Decide Your Future by Godspower Oparaugo

The community considers it a sacrilege to kill or eat Python as many believed that they worship it. Inhabitants of the community are required to gather at the festival with their farming equipment such as cutlass, holes, and crop seeds that will be cultivated in their farm lands, they will be blessed before they commence farming proper. Okolochi is known for Mbubo Uzo annual festival that usually takes place during farming season, around February. The host communities had maintained that the federal government had forcefully taken more than 4,455 hectares of their land in 1982, resulting to their suffering of untold hardship for want of farmland. Okolochi together with other host communities, accused Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) of plotting to manipulate the Memorandum of Understanding made between the university and host communities.

Okolochi people welcome strangers who come to reside with them, and has been known of their hospitality and peaceful conducts. Late HRH Eze FINO Nwabiri was the traditional ruler of Mba Ato Communities until Emeabiam and Eziobodo gained their own autonomous. Mba Ato Community (three-member community) was formed immediately Ihiagwa pulled out, to ensure there was unity between the remaining communities under Okolochi headquarters. This continued for years before Ihiagwa pulled out and establish their own autonomous. Three other communities namely, Ihiagwa, Emeabiam and Eziobodo were formerly under one autonomous known as Oche, with Okolochi as their headquarters. Umuechekwuru, Umuiwuala and Umuchieze villages are nicknamed 'Umunaka' while Umuohamara and Umumoche are referred to as 'Umuejimola'. This act helps the community to maintain peace and union with each other. In addition, Umuechekwuru, Umuiwuala and Umuchieze villages can marry from Umuohamara and Umumoche, and vice versa. The villages are arranged in descending order to prove seniority.

Okolochi is made up of five villages, with one culture and tradition. It is one of the host communities of Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO. Okolochi is an ancient community in today's Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria, it borders Emeabiam, Eziobodo, Ihiagwa and Obibiezena communities.

Decide Your Future by Godspower Oparaugo