NGWA AS A NAME FACTS & FICTIONS.
The genealogy and ancestry of Nde Ngwa has been traced to a litany of sources. They include:
1. The Israeli Ancestry
2. The Benin kingdom Ancestry
3. The Awka/ Nri Ancestry
4. The Isuama / Orlu Ancestry
5. The Umunoha Ancestry. There could be more. The Name NGWA is usually associated with the Umunoha genealogical Ancestry.
The nomenclature " Ngwa" and its derivation has been a matter of controversy. There
are several versions, tales, myths concerning the name. However, it is widely speculated that the name erupted at the point of crossing the river at Alulu in the present Ngor Okpuala local government of Imo state during the Migration of Ukwu and his brothers Nwaoha and Avosi.
Suffice it to state that according to oral Tradition Ukwu and his brothers were part of the Isuama group who decided to relocate at the height of hostilities from Orlu area ... Along the line the story / narrative changed .It was stated that Ukwu and his brothers started the movement from Umunoha, in the present Mbaitolu local government of Imo state. How this Umunoha Ancestral Migration tale has been faulted by a recent Research conducted by the Ohangwa Sociocultural and Anthropological Research Society OSCARS.
From Umunoha, it was stated that Ukwu and his brothers made a stop over at Ugwuekwema ( Owerre NCHISE) in the present Owerri municipal Council in the present Imo state. One arrival at the crossing point they decided to have a meal while waiting for the high tide of the river to go down. As yam was the available food item at that point in time Ukwu and his brothers decided to boil /cook their yam.It was stated, that the other part of the contingent started roasting their yam meal.
Pa Ukwu's boiled yam became ready, they ate and crossed the river when the high tide receded. The other sect that were roasting their couldn't cross. Because, Ukwu and his brothers crossed they were called Nde Ngwa Ngwa or Nde Ngwa wheomalejiemere, .
Now, the following questions are very vital:
1.Who named Ukwu and his brothers Nde Ngwa or Nde Ngwa Ngwa.
2.Who were the other group that roasted their yam meal.
2b. What cooking utensils were available to cook/ boil yam at that archaic period. Were pots available then.? . Only sticks and firewood were available and that informed the roasting of yams by the other group. They wouldn't have started roasting their yams if there were cooking utensils.
3. Was that group part of Pa Ukwu's contingent or they were an independent group.
4. Didn't the high tide of the river receded again for the group that were roasting their yam meal to cross and still join Ukwu and his brothers.
5. Did the River maintained on High tide till date.
6. Was there not the tendency for the group roasting their yam meal abandoning their food and follow Ukwu group to cross.
7. It was speculated that the River in question is the present Imo river. Who named the River Imo.
8. Another tale stated that the point of crossing was somewhere around Ntigha in the present Isialangwa North local government. Which one is the true position.
9. Looking at the the geographical location of Alulu where the crossing occurred, the contingent should have moved towards Aga and umuekene axis in the present Isialangwa South local government because of the availability of arable lands.
10. How come they moved towards Okpualangwa for their initial settlement.
11. Okpuala Ngwa settlement seem to reinforce the Ntigha crossing point.