Ohafia
Ohafia is a town in the Ohafia local government area (LGA) in Abia State, Nigeria. It is an Igbo speaking region. The ancestral capital of Ohafia town is the centrally located village of Elu. Ohafia Local Government Area, is an administrative jurisdiction assigned by the Nigeria Government, which covers the entire Ohafia villages and other clans such as Abiriba and Nkporo, with its Administrative Headquarters at Ebem Ohafia.[1]
Ohafia | |
---|---|
LGA and Town | |
![]() ![]() Ohafia Location in Nigeria | |
Coordinates: 5°37′N 7°50′E | |
Country | ![]() |
State | Abia State |
Population | |
• Ethnicities | Igbo |
Time zone | UTC+1 (WAT) |
Postcode | 442 |
![](../I/m/Ohafia_War_dance.jpg)
The ancestors of the Ohafia people were renowned as mighty warriors.[1] This aspect of the Ohafia peoples' history remains fundamental to the Ohafia people's sense of identity. The knitted warrior's cap or "leopard cap" (Igbo: Okpu agu)[1] is well known and is an associated product of Ohafia. The Ohafia warrior tradition is embodied in the performance of iri agha.[1]
Ohafia is home to the third largest military base in Nigeria, named Goodluck Jonathan Barracks. It houses the headquarters of the newly established 14 Brigade and 145 Battalion office complex.
Ohafia encompasses twenty-six villages with population strength ranging between 800,000 and 916,000 as of 2014. And it is at a distance of 50.1km away from the Capital city Umuahia in Abia State. The villages in Ohafia are Elu, Ibina (Ihenta), Nde Okala, Nde Anyaorie, Amuma, Amaekpu, Ebem, Nde Amogu, Okagwe, Nde Uduma Ukwu, Oboro, Nde Nku, Nkwebi, Amuke, Asaga, Ndi Uduma Awoke, Amankwu, Nde Ibe, Nde Orieke, Okon-aku, Amangwu, Ufiele, Exiafor, Abia, Akanu, Isiugwu.
Notable people
- Ogere Imo , former army officer who served in both the Nigerian Army and Biafran Army
- Ogbugo Kalu, former army officer who served in both the Nigerian Army and Biafran Army
- Eni Njoku, first black vice chancellor of University of Lagos and University of Nigeria Nsukka. The pioneer professor of botany in Nigeria.
- Uche Jombo, Award-winning Nollywood actress
- Janet Ngozi Babarinde,
- Ruggedman, Afro-rap artiste
- J. Martins, Afro-pop artiste
- Ike Nwachukwu, military officer, former governor of old Imo state, diplomat and former senator
- Ebitu Ukiwe, military officer, former military governor of Lagos state and Niger State, former chief of general staff (de facto vice president) to General Babangida's military government
- Prof. Anya O. Anya, professor of zoology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka ; former chief executive officer, Nigeria Economic Summit Group Ltd.
- Amarachukwu Amicable Dennis, classical music artiste
- Kalu Idika Kalu is a former finance minister of Nigeria, minister of national planning and transportation minister. He served twice as the minister of finance.[3] He was a presidential aspirant in the 2003 Nigeria general elections, of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, under the platform of The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)
- Professor Jonathan Kalu Udonsi, Nigerian parasitologist, educator, researcher, consultant. Fellow Wellcome Trust, University of Nottingham, England, 1992–1993. Member Science Association of Nigeria, Nigeria Society Parasitology (secretary general 1984–1987), British Society for Parasitology.
- Chief Ojo Maduekwe, a former minister of culture and tourism (1999), minister of transportation (2000–2003), minister of foreign affairs (2007–2010 and national secretary to the People Democratic Party.
- Pastor Okey Okoro Udo, A renowned philanthropist, financial and management consultant, 2019 gubernatorial candidate of Abia state under Action Democratic Party.
- Chief Nsi Ukweni Nsi, A renowned Brewer who brewed drinks during the Nigeria/Biafra civil war. Former chief Brewer at the Nigeria Breweries Limited (NBL),(1968-1993). A Philanthropist who strongly believed in the girl-child education, farmer and entrepreneur.
References
- "A Brief Description of Ohafia". Archived from the original on 2009-04-29. Retrieved 2008-11-20.