Obiozara is the administrative capital of Ohaozara LGA, it’s situated in the triangular boundary of Onicha-Igboeze, Okposi-Ezinasato and Uburu-Adunsiegbe. It’s in southwest of Onicha, north-central of Uburu and northwest of Okposi.
The area (land and buildings) mapped out of these three mentioned towns is called OBI OZARA which means HEART OF OZARA (literally meaning the Heart of Ohaozara). Secondly, In Igboland dwellings, “OBI” traditionally means “A meeting place or A central building” in which the people or their leaders meet to discuss topics concerning the community. This whole meaning was why the boundary area among Okposi, Uburu and Onicha was designated to be the OBI OF OHAOZARA because that was the position that would make it the middle of the then Ohaozara LGA, having people coming from Southern part (Ishagu and Akaeze), from North (Isu), from East (Ugwulangwu), Southeast (Ukawu and Abaomege) and Northeast (Oshiri).
In Colonial Nigeria, the Ohaozara land was under Ogoja Province during Southern Nigeria Protectorate (1914 to 1967) and Eastern Region (1954 to 1967), Ohaozara land was under Afikpo Division during East Central State (1967 to 1976), It became a local government of itself with inclusion of four other neighboring towns during the creation of the then Imo State (1976) in which at the same time Obiozara was created as a new headquarters for the new LGA.
After the colonial masters appointed officials across Eastern Nigeria called Warrant Chiefs, the warrant chiefs under the country council would meet at a place called ENU-AKWA (Court Area) in Okposi, before going to Afikpo the head of Afikpo Division to report. Enu-Akwa (Court Area) served as the political seat of Ohaozara in the days of county council that was why it was projected to be the headquarters when Ohaozara was newly established as a LGA. After the establishment of Ohaozara LGA, Enu-Akwa in Okposi was strongly opposed by some notable members of politics then, which spackled a political crisis between the two main oppositions, Prof. Aja Nwachukwu of Okposi (Nigeria’s 1st minister of education) versus Eng. Aja Eze of Uburu (Uburu’s political figure). It was almost impossible for opponents as Aja Nwachukwu was an Indigene of Okposi and a prominent politician in Nigeria then, so he wanted it in his hometown, in the other hand, Pro Aja Eze being an educator and wealthy indigene of Uburu wanted it to be situated exactly in Uburu. With other members of their panel joining the battle, it was lastly decided that the headquarters of Ohaozara LGA would be established on some parts of Uburu, Okposi and Onicha in other not to be in a particular town so that the town could not have authority over other towns.
Today, urban conurbation by the people of Uburu makes Obiozara seem to be located in Uburu but not, meaning that proximity habitation from the part of Uburu and non-proximity habitation from the parts Okposi and Onicha is a key factor here because the developed part of Okposi and the developed part of Onicha are far from Obiozara while the developed part of Uburu is very close and knows no boundary with Obiozara which has given Uburu a lot of privileges and benefits.
Overview:
- The Headquarters of Ohaozara LGA is Obiozara
- The Headquarters of Ohaozara LGA is not Uburu
- Obiozara is not in Uburu
- Obiozara is located in the carved out of area from some part of Onicha, some part of Okposi and some part of Uburu
