Today, we would be taking a detailed view at life in Nnewi, a community in Anambra state, Nigeria.
Classed as the second largest community in the whole of the state, Nnewi is a large metropolitan city which encompasses two local government areas, Nnewi North and Nnewi South, with Nnewi North widely regarded as the central point of the community.
Otolo, Umudim, Uruagu and Nnewichi make up the autonomous towns in the community including Ichi, another town in the suburb of Nnewi.
Particularly notable is the community’s indulgence towards business as most of their indigenes make their means of living through business investments. The first indigenous car manufacturing company in Nigeria was situated in Nnewi while the first wholly made in-Nigeria motorcycle(NASENI M1) was manufactured in the community.
HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF NNEWI COMMUNITY
According to historical edifices and myths, the story had it that ewi, the igbo rat played a dominant role in safeguarding the lives of the early indigenes of Nnewi during war invasions by the neighboring territories. As such, it was strictly abolished to kill or eat the rodent. It has also been envisaged that Nnewi community existed as an independent kingdom from the 15th century to 1904, when British colonial administration held sway.
The community was founded on four quarters namely Otolo, Uruagu, Umudim, and Nnewichi. Each village was divided into family units called ‘umunna’. Each umunna had a first family known as the ‘obi’.
These four quarters were these original names of the Sons of Edo: Otolo being the eldest and Nnewichi being the youngest of the sons Obi of Nnewi.
Geographically, the community falls within the tropical rain forest region of Nigeria and even though it suffered from soil leaching and erosion which has reduced the soil quality in some areas to a porous sandy terrain, it remains an area of rich agricultural produce and the focal point of business trade. The city is located east of the
Niger River, and about 22 kilometers south east of Onitsha in Anambra State.
"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good: His love endures forever."
COMMUNITY CONDITION/MEANS OF EARNING
As had already been depicted, Nnewi is one of the major trading and manufacturing centers in Nigeria. Due to its high commercial activities, the community has attracted millions of migrants from other states and countries. Also, the fast-developing city is one of the notable industrial and commercial hub in Africa. The community experiences voluminous financial activities, therefore hosts major banks, and other financial institutions. Famous Industries and companies are dotted around the city and adjoining towns. Palm oil, cosmetics, motor and motorcycle spare parts, books, and stationery, textiles, electric cables, and so on are produced in commercial quantity in the community. Its main trading centers include Nkwo Nnewi market (the largest spare parts market in West Africa) and Nwafor market, Eke Amaobi market, Eke Ochie, Eke Ichi Market, Orie otube Market among others.
Some of their major manufacturing industries including Ibeto Group of Companies, Cutix and ADswitch, Uru Industries Ltd, Omata Holdings Ltd, Cento Group of Companies, Coscharis of Companies Group, Innoson Group of Companies , Ebunso Nig. Ltd, John White Industries, Ejiamatu Group of Companies, Chicason Group, Louis Carter Group, etc. The great majority of industrialists in the cluster of spare parts factories in Nnewi are also traders, and most of these traders are producing one or more of the products. They specialize in marketing as traders (usually motor vehicle parts), and most began by distributing their products through their pre-existing distribution networks. As a result, Nnewi is part of eastern Nigeria’s industrial axis. The town has thorough culturally grounded institutions that act as sophisticated networks expanded to include an international dimension through trading relations with exporters from Asia. Over the last decade, the community has experienced relatively rapid industrialization. In excess of 20 medium-to-large-scale industries have been established across a variety of sectors. Since 1970, Nnewi residents have controlled approximately 80 to 90 percent of the motor-parts trade in Nigeria. Nkwo Nnewi Market is the major import and wholesale point for motor spare parts in Nigeria. The industrialists of Nnewi are adapting foreign technology to local needs, providing employment to thousands, and making available goods and services which are relevant actual needs of the Nigerian citizenry. The first indigenous car manufacturing plant is located in the city, while the first wholly Made-in-Nigeria motorcycle was manufactured in Nnewi by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).
THEIR CULTURE AND LIFESTYLE
Nnewi, as a historical community, has many cultural events and places adorned with festivities and cultural monuments, including Edo Na Ezemewi shrine, Udoogwugwu shrine (Ichi), Kamanu shrine (Ichi), and many other shrines dotted across all sections of Nnewi city. Nnewi hosts many festivals, notably amongst them is the New yam festival (Afiolu, also known as Ifejioku festival) which all parts of the city participates and masquerades from all connecting towns participates in. The festival attracts all sorts of activities and celebrations which Nnewi residents hold in the highest esteem. In the average home of any Nnewi citizen, they usually keep kola nuts, garden egg and peanut butter in their refrigerator in case any stranger or visitor should visit their home. Every visitation to their home begins with the offering of the kola nuts to the visitor. In an apt explanation, the kola nut is an indicating factor that the visitor is very much welcomed. The ritual of the offering of kola nut is inspired with the giving in prayers and blessing or lobby to the supreme God and other deities, for the protection of the visitor and the host. It seems to be a custom to the people of Nnewi in any of their traditional ceremonies.
It must equally be noted that aside trading, another occupation which Nnewi people undertake is farming. Thus, they depend mainly on
agriculture and commerce for their daily livelihood. Most Nnewians have mbubo (home gardens) and ubi (out-station gardens) where they usually cultivate their farm products. These crops when they are harvested are usually taken to the market for sale. Most of the prime cash crops include oil palm, raffia palm, groundnut, melon, cotton, cocoa, rubber, maize, et cetera. Food crops such as yam, cassava, cocoyam, breadfruit, and three-leaf yam are also produced in large quantities. The location of Nnewi within the tropical rainforest gives it the ecological basis for production of a wide range of tropical agriculture crops with widespread potential for industrial convention.
Thanks a lot for the time spent in going through this first part of this community research. The next part would focus on the notable places in the community, the community rulers and religious custodians, their electricity status and the ways in which improvements can be achieved in the community.
