Nsukka is a town and a Local Government Area in Enugu State, Nigeria. Nsukka shares a common border as a town with Edem, Opi (archaeological site), Ede-Oballa, and Obimo.
The postal code of the area is 410001 and 410002 respectively referring to University of Nigeria Campus, and Nsukka Urban.
History
Nsukka is made up of Mkpunano, Nru, and Ihe'n Owerre. Presently, there is an erroneous trend of referring to all the towns under Enugu North Senatorial Zone as Nsukka. This trend could be as a result of Nsukka housing the headquarters of the now defunct Nsukka province under the colonial rule.
Nsukka is also a local government area and comprises several towns including Nsukka the host to the first indigenous university in Nigeria, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
Nsukka is an agricultural-trade centre for the yams, cassava (manioc), corn (maize), taro, pigeon peas, and palm oil and kernels produced by the local Igbo (Ibo) people. Weaving is a traditional local craft. Coal deposits have been discovered east of Nsukka around Obolo, a town on the main Onitsha-Makurdi road.
People in Nsukka speak central Igbo and Nsukka dialect, a sub-dialect of larger Igbo language.
The influence of Nsukka people was felt as far as Idah, the Achadu Oko Attah clan in Idah historically migrated from Nsukka.
Nsukka's ancient wars
Nsukka in the 18th and 19th century had one of the best fighting forces in what is present-day Enugu-North which they employed in waging war against their neighbours in order to gain more territories for their rising population and for other purposes. Each community that made up the town of Nsukka had stationed in them a fighting force made up of people from that community.
Nsukka's numerous wars with her neighbours were usually successful such that some surrounding communities requested help from Nsukka to protect them from their attackers.
Another instance of Nsukka's expansionist bid was the war with Ejuona-Obukpa (a community in Obukpa) which eventually ended in the annexing of a part of Ejuona-Obukpa. According to D. C. Ugwu, this war should not be viewed as one between Nsukka and the entire Obukpa as Ejuona (the involved community) refused the assistance of the rest of Obukpa.
By the time the war ended, Nsukka succeeded in taking parts of Ejuona-Obukpa, almost wiping out one village (Umugboguru) of all its inhabitants in the process.
Nsukka is the second largest town in Enugu state. The people of Nsukka are deeply religious and most of the indigenes of this geographical area are traditional religion adherents. They celebrate a popular masquerade festival known as "Omabe festival" every year. The essence of the festival is show the indigenes' reverence for their Chi (i.e. Personal god). Also, the Omabe festival enables them to strengthen the relationship between different communities that made up of this geographical area.
The Omabe is notable for its magical and stylistic displays.
Climate
Cultural practices
Eshu (cow) funeral rituals
Eshu is an Igbo breed of cow used in a funeral rite in the Nsukka cultural area of Igboland. Many factors influence if someone will receive funeral rites, such as how and when they die, their marital status, and if they performed the same rites for their own parents. If someone qualifies, then the rite is performed to ensure that the dead can rest peacefully and to lift them to a higher position within the spirit world. There are many animals which can be used and each animal has a different significance. The cow is the highest ranked among those used in the ritual.