The Origin of Dunukofia People by Chief Osondu Odionu
Submitted by admin on Thu, 05/27/2010 - 11:51
The Dunukofia People
The Dunukofia domain comprises the five patri
The Dunukofia territory occupies an area approximately
300 square ki
communities of Ukpo, Ifite-Dunu, Umunnachi, Umudioka and
Ukwulu, in order of seniority. They are the children of a
common ancestor Dunu who was the son of Okofia. Hence the
people have fron; time immemorial been known as Dunukofia
(a shortended from of Dunu-Okofia or Dunu-nwa-Okofia).
Dunukofia lies north to south-westwards along the Enugu
Onitsha old road, from kilometer 50 to kilometer 20 (measured
to Onitsha). It is bounded on the west by Ogbunike, Umunya
and Awkuzu (Oyi Local Government Area, with Abba
(Njikoka Local Government Area) incepting in the mid-west of
the Dunukofia clan and encircled on the south by Ifite-Dunu
and east to north-westward by Ukpo and Ukwulu, and by
Awkuzu (Oyi) on the west, the Abba community being oddly
placed under Njikoka Local Government administration with
headquarters at Abagana, without a corridor to the area. The
Dunukofia clan further borders on the south-east with Ogidi,
Eziowelle (Idem iIi-North Local Government Area) and
Abagana (Njikoka) on the north-west to north-east, and with
Awkuzu (Oyi), Igbariam (Anambra-east), Achalla, Isu
Anaocha, Urum (Awka-North) and Enugwu-Agidi (Njikoka)
on the north-west to the north direction. lometers, with a total human population of some
150,000 and a population density of 500 persons per square
kilometer. Along the south-eastern tip, the Mkpukpa and the
Ngene streams demarcate the Umunnachi section of Dunukofia
from the Adagbe-Abagana for a distance. At Ukpo-Mmili in
l
Ogba-Ogbunike into the Niger.
Some oral tradition traces the n
fite-Dunu, the Nwofufe stream said to be mother and source of
the Nkisi River courses its way south-west to join the Oka
spring at Nkwelle- Umunnachi and the Mkpukpa waterfalls at
Umudioka before flowing into the mainstream Nkisi through ine communities of
Agukwu-Nri, Dunukofia, Enugwu
Agu Nri."
Back to Dunukofia
-Ukwu, Nimo, Eziowelle,
Umudunu-Abagana, Abacha, Oraukwu and aboriginal sections
of Abatete as having a common aboriginal ancestor, known as
Agwo-Olila (so-called by virtue of his sleek snake-like
movements in the thick forests) with Nri as undisputed senior,
followed by Okofia. The mother of Agwo-Olilia was a woman
of extra-ordinary prowess, called Owelle. The kingship title of
Owelle chosen by the kings or Igwes of Nimo and Eziowelle,
and as chieftaincy title by Ifite-Dunu and the others is said to
be a tribute to this legendary mother of mothers. And the
presence of Owelle-ani and Umudunu kindreds in Nsukwu
Abatete for example is a vocal pointer to a cognate
relationship. It is also significant that the aboriginal name of
Oraukwu was "Ifite Egbe na Dunu" alternating with "Orokwu , Dunu the son of Okofia was cast
for greatness, he had his ancestral home,
obi, at Obi-Dunu
close to the Oka rivulet at Ukpo-mmili in lfite-Dunu, which he
inherited from his father Okofia by right of succession. Dunu is
said to have married two wives called Obunma and Ayolo.
Obunma was the senior of the two wives. Obunma was the
mother of Ukpo, lfite-Dunu and Ukwulu, while Ayolo was the
mother of Umunnachi and Umudioka. Their order of seniority
is Ukpo, lfite, Umunnachi, Umudioka and Ukwulu. Obunma
and Ayolo are said to have been married from a lineage in
Agukwu-Nri and Adama, respectively, in an age of incestuous
