THE AGABA AND IDU FUSED BY NGBUM TRIBE OF BENUE VALLEY
By Oyi k Ugboju
The journey of Ngbum people from ancestral Apa and commoner lineages from Idah took over 200 year to be completed, but they were diversified by totems later by districts.
There was no central government, three districts were ceded across Omada river one ruled by the Osana while the other ruled by Andoma, the remaining become Ajiri and Eloyi, all these across the river Omada lost their ties from the main body.
In about 120th year later the Oyibo people colonised those south of river Omada as IDOMA, while those that moved to the city of Okpoma as Yala, while those migrated to Ette land become part of Ette the main body formed 22 districts with 3 districts from Ora Agba, one from Uffia and one from Akweya.
In the third year of Ata Atabo Ijomi king of Idah was when Enyi Ekpo the Ots’Apa of Igwumale becomes the Och’Ojila of Ngbum, He ruled for fourteen years, the become partially united as confederation, after him ruled 4 others the last was Elaigwu Awa the Idoga of Ojope passed away in the 5th reignal year of Idu the Obande of Owuna bird district
Then the kingdom has no king to rule them instead each districts maintained their Oche’Ajes.
In the second year of Agbuman IV Atoshi the Aku Uka of Wukari was when the Alegwu of black monkey totem become the first king of the kingdom, the people were not yet enlightened to constitute a generic festival, all ritual rites was done in black monkey district, he reigned for 13 years and joined his ancestors, and the chief from Ora Agba reigned in his stead.
In the fourth year of Aliyu Obaje Ocheje, the king of Igala country was when the Chief of Ito among the Ora Agba people become the second king of Ngbum kingdom, all effort by the red monkey elites to disrupt his coronation failed. In the 28th year of his reign over Ngbum kingdom, he constituted a festival called “NGBUM DAY” with beautifully lunched red and black attires. Dignitaries from all neighbouring countries were in attendance, it was a great festival.
In the 29th year of his reign there was dispute among the organisers, and the original organiser gave it up for someone from red monkey group, the festival diminished, and in his 30th reign it collapsed.
He reigned for 35 years and he joined his ancestors and the third chief from Uffia reigned in his stead.
In the 40th year of Aliyu Obaje Ocheje the king of Igala country reigned the third king of Ngbum kingdom, He is from Uffia Eje kwuwo district, he joined his ancestors shortly and the fourth king from Ai Odo royal house reigned in his stead.
This fourth king tried to revived the various spirit festival to generic one, but was partially successful, He then encouraged various districts with this festival to hit their Apogees but since is separately, the Ora Agba people constituted the Agba festival unitarily which become too colourful and now gaining universal recognition whereas the main Ngbum kingdom couldn’t come together to constitute a festival.
With time the Agba festival become very strong and beautifully cultural to behold.
The fourth king reigned for 25 years and joined his ancestor and the fifth king from crocodile totem ruled in his stead.
In the 14th year of Raman Ado Ibrahim the Ohinoyi of Egbira kingdom reigned the fifth king of Ngbum kingdom.
The king introduced prayer house yearly prayers instead of instituting the spirit festival which is not in concordance with the people’s original traditions, though before his time, high percentage of the people has lost the cultural affinities, there was no way to showcase Christian prayer house to surrounding countries to attend.
In the third reignal year, the conferment of Chieftaincy title was banned, but is part of the Agba festival which has generated into conflicts among many ignorant people.
The sub king of Ora Agba only followed their cultural trend, if the Ngbum people can’t form a unitary traditional festival, they should allow those ready for it, after all the Ora Agba are never part of Ngbum by origin, migration and language and that mentality of seeing them as one should have been abolished for long.