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I am posting this article by Afulezi here because of some heat it is generating somewhere else. I might post some of the responses by some well known actors on this topic. ENJOY.
Igbo 101: Facts Little Told By Ogaranya Uju Nkwocha Afulezi, Ph.D., Duru Akwukwo III Ndi Umuohiagu uafulezi@hotmail.com
"It is amazing that the kind of education or information that were handed to us by our teachers in school or even the mass media in Nigeria regarding who we are, or are not, is often short of the living facts or reality on the ground. What we were taught, not in science or arts, but in sociology and anthropology, do not stand as facts that can be verified and certified as truth, and nothing but the truth. Methinks, we know, that the mission of education is to seek truth and propagate same undiluted, unembellished, and convincingly proven at all times. If it is a fact, then there is no "ifs" or "buts." Nobody can truly claim to be educated who doctors the truth, or manipulates facts in order to suit his or her whims and caprices. Fact is not like history said to be largely subjective, that can be doctored or manipulated. When you have arrived as a truly intellectually liberated person, is when you call facts and figures as you see them, no matter who it may concern. Besides,! truth is very exhilarating and bubbles like champagne wine. If you try to stand it on its head, it quickly reverts to its natural form - truth. And if you try to force it into your mind, it tastes sour. Truth is easier to manage, falsehood shifts like quicksand. See? For many of us, it took coming to America, and devoting significant time, aside from our normal engagements, to dispassionately study our own native societies and where we fit in the larger world in which we all inhabit. And, didn't we know that it took coming to America for people like Mbonu Ojike, Zik, Nkrumah and others, to educate themselves that Africa was a great continent, that Europe had no right to colonize Africa, that the black man was part of the great civilizations of the world contrary to the bleak picture painted of the place of the black person in the sun. Consider how much you knew about the slave trade when you were in Nigeria. Very little, I must say, at least for me. What did you know of Egypt, the pyramids, African civilizations, and the fact that man started his journey on earth from Africa? Who ever knew that there are more pyramids in Sudan than in Egypt? We were taught British Empire History, European History, History of the World, and American War of Independence. We were never taught the making of our society, the ancient and modern accomplishments of our people. We were not taught our culture, our spirituality, our trade and commerce. In this piece, I intend to focus on the Igbo as a people. The Igbo, their culture, civilization, and their contributions to world greatness, are, perhaps, among the most little understood, taught, publicized and recognized of all human knowledge. What is sometimes upsetting is the little the Igbo themselves, including their educated sons and daughters know about themselves. Or, more bafflingly, how the educated Igbo parrot, and hold fast, without taking a second look at the false information about the Igbo, which they heard or read from scantily informed or biased sources, foreigners and natives, and, of course, the ever busy Igbo detractors. I decided to write this article after the now familiar surprise look I get from many an educated Igbo when I begin to discuss Igbo factoids and misrepresentations. What embarrasses most of them is that certain incontrovertible, and some would say, elementary facts about the Igbo, which were always self evident, now suddenly hits them like a thunderbolt and it becomes crystal clear to them that their previous beliefs which they parroted were false. Here are a few facts in question and answers: Question: Is Southeast and Igboland the same thing? Answer: Not at all. Southeast is only about 3/5th of Igboland. Igboland covers the whole of Southeast, parts of Rivers, Delta, Benue, and Akwa Ibom states. Question: Why were we taught in school that Igbo people are easterners? Answer: It is both an unfortunate parroting by teachers and careless adoption by Igbo educated class. Igbo people come from Southern Nigeria and not Eastern Nigeria. It may be correct to say that the Igbo are found predominantly in eastern Nigeria. However, by saying that the Igbo are easterners, the implication is that the Igbo in western Nigeria, numbering about 2.5 million (Agbor, Ogwashi Ukwu, Ibuzo, Okpanam, Asaba, Orimili, Ndokwa, Anioma, etc) are not Igbos. The best known Igbo anthropologist Professor Mike Onwuejeogwu is from the western part of Nigeria, Chukwuma Nzeogwu, Dennis Osadebe, Okonkwo Adibe (the famous musician), Sony Odogwu, etc. are all from the western part of Nigeria. They are no less Igbo than those who live in the eastern part of Nigeria. The correct answer to your question is "the Igbo come from Southern Nigeria." Question: Why do some Igbo refer to themselves as "core Igbo?" Answer: That is clearly arrant nonsense. Nobody is core and others peripheral. All Igbo are the same. It is both arrogant, thoughtless and insensitive for anybody to regard others as marginal. Question: Is Igboland landlocked? Answer: Not at all. Igboland stretches from Igwe Ocha (Port Harcourt) to Agbor. The Atlantic ocean washes the shores of Igboland. Africa's second largest river - River Niger, traverses Igboland with one part of Igboland in the east and another part in the west of Nigeria. Uguta Lake has the potential of accommodating large ships and could be made a navigable port. If Igboland is landlocked, then all Nigeria is landlocked. Question: Is there oil in Igboland? Answer: Yes, indeed. There is a lot of oil in Imo State, Abia, Ebonyi, Rivers State and Delta States Igbo areas, and now in Anambra. Besides, Igboland has many other natural resources, including coal, limestone, etc. Question: Are the Igbo a nation or a tribe? Answer: The Igbo are a nation, and a very large one. There are many tribes in Igbo nation, just like you have many tribes within Israel. Question: Why do some Ikwerre people say they are not Igbo? Answer: First, it is not up to them to say what they are and what they are not. When God created them, He did not ask them who they wanted to be. He just created them Igbo. The only way you'll know who belongs to what ethnic group in Nigeria is the name and what language the name comes from. Anybody whose name is Amadi or Onyeri, or Eke, or Odili, Wanodi (Nwanodi) does not need to tell you who he is. He is Igbo, his politics notwithstanding. Question: But they claim that their language is Ikwerre, not Igbo. Answer: That is politics. Ikwerre is a dialect of Igbo language. Just like an Ngwa man speaks Ngwa Igbo, Arochukwu speaks Arochukwu Igbo, etc. Question: Some people say that Igbo language is not complete, is it true? Answer: No language is complete. All languages borrow from each other. Igbo language is very rich. It has inexhaustible and rich linguistic features like idioms, proverbs, aphorisms, sayings, anecdotes, riddles, folklores, etc. Igbo language is one of the major languages of the world, being spoken by millions of people. Question: How many are the Igbo? Answer: The Igbo are very numerous. There is educated guess that if Nigeria's census is properly enumerated, the Igbo could easily be the largest ethnic group in the country. They may number up to 40 million. Everything right now, is speculation. Nobody knows the true stratification or ethnic populations in Nigeria. The Igbo are the only ethnic group found in large numbers everywhere in Nigeria, and foreign countries more than any other ethnic group in Africa. Question: Do the Igbo have a culture of their own? Answer: Yes, indeed. Igbo culture is perhaps, one of the richest and all-encompassing cultures in this world. Igbo culture always observes the temporal and the spiritual aspects of cosmology. The study of Igbo culture reveals that it is extremely deep and original. Question: Why do the Igbo wear Yoruba Agbada and Hausa babban riga but the Yoruba and the Hausa do not ever wear Igbo national dress? Answer: Unfortunately this is the case. The Igbo have very attractive and resplendent national dresses. And they come in assortments that are extremely dignifying. The Igbo take up foreign cultures more readily than other Nigerians, and they seem not to care that nobody reciprocates their carefree attitude to life. Most ethnics promote their cultures and show off what makes them unique. Actually, it is still the same so-called educated Igbo class who behave in such disgraceful and the devil-may-care attitude. Question: Why do the Igbo call themselves Biafrans? Answer: Great question. Some people have the idea that Biafra originates from the Bight of Biafra. But that is wrong. There was the Kingdom of Biafra that ruled most of the ancient world about 50,000 years ago. Unfortunately, nobody talks about it, for whatever reason, I do not know. But, it is in the ancient maps of the world. If you wish I'll make a copy and send to you. Question: Were the Igbo also taken into slavery during the slave trade? Answer: Yes. The Igbo slaves themselves gave account of their travails in slavery. Olauda Ekwuano an Igbo ex-slave who bought his freedom in Britain was the first slave to write about his experience in slavery. His book has become a classic. You ought to find it and read it. Also, other Igbos who were brought to America revolted and some walked back on water and were said to have returned to Africa. Several books have been written about them. One of such books is "Ibo Landing." It is available in bookstores like Barnes & Noble. In Haiti, the Igbo settled there and refused to be colonized by anybody. There are many places where the Igbo left their mark or their signature. Question: How did the Igbo know days and years? Answer: The Igbo invented an accurate, if not the most accurate calendar called "Iguafo Igbo (Igbo Calendar)." In Igbo calendar, there are four market days - Eke, Afor, Nkwo, Orie that make one week. Four days make one week, seven weeks make one month, and thirteen months make one year. There are 28 days for each month, with the last month having 29 days. Each month starts the same day as the previous. Igbo calendar forms the perfect astronomical alignment with the cosmos, and regulates the seasons, agriculture, navigation, astrology, geography, mathematics, travel, etc. Question: Did the Igbo have their own alphabets? Answer: Yes, indeed. It is called "Nsibidi." Question: How about mathematics; did the Igbo know mathematics? Answer: Yes, indeed. There are such inventions as "Okwe" and "Mkpisi" which the Igbo used to resolve figures. Question: Did the Igbo know anything about banking? Answer: Yes. Igbo banking was more in the nature of Savings and Loans. The authentic Igbo savings and loans invention called "Isusu' in which contributions are pooled each week and one person, who has the need, collects, is still in practice. Igbo slaves took this invention to the Caribbean Islands where they still practise it and call it "Sue Sue." Question: Some people say that Igboland is too small for the Igbo, that they have no alternative than to live as Nigerians: is this true? Answer: False. Igboland is a large country. Do every Igbo need to stay and work in Igboland? No. Everywhere in the world, some will stay home while others venture abroad in search of opportunities. Igboland is large enough for the Igbo. And it is a very rich and hospitable part of the world. It has rich soil for agriculture, abundant rainfall, good sunshine, and table land in many parts. Its land space and population are more than that of over half of the present countries in the world. Question: Where did the Igbo come from? Answer: That question is still being asked. There are very intriguing theories or histories now being studied. You may have heard of the Jewish angle, the Egypt angle, and the Origin of man angle. This twenty-first century, hopefully, will resolve the mystery. Question: Why do people say that the Igbo are not united? Answer: Those who say so, do so out of ignorance. The Igbo are famous for their unity. In the colonial period and the First Republic of Nigeria, the Igbo were always envied for their unity. Under Igbo Union, they accomplished many things. They were feared by others for this. Since after the war, the Igbo are gradually recovering and getting rid of the individualism they developed brought about by their war experience which enabled them to survive as a disinherited people. Now, there are vigorous efforts to reunite them and return them to their old glory which served them well in the past. Question: Some people say that the Igbo are susceptible to being bought by some other Nigerians, and that they "sell" the Igbo in the bargain; is this true? Answer: The same parroting and recycling of unfounded talk. When you hear such a talk, challenge the one who is mouthing it to give you evidence, or to cite an example of such an Igbo person. He is likely to say "what of Jim Nwobodo?" Tell him that the Igbo number about 40 million, if it would be fair for the action of one person to represent the integrity of the other 3.99.9 million. The truth is that an Igbo is like any other human being, when he sees where he can take advantage of a situation, he goes for it. It has nothing to do with "selling." Were we not told that fish clusters where the river was deepest or that the dog follows he who has crumbs? Not long ago in the history of Nigeria, other Nigerians were also running after the Igbo for crumbs because the Igbo were in position to call the shots. Things will not remain as they are today. In fact, things are changing fast. Question: Why are other Nigerians always persecuting the Igbo? Answer: I have always tried to know myself. I am one of those who believe that the Igbo are among the most peaceful people on earth. But, because of the fact that they are very hardworking, ambitious, and not afraid to live anywhere, or take up any task, they tend to be resented by their less ambitious and successful neighbors or hosts. When you confront a non-Igbo to say what specific offense the Igbo have committed against them, oftentimes they draw blank, or engage in fabrications, which they insist must stand for a fact. The Igbo believe in live-and-let-live. It is virtually impossible for any Igbo to rise against their guests or hosts. It has never happened in Nigeria, or elsewhere. It is an abomination in Igboland for a host to cause his guest harm. Instead, a guest is considered metaphysically and physically under the protection of the host. All Igbo deities forbid doing harm to a guest. The Igbo are accused of "loving money." I suppose the charge is based on the fact! that they work hard and acquire money in the bargain. One would like to believe that the outcome of hardwork is good harvest and hopefully prosperity. If anybody takes offense at the prosperity of a hardworking person, then the Igbo or for that matter any other person or persons, have no apologies to render. Question: Do the Igbo have their own system of jurisprudence before the arrival of the white man? Answer: Yes. The Igbo had a system of resolving conflicts. The elders were presented with cases that could not be satisfactorily settled within the family or kindred. Matters where veracity must be ascertained, the Igbo resort to spirituality. Oath-taking is a matter left to the spirits to settle. Those who swear falsely were expected to be killed by the spirits within a given period. After the period, he is acquitted and he could celebrate with public merry-making. The Igbo did not have any prisons, but they could ostracise a culprit, exile him, or send him into slavery or to serve to a deity. Question: Why don't the Igbo teach these things you are telling me to their children? Answer: In the pursuit of what they taught was the "new way" either from Europeans or o Christianity, the Igbo began to distance themselves from their heritage, and in the process became lost in the wilderness of a world they hardly understand. They have learned their lesson the hard way. The twenty-first century will lead them back home."
I find this a very interesting piece. The more African nationalities assert themselves, the more the world will know and understand us better. I believe other black-Africa power-houses, e.g. the Yoruba, the Asanti, the Zulu e.t.c, should feel unashamed of being themselves.
Africa is lacking in common cultural/linguisitc nationalities beyond the 30 million population mark, we must therefore celebrate the very few large cultural/linguistic groupings we have.
I hope more scholars dedicate time to the continuing Africa self awareness effort.
Long Live IgboLand! Long Live Every Single African Ethnic/Cultural/Linguistic-Nationality!!! Long Live Mother Africa!!!
___________________ Feel me? Ofu onye ana asi unu abia go. - Ednut Igbo-American . www.airamericaradio.com visit her. Posts: 2447 | From: Mother Earth | Registered: Mar 2001
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An Edited reply by Mr. Big Steve, remeber the guy that wanted to be an IGBO spokes person during the early days of Nigerianworld, but was rejected.
Re: Igbo 101: Facts Little Told -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here are a few facts in question and answers: Question: Is Southeast and Igboland the same thing? Answer: Not at all. Southeast is only about 3/5th of Igboland. Igboland covers the whole of Southeast, parts of Rivers, Delta, Benue, and Akwa Ibom states. Question: Why were we taught in school that Igbo people are easterners? Answer: It is both an unfortunate parroting by teachers and careless adoption by Igbo educated class. Igbo people come from Southern Nigeria and not Eastern Nigeria. It may be correct to say that the Igbo are found predominantly in eastern Nigeria. However, by saying that the Igbo are easterners, the implication is that the Igbo in western Nigeria, numbering about 2.5 million (Agbor, Ogwashi Ukwu, Ibuzo, Okpanam, Asaba, Orimili, Ndokwa, Anioma, etc) are not Igbos. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The above response by Afulezi about "Igbo in western Nigeria, numbering about 2.5 million ......." definitely reveals an intellectual midget. Here is a write-up that is full of distortions and a lack of knowledge of the history of the people described. This type of uni-directional mindset that does not critically review the varied histories of the region can only be described as sick. He even described Anioma, Ndokwa as towns? Afulezi quoted Onwujeogwu, an Ibusa and Igbocentric professor as valid anthropological authority. What a waste?
This issue has been exhausted in the past, and I do not intend to revisit it. Rather, I will state unequivocally here that Igbos in Delta state are in the minority in ANIOMA and are mainly in IBUSA and part of Ogwashi-Ukwu. All other ANIOMA towns are mainly populated by Aniomas of Igalla, Olukunmi (Yoruba) and Edo ancestry. Thus, Afulezi 's attempt to foist Igbo hegemony on Anioma is only laughable. Just discard it.
The following is a reply to Ohaneze by a major Anioma organization. This reply nullifies the hegemony theory propagated by 'noise-makers' and uninformed minds. Read on.
Quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Delta North Rejects Ohaneze BY PIUS ODIAKA OGANIHU Anioma, the elite non-partisan grouping of professionals from Aniocha, Ika, Ndokwa and Oshimili councils of Delta State, referred to as Anioma has rejected the offer to occupy the position of the Secretary General of the Ohaneze Ndigbo.
Rising from its monthly meeting, the association said that while it wished Ohaneze well in its re-engineering efforts, as it would like to see it emerge as a strong voice for Ndigbo, it couldn't, however, be part of Ohaneze. In a statement after the meeting, the group stated: "This is because such integration is not in consonance with the wishes and aspirations of our people, the vast majority of who are not of Igbo extraction."
The statement signed by the group's President and secretary, Engr.Igwe Enuoyibo and Mr. Patrick Ukah further noted that "although (they) have language affinity with Ndigbo, the presence of Igbo vocabularies and names such as Okafor and Emeka in the language variants of the Anioma people, names of its forefathers like, Idigbe, Asiodu, Ugbelase, Aligbe, Obaigbena, Irabor, Orewa, Tilije, Aliumona, Odogbili and Ossai clearly indicate a different ethnic identity of the Anioma people.
"Also, the vast majority of the Anioma people know their ancestral origins, including those that migrated from east of the Niger. More critically, the Anioma people have never realised their hopes and aspirations within the context of Ndigbo perception as recent and past experiences show.
"It would, therefore, be foolhardy to accept the offer of Ohaneze as this will affect the true identity of the people. The statement noted, adding that besides that this would not work. We Anioma would not be able to carry its people along.
"And it is our conviction that the relevance of groupings such as Anioma is absolutely dependent on the extent to which it can carry people along.
"We cannot but turn down the offer of secretaryship though not without gratitude to Ohaneze for thinking of us," said the communiquŽ.
The group, however, added that it would continue to encourage its members to relate with those of Ohaneze "on purely personal basis" and with Ohaneze on association basis, as a way of "building bridges". --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Edited by: Big Steve at: 1/7/04 1:35
___________________ Feel me? Ofu onye ana asi unu abia go. - Ednut Igbo-American . www.airamericaradio.com visit her. Posts: 2447 | From: Mother Earth | Registered: Mar 2001
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Small lecture for Mr.Big Steve. Acting Major Benbella Villager Posts: 48 (1/7/04 17:10) Reply Big Steve - Is your last name Edo or Olukumni or Igbo? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Big Steve:
Your answer to the question above will be revealing. This is the most ridiculous piece I have ever read in my life. So only people from Ibusa and parts of Ogwashi -Ukwu are Igbos. The Asabas, the Ubulu-Ukwus, Onicha-Ugbos, Okpanams, are in your estimation Yorubas and Edos. I do not want to get into details here about your lack of understanding or ignorance of cultures and how they evolve. I began responding to your posting and before long I had three pages written without even reaching a conclusion. You can claim anywhere in the world as your origin and any tribe as your ethnicity but please desist from this attempt at distortion. This is beneath contempt,.
___________________ Feel me? Ofu onye ana asi unu abia go. - Ednut Igbo-American . www.airamericaradio.com visit her. Posts: 2447 | From: Mother Earth | Registered: Mar 2001
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The police guy weighs in with his two cents. CIkpatt Villager Posts: 128 (1/8/04 19:23) Reply Re: You Have A Point --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here are a few facts in question and answers: Question: Is Southeast and Igboland the same thing? Answer: Not at all. Southeast is only about 3/5th of Igboland. Igboland covers the whole of Southeast, parts of Rivers, Delta, Benue, and Akwa Ibom states. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Igboland covers Akwa Ibom state? This is the tallest pile of stinking stuff I have recently read from Afulezi. Can someone have the shameless nerve to write above as a fact, not minding to produce census, historical, geographical, anthropological or scientific data to support claim? Is that how to start a new year?
Now, I understand why another vomited that Igbos make up 50% of the Akwa Ibom State population. Must ethnic promotion and propaganda obscure naked truth in order to establish a form of superiority or majority status?
One merit of Federal Character is that Nigerians from ALL backgrounds have had opportunities to obtain oyinbo education. Or, likes of Afulezi would bamboozle with crafted lies that makes the Devil to shake his head in disbelieve. One can safely submit that a sustaining ratio has been established among all ethnic groups.
So, it is very ancient and stupid for any ethnic group to claim anything but numerical supremacy over the Idoma or Anioma group. We all are on a level playing field except in simple head/cattle count. Gone are days when that crap could hold water - for example, most of AG education beneficiaries are either dead or close to death; Hausa or Igbo pioneers in "419" cannot claim mastery of the art any more than some Ibibio folks excelling in that lifestyle, etc. But younger Nigerians of all backgrounds are now competing and excelling - from "419" to space technology and medicine. You can count a standing Hausa man, an Ibibio man, an Idoma man, etc together with a Yoruba or Igbo man in every field of human endeavor.
Afulezi and friends should spare us from having to read their "old-model" crap, please.
___________________ Feel me? Ofu onye ana asi unu abia go. - Ednut Igbo-American . www.airamericaradio.com visit her. Posts: 2447 | From: Mother Earth | Registered: Mar 2001
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I hope you’d all find this posting relevant in this thread.
Mazi Egom, is the renown motorpark Economist. He was modest when he wrote, he was in Tanzania. If my memory serves me right, he was there as the Economic adviser to the Government. A very jovial brother. I miss him in Copenhagen.
On another note, I am disappointed that my good friend, Big Steve has taken the denial (of his Igboness) part. Much as I wish him well in all his enterprises, I’ll nonetheless pray his children one day would ask him, Daddy what all the denials was all about?
2 kilo thanks to Acting Major Benbella, for the working off.
Big Steve could learn from Mazi Egom.
Read on:
The Igbo Spirit – ThisDay 02/01/2004 By Peter Alexander Egom
I am of the Igbo stock from Ukala Okpunor in Oshimili North LGA of Delta State. I am 61 years of age and have from late 1965, during my undergraduate days at Downing College, Cambridge, England, been fascinated by my people, the Igbo, and specifically by what makes them such a pulsating enigma of a people.
It was, indeed, a chance remark by the late and distinguished scholar in Social Anthropology at Cambridge, Professor Meyer Fortes, which set me on my lifelong journey of private enquiry into the ethno spiritual makeup of the Igbo. My then larger than life and boon companion was my fellow undergraduate at the Cambridge University faculty for Archaeology and Anthropology, Mallam Ibrahim Tahir of BBC Bush House fame. As was our wont, we were on this particular autumn afternoon having tea at a teashop that was just across Ibrahim's King's College when our Professor in Social Anthropology, Meyer Fortes, walked in and sat with us for a chat. One thing led to another and we soon found ourselves discussing ethno types in Africa.
Professor Fortes had been one of the bright lights in Lord Bailey's team of Africanists that did the regular tome of Africa Survey for the British Foreign and Colonial Office. And Professor Fortes told us that, according to Lord Bailey, the Igbo, out of the legion of African ethnic groups they studied, were the least encumbered with any cultural baggage. In a manner of speaking, the Igbo come Light and go light with the baggage of culture.
Of course, Professor Fortes assumed that Ibrahim and myself knew what Lord Bailey meant with the concept of cultural baggage and did not venture into any explanation of it. But as soon as he took his leave of us, Ibrahim and myself fell to a very passionate but friendly discussion of this hazy concept. And, if my memory serves me right, we eventually let the matter be without agreeing on what the concept of cultural baggage stands for. But there was something, which my mind could not let be after this encounter. I had to know more about my people, the Igbo, who come light and go light with the baggage of culture.
My lecturer in Social Anthropology at Cambridge, Mr. G. 1. Jones an ex-colonial administrator in the Eastern Region of Nigeria, and an Igbo Phil of sorts, was on hand to give me advice on where to find materials on the Igbo. And what I could glean from the diverse tomes of Igbo historical and ethnographical that came my way was this. There was no love lost between the European slave dealers and colonialists and the Igbo either on the continent of Africa or in the Diaspora. Igbo slaves were difficult to handle, prone to rebellion and bad for the economy of the slave owner. And, the fear of the Igbo was, in a manner of speaking, the beginning of economic wisdom among European slave owners and, later, colonialists.
The Igbo was a troublemaker and a trouble-shooter in bondage as one saw in Haiti in the rebellious years leading up to the overthrow of the French and the independence of the island in 1805 and in the Southern States of North America where Igbo slaves jumped into the sea rather than face slavery! So, the Igbo were bad news as a slave. And in the restricted freedom of colonial Nigeria, as the colonialists saw to their continued irritation, the Igbo was uppity, difficult to convince and difficult to lead. He was never really the darling of the mandarins of the British Foreign and Colonial Office at Whitehall, London!
But, all of the above was what European predators thought about the Igbo! I was not satisfied with it. I wanted to know what made the Igbo uppity, difficult to convince and difficult to lead in the restricted freedom of colonial Nigeria and what made him a troublemaker and trouble shooter in the bondage of slavery abroad. I simply wanted to touch the Igbo spirit in order to better understand who I am. And the books I read then in England could not lead me anywhere in this direction. And so I shelved the project of my search for the essential attributes of the Igbo without knowing whether I would ever come back to it.
But, did I really shelve this project? Not at all. For what I failed to realize at this time in Cambridge is that I had begun a lifelong journey of an inquiry into my essential, I as a member of the Igbo stock and that this project could never be shelved until the very day I died. Indeed, my search for what makes the Igbo what he is my search for my true identity as a full blooded Igbo. There is no way my mind could rest the matter as soon as it had embarked upon its search. So, what I do now see, in retrospect, is that my mind has been, for nearly four decades now, trying to put a tangible structure to the Igbo spirit. And what I do give in this brief write-up is my status report on what I think makes the Igbo what he is as a man of vision, mission, adventure, integrity and compassion. But, before I embark upon this my brief ode to the Igbo spirit, let me fill in the reader with a few titbits about my life after going down from Cambridge in June 1966.
My flight back to Nigeria was scheduled for that blighting day of July 29 1966 and had to be shelved until August 4 1966. I made it to Lagos on that day and came to see a Nigeria that was calm on the surface but was doing unspeakable horror and mayhem to the Igbo in Lagos, at Ibadan and all over Northern Nigeria. But I never felt that I was in danger and went about Lagos without any fear for my life. And in so doing I came to catch an instructive glimpse into the mind of the Igbo.
The heavens were about to fall upon him and even the ground he stood upon was giving way under him. Yet, he did not panic. He reacted with bone chilling firmness and maturity. Kai, was I happy to be an Igbo? Save, for the Roman Catholic Church, the Igbo had no friends at home or abroad. This is what I saw with my own eyes in Lagos from August 4 1966 until July 18 1967 when I was taken into a seven month detention spell at Ikoyi and Kirikiri prisons and mercifully kept out of harm's way in the hands of my fellow countrymen. And after my release from detention on March 14 1968, I bolted for Europe on April 18 1968.
I spent the ensuing fourteen years in Denmark and Tanzania teaching social anthropology, reading and teaching economics and doing research in economics. But in late 1982, nature and culture reached out to me in Denmark and brought me back to Nigeria for keeps. And on my coming back to Nigeria, what I saw, after twelve years of the end on January 15 1970 of the Biafran hostilities, was as marvelling to me as it was encouraging. The Igbo, my people, were back into the mainstream of the Nigerian socio political and economic life as if nothing had occurred between 1966 and 1970.1 was happy to be back to Nigeria and I have no desire whatsoever to ever leave Nigeria again for anywhere else. Why so? Because the Igbo spirit is the future of Nigeria.
The Igbo spirit is not a conquering spirit, an imperial spirit or an exploiting spirit. The Igbo spirit is an Afro centric spirit, a competitive spirit, a liberating spirit and a spirit that restores. In fact, the Igbo spirit is the quintessential IslamoChristian spirit of the common good as one finds in the holy books of the Qurtan and the Bible. Thus, the Igbo spirit thrives and lives by the democratic ethic of one for all and all for one.
This is the liberating and restoring spirit that is about to encompass Nigeria and to take her to great heights of material and social plenty and of individual freedoms. And there is nothing anyone anywhere on this earth or in the heavens can do to stop this Igbo spirit from encompassing and elevating Nigerians and the black race as a whole. For the matter has long been settled in the highest heavens, the abode of God Almighty.
So, it is quite understandable that the Igbo must go through, as they are doing today, the harassment and chicanery of the sworn enemies of light and of the liberation and restoration of the black race. The Igbo spirit is the bearer of light and where light comes, darkness must disappear. So what we are experiencing in Nigeria today is the era of pitch darkness, which must precede the dawn of freedom and plenty. In fact, what we are witnessing in Nigeria today, with the Igbo bearing the full brunt of it, are the thrashing death throes of an old and uncaring dinosaur of a Nigeria of the ungodly where local slave dealers have unleashed, on behalf of their old European slave dealing puppet masters, a culture of impunity and lawlessness on all Nigerians and especially on the Igbo. But it will not last. This is simply so because the 21St century is the century of the African and the Igbo are in the forefront of the war for the economic liberation and empowerment of the black race. This is what makes the Igbo spirit the ethical template of the future for the common good of all Nigerians and every black person.
What then are the attributes of the Igbo spirit? One, it is God fearing and God loving. Two, it is democratic to the core. And three, it is private enterprise write large. The Igbo puts God Almighty at the centre of his socio-political and economic life and this is what explains why he is so fiercely democratic and so competitively entrepreneurial but so passionately communal to the core.
So, the Igbo spirit is not about the ethnic subjugation of one group by the other. Rather, it is about the opening up of equal vents of opportunities for the small as for the medium size and for the big, for the weak as for the half weak and the strong.
It was, indeed, this very stark and unmistakable difference between the euro centric spirit of oppression and enslavement that rules Nigeria today and the Afro centric Igbo-spirit of liberation and restoration which will rule Nigeria tomorrow that I had in mind when I wrote as follows on pages xviii and xix of the Preface to my book of 2002, "Globalization at the Crossroads: Capitalism or Communalism?"
"Consequently, the centre is extremely attractive to any budding ethnic politician in Nigeria. For, they are all ethnic politicians. It is there at the centre that the financial and fiscal power of Nigeria is concentrated. So, every ethnic politician wants to get to the imperial centre at all costs. And when he eventually gets there, he wants to keep the imperial reins of Nigeria's financial and fiscal power within his ethnic bailiwick for all time and at all costs. It is an ethnic winner take all affair where only the ruthless and the idolatrous survive.
"However, we do want a Nigeria that has ample room for all of us. This Nigeria must deal, even headedly and fairly, with all of us no matter the physical size of our persons or the purported numerical strength of our ethnic origins. Equal representation and participation for all of us shall be the whole of the law. Thus, each and everyone of us, individuals and groups, who belong to Nigeria must be allowed to use our native and achieved financial, human and material resources for our private good and for the common good..."
But the reigning Euro centric spirit of oppression and enslavement in Nigeria today is the sworn enemy of democracy. This is so because it puts Mammon, instead of God Almighty, at the centre of the socio economic and political life of the Nigerian. This is the source and sustainers of the culture of impunity and lawlessness, which pervades all levels of governance in Nigeria today. For where Mammon is in charge, do what thou wilt is the God hating and God baiting whole of the law. Fortunately, however, the Afro centric Igbo spirit which seeks to put God Almighty first in the thoughts, words and deeds of the Nigerian, is, most certainly, around the corner to consign this euro centric spirit of the congenital blighter, the cowardly scourge of the Nigerian and the black race, back to the pit of hell where it belongs.
Therefore, the Igbo in Nigeria have nothing to fear but fear itself. They should always bear it in mind that to whom a lot is given, a considerable much is expected in return. God Almighty has blessed them with the knowledge of the financial and industrial ways and means of turning sand into gold. It is their duty to open up and spread this knowledge among their ethnic neighbours in the near and far beyond of Africa in order to forge such an ever widening and concentric wave of financial solidarity among different ethnic groups in Nigeria and Africa, that will empower each African ethnic group to yield its best of social and industrial products for the common good of all Africans and to the glory of God Almighty.
In fact, the true social message of the Igbo spirit for the Nigerian in particular and for the black race in general comes straight from the Catholic Social Teaching and more specifically from St. Paul's 2 Corinthians 8: 1315 and St. Peter's 1 Peter 4:10 as follows: Financial solidarity among Nigerians and Africans leads to the industrial subsidiary of each Nigerian and each African. This is what the dividend of democracy is essentially about. It is the enabling environment to dream dreams and to see one's dreams work out in practice in one's lifetime. And this social message that allows the zillion flowers of entrepreneurial excellence to bloom in Nigeria and in Africa as a whole is the essential social ethic of Islam as in Qur'an 16:90 al'adl walihsan. Hence, the Igbo spirit is the IslamoChristian ethic for the economic liberation and restoration of man in Africa and beyond.
Consequently, the Igbo in Nigeria and in the Diaspora should take heart and continue to put all before the Throne of Grace. For their past and current tormentors, both Euro centric and local, are just but a passing storm in a God baiting and God taunting teacup. Uyagami! · Peter Alexander Egom Managing Associate Global Market Associates Lagos. Email: alexegom@yahoo.com.
Posts: 191 | From: Denmark | Registered: Apr 2001
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Does this mean that a man from a Awka speak Awka not Igbo as a man from Asaba speak Asaba not Igbo?
If this is the case, then every town west of the niger is a unit and as such there is not Anioma or Ika as units.
And who forced these Edos and Yorubas to change thier names and speak Aniocha?
On the names, it is just spelling. And Anambra names are not the same as Abia. How many kalus do you find in Anambra. How many Okeke rather than Okereke?
And do you know that there are groups in Anambra who cliam ancestary to Igalla and Bini? This is glory through association to distant large kingdom.
As many states were isloated, diffrence arose in in the form of dialects.
Ikpatt how many states in nigeria have pure ethnic stock? The non obongs in Akwa IBOM are a very small but are still there?
Steve Big: yeah, you are Yoruba! Go to Ibadan and say that to who you like. I am sure they will welcome you.
"OGANIHU Anioma": what do this mean in the Edo or yoruba. I know what it means in Igbo.
In Igbo, in places IKE is written as EKE.
Iliteracy should agianst the law.
___________________ Onye ji obuadana na aka fu Nmadu.
A battle was lost but the battles will go on until we win the war. Posts: 35 | From: azam | Registered: Mar 2003
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