THE MIGRATION AND MAKING OF ANCIENT UMUERI

The Bible account of Israelites’s post exodus migration from Egypt confirms that the Eri clan and other Gadites settled on the Eastern part of Jordan. It was also pertinent to note that the Bible book of Numbers Chapter 26: 15-17 counted the Eri clan specifically among those who migrated out of the land of Egypt:

“The descendants of Gad by their clans were:

through Zephon, the Zephonite clan;

through Haggi, the Haggite clan;

through Shuni, the Shunite clan;

through Ozni, the Oznite clan;

through Eri, the Erite clan;

through Arodi,[a] the Arodite clan;

through Areli, the Arelite clan.”

The above narration validates the argument that Eri and the rest brought to Egypt were all dead and had become ancestors at the time of the post Exodus census in Israel. Along with the Reubenites, Manasseh, the Eri clan, and other Gadites took over the Eastern Jordan as a dwelling. It’s also pertinent to note that Gadites and Reubenites were amongst the lost tribes of Israelites. Historically, Erites and other Gadites were great herdsmen – they had many cattle. They provided the bulk of warriors that uprooted the Amorites (from East Jordan) and Canaanites from the promised land. 

Recalled that the book of Numbers Chapter 32 narrated how the elders of Reubenites and Gadites requested Moses to give them the land of East Jordan because it was suitable for pastures and grazing. But Moses, all too familiar with Israel’s past rebellions, was angered — and rightfully so. After all, battles were still ongoing in the Promised Land, across the Jordan. Moses was concerned that their actions would discourage the other tribes if they bailed out now. And refusal to enter the Promised Land was the sin for which God had first punished Israel. Moses asked them, “Do you want to go through 40 more years in the wilderness?… Your fathers, who spied out on the Promised Land, returned and discouraged everyone, causing about three million people to die in the wilderness. Do you want to do the same thing?”. “You are doing the same thing your fathers did, and you too will bring the wrath of God on us,” Moses told them.

The Reubenites and Gadites reassured Moses that they would fight alongside the other tribes to subdue the inhabitants of the land of Canaan. But they requested beforehand that they be allowed to construct settlements for their children and cattle on the east side of the Jordan River. They explained that the men of the fighting age would leave them there, as they helped secure the land across the Jordan for all the rest of Israel. They would only return after they had completed the conquest of Canaan, and everyone had received his inheritance (Numbers 18-22).

Moses agreed this would be acceptable if they didn’t back out of the agreement (Numbers 23). The above was how the Eri clan and the other Gadites inherited the land east of Jordan. Having flushed out the Canaanites, they retained the same land because of its fertile nature. Many families in the clan migrated out of the land, being nomadic children of herdsmen due to many factors.

The nomadic feature continues to be an inherent feature of the clan of Eri, which would later infiltrate into the Anambra Valley of today Nigeria. In Anambra Valley, they were variously referred to as Heebos, Ebos, Ibos, and Igbos. Nevertheless, a school of thought believes the tribe of Gad and others that exited suffered constant raids on the East Jordan by the enemies of Israel. Many analysts see the continuous attacks as a curse for the Gadites for requesting settlement ahead of others without waiting for Moses to hear from God. 

Nevertheless, the descendant of Eri was amongst those that lost their way out of the Eastern Jordan. They migrated from the East Jordan towards the Mediterranean Sea. They later crossed back to Egypt, from there to Ethiopia, then to Southern Sudan, from where they sailed through the rivers and finally found themselves in Omambala, where they settled. While en route to the newfound land, they intermingled with many tribes and came across various cultures before settling in Omambala. They named the new land, Umueri (Children of Eri), in memory of their ancestor, Eri, the progenitor of the Eri clan of Israel. 

At the new settlement, the culture of Hebrew worshiping, circumcision, burial and other customs remained visibly the same with some modifications. However, they resisted the urge to enthrone kingship cultures they saw on their journey. They insisted on the egalitarian community in their land in East Jordan, since they left during the pre-kingship era, when the Israelites had no kingship culture. 

Dabawu and his co-travelers took possession of the vast land at the bank of Omambala River. They made a settlement in the hilly top of the town, nicknamed it “Ugwuome,” later called “Ugwume Umueri.” As the population increased, some settlers went down the valley (Adegbe) to live. At that historical time, Omambala was so vast and massive that it stretched all over the modern-day Aguleri and part of Ikenga Umueri. Umueri oral tradition confirms that Dabawu used his mystical power to shrink the River into its present size and location. The elders acknowledged that during the Dabawu festival, the priest usually refreshes the people’s minds on the miracles he performed. And how he miraculously reduced the River’s size and pushed it to where it is now. The settlers named a portion of the land thrown up as “Agu-Eri” (Agu UmuEri), where they farmed. They also established ferry ports on both sides of the bank, where they fished before the migration of other new groups, with whom they would live side by side.

The following are the genealogy formation of the ancient Umueri community. One striking feature of the names of these early settlers is that most of them are Hebraic or Jewish. For that reason, most scholars had no choice but to accept that the Ancient Umueri clan’s ancestors were amongst Israel’s lost children. 

1. Eri – The name of the migrants’ progenitor. The name suggests they are all descendants of Eri. The migrants – the descendants of Eri, named the community they founded at Omambala “Umueri” – implying descendants of Eri. In his memory, they also named notable landmarks, such as Eri-aka, AguEri, Iyi-Eri, AdaEri, etc., after him.
2. Dabawu (Dabar). He settles at the present Ugume in Ikenga Umueri. There are various opinions about his true origin. Some argued he was of Eri lineage. Others claimed he was a Levites priest assigned to be with the Eri clan during their days in the wilderness. While research is ongoing to unravel this, there is no doubt that the mystic power that he and his siblings, including Menri, possess suggests they are Levites. His descendants are founders of all villages in Ugume Umueri, some parts of Igboezunu Aguleri, Amanuke, and Achalla. Some of his descendants founded Ogwume Kwale, and others are in Igbanke, Edo State and Ishan.
3. Menri (Known as Nri): Menri, also called Nri-aka, was said to be an immediate younger brother to Dabawu. Umueri oral tradition states that Menri took over the leadership of Umueri’s ancient town at the demise of Dabawu. The burial sites of the two are still visible today in Ugume Umueri. His family dwelt in Nri-aka Ugume Umueri. The descendants migrated out of the land and founded the Umunri clans. The clan comprises Enugwu Ukwu, Enugwu Agidi, Nawfia, and Agukwu, and extensions to all Nri-affiliated villages in Igboland, including Oraeri, Agbaja, Nnewi, Ogwashiukwu, Agbor, and others.
4. Dian (Diana)- Was said to be of the same family as Dabawu and Menri. The last son of the family, presumably from another mother. He is the founder of Umudiana village of Umueri and other Umudiana villages in Igboland. Along with Dabawu and Menri, they are the Levites assigned to live amongst the Eri clan. Some of his descendants were the early founders of Achalla and Akampisi in today’s Agukwu Nri. Others are in Adazi, Isuofia and Akweze.
5. Riam (also known as Nriamu): Was amongst the progenitors of the ancient Umueri clan. Unlike Menri and Dabawu, who are the spiritual leaders, Nriamu was the war leader of the group. He was said to have dwelt briefly at the famous Ovia Nriamu Nneyi Umueri, before settling at the present Umuriamu Umueri. Some of his children founded some villages in Umunchiezi Umueri, particularly the Mgbago and Umurianu clans of Umunchiezie village. Other traces are in Aguleri, where we have the Umunnoke Aguleri, whose founders were migrants from Mgbago Umueri. Their remnants are amongst the early settlers of today, Nando, Igbariam, and some other communities of Awka North LGA of Anambra State
6. Nveke (Eke)- He was another warrior in the midst. He was amongst the progenitors of the Eri family, who migrated to Omambala alongside other children of Eri. He founded a settlement at the Valley (Adegbe) of Omambala. His offspring founded the various villages in Adegbe Umueri and other parts of Igbo Adegbe. According to oral tradition, he once revolted against the leadership of the Dabawu/Menri family by taking over the leadership. Though oral tradition says, Eke rescued the community during a great plague in the land. According to the story, people were dying in numbers, and settlers made a charm and wanted someone to offer a human blood sacrifice. The “Levites” refused to associate with such a ritual. They made a covenant that whoever provided the blood would become their leader. However, Eke accepted and delivered one of his sons as a sacrifice to prevent further plague. Yet, the others failed to follow up on their promises, forcing him to assert the authority by force. Nevertheless, the headship will later slip away from the hands of his descendants. Some of his descendants outside Umueri are in Umunya, Ukwulu, and other Igbo-Adegbe communities of Igboland.
7. Nudu (Idu), also called Idu, was among the children of Eri who settled in Omambala valley. He was said to be a polygamist who left Omambala with some of his family members and settled at present Ida in Kogi state. At Ida, he founded a mini kingdom called Idu (now mispronounced Ida). Some of the descendants he left in Omambala co-founded Igbariam, along with the descendants of Nriamu, who are called Nudu people. On his way to Ida, some of his families established most of the Olu-Igbo communities littered around the bank of Omambala to the Ibiaji area of Kogi state. The Idu or Iduu kingdom, now extinct, was named after their progenitor Idu, who founded the place. They were the original settlers in Ida, whom the Jukuns from Wukari conquered to impose the Igala kingdom. Some of their descendants, whom the Wukari warriors chased out of Ida, formed some of the Olu communities.
8. Gbogu, also called Gboluogu, were also part of those who settled in Ugume Umueri. As the population increased, he and his family migrated to Agu Eneneanya and Agu Oda in Today Ivite Umueri. He was the progenitor of Ivite Umueri Villages. Some of his descendants are the Ire People, in various places in the following towns of Abba, Obosi, Ogidi, and Umuoji. Some descendants of Gbogu, who dwelt in Umuatuolu Umueri, migrated to Enugu Ukwu, where they established a sub-village named Umuatuolu.
9. Nnameyi (Nneyi): Nnamenyi was said to be the last son of the Eri family that settled in Anambra Valley. He lived in the present Mmanoma in Nneyi Umueri. His children founded the Ezi Clan of Umueri, Ogbunike, and Awkuzu. Many years later, his descendants were the original aborigines of Ossomari Ogbaru, the Ozeh Nkwelle and the aborigine Onitsha, whom Ezechima conquered to establish Onitsha.
10. Okpu (the only daughter): She was married to itinerate Awka blacksmith, with whom she had many children. She quarreled with her husband and decided to stay in her family land. Some of her children returned to Awka with her husband (Awka Blacksmith). On their way to Awka, they stop to establish Okpuno Awka, which means the Okpu and Awka children who live at home. The children left with Okpu lived alongside the children of Eri’s male offspring. The descendants occupied Eri’s vast farmland known as Agu-Eri. Today, they are known as Okpu village in Aguleri.

Culled from the book: “A History of Umueri Town: The Historical Nexus of Igbo Origin” by Buchi Diboh