Anara, Nigeria

For other places with the same name, see Anara.

Anara is a town located about 25 kilometres east of Owerri, in Imo State, Nigeria. The town is made-up of eight villages, namely Idem, Aguna, Umuneke, Duru na ezike, umuoluwe, Umuehie, umuagwu and dialum.

Anara has a strategic position on the map as it is a junction town connecting four major roads, which are the Owerri - Okigwe Road, and the Orlu - Umuahia Road. There is a popular market called Afor Anara where fresh fruits and vegetables are traded by both Anara people and people from neighbouring towns.

The town was raised to a state of autonomy in 1981. Since the attainment of autonomy until his death in April 2007, the town was ruled by a traditional ruler - HRH Eze LAD Agbugba, who had the title Orjiwuruobodo II after his late father Eze Agbugba, the Orjiwuruobodo who reigned during the days of British rule in Nigeria. No official announcement was made by the royal family or the Eze's cabinet until mid-2008 when he was finally laid to rest in his palace. At the moment, there have been no known traditional rulers since this time.

Anara has produced illustrious sons and daughters scattered over the world. The most prominent of them is Dr. Chile Eboe-Osuji who was elected to the International Criminal Court (ICC)on 17 December 2011. In the field of health Anara is blessed with many graduate doctors and nurses. Of note are Dr. Obi and , a World Health Organization Dr. Ikechukwu_E_Onyekwelonwu, Contact Person on Partnership for Maternal and New Born Child. Health and the author of the book, Ten Points for the Pregnant.

Anara shares common boundaries with the following towns: Eziama, Ezihe, Amaraku, and Isu.

One of the known festivals is the Awa - an event that takes place during the Igbo New Yam celebration (August) every year. Anara has a grand celebration that hosts masquerades (Nmanwu) from Anara and its neighbouring towns in attendance. This comes up every Boxing day (26 December). This carnival was introduced by oha mmanwu osuh, and it is called ito ebele. In recent times, this yearly Carnival has come under attack by the Christians who insist that the presence of masquerades during the yuletide is demonic and thus have chosen to turn the venue of the Masquerade Carnival (Anara Central School Compound, in front of the popular old tree called 'Atakwu') to crusade grounds on the day of the celebration. In 2010, it was reported that a Reverend Father popularly known as Father No Shaking ordered that the more-than-a-century-old tree be cut down after serious prayers were cast out at the demons associated with the tree.