The Origin Of Aviele

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Last update 03-06-2020) 

Auchi the administrative headquarters of Etsako West, is the most important and populated town in Etsako. The town consists of four villages (Usogun, Akpekpe, Iyekhe, Igbe) .It is about 126 kilometers north-west of Benin City Edo state capital. A predominantly Moslem town, Auchi is spread out on two hills; its vegetation is savannah grassland.

Auchi has played a very significant role in the administration of Etsako as whole. After Okpella and Fuga had held sway as administrative headquarters in their own right in the colonial days. Auchi which earlier became prominent during the Nupe era as a centre of commerce witnessed some decline with the advent of British colonialism. It however bounced back into contention and later operated from around 1920 as the headquarters Of Kukuruku Division later renamed Afemai (Afemah) Division in the 1940s. The division then covered Akoko - Edo, Owan and the whole of Etsako,

When later Etsako division was created in 1971 ° Auchi remained the capital of Etsako Division which embraced all the thirteen Etsako clans. In 1978 the Local Government reforms brought about Etsako Local Gvernment area. Then this was followed by the subsequent creation of Etsako West, Etsako East and later Etsako Central Local Government area. Auchi then became the Local Government headquarter of Etsako West which it has remained to date.

With Auchi role as a divisional and later Local Government Headquarter of Afemai and Eisako area respectively, it wielded a lot of influence and attracted all and sundry from the region. And this has in no small way aided its development that marks Auchi as one of the most prominent and fast growing towns in Etsako and in fact Edo state.

THE CLAN
Auchi clan is located to the north of Aviele clan, south of Uzairue clan, west of South-Jbie clan both of Etsako West Local Government Area. On the east it is bound by lvbiadoabi clan in Owan East Local Government area.

Auchi people migrated from Benin like the other Etsako people Abiri claimed that they migrated from Udo town in Benin. The name of the clan is derived from the founder Uchi.
Auchi people were said to have been led from Benin City to Auchi by Uchi and his younger brother called Adoabi settling along the banks of river Orle, Omembi, Umhoku, or Fotsele and Eda- Nokhua around the 15th Century.

Uchi had five Sons whom he arrived the area with and these sons formed then nucleus frorn which Auchi villages sprang. The sons and the villages named after them are as follows: Ogun (Utsogtin), Ekpe (Afekpe or Akpekpe), Ortse (Aibotse) Igbei and Ekhei (Iyekhei) in the order of senionty.
These villages which are separated are basically settled at the foot of the hill known as Uchi hill. The top of the hill served as the venue of market known as Uchi market.

The reference to a section of the Auchi people (Aibotse Igbei and Iye-Khei) as Iraifili is said to have emanated from the fact that the Utsogun and Akpekpe villages (people) built a defensive wall around their quarters leaving out the other three villages who refused to participate in the construction of the wall . Their refusal it was claimed might have stemmed from their reaction to the supremacy complex of their senior kinsmen (Ustogun and Akpekpe) who then dominated the affairs of the community. .

Auchi villages in the past operated as autonomous villages and the most senior man (Odion) in the village ruled, and matters affecting the whole Auchi community were occasionally brought to Uchi market square for deliberation and resolution. The indigenous administration of Auchi was hinged on gerontocracy before the Nupes came in the middle of the 19th century and disrupted the indigenous system and hoisted a regime of terror, as the area became a slave camp and market.

It was during the Nupe era that the system of gerontocracy was disrupted and later paved way for a monarchial system to emerge. Thus Auchi is one of the Etsako clans that seem to have evolved a more stable monarchical system before the dawn of the 21th century
Auchi had a long standing brotherly and warm relationship with other Etsako Clans
On the whole Auchi could be said to be the social and political hob of Etsako as a result of its historical position in modern administration of the area.

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