The Okotokochie community, Igbodo in Etche local Government Area of Rivers State has raised the alarm over a clandestine move by some people in the area to change the history of Etche ethnic nationality from its origin, describing such move as ill motivated.
The head chief of the community, chief Timothy Nwankwoala raised this alarm while speaking with journalists in his palace in Okotoko-Chie Community on Monday, said the alarm became imperative following a publication which he said formed part of the programme activities of a chieftaincy coronation held in honour of Chief Charles Onyeche Nweke, chief cultural officer of the local government area, where he was confirmed with the Omenala 1of Etche Ethnic nationality, by the onye ishi of Etche, Eze Emmanuel Opurum.
Nwankwoala said the attention of the community was drawn particularly to appendix B, page 14, item 6 of the programme where reference was made in respect to the “Opuru-Oba as one of the ancient relics of Etche ethnic nationality is situated at Umuine Igbodo instead of Okotoko-Chie community” describing such publications as fallacy and fabrication of fifth columnist
According to him, the Opuru-Oba, an ancient tree, is the first and oldest settlement of Etche people and is situated at Okotoko-Chie community not in Umuine as wrongly written in the programme, saying that plethora of writing authorities affirmed that the Opuru-Oba tree is in Okotoko-Chie Community.
He wondered why the authors of the coronation of chieftaincy matter would abandon the subject matter and via in to an ancient history of Etche ethnic nationality, that they are not conversant with just to satisfy their pay masters.
“It is absurd that in recent times, due to political reasons and selfish interests, Umuine – Umu (sons) is used as ancestral home of Etche people instead of Ochie Antiquity (Okotoko-Chie).
“It is a significant to note that the title of Onye Ochie of Etche land cannot stand without direct reference to Okotoko-Chie village in Igbodo Etche. To buttress this point, the supreme deities/features in Etche derive their names and go by the suffice Ochie.
“For instance, Ogeochie Rivers, the ancient rivers of Etche land, Otamiriochie river, the ancient river of Etche land, Nnekolochie the ancient mother of Etche land, and Kolokochie, the nucleus of the six roots that are distinguishable as the major founders of the different clans/kingdoms in Ethnic and other antiquities.
“It is historic that ritual and religious gathering or activities performed at Opuruoba Tree without the presence or the blessings of the Ndiche at Okotoko-Chie are incomplete. Further distortion of the history shall be a taboo to the land. In the gathering of the entire Igbodo people, the Ndiche of Okotoko-Chie breaks the kola nut”, he stated.
Timothy said that allowing such obvious misrepresentation was to distort and circumvent the original chronology of Etche history, and urged the public not to believe such falsehood.