Ezaa people

Ezaa (Ezza)

Total population
(~433,000[1])
Regions with significant populations
Nigeria 433,000[1]
Languages
Ezaa language

Ezaa/Ezza is an Igbo sub-group, in southeastern Nigeria.^[2] The Ezaa people are direct descendants of Ezekuna, and his wife, Anyigo. They are therefore, often referred to as Ezaa Ezekuna.^[3] They are found predominantly in the present Ebonyi state; mainly Ebonyi central and pocket of inhabitants in Ebonyi north (Ezza Ezilo) and south (Abaomege) and Ukawu, with very significant number known as Ezza Akpoga living in a part of Enugu state, Nigeria. The central unity home for all Ezza descendants is Amuzu in Ezza south, Ebonyi central. Amuzu is the ancestral home of Ezza people. That was where their proginetor Ezekuna the father of all Ezza people lived with his wife Anyigo. Their clay pots and plates are still there to this day. Ezekuna died and was buried in Amana, in Ezza South LGA of Ebonyi State.

The Ezza people are group into two: The Izzikworos and the Kpakpajis. The Izzikworo people occupy the southern part of the Ezza land while the Kpakpajis lives to the northern part of the land. They co-habit peacefully without intra-communal fight because they recognize that they are from one ancestral father.

The Ezza people has a family regarded as the wisest in their communities, because they explains signs, omens and dreams. The Ngwuta's family, originally in Amana explains dreams and mysteries. That gift was later transferred to the Ngwuta Enyita's family in Onuachi-Ukoro, Ndeguazu-Amagu, in Ezza South LGA. The oldest man in the family is expected to be responsible for explaining signs and providing solutions.

Majority of Ezzas still returns to Ezekuna's compound to sacrifice to the tomb of their ancestor,Ezekuna. Ezekuna had twelve sons which made of present-day Ezza nations. They are, Umuorugbala, Umunoko, Umugo, Umuirishi, Umuezaka, ( these sons make up what Ezza knows as Nkomoru clan) they are Izo and Orizu, Idembia etc. Ezzas are warriors, wise and trickery in nature.Majority of the places they lived apart from their Onueke and environs home, were obtained by numerous war from the original owner. An example is Ezzagu in Ishielu LGA Ebonyi state which was Amagunze's land. According to oral history, the Ezzas planned to drive and chase out Amagunze, Ihuokpara, Akpof, and Akpugo people from their Land and take over. They would have easily succeeded had it not been for an era when the white men were coming to Nigeria and civilization were taking place. They had to be stopped by the government that was the reason there is international boundary between Amagunze people of Nkanu in Enugu state and Ezzagu people of Ebonyi state.

Another oral history has it that Akpugo people in Nkanu and Ezza people were brothers and for that reason, the Ezzas couldn't continue with the war they planned as it is a taboo for Ezza people to fight their kinsmen and it was the reasons they spare Ikwo and Izzi people as they were brothers.

AI

es

1. "Project - Great Commission Status of the Igbo Cluster". Joshua Project.
2. Olson, James Stuart (1996). The Peoples of Africa: An Ethnohistorical Dictionary. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 234. ISBN 0313279187.
3. Alagoa, Ebiegberi Joe (1988). The Early History of the Niger Delta. Buske Verlag. p. 92. ISBN 3-87118-848-4. Retrieved 2008-12-19.