Orji

Orji is an village in southeast Nigeria. It is located in the Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State. This region is part of the ancient kingdom of Uratta. Orji is one of several settlements along the Owerri-Okigwe road, including Umuchoke, Umuogowerem, Umuogii, Umukehi, Umuodu, Umuimeka, Umundula, Umuasonye, and Aro.

History

The present day name of the village comes from various local legends about an ancestor who was called Orji.

In one version, Orji had eight giant sons whose descendants made up the eight Kings of Orjiland. A ninth child, Aromao, brought the total to 9, but since she was a girl, she could not become royalty. A local saying, "Orji ri nchi asato Aro e me ya itoli," is often associated with this story.

In another version, oral history recalls that the ancient patriarch Orji had five sons from his first wife (Choke, Ogowerem, Ogii, Kehi and Odu, in that order), followed by four children with his second wife: Odagu, Umuodagu-Mbieri, Imeka, and Umuimeka-Orji. Orji’s third wife had Ndula, while it is alleged that Asogamuonyeanya was a child of Orji's daughter, Mgboto, who is married to Mbieri. The severe nature of this marriage led to a war between Orji and Mbieri in those days, resulting in the returning of Asogamuonyeanya to Orji.