I
t 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:

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.


I agree with the above. Thank you for your time we are waiting!