Umulokpa is a town in Uzo-Uwani LGA, Enugu State, Nigeria. It serves as the Headquarters of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area in Enugu State, Nigeria and has a large population of over 150,000. It is made up of the villages of Akiyi –, Amagu-, Eziora- and Ogbosu-, Mgbugbo, Umunaji, Umunaogene, Umuomasi etc. It is bordered by Umumbo in the north, Umerum in the west, both in, Adaba and Nkume in the east, and Olo town in the south "spring" in Akiyi-Umulokpa is geothermal manifestation that has received little or no attention. The spring has the temperature between 39-49°C which was drilled over 40 years ago. Umulokpa is predominantly rural and agrarian. The town has rich agricultural lands as a result of its location within the tropical rainforest and savannah belt; Over 85% of the population are farmers growing food crops such as rice, cassava, maize, yam, black bean, banana, plantain, etc. and a variety of fruits and vegetables. Cash crops grown include oil palm, pineapple, cashew, orange, mangoes and irvingia gabonensis, they are also produced in large quantities. Excellent climatic conditions exist for poultry, piggery, goat, sheep and other livestock productions. The major market in Umulokpa is the "Eke Akiyi" Market. Various farm products are traded in the market on wholesale and retail basis every four days. Many of the people take their farm produce to sell in the market in exchange for other commodities they cannot produce. People from the neighbouring towns including Onitsha and Enugu urban also patronize the traders in this market especially for cassava flakes, palm oil, plantain and vegetables.
Brief History
Umulokpa became the headquarters of Uzo-Uwani Rural District Council also known as "County Council" in 1951. At the end of the Nigerian Civil War in 1970, the East Central State government embarked on the re-organization of the local government system in the area. The outcome was the introduction of a local government system known as the Divisional Administration Department, which was a fusion of divisional administration and government field administration. The state was carved into 35 divisions and 640 community councils. The system sought to integrate indigenous social community organizations into the state administrative framework. In 1976, Local Government Reform which coincided with the creation of new states in which Nigeria was divided into nineteen states, Umulokpa remained the Headquarters of Uzo-Uwani LGA as Nigeria's primary objective of the reform programme was to update the existing local government structure and to bring it in line with what was obtainable elsewhere, as well as to bring about uniformity in the country’s local government administration under the then first Military Governor of old Anambra state Lieutenant Colonel John Atom Kpera and military head of state for Nigeria General Olusegun Obasanjo at the time Anambra State was created from the old East Central State of Nigeria. The town is known for hospitality and, it's called the food-basket due to its agrarian nature. Umulokpa is closely related to Olo. There was a story of a man called Okpala Ndim, who had two sons. The elder known as Awuke and the younger called Awuga or Awuja. The Awuga's son called Okpandi founded Umulokpa. Umulokpa and Olo were known as Umundim – Umulokpandim/Olondim. They live closely to each other. Umulokpa lived along the stretch of the Duu riverside centuries ago in the present day Olo, Ezeagu LGA but crossed over the Duu river to the present day Umulokpa, Uzo-Uwani LGA when one hunter/farmer from Nkwelle Village discovered the modern day Umulokpa land as a fertile ground for Agriculture and, advised his kith and kin to come along with him which they did and, established their home in this modern day Umulokpa community many centuries ago. Today, Amagu Obinuno village or town of Umulokpa is in Ezeagu LGA because they did not go with their kith and kit to the present-day Umulokpa which is the Headquarters of Uzo-Uwani LGA. Government in Nigeria uses river and sea mostly as boundaries. In the case of Umulokpa which is the headquarters of Uzo-Uwani LGA, the Duu river was used as the boundary between Ezeagu and Uzo-Uwani LGAs, of which Olo and Amagu Obinuno of Umulokpa are in Ezeagu LGA and Umulokpa is in Uzo-Uwani LGA. They are brothers but in different local government areas in Nigeria.
Religion
Prior to the coming of Europeans, Umulokpa people practiced traditional religion with the worship of various deities like other Igbo people. However, they had since embraced Christianity about a century ago. Today, there are more than 90% Christians in the town. The major Christian faiths are the Catholic which its current church building was built in 1923 and Anglican denominations. Some other churches, especially of the Pentecostal faith, have emerged in Umulokpa in the past forty years.
Duu River which stretches to almost the whole villages that make up Umulokpa, Mmirioku "spring" in Akiyi-Umulokpa and, another Mmirioku in Unity Primary School, Akiyi with temperature between 60 and 90°C, Ishi Obala spring water in Ugwu Adogwu, Amunyi Uwenu which separates itself from another water when mixed poured together. Live crocodiles are seen moving around without hurting people, Kpatango Amufe, Nwata Akonyi Imama for it chilling, Eje Ukpatu, Ichekwuluonu Amulu, Ngene Ude, Awaha river, Iyi Oji, etc.
Culture and Tradition
Umulokpa shares cultural traits with its neighbouring communities which are consistent with general Igbo culture. The town has a rich culture and tradition. The people celebrate life, and have a high regard for religion and tradition. The occasions that call for celebration in Umulokpa include the Birth of a Child, Marriage, and title taking, etc. Other festivals include; the New yam festival, Ama ji, Uta ana Umulokpa, the "Ibone" festival which is held between the months of July and September of every year. This is an eight day Masquerade festival that enacts the introduction of masquerading in Umulokpa Community. Different types of masquerade perform and young men are initiated every three years into their societies. The postal code of the area is 411111.
