About Us
Ngwa Community UK is the Apex National Organisation for Ngwa People of Abia State resident in the United Kingdom known as NCUK, formed many years ago in London. NCUK membership is made up of Ngwa immigrants across the United Kingdom. The Ngwas are an extraction of the Ibo people of Abia State Nigeria, one of the major ethnic groups in South East Nigeria. We take pride on our cultural heritage and the cultivation of this culture into Ngwa generations born in Diaspora. The organisation has provided a platform for our people to stay connected and discuss ideas of mutual understanding; development and culture. Our objective and primary motive is to unite all Ngwa indigenes in the United Kingdom and to support educational endeavours including acknowledging youth’s achievements in the area of academic excellence, provision of educational amenities and rehabilitation of improvised schools. Members also support one another in times of joy and grief and together we aim to partner with like minded organisations in Diaspora and Nigeria towards improving the quality of lives of our people. Ngwa Community UK is a non-profit organization. The organisation has as its primary goal to unite all Ngwas, provide a community environment which will enable all Ngwa people advance intellectually, socially and economically. We take pride on our cultural heritage and the cultivation of this culture into Ngwa generations born in Diaspora. Our London branch holds her general meeting on the last Sunday of every month in a hall in London to discuss matters affecting our community in general and socialise.
THE NGWA PEOPLE
In the absence of a documented account of the origin of the word ‘Ngwa’ in the pre-colonial era, one source of information appears to be booklet written a few years ago by a prominent historian and archivist, Mr. J.E.N. Nwaguru. His proximity to the National Archives in Enugu made his work an acceptable source of information. Another source would be the fireside evening stories from our grandfathers. This oral history account has it that the word ‘Ngwa’ was a short form of the Igbo adjective “Ngwa-Ngwa” meaning “quickly”.
Geographical Setting
The area covering the old Aba division Ngwa, is situated in the tropical rain forest of southern Igbo plain in the present Abia State of Nigeria. It has a population of over one million people and an area of little over nine hundred square miles. The area is bounded on the north by the present Umuahia zone, on the west by Owerri and Mbaise, on the east by Ikot-Ekpene and Abak and on the south by ukwa. The important waterways are the Imo River to the south and west, the Aba or Aza River that rises at Abayi, and flows south through Aba Township into the Imo River at a point near Okpontu. Around Nsulu to the northeast, there are two minor rivers, the Otamiri and the Ohi. At no point does the land rise above an elevation of 50ft. The people are largely farmers, producing yams, cassava, cocoyam, maize and other tropical farm products. Major rural industries include garri and palm produce in addition to Akwete cloth weaving in which in which most women from Ihie area were engaged. The old divisional headquarters was Aba, a very important commercial and industrial center. Center of major population concentration includes Aba, Mgboko, Osisioma, Umuoba, Owerinta, Nbawsi (Nvosi) and Okpu-Alangwa.