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Eri Origin: The Aguleri & Umueri Relationship
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Eri Origin: The Aguleri & Umueri Relationship
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Aguleri and Umueri were Neighbors and from all available evidence are relatives since the both origin is surrounded in the myth of Eri. One accounts has it that Aguleri were amalgamation of Eri descendants living in the forest/wilderness as the name suggests -The Eri living in the forest(Aguu). This explains why many Aguleri have their ancestral home in Aguleri Otu and Odeke at the bank of Anambra River near to Kogi State .
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Though this account seems not popular, but it’s no denying the fact that both Aguleri and Umueri hail from the same ancestor. Oral tradition of Umueri however agreed that they were half brother. The Oral tradition traces the geneology to Dabawor, the eldest Son of Eri whose daughter was Okpu, the founder of the most elderly village in Aguleri till today.
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Eri been a typical Polygamist married many wives of which many of the other Villages in Aguleri fall into the category. But the Oral tradition of Aguleri speaks of Okpu lineage but points to the existence of non-Okpu descendants that today occupied the territory of Aguleri side by side with Okpu, a claim which is consistence with Polygamy. However to prove the fact that the oldest and most elderly Village in Aguleri emanates from Umueri, the Okpu Village has kept the ritual practice of paying tribute to Dabawor Shrine. And they have never failed to pay the homage despite recent stain in the relationship Occasioned by land dispute, litigation and war. During Sacrifices, the Okpu Village Elders received the daughterly share( a practice that has been observed unto this day) of waist of Cow or Goat used for its sacrifice. Furthermore, it was proved that Umumba Igboezunu,Aguleri- the Custodian of Ajana Aguleri has blood relationship with Ugume Umueri. At the Installation of an AJANA Chief Priest, Ugume Village of Umueri is usually informed. It’s mandatory that "sons of Dabawor (Ugume) should be there to perform the customary rites. The study of the relationship between the two towns was hindered due to the Otuocha land dispute which held way for more than 50 years (1933-1984). This has indeed led various indigenous authors and writers, who were unable to conquer prejudice and bias landed themselves into distortion of facts. Thus Umueri/Aguleri brotherhood was sacrificed on alter of litigation, calumny, greed and hatred.
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