Ariam/Usaka
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| Total population | |
|---|---|
| <100,000 | |
| Languages | |
| Ariam Igbo, English, Nigerian Pidgin | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Oloko, Abam, Ngwa, Nkari, Annang, Ibibio |
Ariam/Usaka is one of the four principal clans of Ikwuano Local Government Area, Abia State, Nigeria.[1][2] Ariam/Usaka belongs to the Isuogu family. Ariam itself is made up of three subgroups namely; Ariam, Ekpiri and Usaka.[3] This clan borders Ibere and Oboro to the north, Oloko to the west, as well as several Ibibio communities in Akwa Ibom State to its eastern and southern borders. Forde and Jones categorized the Isuogu family (Ariam/Usaka and Oloko) in the Ohuhu-Ngwa cluster of the Southern Igbo area.[4]
Ariam migrated from Ugwuala in Abam and Usaka from Ora Obara also in Abam. The first settler in Ekpiri was called Onyeike Ukwumbe from Ubaha in Nsulu Ngwa (popularly called Umu Osaji) in the Old Aba Province. They drove away the Annang inhabitants and settled at Ariam Ala-Ala. Later, the scarcity of land made them warriors who drove the Annang group further southwest to Nto Ndang and Ita Ikpo. The new settlement was named Ariam Elu-Elu.[3]
Culture
The Ariam people celebrate the Ekpe festival; an event marked by the other three groups in Ikwuano. Local wrestling tournaments are also organized. They speak the Igbo language but have their own dialect.[5]