Umuguma
Constitution of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria, 1999[1]
Introduction: Umuguma Town is the headquarters of Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State in Nigeria. Owerri West Local Government was carved out of the old Owerri Local Government Area in 1996. Umuguma is one of the 774 communities in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Local Government administrative headquarters. Umuguma community is encapsulated into the Owerri capital territory of Imo State, Nigeria. History: The ancestral homeland of Umuguma is traced to the banks of Nwaorie river, where Holy Ghost College (Arugo High School) Owerri is now located. Umuguma is a descendant of Arugo. According to oral history, Oratta gave birth to Ekwema, Arugo and others. Ekwema begat Owerre, and Arugo begat Umuguma.
Umuguma suffered a lot of push-backs from Owerre, to the extent that the traditional boundaries have always been redrawn in favor of Owerre. The present physical geography of Umuguma comprise virtually the entire area referred today as "New Owerri" - which is a locational identity coined by recent settlers or non-indigenes to connote their new found metropolitan or urban settlement. But, it gradually became an acceptable way for the Owerri Municipal Local Government to usurp some Owerri West or Umuguma land for their use. However, in the midst of all the controversies, Umuguma's physical geography stretches from the Northern part at the round-about on Sam Mbakwe Avenue by Dream-Land Hotel through the Coca Cola Factory off Irete road on the East, and the Federal Secretariat Complex on Port Harcourt Road to the West, stretching through Port Harcourt expressway including all the Housing Estates - World Bank, Federal and Imo State Housing estates. Umuguma as a community has traditional boundaries with Owerre at the north, Nnekede at the west, Irete and Okuku on the east and Avu at the south. Umuguma has contributed the largest landmass to the Owerri Capital Project in Imo State.
The traditional leadership of Umuguma community includes an Eze and President General of the Town Union. Umuguma has five traditional villages - Umuome, Umunwanyi, Umunkwo, Umuagu and Ogbuosisi. The traditional leadership stool (Eze) has moved through several ruling houses. In recent times, the Oparanozie ruling house in Umuome has produced Eze Herbert Oparanozie (Nnayereugo of Avu/Umuguma Autonomous community) who passed in 1987 and the stool remained vacant for several years. In 2000, Eze Nnamdi Ugorji from Ogbuosisi was crowned and he is presently the Eze Umuguma. The General Assembly of Umuguma is the Town Union, which deliberates on the social, political and economic well-being of the community and assists the Eze in maintaining peace and public order within the community. The affairs of the Town Union is presided over by the President-General, who oversees other Umuguma Town Union branch presidents, and is the custodian of the Town Union at home. The President-General is elected at a general assembly - the present elected President-General is Engineer Uzoma Kenneth Osuagwu (elected 2014).
Prominent Locations: Prominent Locations in Umuguma includes: 1. Federal Secretariat, by Port Harcourt Road 2. Specialist Hospital Umuguma, Owerri 3. World Bank Housing Estates, Areas L, M, N 4. Federal Housing Estate, Umuguma 5. Imo Housing Estate, Umuguma 6. Dream Land Hotels, along Sam Mbakwe Avenue 7. Ideal Suites Hotels 8. The entire area referred to as New Owerri, but usurped by Owerri Municipal Local Government.
Prominent Indigenes:
Umuguma has produced so many prominent citizens, which includes;
1. Chief Ignatius Umezurike - Chairman, old Owerri Local Government Area (1987–1990) 2. Sir Levi Oguike - Member, Federal House of Representatives (1999–2003); Imo State Commissioner for Lands (2009–2011) 3. Sir Engineer Eddie Onuoha - Retired British Trained Engineer and Philanthropist 4. Commodore Ogechi E Osuagwu - Retired Very Senior Naval Officer and Philanthropist 5. Sir Mike Eke - Retired Bursar, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria 6. Engineer Gibson Ozoemena - Retired Director, Agip Oil Nigeria 7. Dr. Bishop Ikwuagwu - Medical Director, National Hospital Abuja 8. Dr. Barrister Eze Simpson Osuagwu - Harvard University Scholar and Legal Practitioner 9. Architect Newton Okoroafor - Director, Federal Ministry of Works 10. Chief Chika Osuji - Executive Officer, Nigerian LNG Bonny 11. Ukachukwu Okorie - Editor-in-Chief, AfricaWorld News Dublin 12. And many other professionals - too numerous to mention.
Category: Towns and Communities in Owerri, Owerri West Local Government Area, Imo State, and Nigeria
Reference: 1. 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria