HISTORICAL ORIGIN OF ISUOKOMA - ISU, EBONYI STATE (written by Comrade Jeremiah Okorie). Isuokoma - also referred to as Isu - is a clan in Onicha LGA, Ebonyi State, southeastern Nigeria, and the headquarters of Onicha LGA. The community shares boundaries with Nara Unateze in Enugu State, Ishielu LGA, and Uburu in Ohaozara LGA. Isu is one of the agrarian communities that produce rice, cassava, yam, palm oil and other produce in relatively commercial quantities, and is home to the Federal College of Education (Technical), Isu.
The community is predominantly made up of seven component villages: Agbabor, Isuachara, Mgbanaeze, Amanator, Umuniko, Mgbanaukwu and Obeagu. HISTORICAL ORIGIN: According to oral narratives by elderly people across the community, Isu is believed to have been founded by Ezentumoke Ugota - a brave hunter who went on a hunting expedition to present-day Isuokoma with his younger brother Adu from ISUIKWUATO in present-day Abia State.
After a stint at present-day Oshiri, they migrated farther and settled at two big Agba trees (Agbaebo). His brother Adu moved on to present-day Uburu (Ebe-Uru), believing he caught better game there - hence the name EBE URU (favorable spot). Ezentumoke returned to Isuiwuato to bring his pregnant wife UGBANEZE; on their way back they rested at bamboo trees (Ukwuachara) in present-day Isuachara, and later moved on to Agbaebor, where his wife delivered her first baby boy - named after the two trees that sheltered them (AGBAEBOR); his second child was named after Isuachara, and subsequent children after the other villages.
The name Isuokoma was derived from Isuikwuato in Abia State, the native home of Ezentumoke. For administrative convenience, Isuokoma was later divided into two autonomous communities - Isu autonomous and Anioma autonomous - each with its own traditional rulers; unfortunately, the current traditional ruler of Isu autonomous, HRH Chief Ambrose Okorie Ogbu (JP), the Ezentum II, has been missing after an alleged abduction, leaving the royal stool vacant for years.
ISUOKOMA TRADITION/CULTURE: Isu people abhor incest, murder, witchcraft and other social vices; there are ponds, streams, lakes and spring waters; traditional musical/dance groups include Ikpa, Ubo, Abiaji, Okekwe, Ode, Okanga, Odabara, Ogene and the Odenigbo acrobatic troupe; traditional titles include Ozo, Ogbuefi, Ofiainyinya, Oshiahu, Onyibe and Okaji. Local foods include eecha, abacha, ekidi, utara egburu, ede, nwiwina, nwimiriti and nvona (soups: achi, okobo, opoto, akparata, ukpo, ekpiri, uturukpa, uchakuru, ewa); traditional ceremonies include the New Yam festival, oku afa, afia unwu, iri ani/aju, igu ogbo, ohunuji, ngbanwata and ichi ozo.
Marriage requirements are relatively cheap - a budget of N200,000 can cover the items on the marriage list. Isuokoma people are predominantly Christians, peace-loving, hospitable and friendly; Nkwoagu Isu is the major market. (CAVEAT - this account is a product of research and aggregation of the perspectives of aged people in Isu, and is not exhaustive.)
