Wulfruna:


...
For the umpteenth time, stop embarrassing yourself: no part of Okirika speaks Igbo as a native language. I speak fluent Igbo; that doesn't make it my native language. No other person in my family even speaks it. Stop citing the example of Patience Jonathan. She isn't representative of Okirika people and their native language. I cited the example of Hilda Dokubo, a Kalabari woman who speaks fluently Igbo, to illustrate my point. Unfortunately, you aren't bright enough to understand why I brought her up, and you thought I was saying she is Okirika. I don't even know why I bother.

...

Oyind17:

Its igbo lands, I was told Amadi-Ama which is partly okrika but is in ph city LGA speaks igbo.

Talking about someone who parades herself all over this forum basked in willful exuberant ignorance.

omonnakoda:
And your saying a thing umpteen times like a madman makes it true

Come up with a point if you have one. Otherwise stay off my mention.

bigfrancis21:


Come up with a point if you have one. Otherwise stay off my mention.

You are a mor0n!! The point is Bonny is Ijaw not Eboe

I'm going to be very honest. I have always disliked when pan-Igboists try to speak about the Igbo-Ijo dynamic. They always try to come off as if they know what they're talking about, and some will have the nerve to speak (erroneously) with some assumed authority about things like name origin and historical relations.

Anyway, let me just straighten out two things, because going over all the misinformation will just be too much work.

1. Without getting too much into historical relations, the name "Ubani" does not come from "Igboland". "Ubani" is the name used in Ngwa-Ndoki axis to refer to Bonny/Opobo and its people, who called themselves "Ibani". We can save the details of all that for a later date, if anyone so chooses.

2. The "Nwotam festival" is not a festival at all. Nwutam (as pronounced in Ngwa - yes, Ngwa has Nwutam) is a masquerade. In fact, Nwutam is a special masquerade, that traditionally appears only during end of year festivities, as part of the Ekpe calendar cycle (unrelated to Ekpe secret society). It is only in recent memory that Nwutam became pronounced and a whole procession was built around it by one Ndoki community. That procession is what was adopted by Bonny/Opobo.

People need to refrain from talking about what they don't know.

omonnakoda:
You are a mor0n!! The point is Bonny is Ijaw not Eboe

And they are Igbo-speaking, not Ijaw speaking.

Nwaotam, Nwatam, Nwutam are all dialectical pronunciations. Don't come off as if Nwutam is the sole and right pronunciation.

Oyind17:

Its igbo lands, I was told Amadi-Ama which is partly okrika but is in ph city LGA speaks igbo.

that means you re admitting that some part in okrika speaks igbo language..? Anyway thanks for the enlightenment. (Amadi-ama).

IGBOPRINCE:
that means you re admitting that some part in okrika speaks igbo language..? Anyway thanks for the enlightenment. (Amadi-ama).

Not main okrika o,

bigfrancis21:




Talking about someone who parades herself all over this forum basked in willful exuberant ignorance.

Hahahaha. Now listen, numskull. 'Some Okirikas are bilingual' is not the same thing as 'Some Okirika speak Igbo as a native language'. A native language is a language you learn from birth and that serves as the primary medium of communication within your native community'. Did that person also hear that Igbo forms the primary medium of their communication in their native village, or is it a language they have learnt to facilitate trade with people on the mainland? So a NLer says that 'he heard', and you put it up as if it is comfirmed fact. Very well, I heard that in some Ndoki villages they speak Annang as a native language. Please, put that up as fact, too. I have cousins living in Borokiri axis of Port Harcourt (which is the Okirika part of Port Harcourt) and I am now telling you again that no part of Okirika land speaks Igbo as their native language.There is a reason why I kept emphasizing 'native language'. If you want to talk about bilingualism for trade and other purposes, that is a different matter.

I do not understand the logic of some people on this forum. If Ngwa-Ndoki are Igbos and the Ngwa-Ndoki gave the Bonnys the name, 'Ubani', does that not imply that 'Ubani' is of Igbo origin? Where in anywhere did I mention 'Ibani' specifically to be of Igbo origin?

Did I not also provide evidence supporting the Igbo origin of 'Ubani'?

bigfrancis21:
Nwaotam, Nwatam, Nwutam are all dialectical pronunciations. Don't come off as if Nwutam is the sole and right pronunciation.

Don't come for me like this.

1. I don't believe in anything like the "sole and right pronunciation".

2. This is completely irrelevant to my post, other than the fact that I used "Nwutam" to refer to it (as I am Ngwa, and "Nwutam" is simply what we call it).

3. You and your other Igboists friends need to learn to speak ONLY to the extent that you can support your statements. Otherwise, you make the rest of us look dumb.

bigfrancis21:

Talking about someone who parades herself all over this forum basked in willful exuberant ignorance.

I am saying the truth, you are the ignorant one here.
Say what u know Mr

Oyind17:

Not main okrika o,

There is nothing like 'main' okirika. Majority of Okirikans are mixed: Ijaw and Igbo, descending maternally from the Igbos which you earlier admitted. The Okirikans have consistently married Igbos from the hinterland since the 19th century such that they are an Ijaw-Igbo mix today. Thus, there is no such thing as 'main okirika' when all parts are a mixed breed of Ijaw and Igbo.

ChinenyeN:


Don't come for me like this.

1. I don't believe in anything like the "sole and right pronunciation".

2. This is completely irrelevant to my post, other than the fact that I used "Nwutam" to refer to it (as I am Ngwa, and "Nwutam" is simply what we call it).

3. You and your other Igboists friends need to learn to speak ONLY to the extent that you can support your statements. Otherwise, you make the rest of us look ignorant.

We are all adults and if you need to address me specifically, you talk to me directly. Side talks are childish.

1) I did support all my statements with published evidence. The ignorant cohorts parading themselves on this forum have not published one piece of evidence whatsoever, albeit small, to support their claim other than regurgitating lies spread on this forum.

2) I do not mince words and will stand for the truth at all times.

3) Do you have any other solid points to make regarding this issue?

bigfrancis21:

There is nothing like 'main' okirika. Majority of Okirikans are mixed: Ijaw and Igbo, descending maternally from the Igbos which you earlier admitted. The Okirikans have consistently married Igbos from the hinterland since the 19th century such that they are an Ijaw-Igbo mix today. Thus, there is no such thing as 'main okirika' when all parts are a mixed breed of Ijaw and Igbo.

Lol, we are saying the same thing .

my phone is bad, I can't write much

bigfrancis21:


Excuse me? Ubani is widely used all over Abia state. Words often have several meaning just as Akwa in Igbo means up to 5 different things. One immediate meaning of Ubani that comes to mind is 'wealth of the land' or 'wealth of the earth goddess, ani'. In Umuahia town, a supposedly southern Igbo area, they have a section of the town named 'Ubani', not 'Ubali' or 'Ubala' as you claimed in your joyful display of exuberant ignorance. Among the Ngwas, 'Ubani' is a common name in that area and Abia state as a whole.

Below is for someone who claims to be 'all-knowing' about Ubani and Bonny.

1. I repeat, if you see 'Ubani' in Imo/Abia axis, it cannot mean 'wealth of the land'. That was my original point, and I maintain it. It is irrelevant that you found settlements in Abia called Ubani. My point still stands.

2. Of course, as always, you've done a half-baked research and come up with an Ubani in Ibeku. But you haven't, nay, you CAN'T even do a little more research to see how an Ubani could have ended up in Ibeku. If you had you would have known that Ibani traders travelled up far into Abia State in the 19th century and even earlier during the palm-oil trade era. They established settlements in many places and were trading as far up as Umuahia. It is not impossible that Ubani-Ibeku was established in this way.

Read and educate yourself:

https://books.google.com.ng/books?id=JXwPQKyE_YwC&pg=PA49&lpg=PA49&dq=ubani+umuahia+Owerrinta&source=bl&ots=4fBNW4TRAl&sig=KTNolyBKsY8P_43dipv44ABfrJA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CDYQ6AEwBGoVChMIzNbD-Kz3yAIVQToPCh1KvwXj#v=onepage&q=ubani%20umuahia%20Owerrinta&f=false

bigfrancis21:


And they are Igbo-speaking, not Ijaw speaking.

The Ijaw people of Bonny in Rivers State

Wulfruna:


Hahahaha. Now listen, numskull. 'Some Okirikas are bilingual' is not the same thing as 'Some Okirika speak Igbo as a native language'. A native language is a language you learn from birth and that serves as the primary medium of communication within your native community'. Did that person also hear that Igbo forms the primary medium of their communication in their native village, or is it a language they have learnt to facilitate trade with people on the mainland? So a NLer says that 'he heard', and you put it up as if it is comfirmed fact. Very well, I heard that in some Ndoki villages they speak Annang as a native language. Please, put that up as fact, too. I have cousins living in Borokiri axis of Port Harcourt (which is the Okirika part of Port Harcourt) and I am now telling you again that no part of Okirika land speaks Igbo as their native language.There is a reason why I kept emphasizing 'native language'. If you want to talk about bilingualism for trade and other purposes, that is a different matter.

Thanks for defining native language for me even when you can barely put it into practice. You earlier claimed Okirikans do not speak Igbo when I earlier posited that PARTS of Okirika speak Igbo as native language. You were the one displaying your level of blissful ignorance on this thread. Now you suddenly realize that they are bilingual. Talking about someone who is 'notorious for shifting or amending your arguments when you are called out rather than admitting you are wrong'.

Listen carefully this time again: SOME PARTS of Okirika speak Igbo as native language. Oyind confirms Amadi Ama to be an example. What do you have to say about that?

I have evidence of these Igbo speaking Okirika towns. Before you start another round of your exuberant ignorant display, I said some towns, not all towns in Okirika. I'll let you run around in circles for a while then release the evidence. Kontinu!

bigfrancis21:


We are all adults and if you need to address me specifically, you talk to me directly. Side talks are childish.

1) I did support all my statements with published evidence. The ignorant cohorts parading themselves on this forum have not published one piece of evidence whatsoever, albeit small, to support their claim other than regurgitating lies spread on this forum.

2) I do not mince words and will stand for the truth at all times.

3) Do you have any other solid points to make regarding this issue?

I am wondering which is greater your idiocy or your uncouthness. Whadya say?

Wulfruna:


1. I repeat, if you see 'Ubani' in Imo/Abia axis, it cannot mean 'wealth of the land'. That was my original point, and I maintain it. It is irrelevant that you found settlements in Abia called Ubani. My point still stands.

2. Of course, as always, you've done a half-baked research and come up with an Ubani in Ibeku. But you haven't, nay, you CAN'T even do a little more research to see how an Ubani could have ended up in Ibeku. If you had you would have known that Ibani traders travelled up far into Abia State in the 19th century and even earlier during the palm-oil trade era. They established settlements in many places and were trading as far up as Umuahia. It is not impossible that Ubani-Ibeku was established in this way.

Read and educate yourself:

https://books.google.com.ng/books?id=JXwPQKyE_YwC&pg=PA49&lpg=PA49&dq=ubani+umuahia+Owerrinta&source=bl&ots=4fBNW4TRAl&sig=KTNolyBKsY8P_43dipv44ABfrJA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CDYQ6AEwBGoVChMIzNbD-Kz3yAIVQToPCh1KvwXj#v=onepage&q=ubani%20umuahia%20Owerrinta&f=false

Well, you claimed initially that there could not be 'ubani' coming from southern Igbo axis, which must be Ubali or Ubala and I proved you wrong. There are place names in Abia bearing Ubani, a market named Ubani and several Abia natives who bear Ubani as name.

In Anambra state, Ubani is also answered by some people. http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/09/comrade-chima-ubani-may-have-died-in-vain-clo/

ChinenyeN few years ago admitted that the name is common amongst his Ngwa people, where he hails. All these in the same Abia state. What then are you fussing about?

What is the fuss on this thread all about? The unwillingness to admit to the simple truth that Bonny, Opobo and parts of Okirika speak Igbo as native language?

Is this the level of denial and lack of objectivity politics has turned Nigeria into?

bigfrancis21:


Thanks for defining native language for me even when you can barely put it into practice. You earlier claimed Okirikans do not speak Igbo when I earlier posited that PARTS of Okirika speak Igbo as native language. You were the one displaying your level of blissful ignorance on this thread. Now you suddenly realize that they are bilingual. Talking about someone who is 'notorious for shifting or amending your arguments when you are called out rather than admitting you are wrong'.

Listen carefully this time again: SOME PARTS of Okirika speak Igbo as native language. Oyind confirms Amadi Ama to be an example. What do you have to say about that?

I have evidence of these Igbo speaking Okirika towns. I'll let you run around in circles for a while then release the evidence. Kontinu!

What do you mean by "NATIVE" language. Is that a technical term.? Because if you use it in that sense it simply refers to a language spoken from childhood which is the case with English ,Hausa and Yoruba in Nigeria for millions who are not indigenously English etc so that is basically a meaningless term. Eboe language dominated in Eastern Nigeria especially around areas that were shipping ports for a range of reasons especially around areas that were shipping ports not least because the Eboes were the single largest group of slaves .
The same phenomenon is observed in Jos. Essentially a language becoming a lingua franca says NOTHING about identity yo your Eboenization by force scheme is doomed from conception

bigfrancis21:
What is the fuss on this thread all about? The unwillingness to admit to the simple truth that Bonny, Opobo and parts of Okirika speak Igbo as native language?

Is this the level of denial and lack of objectivity politics has turned Nigeria into?

You are a liar ,you came hear and said that in Bonny they "DO NOT SPEAK A WORD OF IJAW"

That is indeed a stuupid lie!!

bigfrancis21:


Well, you claimed initially that there waa no 'ubani' in southern Igbo axis, which I proved you wrong. There are place names in Abia bearing Ubani, a market named Ubani and several Abia natives who bear Ubani as name.

ChinenyeN few years ago admitted that the name is common amongst his Ngwa people, where he hails. All these in the same Abia state. What then are you fussing about?

There are very few people I have met who have the kind of comprehension difficulties you have. You interpreted 'ubani' as 'wealth of land'; I told you that that interpretation is wrong, that you were importing an Anambra interpretation into an Abia/Ibani context. Now you come back and say that I said Ubani as a name or the name of a place doesn't exist in Abia State? Listen, If you don't brush up your comprehension skills, I'm going to stop bothering with you. I feel like I lose brain cells each time I debate you.

The fuss is that 'Ubani' is not a word that has a meaning in the Igbo language, but is an Igbo corruption of the word, Ibani. That is the fuss. Finish.

omonnakoda:
You are a liar ,you came hear and said that in Bonny they "DO NOT SPEAK A WORD OF IJAW"

That is indeed a stuupid lie!!

Did I not provide published evidence for that?

Have I not asked you to provide evidence for the contrary? Where is the evidence? What are you still fussing about if you cannot provide simpl evidence?

bigfrancis21:


Thanks for defining native language for me even when you can barely put it into practice. You earlier claimed Okirikans do not speak Igbo when I earlier posited that PARTS of Okirika speak Igbo as native language. You were the one displaying your level of blissful ignorance on this thread. Now you suddenly realize that they are bilingual. Talking about someone who is 'notorious for shifting or amending your arguments when you are called out rather than admitting you are wrong'.

Listen carefully this time again: SOME PARTS of Okirika speak Igbo as native language. Oyind confirms Amadi Ama to be an example. What do you have to say about that?

I have evidence of these Igbo speaking Okirika towns. Before you start another round of your exuberant ignorant display, I said some towns, not all towns in Okirika. I'll let you run around in circles for a while then release the evidence. Kontinu!

More comprehension difficulties. I said Okirika don't use Igbo as a native language. If you say I said they don't speak Igbo, period, point me to where I said it. I await your evidence.

omonnakoda:
What do you mean by "NATIVE" language. Is that a technical term.? Because if you use it in that sense it simply refers to a language spoken from childhood which is the case with English ,Hausa and Yoruba in Nigeria for millions who are not indigenously English etc so that is basically a meaningless term. Eboe language dominated in Eastern Nigeria especially around areas that were shipping ports for a range of reasons especially around areas that were shipping ports not least because the Eboes were the single largest group of slaves .
The same phenomenon is observed in Jos. Essentially a language becoming a lingua franca says NOTHING about identity yo your Eboenization by force scheme is doomed from conception

Native language loosely, also, refers to Africans who spoke English or French as children before actually picking up their tribal language. In that sense, English or French is their native language.

For so many American-born Hispanics, English is their native language.

bigfrancis21:


Native language loosely, also, refers to Africans who spoke English or French as children before actually picking up their tribal language. In that sense, English or French is their native language.

For so many American-born Hispanics, English is their native language.

So you are saying nothing

many Nigerians are multilingual .


And no major town has only one ethnic group. On what do you base your claim that the Bonny people DO NOT SPEAK A WORD of IJAW

If you follow the thread I asked you the same question previously and you gave a different response. Asserting that the Hausa situation is different with regards to Northern Nigeria do you still stand by that

bigfrancis21:


You are basing your fact based on what someone else wrote? Aren't you supposed to be based in Port-Harcourt? I expected you to know better.

Bonny and Opobo do not speak Ijaw or Ibani. Please visit these islands and don't make unnecessary arguments based on hearsay.

The Ibanis proper who still speak Ibani are found in neighbouring Bonny towns such as Finima or Abalama. Please leave unnecessary nairaland arguments and visit these towns and see the truth for yourself.

You are making silly argument comparing the Hausa case with the Igbo case. The Hausa case and Igbo case are not the same things. Ethnic Igbos from the hinterland settled in these areas and maintained their language as first language till today. As settlers, they did not adopt Ibani nor lose their original language because the Ibani language was often held as a secret language not to be taught to the Igbo settlers while Igbo was left to be the language of communication, thus leading to the complete death of Ibani within 2 generations. In the Hausa case, these people are ethnically not Hausa and still speak their native language, but adopted the Hausa language out of their own volition.

Let me re-iterate, this time slowly, if you did not hear me before. The people of Bonny and Opobo speak Igbo as native language. What they choose to call themselves is at their own discretion. Parts of Okirika also speak Igbo as native language, Patience Jonathan a typical example.

Wulfruna:


There are very few people I have met who have the kind of comprehension difficulties you have. You interpreted 'ubani' as 'wealth of land'; I told you that that interpretation is wrong, that you were importing an Anambra interpretation into an Abia/Ibani context. Now you come back and say that I said Ubani as a name or the name of a place doesn't exist in Abia State? Listen, If you don't brush up your comprehension skills, I'm going to stop bothering with you. I feel like I lose brain cells each time I debate you.

The fuss is that 'Ubani' is not a word that has a meaning in the Igbo language, but is an Igbo corruption of the word, Ibani. That is the fuss. Finish.

How do you explain the preponderance of Ubani-bearing natives in Abia state, a supposedly southern Igbo axis, and not Ubala or Ubali as you earlier claimed?

I do really think you are the one who needs to brush up their comprehension skills because I made my points and proved all of them.

bigfrancis21:


Native language loosely, also, refers to Africans who spoke English or French as children before actually picking up their tribal language. In that sense, English or French is their native language.

For so many American-born Hispanics, English is their native language.

bigfrancis21:



The Ibanis proper who still speak Ibani are found in neighbouring Bonny towns such as Finima or Abalama. Please leave unnecessary nairaland arguments and visit these towns and see the truth for yourself.

You are making silly argument comparing the Hausa case with the Igbo case. The Hausa case and Igbo case are not the same things. Ethnic Igbos from the hinterland settled in these areas and maintained their language as first language till today.

Hear yasef!!!


Mumu

All this back and forth is rooted so deeply in misinformation, misunderstanding and mis-comprehension (ie. people not being on the same page) that there is real way of salvaging the subject matter. So, it's time to give the Ijo back their thread now. Let it go back to being useful.

bigfrancis21:


How do you explain the preponderance of Ubani-bearing natives in Abia state, a supposedly southern Igbo axis, and not Ubala or Ubali as you earlier claimed?

Francis, you're not bright. No seriously, this is no longer a joke. If you can ask me this question after all that has been said by me on this matter, you are really not bright.

Let me take you through what has been said by you and by me on this Ubani issue, briefly.

You suggested that Ubani could mean 'wealth of the land'.

I said that is not possible; and I said that if the name means 'wealth of the land', then it would be Ubala or Ubali, given the fact that we are dealing with an axis of the Igbo-speaking world where 'land' is not 'ani' but ala/ala.

My point all along has been this: Ubani does not mean 'wealth of the land' as you suggested.

Now, you coming back to ask me why Ubani exists in southern Igboland and not Ubala, after what I have said on the matter, indicates to me that I may be chatting with a chipmunk who has learnt to use the internet.

Listen carefully again - Ubani does not mean wealth of land. Ubani is not an Igbo word. Ubani is an Igbo corruption of Ibani, which is the native name of an Ijaw clan in Rivers State

And please, what evidence is there to show that Chima Ubani actually hails from Anambra State? He worked in Anambra State, and that makes him Anambrarian? Do you know how many Ukwuani people work in the Anambra State Government, in Awka? Please, be wise. Post a link that mentions Chima Ubani's hometown.

Here's a significant fact. He was a Seventh Day Adventist. You probably won't understand why that is significant, but ChinenyeN will.

I do really think you are the one who needs to brush up their comprehension skills because I made my points and proved all of them.

No you are slow, and I don't intend that as an insult. You didn't prove anything that every Rivers/Abia man didn't know already.