User-submitted Reference

There was a great warrior from the middle belt of Nigeria, specifically Idah, the 'Igbira or Ibira' speaking people of the Idah clan; who traveled to present day Illah in the Ibo speaking area of Delta state of Niger area, Nigeria. This warrior had some children among whom is my great grandfather who gave birth to Mefenmoh my grandfather. This Mefenmoh married one Mrs. Iwebenua. Being productive, Iwenebua started having children the 'African way' (no genotype test, no anti-natal checks, no post natal care etc.) and had up to ten children without anyone of them surviving. Being worried by the mortality rate, she was counseled to get out of town on her next delivery for the baby to survive. The name Okonicha also called Uzoonicha is predominantly borne by the Ibo speaking people of the present day Delta state of Nigeria and some other tribes in the eastern Nigeria by reason of civilization and migration. It's not a common name as other names of people in this area due to the history attached to the name and the geographic nature of the name. The name itself is unique both in spelling and pronunciation. It's pronounced as it's written Oko-onicha with a drag on the hyphen. The prefix component of the name itself connotes kingship, warrior, authority, bravery, superiority and eternal. The suffix component of the name is related to the ancient commercial city of Onitsha in the present day state of Anambra in eastern Nigeria which has it's boundaries lined by the shores of the great river Niger that forms a natural demarcation between Delta and Anambra states of Nigeria. It's worthy of note that this is also the river that forms the phonetic of the name of our country Nigerian name - "Niger area". With a proper consideration of the aforementioned compound word Okonicha. The meaning can be conclusively explained that someone born on the route or path to Onitsha is called Okonicha. Behold her next pregnancy came and she went outside the Illah Township to another town called Obomkpa en-route city of Onitsha. Again Obomkpa town is a place of rich African traditional medicine. So in this rich and potent African medicine town, the next child of Iwebenua (Stephen Okonicha Mefenmoh, my father) was born and never died as the other ten. Thus he was called the 'Strong man of the route to Onitsha' – Oko-onicha, now anglocized Okonicha!