My Root :- A Journey to my Hometown

Am taking you on a ride back to my home town. I am from Ogbaku in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo state, South Eastern Nigeria. Ogbaku is made of eighteen(18) villages. It is situated along Onitsha road Owerri. Ogbaku is almost 12 km to the Imo state capital Owerri. Obgaku hosts a wing of Imo State University Teaching Hospital and a postal agency. There is pipeborne water and there electricity supply is from the national grid.

It is an ancient kingdom, Ogbaku has been in existence dating back to the 18th century and beyond it. Ogbaku was a kingdom together and been have one king before, But in late 1990's it was divided into four (4) autonomous communities which are; Ogbaku, Isi Ogbaku, Ogbujioma and Okwu.

Ogbaku are predominantly farmers, are peace loving and always well dressed and the are people full of confidence in themselves. Ogbaku people are mostly educated, industrialist and Civil Servants. Ogbaku have Natural resources like big forest at the Amaegbu Okwu Ogbaku, a wonderful lake called Okwu Lake, the Oba Bridge at Okpuala Ogbaku, and the Iyi Umueze River that have enough white sand and fish. Inhabitants of Ogbaku produce a variety of food and cash crops which includes Yam, Cocoyams, Cassava, Maize, Vegetable and Palm produce. The Ogbaku people rears animals and own alot of poultries. The people of Ogbaku also are skilled in crafts, which includes basket making, broom making, hair weaving etc.

The people of Ogbaku have a very rich cultural activities. The Owu, Okorosha, Ekeleke and Mmanwu are colourful seasonal festivals associated with planting and harvesting. Isi-Ji Ogbaku (New Yam Festivals) is another colourful cultural festival in Ogbaku community. The Owu festival is celebrated between July and August for the New Yam Festivals and Ekeleke takes place in the dry season it is for harvest boom in December. Okorosha festival take place in December and Mmanwu festival take place in December as well.

Food eaten in Ogbaku town are food such as Egusi soup, Orha soup, Banga soup, Isara soup, Olubu soup. Okra soup, Okhazi Soup, Yam Pottage and porridge, Rice, and Bean etc.

The most common languages speaking in Ogbaku are English, Pigin English, and the Igbo.