Mbanta is less war like. Umuofia is a proud tribe with many strong fighters. Mbanta is much more moderate, and especially respectful of the earth mother.
Umuofia and Mbanta represent the fatherland and the motherland respectively to Okonkwo. Umuofia is a place where he places his ambitions and dreams, and Mbanta is where he runs to when things go disasterously wrong.
Okonkwo originally lives his life in Umuofia, but he is exiled for seven years. During this time, he lives in his motherland, Mbanta. He eventually returns to Umuofia.
He is not. He grows yams in Mbanta instead. Okonkwo previously had yams stored in Umuofia, which were transferred to Obierika's barn. These were then sold by Obierika, with the proceeds given to Okonkwo.
After being banished from Umuofia, Okonkwo goes to his mother's village, Mbanta, to seek refuge and protection from his mother's kinsmen.
There were 9 Igbo villages in Things Fall Apart. The main ones were: Umuofia: Okonkwo's home. Mbanta: Okonkwo's motherland. Abame: The slaughtered village. Mbaino: The village who killed an Umuofian clanswoman. Also: Ire: Home of Ogbuefi Ndulue.
Okonkwo does not ask Ezinma to not marry, but rather to not marry anyone in his motherland of Mbanta, as then she would become part of that village. Okonkwo would rather have her marry a titled man in Umuofia, to increase their family's influence and togetherness in Umuofia.
Later on, after Okonkwo is exiled, Okonkwo plans to have Ezinma and Obiageli marry men in Umuofia, so that they will still be in the village, and Okonkwo and his family will have additional influence in the village. Thus Ezinma and Obiageli refuse every offer of marriage from men in Mbanta.
Many suitors in Mbanta came to ask for Ezinma's hand in marriage. Eventually she married a suitor who came to her from Umuofia. Chielo came to her one night to take her to Agbala.
Supposedly Okoli kills the giant python in Mbanta, and Enoch kills the giant python in Umuofia, although neither of these stories are affirmed.
Okonkwo shows his thanks to Mbanta by offering sacrifices to the gods, obeying the customs and traditions of the community, and participating in community events and rituals. He also works hard to rebuild his life and reputation in Mbanta after being banished from Umuofia.
Okonkwo is discouraged by the fact that he has to come to Mbanta in the first place. He is discouraged that he is unable to take part in his village's high society, and that he has lost so much. His great passion was to be one of the lords of his clan, but that avenue was now blocked to him.
Umuofia does not exist.
Nneka: first child born to Okonkwo in Mbanta. "Mother is Supreme." Nwofia: son born 2 years after Nneka. "Begotten in the Wilderness." At first Okonkwo is grateful to his mother's family for taking him in, and he names his child in gratitude to them. After awhile, he longs to return home, and names his child implicitly showing his feelings about Mbanta compared to Umuofia.