Awka-Etiti, historically known as Awka-Diedo (); later mentioned as Awka-Nkakwu (Okankaku) by colonial authors, is an affluent town comprising seven villages in Idemili South local government area of Anambra state, Nigeria. The seven villages of Awka-Etiti in order of age established are: Nkolofia, Umunocha, Ejighinandu, Iruowelle, Umudunu, Nnaba and Ogunzele.
The indigenous population of Awka-Etiti belong to the Igbo ethnic group and the town is situated within the Igbo cultural area 24 km from the river Niger, north-east of Onitsha, 16 km from Nri and 2 km from Igbo-Ukwu. Awka-Etiti shares boundaries with village-group/towns Ichida, Azigbo, Nnokwa, Nnewi, Nnobi and Amichi. The main language spoken in Awka-Etiti is the Idemili variant of the Igbo language.
In 2005, the population of Awka-Etiti was estimated at 35,000 citizens. There is also a large Awka-Etiti diaspora that contributes to the towns economy.
History
Pre-colonial history
The history of Awka-Etiti before 1900 is not recorded in writing but rather rooted in oral tradition and mythology. Based on the discovery and archaeological excavation of sites dated to the first millennium AD in Igbo-Ukwu just 2 km from Awka-Etiti, it is certain that the area has been populated by the Igbo earlier than the ninth century. There existed a flourishing metallurgical industry (see Archaeology of Igbo-Ukwu) as well as an ancient and extensive trade, social and cultural contact between the area and ancient Egypt as revealed by the vast amounts of glass and cornelian beads excavated at the sites, some of which were manufactured in Old Cairo at the workshops of Fustat.
In local oral history, there are several versions of the origins of Awka- Etiti, which link the town to a common genealogy with other ancient towns in the area. Uke, Ojoto, Nnobi and Nnewi are mentioned as sharing common ancestry with Awka-Etiti.
The founding of Awka-Etiti is ascribed in all versions of oral history to Diedo. In some versions he was the son of Ezenne. Ezenne seems to have been a brother to Uke and Ojoto. Ezenne had two sons and a daughter. The sons were Okwuike and Diedo, while the daughter was Edo. The daughter Edo was married to Ezemewi who legend ascribes the founding of Nnewi to. Okwuike is reputed to be the father of Nnobi. Diedo had an only son called Okagbado.
At the death of Ezenne, a disagreement over the sharing of the late father's assets arose between Okwuike and Diedo, which led to Diedo and his son Okagbado leaving their ancestral home along the Obiaja river to settle at a spot called Ogwuwgu Diedo in present-day Iruowelle village Awka-Etiti. Okagbado married three wives, who gave him nine sons. The first wife gave birth to Ezioka and Umoh. The second wife had Nkolofia, Ejighnandu, Iruowelle and Ogunzele, while the third wife had Ocha, Dunuezue and Nnaba. These made up the original nine villages of Awka-Etiti. Umoh and Ezioka engaged themselves in a bloody fratricidal war, for reasons which are unclear. Both parties made use of mercenary head hunters from Ohafia and Abam. The brutality of the conflict led to the near extinction of both villages. The remnants of Ezioka were later absorbed by Nkolofia village, while the survivors of Umoh were absorbed by Ejighinandu village, leaving Awka-Etiti with seven villages to the present day.
In the period between ca. 1760 and 1900, the development of Awka-Diedo was marked by an unending series of fierce wars with surrounding towns as a result of expansionist tendencies. Especially Nnewi engaged Awka-Diedo in a series of vicious battles spanning many centuries over boundary issues. Nnokwa, Amichi, Azigbo and Ichida were also at war with Awka-Diedo at various times during this period. The tenacity and bravery displayed by Awka-Etiti warriors on the battlefield as well as their repertoire of cunning tactics such as tunnelling behind the enemy lines and booby traps, installed respect in their enemies and earned them the nickname Awka-Nkakwu (nkakwu is Igbo language for skunk). This nickname earned by Awka-Etiti warriors in battle was later used to refer to the whole town by its neighbours. As E.R. Dallah and E.C. Nzewi explain:
It is reputed that though Nnewi spent huge amounts to secure the services of Abam and Ohafia mercenary head hunter troops to ensure the annihilation of Awka-Nkakwu, they were unable to achieve a decisive victory. This was possible also thanks to a powerful military alliance which existed between Awka-Etiti and Oraukwu warriors, who used to come to each other's aid in times of war.