Edem

Edem
Edem
Location in the state of Enugu
Coordinates: 6°51′43″N 7°20′21″E / 6.86194°N 7.33917°E / 6.86194; 7.33917Coordinates: 6°51′43″N 7°20′21″E / 6.86194°N 7.33917°E / 6.86194; 7.33917
Country  Nigeria
State Enugu State
Population (2006 census)
 • Total 309,633
Time zone UTC+ 1 (WAT)
Post Code 410[1]
Area code(s) 042

Edem, Sometimes referred to as "Edem Ani" (in contradistinction from Edem Nru and Edem Iheakpu Awka) is an area in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. Today, it is made up of three autonomous communities/towns: Akpa-Edem, Ozi-Edem and Edem-Ani.[2]

Edem has an area of 50.492 km2 (19.495 sq mi) with several hills providing stunning views from multiple points. The population of Edem is 309,633 based on the National Population Commission census conducted in 2006, but more than half of this number live outside Edem.

Edem shares common borders with Obimo on the south, Nsukka on the east, Ibagwa Ani on the north, and Nrobo on the west. Towns along the border include Okpuje near Owa and Egu Amegu, Abbi near Egu Amegu Abbi, Ugwuoke Ugwuinyi near Egu Amegu, and Ero Uno near Edem-Ani.

The people of Edem are from the Igala ethnic group but currently, located in the South East of Nigeria since the division of the country into states and geopolitical zones. Due to their ancestry and proximity to Northern Nigeria, as well as their location in the northern part of Igboland, they are referred to as Northern Igbos.

Composition of Edem

Edem is made up of 38 villages:

Akpa-Edem Zone

  • Ama Oba
  • Amadimba
  • Amadimogo
  • Amankwa
  • Dimunazu
  • Igoro Agbo
  • Igoro Ugwu
  • Isamani
  • Nkawushi
  • Okiti
  • Owa-Edem
  • Uwenu Na Uwani Obeke

Ozi-Edem Zone

  • Ama Uwenu
  • Amabunegu
  • Amamkpume
  • Amaudo
  • Amaukpa
  • Amaukwa
  • Dimoke
  • Ikwe Ezike
  • Obinegun
  • Ukpara
  • Umueyi
  • Umuoji
  • Umuoko

Edem-Ani Zone

  • Amaenu-Edem
  • Amaezumesu
  • Amaogwu
  • Isu
  • Nkofi
  • Odojo
  • Ogbododu
  • Owere-Ugwu
  • Owereagbo
  • Ozara
  • Ubogidi
  • Umuchiagwu
  • Umuchioke
  • Uwani-Edem

Each of the villages is headed by an Onyishi according to their culture and traditions.

Life and Religion

Edem is known for having indigenes that live very long, frequently over 100 years. This may be attributed to the quality of life or other factors.[3]

Christianity is one of the main religions in Edem. Amongst all the denominations, the area is largely dominated by Catholics.[4] Regardless, almost all the major Christian denominations have a presence in Edem,[5] which is a change from Edem of old which was known to have priestesses and traditional worshippers.[6] Presently, the practice of idol worshipping is still common.[7]

Economy

The main economic activity in the kingdom is agriculture. The people practice shifting cultivation and crop rotation.

Cash crops: kolanuts, oil beans, breadfruit, black-eyed beans, brown beans, yams, cocoyams, cowpeas, maize, cotton, and groundnuts.

Fruits: citrus fruits (tangerines, lemons, limes, grapefruits, and oranges), cashews, avocado pears, guavas, pawpaws, pineapples, bananas, watermelons, mangoes, pears, African star apples, black apples, blue apples, showasho and irvingia(wild mangoes or bush mangoes).

Vegetables: light green amaranth, dark green amaranth, ahihara, waterleaves, bitterleaves, pumpkins, garden eggs, fluted pumpkins, okra, red chili peppers, yellow chili peppers, alligator peppers and black pepper.

Due to the rocky nature of certain parts of Edem, another significant economic activity is the small-scale manual production of stone for construction.

Tourism

Natural features that visitors can view include the Akatakata Waterfalls from Ugwu Ovo ("Ovo hill") down to Igoro Agbo, Okpu cave and stream in Nkawushi and a valley from Amaho down to Owa, all in Akpa-Edem.

Another major tourist attraction is the year-round hunting. The kingdom has large, thick forests where various types of wild animals can be hunted. These forests have some trees that are over a 100 years old.

Edem has a beneficial temperature throughout the year. The lowest temperature is 19 °C (66 °F) and the hottest is 33 °C (91 °F), whether in the rainy season or dry season.

Festivals

The five main festivals celebrated at different times of the year and, in some cases, on a zone-by-zone basis are as follows: Onunu Edem, Omabe Festival (celebrated in three stages: Uda Omabe, Ulo Omabe and Okiti Omabe), Egba Chukwu, Okputukputu Eze Edem and Edem Week.

References

  1. ↑ Nigerian Postal Service. "Postcode Map". Retrieved January 19, 2010.
  2. ↑ Edem Autonomous Communities http://www.ebeano.org/LocalGovernments.html
  3. ↑ Oldest Man in Nigeria http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2006/oct/25/national-25-10-2006-04.htm
  4. ↑ Catholic Church in Edem http://www.thecatholicchurchinnigeria.org/nsukka.htm
  5. ↑ Anglican Church in Edem http://www.anglican-nig.org/NigerP_nsukka.htm
  6. ↑ Adoro Priestess Nwando Achebe: Farmers, Traders, Warriors and Kings: Female Power and Authority in Northern Igboland, 1900-1960, 978-0-325-07079-7.
  7. ↑ Achebe, Nwando, 1970-: Igo Mma Ogo: The Adoro Goddess, Her Wives, and Challengers--Influences on the Reconstruction of Alor-Uno, Northern Igboland, 1890-1994, Journal of Women's History - Volume 14, Number 4, Winter 2003, pp. 83-105, E- ISSN 1527-2036 Print ISSN 1042-7961, doi:10.1353/jowh.2003.0001
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