Otuocha

Otuocha is a town and Headquarters of Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria. It was previously a divisional headquarters of Anambra Divisional council during the first (1st) Republic and also the old Local Government Headquarters of Old Anambra local government area that was broken to create the following four prevalent local governments: Anambra East, Anambra West, Oyi and Ayamelum LGAs.

It has a large population as many people from different ethnic groups in Nigerian dwell in the land. These people include not only the original Igbo natives of Umuleri and Aguleri but others from other parts of Igbo land including the Hausa, Ijaw, Yoruba, etc. Otuocha is an important town in Nigeria east of the Niger as it serves as the food basket to the entire people of Southeastern States.

Origin

The history of Otuocha has been the source of problem that exist between the two major groups that live in Otuocha land. Oral source had it that Otuocha land was earlier known as Otuoche and was a farmstead (Farmland) belonging to the people of Amukwa-Adegbe Village of Umuleri. The small parcel of land that was later expanded and known as Otuocha was owned by One Ogbuevi Oche from Amukwa-Adegbe Village and the land was then known as "Otu-Oche (referring to the "Port" or shores of Oche), being the fact that it is at the bank of the Great Omambala River where many other "ports" or local "wharfs" are located. Though at the beginning, it was a very small portion within the shores of the Omambala (Anambra) River but with migration and expansion, it extends to includes some parts of Aguarkor in the west and Offianwagbo in the East. The name was originally called "Otuoche" but was corrupted by the advent of Europeans who mispronounced the name as "Otuocha". Since then the town has been known as Otuocha.