2016 Atuegwu
In Amaekpu, Ohafia local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria, Culture they say is the people's way of life. Age Grade system is an age long practice amongst Ohafia people and it's environs. The age grade system is largely a way the communities attract social developmental amenities and infrastructure to the people as the Government hardly does that. Like every other age grade before it, the Atuegwu age grade started like a social club organized by few group of individuals, to mention but a few, Eme Uguru, Oguelu Uka, Emetu Emetu, Uzor Uka, Late Onwuka Ndukwe, etc. They made it plain that in the fullness of time, the club was going to transmute into an age grade, but for the time being, it would be operated and have the character of a social club, so, it was named "Obi Ga Olu Club", and the first meeting was in April 1985.
As time progresses, more friends from the same age brackets kept on enrolling in that club, and their number continued to increase to the extent that the hosting of the meeting was made rotational waiting for a permanent place. Ofail Agwu and Amaekpu Community Schools were suggested, and Amaekpu Community School was unanimously agreed to be the meeting venue. They agreed that the "Obi Ga Olu Club" has metamorphosed into an age grade. They continued their meetings within the school and sometimes at Orji Aguwa's residence at Ndi Umuozio. Later Orji Aguwa relocated to Ifu-Owere, by then some of the members had left the village for a white collar jobs. Nevertheless, the meeting continued. The first executive meeting of the age grade was held at Ifu-Owere, Orji Aguwa's residence, which culminated into the first annual general meeting of the Age Grade at Amaekpu Community School on December 26, 1985 and was christened 5th Akajimba Age Grade and was adopted by the community as the name being the last named age grade on our lineage.
Like a little seed planted, the age grade has grown having many branches in the country. Traditionally, the community begins to assign responsibilities to the age grade after they have completed a project given to them. On completion of the road project the community the now gave the age grade their own name as the previous one was of lineage. Thus ATUEGWU (meaning fearless) by the Chief of the community Ezieogo Prof. Arua. So far it is acclaimed in the community that the age grade handled the most astonishing project in Amaekpu for Iza-afa Ceremony conducted on the 26/27 December, 2016
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