The Abriba people in Abia state are known across the South-Eastern states in Nigeria. There are several accounts on the origin of the Abriba people.
The people of Abiriba are a community of enterprising generation were originally of the Agunaguna sub-tribe of the main Ekoi group that was a part of the larger Yakurr group that can be traced to Ikom and other parts of the upper Cross River basin before migrating to the current location in Abia State, Nigeria.
Abiriba is a unique kingdom with a rich culture and history. It is one of the oldest monarchies in the south-eastern part of Nigeria, Africa. The kingdom of Abiriba is made up of three communities, namely Ameke, Amaogudu, and Agborji.
It operates on a tripodal system where the Eze of each of the three communities come together to form the Enachioken-in-council with the Eze Ameke as Enachioken based on first among equals. Succession to the throne of Eze Abiriba, Eze Agborji, and Eze Amaogudu are hereditary ACIUCentral.org.
Abiriba has a well-developed and active Age-Grade system that has been significant to its development. The Abiriba people are industrious and known for pre-historical black smiting and sculpture artifacts, but the people have transitioned to trading and industrialization. Since the people were predominantly merchants, they are widely traveled within and outside Nigeria and are correspondingly cosmopolitan.
The exposure and prosperity of Abiriba people have induced the transformation of the community from a normal village setting to a model sub-urban but residential setting with some of the most exotic homes in the Igbo land, which earned Abiriba the nickname “Small London”.
Although Igbo women are singled from an inheritance, the Abiriba people operate a unique system of lineage: the Ikwu-nne (mother’s lineage), the Ikwu-nna (father’s lineage), and the Ogo (in-law). This order determines how the properties are shared and have existed for over 200 years. The children are the woman’s children and not the man’s.
It is, therefore, her responsibility to train and take care of her children. The relations also have more rights over her husband than she does. Accordingly, a child (irrespective of their gender) has a claim on their mother’s lineage properties. The same occurs for a woman where her brother’s properties are given to her instead of his wife or his children.
This is because of their Ada nne and the kin status. The wife is not left out as she is also willed to her brother’s estates and not her fathers, especially if their father has sisters. In extreme cases where there is no estate from the brother to inherit, the relations take over the clothes and other material properties belonging to the man after he is buried.
