The Okposi community in Ebonyi state.
Okposi is a town in Ebonyi state of Nigeria. The people of Okposi are one of the most peaceful and hardworking tribes in Eastern Nigeria. They are known for their hospitality and warm way of welcoming and taking care of strangers to the extent that they can go to any length to protect their visitors. Okposi is the reason Ebonyi state is known as the salt of the nation due to the huge salt deposit at Okposi Salt Lake (Mmahi). The people of Okposi see this salt lake as a source of revenue for them which they process for sale to buyers. They like to party and hold monthly festivals and title taking ceremonies.
Okposi was said to have been founded by a man known as Enechi Akuma. He was an inhabitant of Agala, Benue State, Nigeria who came to Ikwo with his family before moving to Okposi. They settled down to form smaller villages which aided the formation of a political system known as Okwu-Okposi (mass-meeting).
The Okwu-Okposi (mass-meeting) is the form of government practiced in Okposi. Here every male child is expected to attend the meeting which is usually held at the Eke Okposi market.
Ani-oha is a shrine where people are expected to swear to an oath whenever matters requiring secrecy or observation of some traditional rites are required. The meeting is usually opened by the oldest man in the village who offers kolanuts to the ancestors and prays that the meeting goes peacefully.
The Okposi people believe in a supreme God but that does not stop them from worshipping other gods. Their highest deity is called the chi or rather Ochangene. Chi is revered among the people of Okposi and because they believe he is too powerful to be petitioned directly, no shrine is usually built for him. One can only appease him by bringing ones hand forward and looking up towards the sky saying “Ochangene , be my witness”
The people of Okposi are very industrious. They work hard to take care of their family. The two notable occupation in Okposi are; farming and salt production.
The high rainfall in Okposi has made the people to turn into farming as their major occupation. Farming is usually practiced mainly by the men who cultivate crops like yam, potato, maize and cassava. Okposi has rich alluvial soil which is suitable for yam production. Hence yam has become the major crop planted in Okposi.
Posted in History | Date:June 23rd , 2020 | Comments: 0| Views: 2393Related Information:
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