ChinenyeN:
What exactly is the difficulty in defining 'Igbo'? Why do you all have to repeat this discussion and re-attempt this definition over and over and over and over and... I've lost count.. oh well. Igbo is an ethno-linguistic categorization with emphasis on lingusitic. Identity is a non-issue and should be treated as such. Self-determination has zero effect on the categorization and the same goes for ancestral kinship. If one's people come from the ethno-linguistic region of Igbo-speaking communities, then you are, by default, categorized as 'Igbo'. No one can force that on you (this goes out to those unlearned humans trying to fight something that is simply out of their control), and consequently, no one can take that away from you (this goes out to the dumb Igbo I've seen trying to rob other Igbo of their 'Igboness'). Enough said.

If left with you all, you would all spend eternity trying to define something that does not require all this long talk and expended bandwidth.

ChinenyeN:
Don't make me laugh. Nothing I stated is difficult to comprehend. In fact, if this had been an academic discussion, my statement would have been well-understood and well-received and everyone would move on with their lives. However, this is NL, where people are poor students of reason and seem to ignorantly believe that everything, even that which is most well-established and easily-verified aspects can be contested.

Look, Omonnakoda, it truly does not matter what you or anyone has to say on this subject, here on NL. 'Igbo' has already been thoroughly, truthfully and adequately defined by the academic community. If you don't know it's definition, then I can suggest a few academic articles for you to go and read which discuss anything from the transatlantic slave trade, to the missionary era in Nigeria to colonialism. Otherwise, don't come at me as if to say you have a platform to stand on, because I will crush what feeble understanding you believe yourself to possess.

ChinenyeN:
Oh, this is rich. Now, someone is making accusations on my character. Alright, Omonnakoda. I'll be my usual self and approach this like I do most other culture topics here in NL (that have not been over-flogged). Now, tell me if I understand your position well enough...

By my interpretation of your posts to me thus far, you believe that the definition I presented for 'Igbo' is unfit. You believe that by deliberately sidelining aspects such as self-determination, I have created a narrow-scoped definition of Igbo that lacks substantiation. Ultimately, you believe the categorization to be my own, that it is arbitrary and ill-conceived. Does that sound about right?

ChinenyeN:
Omonnakoda, what are you going on about now? Why are you making this difficult? I asked you if my understanding of your position is accurate. I want to ensure that we are on the same page before we proceed further. The topic is indeed complex, but not in the way that you understand it. The complexity stems from 400 years of history (slave trade to colonialism to modern Nigeria) and not from any inherent 'Commandments of Igboness' (by the way, you do realize that this does not exist, right?).

Furthermore, ethno-linguistics (since you seem to share my appreciation for semantics, do understand that I am using this term for a reason as opposed to using the term 'language') is only an aspect of the complexity. It is not the complexity itself. However, ethno-linguistics has become the defining, neutral feature by which the academia identifies the grouping (again, I'm using the term 'grouping' for a reason as opposed to 'group'). So, before you can get your Igbo/Igboid comment addressed, you need to understand how it even fits into the holistic picture.

omonnakoda:
Tell us what is the Igbo language and how this stands juxtaposed,in scholastic thinking, to Igboid languages. That shout be THE STARTING POINT

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omonnakoda:
I asked you and I ask you again,Is there a way of marrying,of burying the dead,of honouring the successful,of punishing miscreants of naming children,of carving wood that is distinctly Igbo as opposed to any other thing? Where does this emphasis on Language come from and WHAT is this LANGUAGE. What is the relationship between the terms "IGBO" and IGBOID"

onuwaje:

Bros there is nowhere under d sun.. even in d universe that itsekiri's bear igbo names!. No where!!

If ur guy has igbo name probably his mom is igbo. Don't say what. U don't knw pls cos it's appalling to the itsekiris

Omawunmi
Oritsegbubemi
Omatsola
Omatsuli
Timeyin
Tuoyo
Eyimofe
Uduaghan
Tosan
okpemi
Temituope
Oritsetsolaye
Bemigho
Edema
Eyesan
Oritsejafor
Eworitse
Mene

These are a few itsekiri names.. and they are not related. Thank u

ChinenyeN:
*sigh* ... So, I guess we'll simply ignore the historical context behind everything and just get right to it then. In which case, the term Igbo-speaking is now used in scholastic thinking, in place of the once commonplace Igbo/Igboid usages.

The term Igbo is now used to refer to the ethno-linguistic classification of Igbo-speaking communities, as well as the region in which they are primarily located. Hence the emphasis on linguistics.

The once commonplace relationship between Igbo and Igboid has been ignored by the scholastic/academic community since cognate tests showed the Igbo-speaking communities as constituting a dialectal continuum as opposed to distinct language communities. As a result, Igboid is no longer recognized as a separate classification. Instead, it is thought of as synonymous with the term Igbo though it is primarily used when the topic focuses solely on linguistics and not on linguistics with relation to ethnology.

Below is a statement showing a working example of the terms:

Ikwerre, Nnewi, Ika, and Izii are examples of Igbo-speaking peoples. They are located within the Igbo ethno-linguistic region. Ethnologically, they constitute distinct culture-groups. Linguistically, they are culture-groups who's lects are characteristically Igboid.

Is that understandable?

until the 'other' side understands what 'an ethnolinguistic group' means.

Emilokoiyawon:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8g3fQn3zuA

freshdude99:

It's only a foolish yoloba man that will be chasing ibos about, creating several topics about Biafra while his oduduwa land is laying fallow.
Nothing obviously can be more foolish than that Mr. YANKEE BOY

kettykin:
Much as i do not subscribe to ipob or biafra my candid suggestion to Sunday Oliseh and co is that if you are not igbo kindly drop or change your igbo name .

Igbos have too many accomplished deltans to be begging for membership from someone who was not even an accomplished footballer