Auchi, Nigeria

History

There are varied historical accounts relating to the origins of the Auchi people. The most popular of these legends asserts that a mass migration from Udo in present-day Benin City led by a man called Uchi accompanied by his family, and followers headed north and finally settled for the relative calm of the Guinea Savannah belt known today as Etsako land. This migration is believed to have taken place in the mid-15th century, during the reign of Oba Ewuare of the Benin Kingdom. This period in the Benin empire was characterised by constant wars and incessant strife.

In the 19th century, Auchi experienced a major shift due to the Nupe invasion of 1860, which led to a period of foreign rule lasting 37 years (1860–1897). The Nupe, led by Emir Masaba, imposed their administration and introduced elements of Islamic influence, taxation, and military control. Although the Nupe brought economic and religious changes, their rule was largely exploitative, leading to resistance among Auchi’s people. In 1897, the British defeated the Nupe at Bida, and Auchi was subsequently absorbed into the British colonial structure. By 1904, British colonial officers formally took over Auchi, integrating it into the Kukuruku Division under the Southern Protectorate of Nigeria.

From the History section of Auchi on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.