Ukpata: Food-basket Of Uzo-Uwani People

Ukpata, is a peaceful town in Uzo-Uwani local government area of Enugu State. It is one of the towns in Enugu North Senatorial District of the state. Ukpata, is located in the north by Uvuru community in the same local government area; in the south by Nze and Owu in Udi local government area; in the west by Adaba in Uzo-Uwani and in the east by Aku in Igbo-Etiti local government area. People from these neighbouring communities have strong bonds as they always pay visits across community boundaries to attend cultural festivals, religious gatherings, native markets, celebrations, funerals, farm works, etc.

For a first-timer visiting Ukpata from Nsukka axis, you will be entertained by a wonderful mix-up of hilly and flat plain topography. Some of the hills have unusual contours. Other hills have few trees scattered at their peaks like an artist’s painting of a landscape. Similarly, some trees display an unusual shape, reminiscent of a particular animal or a woman carrying a baby on her back. In-between some hills, along the road, are deep valleys of thick forests.

Just like Israel which is made up of 12 tribes, Ukpata has 12 villages. The villages are Umuezeanokwuru, Umuezemanna, Umugwudimma, Umuezeangwu, Umumbosi and Achalla-Oda. Others are Umudiugwu, Umunnakwe, Umuogu, Umudigwoke, Amufia and Umuonyia. People of these villages enjoy a communal co-existence, which includes inter-marriage, attendance of funeral ceremonies, naming ceremonies, ‘isusu’ (cooperative) society meetings, political meetings or gatherings, etc.

Tradition/Culture:

Ukpata community, is richly endowed with cultural and traditional values. In the tradition of the town, for instance, sexual relationship or promiscuity with a married woman (whose husband is alive) is a taboo. Any woman found guilty of sexual promiscuity becomes a subject of public scorn. This is treated with serious attention to discourage others from toeing the same line.

Also, the tradition of the people forbids stealing. For instance, if a man or woman is caught in the act of stealing, he or she is kept at arm’s length. This is also done to serve as a deterrent to others and to publicly register the family of the suspect in the minds of the people, as one in which the act of stealing (probably) runs in their blood. Usually, people avoid such families while choosing someone for marriage to avoid marrying from a family of thieves. Stealing is, therefore, highly treated as a taboo among the people.

In the tradition of the people, though this is phasing out gradually, only mature men, who are old enough to keep secrets, are allowed to have knowledge of masquerades. It is believed that masquerades are spirits of dead people. Thus, when a masquerade is on public parade, it visits a woman who is believed to be the mother of the dead person who appears as a masquerade to visit the world of the living. Usually, the woman feels so happy that her dead child has come to see her and offers money, fowl or other items to the masquerade in appreciation and as a sign of welcome.

Some masquerades are male and more aggressive and dreadful while some are female. Female masquerades (‘mmanwu agbogho’) are very calm, beautiful, admirable and entertaining with the features of a mature woman in full display such as breast, wide waist, etc. However, apart from being made to know that she is the mother of a dead man-turned masquerade, a woman is not allowed to know what happens in the masquerade cult, as it is exclusively a men’s affair. There are particular occasions during which masquerades are seen. They are during a man’s traditional funeral ceremony or during some annual masquerade festivals such as ‘Ibono’, which usually holds between August and September.

Similarly, the tradition and culture of Ukpata community are observed during marriages. For a man to conclude and solemnize his traditional marriage rites, the women-folk, of his wife’s kindred and close relations, gather on the day of the traditional marriage ceremony to bid their sister farewell to her husband’s home. This is usually an enlarged occasion and is known as ‘Ije Oku’ or ‘Igba Nkwu Nwanyi’. It attracts friends, relations and well-wishers of both the bride and the groom and their families. Palm wine is readily made available for this occasion to welcome guests as they arrive.

The groom prepares elaborately for this occasion. A mountain-size of pounded yam, skillfully molded in a big bowl, is presented to the women-guests. Also, the accompanying soup is well stocked with assorted meat, such as goat-meat, grass-cutter meat (nchi), beef or any other meat which is acceptable.

If the women are not satisfied with the food or meat presented to them, it is traditionally permissible that they could reject it as a sign of protest. Their rejection is best interpreted as a way of telling the groom that their daughter or sister, being given to him in marriage is of a satisfactory standard; therefore, he should be cheerful and present something that matches the quality of the woman being given to him as wife.

Other aspects of the culture and tradition of the community are reflected and observed during funeral ceremonies, births and other prominent annual festivals.

Occupation:

Ukpata, is largely blessed with rich agrarian land, extending to both sides of the entrance into the town. The people do not leave this rich land to waste as they are predominantly farmers. Farming activities begin with the first and second rainfall, which is usually witnessed between March and April. Some of the popular farm crops produced by farmers in the town are yam, cassava, maize, groundnut, coco-yam, white beans and black beans (‘akidi’). Because of the abundance of food in Ukpata, the community can be described as the food-basket of Uzo-Uwani local government and its environs. However, other locals engage in trading, wine-tapping, carpentry, building contracts or teaching and other skills.

Market Day:

Afor, is a native day in Igboland. Ukpata’s Afor Market is very popular and is the largest market in Uzo-Uwani. The market, which is located at the centre of the town, attracts market men and women from other towns, such as Ibagwa-Aka and Ovoko, in Igbo-Eze South local government area of Enugu State; Aku and Ochima (Igbo-Etiti local government area); Affa, Nze and Owu (in Udi); Adaba, Nkume and Umulokpa (in Uzo-Uwani) and some other communities in Ezeagu local government area of the state.

Religion:

Traditional religion was the religion of the people before the advent of Christianity. However, with the coming of Christianity to the community in 1935, when missionaries traversed into the area and brought the Catholic Church, Christianity has gradually phased out traditional religion. Today, the town is predominantly populated by Christians of different denominations, with only very few old men and women still clinging unto the traditional religion. The most popular and the first church in the town is Saint Mary’s Catholic Church, Ukpata, a former out-station in the Catholic parlance, which has now been elevated to the status of a Catholic Parish, under Nsukka Diocese. The church is located at the heart of the town.

Also, the first school for western education, founded in the town, the Community Primary School (CPS), Ukpata, shares location with the church in the same area of the town. CPS, Ukpata, remains an alma mater to many indigenes of the town and non-indigenes, some of whom have excelled in their different areas of chosen endeavour in life. The school compound also serves as a crucial meeting point for town meetings and football events, especially at the end of the year, during Christmas celebration, when youths of the town hold competitions to determine the best football club that can lift the trophy.