BRIEF HISTORY

Umundugba is a town in Isu Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria, and is the headquarters of Isu LGA.

Umundugba has been in existence since the 16th century. It is made up of nine autonomous communities, and is dominated by Christian followers. The town shares boundaries with the Isu Njaba, Ekwe, Amaigbo, Amandugba, and Ezuisu autonomous communities.[citation needed]

Umundugba is ruled by Umuezeala. His Royal Highness, Eze Isaiah Ugochukwu Anusionwu, Ezeahurukwe I of Amandugba was the father of HRH Eze Onyegbuleonweya Christopher Ugochukwu, Ezeahurukwe II of Umundugba. The traditional ruler is HRH Eze Chukwuemeka Stephen Ugochukwu, Ezeahurukwe III of Umundugba. It is made up three sub communities (Orori, Nnerim,Okwara) and in Orori are villages like Umuezeala, Umoudo, Umunkwo, Okporo, Umudike, Umuekebele, and Umuokwara, while Nnerim is made up of Umudioji, Umuokwaradim, Umuezeala, Umudioma, etc. In Umezela there are chiefs and Nze, Chief Akaraugo of Umundugba and Nze chiamaka who but hail from Umezela.[citation needed]

The town has maintained its traditions and customs passed down from generation to generation. Among them being the "Oghu" festival celebrated around June to August, and shared with neighboring towns, Amandugba, Ekwe, Amurie and Umuaka. Following the Oghu festival is the "Emume" which is also called "Iriji" (new Yam Festival)which is celebrated around September at the Eze's palace. The Eze (ruler) of Umundugba is the custodian of this ceremony, and worthy sons and daughters of Umundugba, and deserving friends and in-laws of Umundugba are conferred chieftaincy titles during the ceremony.[citation needed]

Recent times One of the defunct Biafran refineries was located at the present day Umundugba during the Nigerian–Biafran civil war. The other refinery was located in Uzoakoli in present day Abia State, Nigeria.[citation needed] Umundugba was among the first autonomous communities created during the time of Governor Samuel Onunaka Mbakwe, carved out from Amandugba town.

CURRENT UPDATE

Isu is a local government area in the Imo State of Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Umundugba. Other communities are Amandugba, Ekwe, Uburu Ekwe, Isunjaba, Amurie Omanze, Ebenator Ekwe and Oboro Amurie.The name comes from the Isu people, a subgroup of the Igbo people.

Isu Local Government is one of the 27 Local Governments in Imo State. It was created in 1981 with its headquarters at Umundugba. In 1984, Isu L.G.A as an entity was revoked and it falls back to Nkwere/Isu L.G.A until in 1988 during Major General Ibrahim Babangida's regime when it finally got full approval as a Local Government Area with Hon. Gogo Lemchi as it's first Executive Chairman.

Isu L.G.A approximately covers a land area of about 989.38square kilometers. It is bounded in the East by Nkwerre Local Government Area, on the West by Mbaitoli Local Govt. Area, on the South by Nwangele Local Govt. Area, on The South/West by Isiala Mbano Local Govt. Area.
 

Isu is currently made up of thirteen autonomous communities and has a population of about 164,328 persons.