History

Ogbaru people are farmers as well as known warriors from its history; the Ogbaru people share clan lineage and boundaries with Anioma people in Delta State and Ndoni people in Rivers State.

Economy

Ogbaru has a Nigerian naval base, an industrial river harbor, a refinery, a federal road under-construction leading to Rivers State in Nigeria. Ogbaru is a projected link road to other parts of the southeast and south zones of Nigeria with construction of more inland link roads and the construction of a Second Niger bridge.

Geography

The Ogbaru people consider the Niger-River waters that run through its region as their territorial lands. Ogbaru is surrounded by river Niger to the west, from okpoko town to Ogwu-ikpele boundary with Rivers state (west end) and the Orashi River to the East along Ogwu-aniocha and Osomari forest reserve (east end), Ogbaru boundary with Ihiala and goes up to Okija, Ihiala, Owerri Onitsha road, also borders Ozubulu, Oraifite and Oba to its northeast. The shallow depth of the River makes the area subject to frequent flooding due to heavy rainfall in the rainy season which impacts local farms and crops. A major flood in 2018 killed 12 people and polluted nearby rivers. In 2020, a major flood displaced 1000 people and again impacted farms in the region.

Towns within the region include Atani, Akili-Ogidi, Akili-Ozizor, Amiyi, Mputu, Obeagwe, Ohita, Odekpe, Ogbakugba, Ochuche Umuodu, Ossomala/Ossomari, Ogwu-aniocha, Umunankwo, Umuzu, Okpoko, and Ogwu-Ikpele. Ogbaru is neighbored to the north by Onitsha, a major commercial city in Nigeria also located in Anambra State.

Ogbaru is an Igbo clan that stretched into three Nigerian states, Anambra State, Delta State and Rivers State in Nigeria. Ogbaru was a food basket in Biafra country, during the civil war.(But little logistics for distribution across the war torn land).Civil war never came to Ogbaru it was inaccessible by road, or air, and covered in forest.

Education

Secondary schools in Ogbaru Local Government Area include Ogbaru High School, Ogbakuba Ideke Grammar Secondary School, odekpe Unity Comprehensive Girls’ High School, Okpoko Community Boys’ Secondary School, Okpoko Community Girls’ Secondary School, Okpoko Community Secondary School, Atani Government Technical College, Osomala Community Secondary School, Odekpe Josephine Oduah Memorial Secondary School, and Akili-Ozizor Anthony Obaze Memorial Community Secondary School, Ochuche Umuodu.

People

Notable people and personalities from Ogbaru include:

• Oseloka H. Obaze, diplomat and author, born in Ochuche Umuodu
• Stella Oduah, Nigerian Senator and former Minister of Aviation, born in Akili-Ozizor
• Omu Okwei, the “Merchant Queen of Osomari”, born in the region in 1872
• Oscar N. Onyema, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, from Ogwu-Ikpele
• Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe, Igbo highlife musician, born in Atani