The advent of the Christian religion in Ohafia in 1910 marked a favourable turning point in the tortuous history of our people. Christianity brought with it not merely education, but CHRISTIAN education and social improvement.

Curiously enough, the first attempt at introducing the Christian religion into Ohafia came from two native doctors from Asaga Ohafia. The two men were Agwu Dibia and Onugu Igbeke. The year was 1904; the two native doctors had travelled to Ikorona in the Cross River State in the interest of their profession as native doctors. While at Ikorona the two men attended Christian Church service. They were apparently intrigued by their new-found “Cult” that on their return to Asaga they reported to Chief Ajadu Uma and the elders of Asaga Ohafia about the new cult. The native doctors were also apparently unaware that the cult they were attracted to at Ikorona was one that preached against adherence to sorcery which is the cult of the native-doctors to which they belonged. The men may have looked at the new cult as something that would enhance their own status in Asaga and possibly give juju cult a deeper and more prestigious outlook.

Whatever may have been the reasons for recommending this new cult to Asaga people by the two native doctors, it is noteworthy that the Asaga people responded favourably, by approving thirty brass rods (2) for the expenses of inviting Reverend Uwa Akpan Essien to establish the Christian Church at Asaga. In the same year, 1904, Rev. Uwa Akpan Essien arrived at Asaga accompanied by Edet Essien, Enebieni Ana, Madam Offia Ojoi, and Asuquo Nja, the house boy to Rev.Essien. the group was accommodated by Chief Mba Ndukwe Okorie. (3) Ndi Uma Oden – Community hall (Obu) served as Church hall, later a mission house and school were built in the area where the Asaga Presbyterian church building now stands.

Following a thorough investigation of the cause of the British response, the British Colonial Administration in 1905 planned a military expedition of the Onitsha-Bende hinterland. Mr. Frank Hives (4) fondly called “Ogba Aji Aka” by the Ohafia people, who was then provisional Commissioner at Owerri, sent a note to Rev. Uwa Akpan Essien warning him about the proposed expedition and ordering him to leave Ohafia and to return to his base at Ikoroha. Rev. Uwa abandoned his evangelical work and left Asaga with his group. In May 1908, after the military expedition, Reverend J.K. Macgregor was asked by the Calabar Mission Council of the Church of Scotland to visit Asaga to examine the possibility of resuscitating the missionary work which Rev. Uwa Akpan Essien had begun at Asaga in 1904. Rev. Macgregor and his wife left Calabar on 6th December, 1908 for Asaga. The entourage included Onouha Kalu and Ezikpe Onouha both of Abiriba and Ibe Mba who served as house boy to Rev. and Mrs. Macgregor. Rev. Macgregor and his wife arrived Asaga on 8th December, 1908. The people of Asaga bluntly rejected the offer of having Christian work of Reverend Uwa resuscitated in the village. Rev. Macgregor and his entourage left Asaga in disappointment and returned to Calabar.

In 1910, and before the building of the mission house, the Presbyterian Church in Calabar sent out Mr. Onuoha Kalu, an Abiriba missionary teacher to Elu to start the Mission work. He used Ndi Image Hall as a meeting place for teaching of the Christian religion and the elements of reading and writing. It was not until the closing months of 1911, after the completion of the mission house that Rev. Robert Collins was posted to Ohafia from Arochukwu to propagate the Christian religion in and round Ohafia. Rev. Collins labored hard under hostile conditions and succeeded in winning converts. He employed various tactics to achieve his goal which included entertainment of his congregation after a meeting. A school was also started at Elu in 1911 and continued to grow with the church. The first school children obviously came from Elu, Amaekpu and Ebem.
With the growth of the school followed village campaigns in which idols, and juju shrines were despoiled. The sacred monkeys that molested house –holds were frequently attacked by converted Christians until they were successfully chased out of the villages.The raids initially met with protests which at times culminated in fighting between the school boys and the village elders. Schools were later established in other centres e.g. Ebem, Asaga, Akanu etc.
In those days twin-children were thrown away in the bush, or secretly killed and buried. Mothers of the unfortunate twin-children were ostracized from society. In this matter, rev. and Mrs. Collins saw opportunity to demonstrate God’s love and Christian sympathy for those in pain. The Christian pair saved either from twin birth or on account of an abominable disease such as leprosy, or small pox etc.
The missionary couple gave medical care to the sick, nursed up rejected twin children and handed them back as adults to their parents. Christianity indeed fulfilled the purpose for which it was brought to Ohafia. It has wiped away a good measure of ignorance, superstition and disease in Ohafia. More than anything else, it has so mellowed the then Ohafia warriors that wherever you now find them, you see intelligent, ambitious, loyal, loveable and friendly people instead of dreaded “devils” of Igbo folklore.
The aboriginal father of Ohafia was Nna Ezema Atita Akpo. The children of Ezema Atita Akpo were:
Nna Ama Ezema Atita (1st son), Nna Ukpai Ezema Atita (2nd son), Nna Ututu Ezema Atita (3rd son), Nna Uduma Ezema Atita (4th son) and Nne Ibuo Ezema Atita (5th and the only daughter).

26 OHAFIA VILLAGES AND THEIR FOUNDERS
1 Abia Nna Onu Arunsi
2 Akanu Nna ……….
3 Amaekpu Nna Ofali Agwu
4 Amangwu Nnna Uduma Anagu Uka
5 Amankwu Nna Essien Aru Uma
6 Amuke Nna Ama Ezema Atita
7 Amuma Nna Uka Etim
8 Asaga Nna Uma Ukpai Ezema Atita
9 Ebem Kpoke + Nne Mgbo Enine.
10 Elu Nna Uduma Ezema Atita
11 Ezi Afor Nna Ukpai Uma Ukpai
12 Ihenta Nna Eke Uma
13 Isi-ugwu Nna Uduma Ali
14 Nde Anyaorie Nna Anyaorie Uka
15 Nde Anku Iroha Ogwu
16 Nde Amogu Nna Amogu Egbuta
17 Nde Ibe Nna Ibe Okwara
18 Nde Okala Nna Okala Iro
19 NdeOrieke Nna Orieke Okwara
20 Nde Uduma Awoke Nna Uduma Awoke Mbila
21 Nde Uduma Ukwu Nna Uduma Ukwu
22 Nkwebi Nna Ibe
23 Oboro Nna Awa Okoro
24 Okagwe Dibia Ete
25 Okon Nna Uma Elem
26 Ufiele Nna Ukpai Uma