improvement Union

    There is an Okpofe Improvement Union (OIU) in the community with branches in: Port Harcourt, Owerri, Aba, Enugu, Lagos, Onitsha, Warri, Calabar, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ibadan, Abuja, Kano, New York City and ODA USA. The OIU Home and Abroad has contributed to the development and improvement of the community.It is at the moment headed by Mr. Ralph Okeahialam Ntiajuka, a renowned chartered accountant of repute.

    The following are the Age Grades in Okpofe:
  • Chikwadoro Age Grade.
  • Ugochukwu Age Grade.
  • Igwebuike Age Grade.
  • Ndiekwoaba Age Grade.
  • Ezinwanne Age Grade.
  • Ogueri Age Grade.
  • Udo-Abia Age Grade.
  • Ahaoma Age grade
  • Akurulo Age Grade
  • Udokamma Age Grade

    • References

    Okpofe Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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