Eluoma
Eluoma (or Eluama) is a town in Amawu, Isuikwuato, Abia State of Nigeria. It is the largest town in Isuikwuato, having more than 10 distinct villages. It also occupies the largest geographical space in the whole of Isuikwuato, and has the most varied vegetation, relief and drainage. It shares boundaries with Amiyi Uhu, Amiyi Obilohia, Otampa, Umuasua, Umuobiala, Nnunya and Umuahia. It is a few kilometres from Abia State University, Uturu, Abia State and about 20 kilometres from Umuahia, the capital of Abia State, in the South Eastern part of Nigeria. Eluoma people are Igbos by ethnicity and belong to what was formally called Igbo Union from which the "Central Igbo" was derived. Composition The villages or communities that make up Eluoma are Ekebe, Umuama, Umuebere Aja, Umuebere Nkuma (Obu-Na-Ebere Nkuma), Obodo, Umusoo, Umuokogbuo, Umuerem, Ndi Ogu, Umuezeoka, Umuihe (formerly, Umu Ohu) and Igidi-Inyim. Apart from Obodo, Umuama, Umusoo and Ekebe, each of the above villages or communities are geographically separated by distances ranging from two kilometres to seven or more kilometres. History The founder and father of people of Eluoma (Eluama) is sad to be Ama, the son of Awu although some people think this ancestral name is a mere deduction from Eluama which later Eluoma people, following Colonial misspelling call the place. The existence of Eluoma in Ahaba-Imenyi, Isuikwuato, Nkpa and Uzuakoli both in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State supports the view that the community's original name was Eluoma. Although the kinship to these other communities have not been properly traced, the uniqueness of the name is a starting point in the quest. Ama has two wives and four sons, Ebe, Obu, Ama and Ogwugwu. Ebe and Ama lived in close proximity because they are from the same mother. Ebe the first son derived the name Ekebe from Eke Ukwu market while Ama his younger brother lives close to him in d area presently call Umuama. Obu and Ogwugwu are thought to be from the same mothers. There is a legend that Obu accused Ogwugwu of stealing yams from his barn. Ogwugwu denied it and took oath. He survived the oath after one year in the cave as he surfaced alive from Ubiyi cave. Obu was remorseful when he saw his brother Ogwugwu alive. He made the celebrated statement. "Beru" which translates to please am sorry, pardon me or forgive me of the wrongful accusation. From "Beru", "Eberu" replaced the name Ogwugwu, The Umueberu name later become Umuebere. This myth has an immediate challenge. How could Beru become Ebere? There is no linquistic connection and Eluoma people do not say bere in place of beru. This myth is based on the risky practice of finding a people's history from their name. Just like a person's history may have nothing to do with the meaning of his name, so it is with commmunities. However, since Dr Onyeike with a PhD in History wrote down this version, it has taken the form of orthodxy. Still, in an open