Ogidi is an Igbo town, the headquarters of Idemili North Local Government area, Anambra State, Nigeria. It has an estimated population of 70,000 and has as its neighbours Abatete, Ṅkpọr, Ụmụnnachị, Ụmụoji, Ogbụnike and Ụmụdiọka. Ogidi is best known for its mid-July annual Nwafor Festival, an 11-day festival in July that takes place after cultivation of yams. The other very significant component of the festival is the offer of prayers "for a good season." It usually starts on the first Friday of the month. The town is the birthplace of internationally known author Chinua Achebe, the foremost in Nigeria. An Ogidi indigene, Harford C. Anierobi (from Umuezeobodo, Ajilija-Uru Ogidi) was the prominent actor "Dominic" in the 1949 documentary titled Daybreak in Udi, which won an Oscar for Best Documentary and a BAFTA award for Best Documentary. Also from Ogidi is Catherine Uju Ifejika (née Ikpeze) (born 28 October 1959), a Nigerian lawyer, and Chairperson/CEO of Brittania-U Nigeria Limited (BUNL), an indigenous petroleum company for upstream exploration and production, and Brittania-U Ghana Limited (BUGL). She has received both national and international awards for best practices in business leadership. Other attractions include the famous Iyi-Enu Hospital, and Aforigwe market. The people are known for protecting pythons, as the creature is regarded as a deity. Ogidi means pillar. History Ogidi's known history can be recounted for more than 450 years. The founding father of the town, Ezechumagha (born c.1550), married Anum-Ubosi; they had a son in 1580 named Inwelle. Inwelle married and had a son in 1611 named Ogidi (meaning strong pillar because he was a great warrior). Ogidi had two wives: (i) Duaja, whose children were Akanano, Uru, Ezinkwo, Umu-Udo, and Ama-Okwu; and (ii) Amalanyia, whose children were Ikenga, Nne Ogidi, Uruagu and Achalla Ogidi. After the migration of five of Ogidi's children, the remaining four sons (Akanano, Uru, Ezinkwo and Ikenga) formed the present Ebo Ino (four quarters) of Ogidi. History has it that Umu-Udo migrated to present-day Umunya (in Oyi Local Government of Anambra State). Ama-Okwu was either sold into slavery or got integrated into other parts of Ogidi, especially Odida in Ikenga. Nne Ogidi was married to Agulu, and is the name of a thriving village in Agulu. Uruagu migrated and settled in Nnewi, but present-day Uruagu Nnewi people deny any claim with Ogidi. Achalla Ogidi (a great elephant hunter) migrated to present-day Okija (derived from Oka Ije Achalla