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| Ikeji Aro 2019 |
The Arochukwu Kingdom or Aro Okeigbo is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Igbo land.
They are seen all over the world but, the roots of the Arochukwu people are rooted in Abia State and have more than 113 settlements where their communities are seen.
Why did the Aro people spread like this?
Mr Chima Dike explained to news men why the Aro people spread like this.
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| Mr Chima Dike |
In his voice, he said “It is with the means of trading that the Aro people are seen and dominated everywhere in Igbo land, the country and the globe at large”.
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He said slavery was a trade introduced by the Aro between the 1500s and the Portuguese, before the British arrived in 1901 and 1902.
He said that slavery was based on the belief of the god Ibini Ụkpabi that all Igbos trusted for protection.
This is why the Aro people are respected wherever they go.
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Some brought the Aro people to the city to help protect the city from slaves and invaders, which also played a vital role on the domination of the Aro people.
Wherever an Aro person go or the Aro people reside in ones community, they are being respected and seen as Ibini ukpabi’s spokespersons, they were given the opportunity to speak in those places, because it is believed that Ibini Ukpabi can speak through them.
The Aro people are trusted as truthful and upright judges, which is why they are being made judges in any place they go.
They take the crime committers to the Ibini ukpabi to be used as slaves and sold abroad where their owners can no longer see them.
This is why the Igbo people are spread all over the world. That is why all the Igbo people have a special respect for the Aro people who marveled at the whites when they came to Igbo land.
Aro People were not just slave traders but the first set of Igbo that were oftenly travelling due to their commercial impulse. Aro People are highly enterprising, leading them to moving from one place to the other. We have a unique history and tradition, which the every Aro person should be proud of.
As a result of our commercial impulse, the whites attacked the Aro people, overthrowing their government and seizing some of their power.
The next day the war journalist was shot in the head.
But when Whites won the war, slavery stopped, and the Aro people began selling palm oil and production of oil in the same way they did in the slave trade.
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| Amuvi Uda Cultural display |
While we still make our research the below places are where you can see some of the Aro settlements
Aro Ajatakiri dị n’Ikwuano nke Abia Steetị
Aro Achara – I
- Aro Ajatakairi – Ikwuano, Abia
- Aro Achara – Isialangwa, Abia
- Aro Okporoenyi – Bendel, Abia
- Aro Ayama – Ikwuano, Abia
- Aro Amuru – Ikwuano, Abia
- Aro Ngwa – Abia State
- Aro Ama-Asa – Isialangwa, Abia
- Aro UmuNkpe – Isialangwa, Abia
- Aro Nbawsi – Isialangwa, Abia
- Aro Omoba – Isialangwa, Abia
- Aro UmuEru – Isialangwa, Abia
- Aro UmuAro – Isialangwa, Abia
- Aro Onicha Ngwa
- Aro Isuochi – Abia
- Aro Ahuma Abam – Abia
- Aro Nde Ijere – Ohafia – Abia
- Aro Agbagwu – Uzuakoli- Abia
- Aro Ndizuogu – comprising of 3 LGA { Ideato, Okigwe and
- Onuimo ]- Imo
- Aro Oguta – Imo
- Aro Izombe – Imo
- Aro Oru – Imo
- Aro Oji – Owerri – Imo
- Aro Ihite Owerri – Imo
- Aro Iheosu – Imo
- Aro Awa- Imo
- Aro Mbana – Imo
- Aro Atta Ikeduru – Imo
- Aro Umunneoha – Imo
- Aro Iheagwa – Imo
- Aro Ndi Ikerionwu – Anambra
- Aro Ajali – Anambra
- Aro Azia – Anambra
- Aro Abagana – Anambra
- Aro Ndi-Owu – Anambra
- Aro Isiopko – Ikwerre – River state
- Aro Igirita – Ikwerre – Rivers State
- Aro Kalabari – Rivers State
- Aro Opobo – Rivers state
- Aro Ikpa – Enugu
- Aro Amokwe –Udi Enugu
- Aro Ezeagu – Enugu
- Aro Achi – Enugu
- Aro Nkalagu – Ebonyi
- Aro okposi – Ebonyi
- Aro Onueke [Ezza] – Ebonyi
- Aro Nsukka – Enugu
- Aro Nzerem – Ebonyi
- Aro Ikwo – Ebonyi
- Aro Ndi okoro – Akwa Ibom
- Aro Ikot Ukana – Akwa Ibom
- Aro oboro ite – Akwa Ibom
- Aro Idoma – Ukpabi of Ochu Idoma – Benue State
- Aro Umudara Njiaba – Imo
- Aro Umuejike Njiaba – Imo
- Aro Nempi – Oru west – Imo
- Aro ibiasoegbe – Mbgidi – Imo
- Aro Ezial – Mgbidi – Imo
- Aro Ugbele- Mgbidi – Imo
- Aro Uzun’umu-mgbidi – Imo
- Aro Eleh-oru West – Imo
- Aro Ubulu-Oru West – Imo
- Aro Nde Ikokwo-Uli – Anambra
- Aro Ndi Egungwu-Uli – Anambra
- Aro Ubuluisiuzo-Ihiala – Anambra
- Aro Umuezeawara-Ihiala – Anambra
- Aro Iseke-Iheala – Anambra
- Aro izzi – Ebonyi
- Aro Awonmanma-Oru East – Imo
- Aro Otulu-Oru East – Imo
- Aro Amiri-Oru East – Imo
- Aro Amuro-Okigwe – Imo
- Aro Amuzari na Aro Anara-Isiala Mbano – Imo
- Aro Nkwesi-Oguta – Imo
- Aro ndi-Okparaeze-Orumba North – Imo
- Aro Umudike-Ikwuano –Abia
- Aro oji/Aro Ndeokoroji, na Aro Ndinwafor-Okigwe – Imo
- Aro nike-Nike –Enugu [ The statute at Nike around about is
- that of great Aro man]
- Aro Amawom- Eziala-Isialangwa – Abia
- Aro Atah [Atani Agbor] -Isiala Mbano – Imo
- Aro Umuororonjo [Nde ujah}-Owerri municipal – Imo
- Aro Azia-Ihiala – Anambra
- Aro Ikwo – Ebonyi
- Aro Effium-Ohaukwu LGA – Ebonyi
- Aro Isu na Aro onichi-Onicha LGA – Ebonyi
- Aro Uburu – Ohazara LGA – Ebonyi
- Aro Abakaliki na Aro Ezillo – Ebonyi
- Aro Nkerefi-Nkanu East LGA – Enugu
- Aro Obohia-Ahiazu Mbaise – Imo
- Aro Umulolo-Okigwe – Imo
- Aro Nkanunta na Nde Totty na Aro Oboro – Bende – Abia
- Aro Ndi itee na Nde okereke Abam- Abam Arochukwu –
- Abia
- Aro Ndi okpalaeke na Ndi Aguluezechukwu-Aguata LGA –
- Anambra
- Aro Abeokuta Ijebu Igbo-Abeokuta – Ogun State
- Aro mbutu-Aboh Mbaise – Imo
- Aro Ndi Ajugwo-Mbosi Ihiala – Anambra
- Aro Ndi Akweke-Orsumogho Ihiala – Anambra
- Aro Ndi oji-Ukpor/Ihembosi
- Aro Ozubulu
- Aro panya, na Aro Fernando poo – Equatorial Guinea
- And many more { add the one’s know.
We are still making our research and We will list them here when we receive any other Aro Settlements.
Though some of these Aro settlements now see themselves as inferior Aro while some still believe that they of Aro blood, come rain, come sun.