The origin of Aku is traced from a period before the birth of Jesus Christ, which shows that people lived there by the
third millennium. The full name of the town is AKU DIEWA MGBOKO ODOBO. It is the largest community in Igbo-Etiti LGA
of Enugu state Nigeria. The town is divided into three quarters; Akibute, Akutala and Ejuona.Akibute has 6 villages, Akutala
4 villages while Ejuona has 3 villages, in all Aku town consist of three quarters, thirteen villages and sixty-three family
units, otobos or communities. Many authors and in Aku have written several materials on the origin of Aku, with each writer
based his data collection and facts on oral tradition which is handed down from one generation to another.
Mr. Ezike Amadi version on the origin of Aku is that Aku had no common ancestry background.
He stated that tribes’ strange people and language groups who after conquest and counter conquest treaties and their
abrogation negotiation and accords through the ages agree to live together under the leadership of one terminal conqueror
called AKU. Mr. Amandi asserted that kith and kin grouped in different section of Aku abound to prove that Aku quarters came
to be by partition not by birth. Aku developed into a city state from the earliest communities of Ekpuru, Eriomu and Uhu before
the birth of Christ through different historical periods till the Aku revolt that resulted in the unification of all into
one city state, the introduction of truce in the nature of Ama, the partition of Aku into Akaibute, Akutara and Ejuona
Akunwata Joseph Ezeorah gave an account of Aku town originated; in his submission stated that
Diewa the great grand father of Aku who eventually was the great founder of the present place Aku named after him. Diewa as
we are told migrated from the northern part of the country and precisely from Igala the land of famous Attah of Igala in kogi
state. Diewa who must have been a very wonderful and versatile warrior having conquered all foes and defied all barriers as
he journeyed from Igala to the present place now known and called Aku.
Prof L O Ocho narrated his facts about the origin of Aku based on oral tradition as follows;
a man by name Ijija while on a hunting trip came to the present position of Aku and was enchanted by the place and went back
home and brought his entire family to the present position of Mgboko. One of his wives by name Odobo gave birth to a male
child called Mgboko.
To distinguish him from other sons of Ijija he was called Mgboko Odobo as many polygamous families still do today. The
first Aku, had three sons; Akaibute, Akutara and Ejuona. Attah of Igala sent Diewa to rule Aku just as he sent Achabero or
Asabero to rule Okpuje, Obukpa and Nsukka.
Dr John Ezikeanyi of the university of Nigeria Nsukka in a paper titled: OBSERVATIONS ON THE RECONCIALATION OF THE ORIGIN
AND TRADITIONS OF AKU, Dec 19 1987; Enumerated four versions of Aku collected from oral tradition. These versions are based
on (a) Nshi Origin of Aku (b) Igala Origin of Aku(c) Autochthony (d) Archaeology .Dr Ezikeanyi asserted as follows;
Ijija was a prince of Nshi; he went home and reported to his father that he had seen a place to live in. Having described
the place his father Eze Nshi, the king objected to this pointing out that Igala harassment would not allow him peace of mind
in the area. According to this tradition, the prince suggested going to marry the daughter of Attah Igala who would then be
very reluctant to fight his son-in –law. At this juncture, the king agrees and this prince went and married
this Attah’s daughter-Odobo. Attah also gave his daughter and sons-in-law a servant to plant for them. This man is called
Ezike the eponymous father of umuezike and that accounted for their Atama Shujioku in Aku today.
Another oral tradition narrated by Ezikeanyi is that Aku came from Nshi and that dead Aku people go back to Nshi. Odo is
believed to be the spirit of the dead Aku men. That is why Nshi Namoke always send a message during Ula Odo that Odo is overstaying
in Igbo land. That was the reason why every head Odo-Ishi has a lamentary cry (Iwaoka) before leaving finally asserting ‘‘Eshim
Awka oo..’’.Three times before other recitations. Dr Ezikeanyi also pointed out that social function were allocated
as follows in Aku: Umudiukwu as Atama Odo, Umuneri ugwunani as Attama ukwu; Useh as Attama Ama; Umu-ugwuocha as Attama Ani;
Umuezike as Attama Shujioku and Useh as Onyishi Aku.
Conclusion
As long as man has eternal quest for truth and for knowledge so long would Aku history will be revisited for addition or
the subtraction of facts, news analysis of events and new conclusion.
