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Nsude Pyramids in Abaja, Northern Igbo land

''The Nsude pyramids in 1935.  These ten circular stepped pyramids were associated with the Uto deity and were made of mud.  Their reconstruction is needed.'' - Bournemouth University Archaeological team.






Source:
http://csweb.bournemouth.ac.uk/africanlegacy/culture.htm

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The location of the pyramids were sacred, devoted and dedicated to a deity called Uto Nsude in Ugwu (hill) Uto village, one among the ten villages that made up of the (My) town called Nsude. The pyramid still exist till date, Its important to note that Nsude were noted for their victorious wars with their enemies of which other neighbouring town do hire them to fight for them when the needs occurs and in such cases ultimate victory is assured. The pyramids and its environ also serve meeting points when sensitive issue were to be discussed due to is location and obscurity during the reign of Eze Okwuluogha (EZE ONYE AMA NEKE) of Eke.

In Udi LGA Enugu State, the most popular clan is OSHIE Clan(Oshie Aniugwu), Osie Clan consist of the children of Agbaja i.e Oshe grand parent, Oshie married to NNUDE and they both had seven children altogether namely:,Nsude the worrior,as first son, followed by Eke from where the legend EZE ONYE AMA NEKE(Chief Onyeama n’Eke ) comes from, others were Nneke(the only daughter of Oshie)followed by Udi, Abia,  Amaokwe (its not clear what made some part of AMaokwe to be excluded from among oshie clan up till today) then the last son of oshie being OBOIMA is partly recognize as a son of Oshie due to various reason as I was informed,
1., It was said that OBIOMA the last son of Oshie eat Udele(Vulture) which was and is still forbidden in many communities world over  till date, hence they were called OBIOMA NWAOSHIE OLI UDENE(Obioma the son of Oshie that eat Vulture) and this very offence resulted into many factor responsible for not according them ( Obioma)the rightly recognitions and place as true son of Oshie, which in turn was a result of my town Nsude doing  intermarriage with Obioma as non relative.
Oshie communities except Obioma do not intermarry, for they are descended from one man; Intermarriage is totally forbidden between the people of Nsude, Eke, Amaokwe, Abia, and Udi.

The most notable high priest who serve Uto deity, Chief OKWESILIEZE 1 who was born on November 12th 1902 reliably told us that the reason behind the construction of the pyramids were as a result of frequent wars been engaged by Nsudians of the olden days, the Uto hill otherwise known as Udi hill being the highest hill was chosen to erect the pyramids which serves as surveillance platform for the warriors and that at the southern  part of the pyramids were two entrance gates though not notable due to camouflage nature of the  entrance to avoid unlawful entry by unauthorized person/s.

Its therefore, not true to the best of my knowledge that ''The Nsude pyramids was built in the year  in 1935, the date suggested was rather the date the Europeans discovered the great pyramid during one of their exploration mission in Nsude, The exploration mission started in 1891,The white Brithish man named LUKE Walter whom we referred to (Luke nwa owerri) who did geographical survey and explorations for solid mineral in various places in Nsude including the UTO HILL.

Why i refute the assertion that the pyramid was built in 1935 was because the High priests whom i know very well told us that his father were among those that supervised the  Constance repair and beatifications of the pyramid with local materials made of Red Ulo( Red starchy mud), Nsi Efi(Feces from cow) and Obara(A Local dye tapped from tree) and that his father was not born when the said pyramid was constructed.


The commander of Nsude warrior through out the reign of Chief Onyeama n’Eke is UTO a strong man from the Ugwu (hill)village named after the warrior Uto which subsequently bear its name till date as Uwgu Uto VILLAGE, during one of the most fearful war with Chief Onyeama n’Eke `s enemy.before he died in the battle among the promises made to him (Uto) was that the Uto hill will be consecrated and serve as his memorial place, he was buried there and up till today a week long ceremony were set aside to worship and commemorate his bravado by all of Oshie sons and daughter called NKWA DAY which is one of the greatest Nsude feast and festival ever recorded and best of all kind of festival in Enugu state till date. The mode of dressing during the Nkwa festive were likened to the one been worn by soldiers in battle, with total olden days military fatigues of all type, heavy noise commoted item like a mass of metal gong about 600 pieces sweed or tied together around the waist to generate heavy noise as it clashed spontaneously, these  method adopted made our enemies to cower in fright coppled with 25mm x 3ft Dane gun used in those wars added to the famous Okpo Na Ani(Ground Granade) made with local Charcoal Gun Powder and palm kanel fronds.

These feast is cerebrated on Uka Afor market day on the beginning /middle of November every two years, you need to witness this festival to understand what am talking about, if you happen to be in Ogbete, New/Old market or infact every other motor parks Enugu State be least assured that you will never get a bus to other destination other than the ones going to Nsude for the Nkwa festival.

  Onyeama was born around 1870s, the youngest of the ten children of Özö Omulu Onwusi,from  EKE town in Udi LGA Enugu State Nigeria.