Going back in time, Onitsha has remained a major trading centre with its fame going beyond the confines of Nigeria. He was the first president of the post-independent Nigeria and the Owelle of Onitsha. 1/2. Following this and subsequent treaties between Onitsha and Europeans, numerous commercial ventures merged to form the Royal Niger Company in 1879. The first church building now known as Church No. History of Onitsha. This prompted a re-invigoration of commercial and missionary activities in the town to the extent that, in 1905, Onitsha was made the political headquarters of the then Central Division, and in 1906, the British government laid the first telephone/telegraph cable across the River Niger to Onitsha. It has a federal government college, an army cantonment and a school of metallurgy, to mention a few landmark institutions. Onitsha was the staging post for both the Anglican and Roman Catholic missions as they spread Christianity in various parts of Igboland. In the course of the great movement, some of Chima’s loyalists settled in the neighbouring* towns of the present-day Onicha Ugbo, Onicha Olona, Ogwashi, Onicha Ukwu, and Asaba, among others. Onitsha aerial view. The history of Onitsha is said to have begun with the migration of its people from the Benin Empire towards the end of early part of the 16th century as a result of a wave of unrest, war and displacement unleashed by the Islamic movement from North Africa. Some of the oldest post-primary educational institutions in the region, such as the Dennis Memorial Grammar School and the Christ the King College, founded in 1925 and 1933 respectively, are located in Onitsha. Ed. Onitsha was known as Ado N'Idu by citizens who departed from the vicinity of the Kingdom of Benin near the far western portion of Igboland (near what is now Agbor), after a violent dispute with the Oba of Benin that … Most of the major import merchants from Eastern Nigeria have their head offices within the market. Most of these non British products were not allowed in the main market; and this led to establishment of a new market called Ochanja Market: ochanja was Onitsha derogatory word … Onitsha History. "Onitsha" is remarkable for its "almost mythological evocation of local history and beliefs." The history of Onitsha is said to have begun with the migration of its people from the Benin Empire towards the end of early part of the 16th century as a result of a wave of unrest, war and displacement unleashed by the Islamic movement from North Africa. Gallery. Former Acting Dean of Students Affairs University of Nigeria, Nsukka Turning to Christianity, Onitsha is also one of the earliest destinations of the early missionaries in Nigeria. Onitsha slowly grew to become an important trading port for the Royal Niger Company in the mid-1850s following the abolition of slavery and with the development of the steam engine when Europeans were able to move into the hinterland. St Andrew’s church is about ninety one years old and has a very rich history. Igbo History TV Group takes you... down memory lane, to explore things of old that have great significance. The town lies on the east bank of the Niger River. The Ime Obi Social Network has been uniquely designed for Onitsha Indigenes to interact and form powerful online community. Seal. The origin of the name is derived from the Anambra River (Omambala) which is a tributary of the River Niger. Selected Speeches and Lectures of HM, Nnaemeka Achebe, • Obi Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, "Agbogidi". It hosts the Onitsha Main Market, the largest market in Africa in terms of geographical size and volume of goods. History of the Onitsha indigenes, “farmland-Onitsha”. History Of Onitsha The History Of Onitsha Onitsha (en llengua igbo Ọ̀nị̀chà Mmílí} o només Ọ̀nị̀chà és una ciutat, centre comercial, educacional i religiós i port fluvial situada a la riba oriental del riu Níger, a l'Estat d'Anambra, al sud-est de Nigèria.Està situada a la regió històrica i cultural d'Igboland. Onitsha maintains its status as the commercial nerve center* of the South-east and South-south regions of Nigeria and is also a major trading location in West Africa. About the Authors; Contact Us; A Mighty Tree has fallen, and the Birds who sheltered in its branches Now have No Abode. It has a rich history and culture at its core. Folklore has it that, Onitsha was founded by one of the sons of Chima, the founder of Issele-Uku kingdom in western Igboland. The main purpose of the website is to provide accurate and authentic information about Onitsha. The British government, for the strategic importance of Onitsha in its commercial expedition, including slave trading, entered into an agreement with Onitsha people in 1857 to provide a steamer, a kind of worship, under Dr. Baikie’s supervision for the defense* of the town. Onitsha (Igbo: Ọ̀nị̀chà Mmílí or just Ọ̀nị̀chà) is a city located on the eastern bank of the Niger River, in Nigeria's Anambra State.A metropolitan city, Onitsha is known for its river port and as an economic hub for commerce, industry, and education. One version said that it was during their passage through the outskirts of Ile-Ife that they In some areas like Ogidi, local famili… Onitsha History, Kingship and Changing Cultures. THE HISTORY OF ONITSHA. History is the story of past events. Onitsha became world news – other countries soon had their interests registered for trade: France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Malaysia etc exported their manufactured goods into Onitsha-Market. Their migration was stimulated by the early fifteenth, -century* political upheaval in the Empire. 529 talking about this. Sunday, 27 May 2018. The Benin history on the record of events culminating to Onitsha. Onitsha is a port and market town in Anambra state in southern Nigeria. The exodus was said to have been led by one of the then Benin Empire warlords, Chima. The then traditional ruler of Onitsha, Obi Samuel Okosi I, was accorded with a certificate of recognition by the British government as the 17th Obi of Onitsha on the death of Obi Anazonwu in 1899. Stay current with Ime Obi Onitsha latest New and Events of Onitsha and other topics you care about most. And the blue-blood clan of Umuezechima ( descendants of King Chima ) their head offices within the.. 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