Communities of Aro People in South East

Aro which is originally pronounced as ERU is the largest and oldest clan in Igboland occupying the Arochukwu LGA of Abia State. Aro was the first set of Igbo people to encounter the white men. They were into slave trading and iron business. They are nomadic in nature. Their nomadic lifestyle made them to establish settlements at different parts of the South East.

One of the commonest ways of identifying an Aro community anywhere in the South East is the attachment of “Ndi” to the name of such a community. In this account, I shall be listing some of the communities in the South East that are of Aro origin:

In Anambra State, they have the following communities:

1. Ajalli
2. Ndiowu
3. Ndiokpalaeke
4. Ndiokpalaeze
5. Ndiokolo
6. Ndiukwuenu
7. Ekwulobia
8. Abagana
9. Okija etc.
From 1-6 are in Orumba North LGA of Anambra State.

In Abia State (the motherland):

1. Aroajatakiri (Umuahia)
2. Aroachara (Isiala Ngwa)
3. Aroumunkpe (Isiala Ngwa)
4. Arombosi (Isiala Ngwa)
5. Aromoba (Isiala Ngwa)
6. Arokporoenyi (Ikwuano)
7. Aroiyama (Ikwuano)
8. Aroamuru (Ikwuano)
9. Aroisuochi
10. Arouturu etc.

In Enugu State:

1. Aro Achi
2. Aro Ezeagu
3. Aro Amokwe Udi etc.

In Ebonyi State

1. Aro-Nzerem in Afikpo South LGA
2. Aro Camp in Ikwo LGA
3. Aro-Effium in Ohaukwu LGA
4. Aro- Ngbo in Ohaukwu LGA
5. A little particle in Uburu, Ohaozara
6. Aro-Ehugbo of Afikpo North LGA
7. A mixture of Aro in Alike, Ikwo LGA
8. A mixture in Umuaka, Ikwo LGA
9. A mixture of Aro in Ivo LGA
10. A mixture of Aro in Onueke, Ezza South LGA etc.

Imo State:

1. Aro-Awa in Oguta
2. Aro-Egbuoma in Oguta
3. Aro-Abba in Nwangele
4. Aro Anwuanwu in Nwangele
5. Aro Nempi
6. Arondizuogu
7. Aro-oru etc.

Rivers State:

1. Aro Isiokpo/Igwurita
2. Aro Opobo
3. Aro Kalabari
4. Aro Oboro Ite etc.

The above are just a few settlements of the Aro people out of the many others unknown to this author. Arochukwu is a powerful clan in Igboland. Its existence and history predates the coming of the missionaries in the Igboland. History explains that Aro people have an ancestral tie with the Ibibio, Cross River and other territories that are outside Igboland. Their dominance and prominence in different areas of Igboland have remained a mysterious cycle.