ChinenyeN:

I can understand your concern, but at the same time, I hope you do realize that you are staking your entire argument on the incomplete knowledge of other people.

Here is what you must understand about this issue:
1) These geographical deliberations are not as arbitrary as you might be thinking.
2) There is more to the delineation than north and south. I could venture to expand more on the delineation for you, but I believe it would be more rewarding if you learned the information yourself, through research. Besides, I am under the impression that you would be much more likely to argue the terminology if it were to come from me as opposed to if you were to research and understand it for yourself. It doesn't mean I won't expand on it if you ask.

Cyberknight:

Chinenye, yours quoted above was a most informative post. As you have pointed out that the aforementioned geographical divisions are more usual in academic discourse than in general use, please allow me to point out that I was not and am not protesting their use, but was simply stating that I am unfamiliar with the use of these terms in general everyday use when referring to the Igbo people. I would also presume that most other Igbo people are also unaware of this application as well. I have got no problems whatsoever with their use in academia or in any other sphere when done for research or other academic purposes; however, a point which I am sure our near paranoid brother above undoubtedly had in mind is this: groupings and other forms of classifications can lead to insidious divisions, in a manner that is as unfathomable as it is near -certain.

Ndewo.

Ishsoph: God! Dont even know half my state like thought i had. Where's Ututu located in Abia mbok

some-girl:
Delineation and classification of these areas are man made. Who defined the boundaries? (most probably a foreigner, non- Igbo). What was the basis for the definition of the boundaries? Is there a reference point?
I don't accept everything I read. I would challenge even what many may consider as common knowledge until it becomes clear to me.
I won't be surprised if there is an abundance of literature that would support your stance, as many seem to enjoy and embrace any form of separatism, but I doubt these sources would answer my questions like where Owerre falls for example.
I would appreciate it if you could provide me with a starting point for my research and enlighten me to the best of your ability.
Daalu

kopite:

Please verify facts before making a misleading contribution.......there is no such thing as mazi in ikwerre land. get your facts right or they will be termed propaganda. igbos wont let ikwerres rest because of their expansionist ideology.

bigfrancis21:

I've listened to several ikwerre programmes on radio and each time they wanted to introduce themselves, they used Mazi. Ikwerre is an Igbo dialect and I understood everything that was said on that program. My younger brother was in the car with me (my mom's car) listening to the same programme, and when I told him that the program was an ikwerre program, he was shocked and said, 'is this the so-called ikwerre language that they are saying is not Igbo?'

steveec122: Onye asula Ngili-igbo!! nne i bu onye ebee, nne isi ebee

ChinenyeN:

The fact that you want to learn and understand for your self is good, and I do not mind being the starting point for your research. As a prelude, I want to clarify that this issue of delineation is not about separatism. It is not in any way concerned with politics. So don't limit your thought process like that. Delineation has nothing to do with separatism, but rather everything to do with our understanding of the various Igbo socio-cultural features. Now, any reasonable Igbo person knows that there is no one "Igbo" culture. It varies from community to community. However, a broad-spectrum observation of Igbo culture shows that the various Igbo socio-cultural features are discernibly clustered into regions.

These observed regional clusters were simply geographically delineated, based on our ethnographic map of Igboland. What this means is that if a regional cluster is delineated as "southern", then it is simply because it is the most southerly. If a regional cluster is delineated as "eastern", it is simply because it is the most easterly, and so on and so forth. Academic Igbo literature goes on to list 5 regional clusters. Below you will see that I listed 6. I included Riverine because I do believe it is discernible enough to be recognized in its own right, rather than us attempting to compartmentalize it within the western regional cluster.

The Regional Clusters: [In no particular order]

1) Northern - Characterized by its Nri-centered socio-religious themes, its comparatively high degree of social stratification and the presence of title and mmanwu societies. Sometimes also referred to as Nri Igbo, and it includes the communities that are said to make up the Nri-Awka axis.

2) Southern - Characterized by its egalitarianism and comparative lack of social stratification, expansive settlements and its comparatively high degree of ethnic self-awareness. This includes communities in the Isu-Urata/Ngwa-Ikwere axes.

3) Riverine - Characterized by its water-centered socio-culture and social stratification. Sometimes also referred to as Oru Igbo. This includes the Oru and Orsu communities, stretching down to Ukwani-Oguta and includes Ekpeye.

4) Eastern - Characterized by its secret society themed social structure, and its celebrated war-like culture and masked dances. Sometimes also called Cross River Igbo, and constitutes the Aro-Afikpo-Bende axis.

5) Western - Characterized by its mix of Bini and Nri-themed or attributed hereditary kingship and socio-cultural traditions. Onitsha and the Enuani/Ika communities constitute this regional cluster.

6) Northeastern - Characterized by its dispersed settlement pattern, highly agrarian lifestyle, lack of social stratification and divergent/distinct linguistic features. Sometimes also referred to as Abakaliki Igbo. It includes communities within the Izii-Ezaa axis.

Note that none of the above has anything to do with politics and separatism. It's simply ethnography. The terminology used may be man-made, but that should not take away from the fact that they are all based on observable socio-cultural features. This ethnographic sketch of the regional clusters was made possible by the research and contribution of communities throughout Igboland. It is not something defined by foreigners, but rather something that can be verified and observed by the Igbo themselves.

Lordave: ndi Aniche Obaa??
Nwanne Ima Mazi Otti?

kayci_d77:
Mazi is nothing close to dee or deede, Mazi means Mr and dee means an elder man. Mazi is a general Igbo language not particularly meant for some part of Igbo

Odinaka00:

Echem ma Mazi Otti anwuola? Ulo ndi be otti di opposite ulo my father

some-girl:
I see
We are all aware of heterogeneity in Igbo land. Mine may be a lone voice but I'm not convinced that these classifications are helpful for understanding the "various Igbo socio-cultural features" because while your descriptions of the various groups may apply to most peoples in the groups, there would be the isolated sub groups who do not quite fit here or there, most probably at the imaginary borders.
If we need to compare and contrast, why can't we just pick two or more Igbo subgroups and compare them as we do already.

I'm not attacking, I just fail to see how all of this is beneficial for us as a people.

Lordave: eh the man awuola, Abum nwa nwanne ya nwoke, Michael.

Odinaka00:

Imakwana I bu nwannem nwoke? Ejim aka na imaruru family akporo ikwuagwu family? Mogambo

Lordave: Uchem di ya. Amam Ferdinand Ikwuagwu. I no na facebook?