THE ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF ELU OHAFIA IN PRESENT DAY ABIA STATE SINCE 1900
ELU VILLAGE IN ABIA STATE
A STUDY OF ORIGIN AND GROWTH SINCE 2012
    TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE:    INTRODUCTION
-    Aims and Objectives of the study
-    Scope of work
-    Limitation of study
-    Conceptual framework
-    Research methodology and problems
Literature Review
-    Notes and Reference
CHAPTER TWO : GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION AND ORIGIN OF ELU OHAFIA COMMUNITY
-    Geographical description of Elu Ohafia Community
-    Historical background of Elu Ohafia Community
-    Constituent compound of Elu Village and their customary privileges
-    Notes and References.
CHAPTER THREE: ELU OHAFIA DURING THE PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD

-    Pre-colonial political set up
-    Indigenous Economic Activities
-    Interaction with neighboring Communities
-    Traditional belief and practices
-    Notes and References
CHAPTER FOUR: ELU OHAFIA COMMUNITY SINCE CONTACT WITH EUROPEANS
-    Political Changes
-    Socio-Economic changes
-    Arrival of Soldiers, Government and missionaries
-    Modern development
-    Notes and References
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMERY AND CONCLUSION
-    Summary
-    Conclusion
-    Bibliography
PREFACE
The fundamental importance of this discourse is to highlight the origin and growth of Elu-Ohafia in Abia State of Nigeria and the socio-political and economic life of Elu Ohafia, Abia state.
Apparently, there is not much written literature regarding the historical origin of Elu Ohafia. Much of the conceptual knowledge is oral hence there exist so many school of thought. This underscore the importance of this work as it attempt to research on this fact and provide veritable account. In this regard few written books and pamphlets were consulted, while oral interview of Elu chiefs, village council members and Ohafia indigene at large was embarked upon.
This work is divided into five chapters. The first chapter deals with the introduction, aim and objective of the study. Chapter two reflects the geographical location, origin and historical background etc. The third chapter looks at Elu
Ohafia diary � Pre-colonial period, its political setting and economic activities. Chapter four gives overview of socio-political, economic life of Elu village and the modern development and the arrival soldiers, government and missionaries. The Chapter five deal with summary and conclusion.

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
AIMS AND OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
This aim and objective of the essay is to discuss the origin, growth and development of Elu village. Many works has been done on big town and cities but small and rather important village like Elu Ohafia rarely get attention that it deserves.
Hence this work aims to objectively throw light on origin, growth and the socio-political and economic life of Elu Ohafia community in Abia state.

SCOPE OF WORK
This study encapsulates the origins and growth of Elu village juxtaposed with its socio-political and economic life of the people. Honest attempt was also made to examine the various compounds that constitute Elu and terminates with the modern development of Elu which includes the arrival of soldiers, modern government and missionary.
LIMITATION OF STUDY

History is susceptible to distortion from generation to generation. Since this research work partly involve interview of human beings, it�s objectivity is partly constrained by amnesia due to time lag, unpredictability of human nature, lack of proper recording of events and vicissitude of human nature due to either bias or political affiliations. Like some of the people interviewed have different opinion on the actual name of the founding father of Elu village and Ohafia at large. Hence this work was not different, as it suffers from the same Achilles-heel. Most of the people interviewed were above sixty five years old and times could not recollect and narrate proper account of history. Even some educated ones a times resort to
politics of tutored misguidance while others become elusive due to political dichotomy predicated on politics of succession and bias toward a particular group.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
The conceptual framework of the essay is to understand the origin of Elu people and the reason for their leaving Owan located in the old Benin Kingdom of the present Delta state. Historical, political and Economic reasons induce people to migrate from one place to another which are not at variant with the Elu southern-ho.
It is in this perspective that we will now look at the Elu people migration from Old Benin Kingdom to their present location in the southern most part of Nigeria and the difficulties and challenges they faced during migration.

REASEARCH METHODOLOGY AND PROBLEMS
It is a fact that Elu village has not got much attention from Historian and professional who have for obvious reasons concentrated their work on the larger issue of Igbo race. Hence there is paucity of research materials. Consequently important personalities, local chiefs and traditionalist were interviewed either in English or in Vernacular. The interviews were based on appointment which requires going to their homes and primarily asking those questions on religious belief, political proclivities, social orientation and economic activities.
The traditional nature of the people of Elu made is easy to avail requisite information from Council of Elders. Availability of relics assisted in interfacing fact provided by the eminent personalities interviewed.

Nonetheless the non availability of many written or published material and literature compounded to the bottleneck and this inevitably made oral information imperative. Another problem was collating of various information gathered so as to provide a veritable account. Another problem is that some of the people interviewed were not very generous in giving out information. However a genuine attempt has been made to collate all the information gathered and have a reliable and dependable account.
 LITERATURE REVIEW
Evidently,  the  scarcity  of  literature    made  oral  interview  quintessential  in completion of this work since no work have vividly address the origin and growth of Elu village and it�s socio-political and economic life, this work pivotally has becomes very important.
It is inevitable to underscore that paucity of material on Origin, growth and socio-political and economic development of Elu people did negates the richness of this research, however this did not undermine meticulous primary information collected toward this endeavor. Since this work was mostly based on oral account it suffice to say that it is not immune to human element like prevarication, fudging, biases, machination and manipulations which is deliberate or selective memory syndrome. But the available axiomatic literature dealt elaborately on the Origin, growth, socio-cum political and economic life of Elu Ohafia. For instance the History and culture of Ohafia by N.E. Obuba provided comprehensive fact in term of origin and growth of Ohafia including Elu Ohafia. The Introduction to the Traditional Government of Elu Ohafia literature compiled Umu Anya Uduma-Oke provided a good incite on the people of Elu Ohafia.

NOTES AND REFERENCES
1.    A.E. Obuba; The History and Culture of Ohafia, Collated Oral Tradition, from 1432 to2008, published by Lintdsons Publication, Ebem Ohafia, 2008.
2.    Umu Anya Uduma Oke: Introduction to the traditional Government of Elu Ohafia in A.E Obuba, The History and Culture of Ohafia, Collated Oral
Tradition, from 1432 to2008, published by Lintdsons Publication, Ebem Ohafia, 2008.
3.    Mr/Barister Eke Obuba: Interviewed on 12th December 2011
4.    Elder Chief Agwu kalu: Interviewed on 10th January 2012
5.    Sir Jonathan Agbai Okpa kalu: Interviewed on 17 February 2012
6.    His Highness Chief Imaga: Interviewed on 22nd February 2012
7.    Mr. Kalu okpan Anyah: Retired chief Justice of Maidugiri State.
8.    Chief Eke Emetu Kalu: keeper of Obu Ndi Anaga, Elu Ohafia.
9.    Chief Idika Aso: Keeper of Obu Nkwa, Asaga Ohafia
10.    Chief Idika: keeper of Raffia Curtain at Ifumong.
11.    Chief kalu Eme: keeper of Ifumong