Redefine OKA ETITI..

 http://www.awkaetitigeneral.com.ng

*OKA DIEDO:* Let the conversation begin

By

Owelle Inno Anoliefo** 

 *Introduction:* 

When the Awka Etiti Improvement Union {AIU} was inaugurated in 1944, one of the first assignments they carried out was the change of name for the town from the derogatory cognomen Oka Nkakwu which was ascribed to her and by which she was known by her neighbors, to Awka Etiti. The change of name was a very welcome relief at that time. From hindsight it would appear that the quest then was more to get rid of the derogation than to reflect our cultural bearings in the name change. Etiti means middle and Awka Etiti literally means Awka that is in the middle. Middle of where or what one many ask, but it also seems to have distinguished the town from another Awka on the northern corridors perhaps bigger and more cosmopolitan. 

 *Metamorphoses of the name Awka Etiti:* 

History has it that the name Awka Etiti metamorphosed from Oka Diedo to Oka Nnobi to Oka Nkakwu and finally to Awka Etiti in 1944.

I observe quickly that Oka was anglicized to Awka only in 1944 as a result of the colonial/missionary influence. The English colonial masters spelt the names as phoneticised and they were accepted as given. This was not peculiar to us hence Onuicha was spelt Onitsha, Enu Ugwu- Enugu, Ama Obia- Amawbia etc. It is to be noted then in addition that only the white D/Os and their missionary counterparts were literate and were using barely literate court clerks [cotumas] and cathekists as their interpreters. Again then, elitism and cosmopolitanism was to be seen speaking like or mimicking the Oyibos by the few semi educated ones. Our culture and even traditional names had to be abandoned, denigraded or at best anglicized to fit into the era.

 *The Name Diedo:* 

There are many versions of how Diedo came to be ascribed to Awka Etiti. Two of them seem to be more pronounced. The first is that Diedo was our primogenitor, who had blood relations with Nnobi, Nnewi, and probably Uke and Ojoto [G.O Akajiobi- A short History of Awka Etiti]. The second was that Diedo was the name of the armor which Oka people adorned during the internecine wars and which seemed to have been the secret of their bravery which made neighbours to ascribe that to their name and it became their identity.

Whatever it is one thing is known that Oka has been associated with Diedo for good. Why our people of 1944 did not consider adopting the name when a change was contemplated would not be known.

There is a clamor in recent times for a revisit of the 1944 exercise with the aim removing the contortions and creating an original identity for our town. This piece is aimed at inviting a conversation on this. Do we change our name to Oka Diedo as originally was or do we retain Awka Etiti as is? I shall hereunder try to recap the arguments for and against this proposal to enable the conversation.

 *Arguments for change of name:* 

-It is our original name borne by our forebears.

-It is a name that has a history that connects us to our roots.

-It will correct the spelling distortion of Oka as Awka imposed on us by the colonial/ missionary masters. 

-It will delete Etiti from our name which though sounds un-offensive lacks conjugation with our history and geography.

-It will distinguish us from Awka [Capital] and clean off the disparage Obele Awka often used to distinguish us from [Nnukwu] Awka.

-It will engender a sense of pride and distinction in our people.

 *Arguments for retaining the name Awka Etiti:* 

-We are known by the name in all circles and there is no need for a change.

-It is not what we need now and there are more serious issues confronting us.

-We have used Awka Etiti in our official data pages and altering may create difficulties

-A name a community bears does not matter, what matters is the quality of her constituents.

-We are not the only town with distorted spellings by the colonial/ missionary masters and all have accepted them as part of their heritage.

 *Conclusion:* 

I now wish to invite a healthy conversation on this issue. The generation of 1944 pulled us out of the denigration that was Oka Nkakwu by adopting Awka Etiti. This generation can further refine the posit to reflect our reality. Either way it will be known in years to come that this generation noted some aberrations in the 1944 name and corrected or attempted to correct it and succeeded or failed according to the popular wish. By this generation I mean those 50 and below who have the future to contend with and not my generation that are spent and heading to the departure lounge.

 *Driving the conversation:* 

In this wise, I wish to invite the ace-administrators and players of our various social media platforms to drive the conversation. I have in mind the new generation cerebral people like Oliver Ezediniru, Odera the last born, Emeka Ajas, Amicable sister, Abuchi Okpaleze, Princess Ezeani, Leo Nwadike, Chijioke Okonkwo, Agudo, Shege, Rudolf

 and others to be co-opted.

 *Post conversation follow up:* 

I want to assure that in the event the proposal has a preponderant support or buy-in some of us elders will support to move it to action level.

 I thank you for reading.

Dated: 25/11/20