Nnewi is a town in Anambra State, Nigeria. It is located about 15 miles south of Onitsha and has a population of about 958,000. Geographically, it falls within the tropical rainforest region of the world. And as such, it suffers from soil leaching and soil erosion. In spite of these factors, which have reduced the soil to a porous sandy terrain, her citizens have survived this harshness through subsistence type of agriculture and trading. Prior to this period, an elaborate network of trade routes emerged over the centuries linking them to the coastal region, the riverine Igbos, and the entire Igbo mainland (Oru na Igbo)

Before the British took over the administration of Nnewi in 1904, Nnewi as a kingdom had thrived for about four to five hundred years, according to oral tradition. It is believed that the kingdom was founded around the 15th century. Throughout her history, Nnewi employed its military might to maintain her borders and, at times to expand them if need be. Buffer zones were established for attacks. She accomplished these without a standing army. Based on the nature of the internal problem, mercenaries from Igboland were brought in to assist in army campaigns or carnage.

Edo is the supreme deity of all the deities in the Anaedo clans. The central shrine of this unifying deity is Nkwo Nnewi (central market). Nnewi, Ichi, and Oraifite are members of Anaedo. These communities have common ancestries with respect to their beliefs and their traditional value system. Afiaolu and Ikwuaru are traditional festivals celebrated by Christians and traditional religionists. Traditional Nnewi is divided into four quarters: Otolo, Uruagu, Umudim, and Nnewi-Ichi. Each quarter is further divided into villages and family units called Umunna. Each Umunna has a first family known as the obi.

His Royal Highness Igwe K. O. N. Orizu III is the first-class chief in Anambra state from Nnewi and was the chairman of the Anambra State House of Chiefs. Chief Nnamdi Obi, Chief Kenneth Okafor, and Chief George Onyekaba are the current obis of Uruagu, Umudim, and Nnewichi, respectively. These three Obis, with the Igwe Orizu III as chairman, constitute the Igwe-in-Council, and they deliberate on the spiritual, traditional, and communal matters in Nnewi.

For the past fifty years, Nnewi has embarked on various types of community development programs, which include building primary schools, post-primary schools, hospitals, rural electrification, and water supply projects. These infrastructures earned her urban status in the early 1970s. In terms of education, Nnewi has 48 elementary schools, six post-primary schools,15 hospitals, medical centers, and a teaching hospital—Nnamdi Azikiwe University.

In the Nigerian arena of politics, Nnewi has contributed her fair share. Dr. A.A. Nwafor Orizu was president of the Nigerian Senate and, later, the Acting President before the first coup d’etat of 1966; Chief Z.C. Obi, Onunekwuluigbo, President General of Ibo State Union 1951-1966; Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the Biafran leader; Mr. F. C. Nwokedi, the first Nigerian Permanent Secretary. Dr. Dozie Ikedife and Professor A. B. C. Nwosu were Commissioners in the East Central State and Anambra state, respectively. Dr. Sunny Okongwu was a Federal Minister of Finance in Babangida’s government. General Samuel Ifeanyichukwu Momah was a Federal Minister of Science and Technology. Senator Onyeabo Obi (Ose Oji Nnewi) was a Federal Senator, and Professor A B C Nwosu was also a Federal Minister of Health in the Obasanjo government. Apart from contributing her own share in terms of Nigerian Politics, Nnewi has created a vibrant economy since after the Civil War. In spite of the setback, during and after the Civil War, Nnewi has made a quantum leap with respect to economic development. Ajulu Uzodike (Ozi Uzo Nnewi) was the President.