ANTONINEUTRON:
That's Why I Asked U.

Fyi There Is No Igbo In Benue State

the 36 states are political demarcation by military dictactors and not ethnic demarcation.there are Igalas in Anambra state,they speak igbo and their local language but we don't call them Igbos

ANTONINEUTRON:
That's Why I Asked U.

Fyi There Is No Igbo In Benue State

I'm a good Samaritan, let me help cure ur ignorance since u can't do a simple Google search

http://thenationonlineng.net/agony-igbos-benue/

Thank me later.

[quote author=viewflux post=47315218][/quote]

Egi is intelligible to Ndiigbo, I know this for a fact. You can put this to a test by writing in Egi right here and right now, and get your translation.

Ogoni are Igbo neighbors and have traded with Ndiigbo too. Same with Andoni and Ogbia, Andoni has many loan Igbo words because of this, but the structure of the language remain non Igboid, but is rather Ibibiod. Andoni interacted with Ijaws, and their language have come to have many Ijaw words in them. Andoni is said to be a Ibibiod with Igbo and Ijaw impurities, Ndiigbo can't understand Andoni and we know they are not Igbos, so you don't hear us saying that Andoni are Igbos, even when they have Igbo influences, for Example Uche Secondus is an Andoni man with an Igbo first name.

Is it not the same Egi where Eze Egi , Elemchukwu Elenwa hailed from? Is his name nolonger an Egi name, yet intelligible to Ndiigbo.
All parts of Ogba speak dialects intelligible to Ndiigbo, because they have been Igbo speaking from the beginning of time and not because of any inter relationship between them and other Igbos.
Igburu-awarra people who though are Ogba people, but are in Imo state confirms this.

On the Ikwerre part, the central Ikwerre languag is intelligible to the Igbo man, interior ones are less intelligible but that also is obtainable in Igboland, where most Igbos will struggle to understand the interior dialects of Izzi people in Ebonyi.
Even my Online Ikwerre friends told me that they also struggle to understand interior Ikwerre dialects, even though they are Ikwerre, yet a careful study of those interior lects show that they are totally Igbo in structure, but with few non Igbo loan words, retained too many extinct proto Igbo words or have bizarre tonations attached to what would otherwise be regular Igbo words.

Ogbu nu Abali literally translates to "He that kills in the night" in Ikwerre dialects. This is not open for debate.

Please, stop dabbling into issues your are ignorant of.

attackgat:
I think it's important to keep in mind that this map was in 1903, long before there was anything called Nigeria, long before the creation of the regions, long before the creation of any state or SS/SE. It was a true depiction of the people that the British identified as Igbos and the map is pretty much accurate even by today's standards. I look at this map with envy, it was a time when my people were truly free. A time when they were not yet in the colonial prison called Nigeria which they later had to fight and lose 3 million people to try and get out of. A truly free Igbo nation. After looking at this map, one dullard from Daura will come and tell us "Nigerian unity is not negotiable". We shall one day return to being free like in this map in the name of Chukwu Okike

Thank you in the name of Chukwu Okike abia amara-

Igboid:


I don't give a rat asss about what Ikwerre or any other deluded Igboid groups think about themselves, but all I care about is history and Igbo imagine.

The Igboids will not be allowed to doctor history we shared with them to their pleasing and use such to tarnish the Igbo image all in an attempt at forming New ethnic groups out of themselves.

All their lies and history distortions will be dissected and exposed as lies they are for the world to see.

Nothing is wrong with their quest for distinctiveness, they have the right to assert their distinct nature, but they have no right to doctor shared history with Igbo and even go as far as creating lies against the Igbo and assassination of Igbo image to achieve their aim.

This is the point that must be "violently" drummed into the ears of the Igboids.

This Ikwerre is Igbo argument or Ikwerre was Igbo argument or Ikwerres are Benin descendants will achieve very little because Ikwerre is a Nationality of many clans each with its own version of history. Some Igbo clans may have historical links with some Ikwerre communities, but using it as a classification of all Ikwerres is an unjust error.

Like i stated earlier, the decision by the British to categorically tag every "seeming similar" ethnicity as Igbo wasn't due to a holistic research but purely for the ease of administration. If they carried out any research, be sure it was loosely done, it wasn't any serious academic exercise. It was a hasty exercise.

A case in point is the Igbo Union Bible, which was introduced into Ikwerreland to be used in churches. It is on record that the bible failed woefully as it left the people very confused as they didn't understand it. The Church had to do a research on the Ikwerre language and thereafter print a bible in Ikwerre language.

Lemme define language for you.1 a : the words, their pronunciation, and the methods of combining them used and understood by a community.(Webster dictionary)


From the definution of language, Chew on the bolded.

[quote author=fombadi post=47318825][/quote] Chai this guy, I tire for u oh!, I thought u said if Nigeria were to break u wouldn't want anything to do with the igbos BT ur Niger delta republic. And I ask again is it the Niger delta that IMO state and abia state belong to or do we have another Niger delta or will the other Igbo region found in ur Niger delta republic be allowed to stay with u guys, then if ur ansa is NO. I propose ur shut the hell up and think of a name to call ur country. I was speaking about Niger delta and yo showing me the map of delta state ( how is the two of them related). if u want to talk of country without the igbos, I advice u look for a map that exclude the Igbo speaking region in that map and call it what ever name u want to call it. igbos can stand alone.

Ikechukwu48:


Next time you want to pretend to be "Mr. ND", actually STUDY wtf it is you want to attache by force to.

Are the iteskiri, Urhobo, isoko, ijaws territory added in the 1903 map? Do you even know where any of those tribe's tribe territory are located in? If you did, you illiterate ass won't have even mentioned any of them as in NONE of the tribes territories are marked as Igbo speaking tribe in that 1903 map. But low behold a deluded Southwest with little to zero knowledge of wtf he speaks of would come up, attache by forve to ND, and start showcasing his ignorance for the entire world to see.

Oh while I'm at it, I'm from Asaba, aka one of the territory in ND that's marked in that 1903. When did I or any one from my city asked you to speak for me? I'll wait

You guys are operating 1903 in 21st century. No wonder you Igbos claim to be industrious but common pencil una nor fit make,
Been dominating nollywood for over 20 years till now una nor fit make 20% standard movies,

That 1903 map also include Binin kindgom,people with more history than the entire Igbos all of a sudden they they and their lands are Igbos,
God is watching you guys.

Let's clarify something:
This 1903 map was published in 1976 in a book written by Elizabeth Isichei who was married to a Nigerian called Uche Peter Isichei.
Point one,please bring 5 other proofs dating this map to 1903 apart from this book.
Point two,this looks was published 6 years after the Nigeria Biafra civil war, looks more like a book written by a Biafran self made proofs.
This map lacks credibility till you proof otherwise.

HopeAtHand:



This Ikwerre is Igbo argument or Ikwerre was Igbo argument or Ikwerres are Benin descendants will achieve very little because Ikwerre is a Nationality of many clans each with its own version of history. Some Igbo clans may have historical links with some Ikwerre communities, but using it as a classification of all Ikwerres is an unjust error.

Like i stated earlier, the decision by the British to categorically tag every "seeming similar" ethnicity as Igbo wasn't due to a holistic research but purely for the ease of administration. If they carried out any research, be sure it was loosely done, it wasn't any serious academic exercise. It was a hasty exercise.

A case in point is the Igbo Union Bible, which was introduced into Ikwerreland to be used in churches. It is on record that the bible failed woefully as it left the people very confused as they didn't understand it. The Church had to do a research on the Ikwerre language and thereafter print a bible in Ikwerre language.

Lemme define language for you.1 a : the words, their pronunciation, and the methods of combining them used and understood by a community.(Webster dictionary)


From the definution of language, Chew on the bolded.

The Igbo union bible did not fail only in Ikwerre, everyone within the Igbo group had to adjust to it. The Izzi have their own Izzi bible today.

No, the British are meticulous people, they knew the subtle differences between groups, if Ikwerre were not Igbos or even showed any iota of resisting the Igbo tag in the colonial era, they would have gotten a distinct entity from word go! The British didn't need to turn Ikwerre into Igbo for easier governance, if that was the case, they would have converted smaller groups like Ogoni and Andoni to Igbo too.

The British were so meticulous that they noticed that the Isoko saw themselves as distinct people from Urhobos, hence didn't lump them together but instead tagged Isoko "Igaboh" and Urhobo " Sobo", they were that detailed.

All linguistic studies done on Ikwerre had failed to distinguish it as a distinct language of its own. Ikwerre as a dialect forms part of the Igbo dialect continuum.
A study done on Ikwerre dialect showed that Ikwerre had a cognation score of 81.63% with Onicha dialect, I am sure that the score will reach 90% and above, if done with Ohaji/Egbema dialects, in place of Onicha.

Let's clearify something:
This 1903 Igbo made map was published in 1976 in a book written by Elizabeth Isichei who was married to a Nigerian called Uche Peter Isichei.

Point one,please bring 5 other proofs dating this map to 1903 apart from this book.
Point two,this looks was published 6 years after the Nigeria Biafra civil war, looks more like a book written by a Biafran self made proofs.
This map lacks credibility till you proof otherwise for now THE IGBO MADE MAP is just as fake as those made in Iba shoes

fombadi:
Igbos and land. Claiming innocent peoples land,communities,culture etc etc etc.....
we know this only ends on the internet. But when are you guys claiming Iraq and Pakistan?.

If this so called map of 1903 has any credibility,who created this map,was it not same colonial masters?
They joined Southern Nigeria to Northern Nigeria, also In this case they joined Niger Delta to the East.

For your information if Nigeria is ever going to breakup we Niger Deltans will 100% go on our own,
we have nothing in common with Igbo people same way Igbos have nothing in common with Hausas.
Stop adding yourselves to us,Niger Delta rebuke any association with Igbos in Jesus name Amen.
We are a unique people with the right to self determination.

This is a map of 1903 when there was nothing to join. There was no Nigeria, no Niger Delta and no East or West. All there was were tribes. In the event of Nigeria breaking up, who's lands are you going take into the so called Niger-Delta? Is it Ijaw land? Is it Ogoja land? Or is Efik lands? What even connects you to any of these people?

attackgat:


This is a map of 1903 when there was nothing to join. There was no Nigeria, no Niger Delta and no East or West. All there was were tribes. In the event of Nigeria breaking up, who's lands are you going take into the so called Niger-Delta? Is it Ijaw land? Is it Ogoja land? Or is Efik lands? What even connects you to any of these people?

Who's land are the Igbos intending to use for their Biafra,what lands?
If there were tribes,how all of a sudden all the tribes in the south are Igbos,or are you telling me Ijaws,Urhobos,Bini,Itsekiri,Esan etc etc came out of Igbo language?

fombadi:
Let's clearify something:
This 1903 Igbo made map was published in 1976 in a book written by Elizabeth Isichei who was married to a Nigerian called Uche Peter Isichei.

Point one,please bring 5 other proofs dating this map to 1903 apart from this book.
Point two,this looks was published 6 years after the Nigeria Biafra civil war, looks more like a book written by a Biafran self made proofs.
This map lacks credibility till you proof otherwise for now THE IGBO MADE MAP is just as fake as those made in Iba shoes

This Urhobo man. So after I decimated your useless thread here: https://www.nairaland.com/3205601/10-interesting-facts-delta-state/11#47315701 your previously latent Igbophobia is now on hyperactivity? But like a coward, you decided to do that under this your moniker and not with your known moniker.

The Eastern part of the map is covered.

Now on the Western Igboland. This is a colonial documentation on the Western Igboland written in 1914:
http://archive.org/stream/anthropologicalr04thomuoft/anthropologicalr04thomuoft_djvu.txt


I will let Ikechukwu handle your madness.

Igboid:


This Urhobo man. So after I decimated your useless thread, your previously latent Igbophobia is now on hyperactivity? But like a coward, you decided to do that under this your moniker and not with your known moniker.

The Eastern part of the map is covered.

Now on the Western Igboland. This is a colonial documentation on the Western Igboland written in 1914:
http://archive.org/stream/anthropologicalr04thomuoft/anthropologicalr04thomuoft_djvu.txt


I will let Ikechukwu handle your madness.

Expect me to read that nonsense written by another Igbo man busy claiming that Rom and Paris belongs to Igbos
When are you guys claiming Iraq and Pakistan?

Let's clearify something:
This 1903 Igbo made map was published in 1976 in a book written by Elizabeth Isichei who was married to a Nigerian called Uche Peter Isichei.

Point one,please bring 5 other proofs dating this map to 1903 apart from this book.
Point two,this looks was published 6 years after the Nigeria Biafra civil war, looks more like a book written by a Biafran self made proofs.
This map lacks credibility till you proof otherwise for now THE IGBO MADE MAP is just as fake as those made in Iba shoes

fombadi:

Expect me to read that nonsense written by another Igbo man busy claiming that Rom and Paris belongs to Igbos
When are you guys claiming Iraq and Pakistan?

Lol! Your ignorance is a joy to watch.

It didn't occur to you that Uche Peter Isichei, Elizabeth's husband, is an Anioma man. The same Anioma you are arguing are not Igbo, are now Igbo just to discredit Elizabeth's work.

Can't you see that you had shot yourself on the foot?

Professor Godwin Tasie noted that in 1913 the Rt Rev
Herbert Tugwell, the Anglican Bishop on the Niger,
undertook an experimentation tour of Ikwerre towns and
villages assumed to be Ibo-speaking to test the Union Ibo
Bible Nso being introduced in Iboland. "Tugwell discovered
from the tests he carried out that although the Ikwerre
were often regarded as Ibo… the Union Ibo Bible
translation, surprisingly, was not easily understood by the
Ikwere." This is obviously why Igbo vernacular was
compulsorily introduced and taught in all schools in
Ikwerreland before the Nigerian Civil War to the
assimilation (i.e. destruction) of the Ikwere language.
This also obviously led to the Rumuomasi Declaration in
1965. " …

Lies!

Nigerian colonial history records that the name "Ikwerre"
was given by the colonial administration when they wanted
to acquire the Rebisi waterfront to build the wharf. Using an
Ibo interpreter to talk to the illiterate Rebisi (Port Harcourt)
chiefs, they asked them: Would you permit us to use the
waterfront to build the wharf for ships to berth? And they
answered: A KWERULEM , meaning - "We have agreed."
What the white-man was hearing was "Ikwerre," so he
recorded it in the official gazette that the IKWERRE PEOPLE
have agreed for the colonial administration to build the
wharf. And since it was the official record of government,
the name Ikwerre became the name of the Iwhnurohna
people in all official documentations till date.
https://www.nairaland.com/1878784/brief-history-ikwerre-port-harcourt

Lies! Lies!!

If only Ikwerre Igbo denial can stand on its own, if only Ikwerres can boldly come out and say:

" See it's true we previously , wholeheartedly and without compulsion or subjugation were Igbos and truly accepted the Igbo tag, we nolonger wish to be Igbos from 1970 onwards due to some events we wish not to dabble into now, It is our personal and group conviction that the interests of our people, which includes our political and Economic interests, are currently better protected in a distinct new ethnic group away from our parent Igbo body. We wish that our Igbo brothers accept and respect this our new conviction and stance."


There won't be problems. The problem is that Ikwerre see it as a necessity to doctor Igbo history, which they were part of, and to assassinate the Igbo image, as a means of establishing their new found ethnic group.

And this is why there will continue to be this argument over and over again, with all the animosity attached and even hatred creeping in from both camps.

I had highlighted some of the bold face lies and falsehoods upon which current Ikwerre identity denial were built upon, which the average Igbo man would always refute and tear to shreds violently.

And because the very foundation of Ikwerre quest for distinct identity is built on those lies, it becomes near impossible for an Igbo to refute those lies, without it appearing like he is attacking the Ikwerre quest for distinct identity. This creates an illusion of the Igbo forcing Ikwerre to be part of the Igbo nation in the eyes of the ignorant onlookers not knowledgeable on the underlying issues in discourse. When in actuality, the average Igbo don't give a rat ass over whatever identity the Ikwerre had chosen for himself,as such matters are trivial and inconsequential in the larger scheme of things for the Igbo nation.

People here are very ignorant. Mutual intelligibility is not the only way to classify languages and culture. Chinese is considered a language but it's not mutually intelligible but when you go to the Scandinavian countries, there are many languages there that are mutually intelligible but yet are different language. why is it so? coming down home, the Ishan language is not exactly intelligible between different communities but it's a language. Example of such abounds both in Africa and all over the world. please let the anioma be.

chukzyblingz:
People here are very ignorant. Mutual intelligibility is not the only way to classify languages and culture. Chinese is considered a language but it's not mutually intelligible but when you go to the Scandinavian countries, there are many languages there that are mutually intelligible but yet are different language. why is it so? coming down home, the Ishan language is not exactly intelligible between different communities but it's a language. Example of such abounds both in Africa and all over the world. please let the anioma be.

Who are you to speak for Anioma? Upon which authority do you stand to make such proclamations. The map we are currently looking at on this thread was provided by a Caucasian woman married to an Anioma man, Uche Isichei.

On the scandinavian countries,good a thing you used the Word COUNTRIES. Are the Igbo and Anioma in different countries?

Do the Scandinavians in Denmark, Iceland, Norway,,Sweden, Finland, Greenland deny the fact that they are same people, even though in different countries with each eager to protect it's own dialect as a language?

Moreover, I understand that you are Ika, please learn to speak for Ika next time, and not hide behind Anioma to drag my Enuani relatives into your identity crisis psychosis.

Igboid:
If only Ikwerre Igbo denial can stand on its own, if only Ikwerres can boldly come out and say:

" See it's true we previously , wholeheartedly and without compulsion or subjugation were Igbos and truly accepted the Igbo tag, we nolonger wish to be Igbos from 1970 onwards due to some events we wish not to dabble into now, It is our personal and group conviction that the interests of our people, which includes our political and Economic interests, are currently better protected in a distinct new ethnic group away from our parent Igbo body. We wish that our Igbo brothers accept and respect this our new conviction and stance."


There won't be problems. The problem is that Ikwerre see it as a necessity to doctor Igbo history, which they were part of, and to assassinate the Igbo image, as a means of establishing their new found ethnic group.

And this is why there will continue to be this argument over and over again, with all the animosity attached and even hatred creeping in from both camps.

I had highlighted some of the bold face lies and falsehoods upon which current Ikwerre identity denial were built upon, which the average Igbo man would always refute and tear to shreds violently.

Only you understand the fuss. All the arguments I've been involved with regards to Ika, Ogba, Ikwerre etc. has been solely on distortion of history and false accusation of Ndigbo. Most Igbos don't understand the whole issue.

dragunov:

And you stop eating half cooked long pig. Its not good for the brains.

Is that why you can't punctuate properly?
Go back to school!

fombadi:


Who's land are the Igbos intending to use for their Biafra,what lands?
If there were tribes,how all of a sudden all the tribes in the south are Igbos,or are you telling me Ijaws,Urhobos,Bini,Itsekiri,Esan etc etc came out of Igbo language?

. Mr man something tells me yo still a teenage that less indept knowledge on history, now let me explain things to u and the other guy chuksyblinks or whatever, this map we are all arguing about has two region the Igbo speaking region and the rest of the south south, it has been demarcated by the dotted lines u see in the middle, like I av always said, it up to any other tribe to join the Igbo or not, Igbo have their own lands. igbos are born survivalist no matter how bad they will always find away.

Igboid:


Who are you to speak for Anioma? Upon which authority do you stand to make such proclamations. The map we are currently looking at on this thread was provided by a Caucasian woman married to an Anioma man, Uche Isichei.

On the scandinavian countries,good a thing you used the Word COUNTRIES. Are the Igbo and Anioma in different countries?

Do the Scandinavians in Denmark, Iceland, Norway,,Sweden, Finland, Greenland deny the fact that they are same people, even though in different countries with each eager to protect it's own dialect as a language?

Moreover, I understand that you are Ika, please learn to speak for Ika next time, and not hide behind Anioma to drag my Enuani relatives into your identity crisis psychosis.

You're a very foolish man. you're now more Anioma than I am right?

joeprince23:
woow! Even my community in rivers state is part of the igbo speaking area on this map, believe me this is the real map of igboland. I will always be proud of my IGBO identity,i have same name,food,custom,tradition and music with ukwa people of abia state,they are ndoki i am ndoki,they are igbo, so i am also igbo because i know say Na politics we dey play here for rivers oh(aftermath of the civil war). Nobody, whether yoruba hausa or even ijo can tell me who i am,i am no longer scared of the repercussions since my birth cert & and lga identification will always show "town=umusia,lga=oyigbo,state=rivers state" i am a RIVERS man and i am IGBO!

I did not know that a reasoning like this exists. "I am Rivers man and I am Igbo." You made my day!!!!!! I hope a whole lot of us will understand the difference between 'state' and 'ethnicity'.

ANTONINEUTRON:
Which Part Of Benue State

you can find them in ado local government, this is the ancestrial home of over 85 igbo communities. you can as well google it for more information.

chukzyblingz:
You're a very foolish man. you're now more Anioma than I am right?

Ika is part of Anioma, but your Igbophobic stand is only shared by Ukwuani and not by Enuani( Aniocha and Oshimili) people.

So if you are going to go Igbophobic, I'd suggest you fly under your Igbophobic Ika flag.

Anioma was created by an Igbophilic proud Igbo man from Asaba in Enuani, to serve as a point of unity for Igbo speaking people of the defunct Midwest. It would not be used for Igbophobic agenda by identity crisis plagued psychotic beings in Ika or Ukwuani. You are better off using your Ukwuani and Ika banners for such mission and pray that proud Igbo sons of Ika and Ukwuani extraction, don't rip your banner to pieces.

Igboid:


Ika is part of Anioma, but your Igbophobic stand is only shared by Ukwuani and not by Enuani( Aniocha and Oshimili) people.

So if you are going to go Igbophobic, I'd suggest you fly under your Igbophobic Ika flag.

Anioma was created by an Igbophilic proud Igbo man from Asaba in Enuani, to serve as a point of unity for Igbo speaking people of the defunct Midwest. It would not be used for Igbophobic agenda by identity crisis plagued psychotic beings in Ika or Ukwuani. You are better off using your Ukwuani and Ika banners for such mission and pray that proud Igbo sons of Ika and Ukwuani extraction, don't rip your banner to pieces.

I'm not surprised how the things have turned into. it used to be majority of Anioma people including majority of Agbor and U ukwani people accept being Igbo but when that has been busted, you people have reduced the Igbo accepting areas to Enuani. But I as an Anioma man can authoritatively tell you that more than 90% of Ika people believe they're not Igbos and in the Enuani part of Anioma, the number can be reduced to about more than 80% - just trying to be generous. coming on Nairaland to say Enuani people accept the Igbo tag is the greatest joke of the Millennium

chukzyblingz:
I'm not surprised how the things have turned into. it used to be majority of Anioma people including majority of Agbor and U ukwani people accept being Igbo but when that has been busted, you people have reduced the Igbo accepting areas to Enuani. But I as an Anioma man can authoritatively tell you that more than 90% of Ika people believe they're not Igbos and in the Enuani part of Anioma, the number can be reduced to about more than 80% - just trying to be generous. coming on Nairaland to say Enuani people accept the Igbo tag is the greatest joke of the Millennium

There are proud Igbo people all over Anioma, including Ika and Ukwuani, Osita Mordi is a proud Igbo man from Igbodo in Ika.

Identity crisis is a problem of Ika and Ukwuani and not Enuani.
You as an Ika man can only speak for Ika, and not for Enuani. You can't know more about Enu ani than Asagba of Asaba, who himself is a proud Igbo man.
Stop peddling lies here.

[b] The chairman of the lecture, Obi Edozien (The Asagba of Asaba), re-emphasised this point: “we Igbo people are one. We must stop fighting over irrelevancies and emphasise the essential.”
This point arose out of the tendency among Igbo people to regard some groups as not “real” Igbos on basis of dialectal differences.


.

It also exists in the form of clearly Igbo- speaking people with Igbo names and cultural patterns declaring themselves as “not Igbo” but ethnic minorities. This is very rampant among Igbo groups in the South-South zone who believe that by so self- declaring publicly, they would be more acceptable among the real minorities and allowed to take their places as ethnic minorities. Experience has, however, shown that this self-delusion hardly ever produces their desired results. Whenever the push comes to the shove, the real minorities remind them that they are Igbo people who are out to take what belongs to the minorities through the back door.

This phenomenon was evident in 2006 when former Governor Peter Odili of Rivers State (who loved to call himself a “Rivers man,” as if Rivers State is a tribe) was running for president.

Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark openly declared Odili an Igbo man, arguing that the South-South president that the minorities have been agitating for was not meant to go to “an Igbo man.” Given this situation, there has been an increasing shift of paradigm.

Many Igbo groups, especially in Delta State, have decided no longer to play the masquerade.


The Obi of Asaba, Professor Edozien, actually laid out conditions he believes will cement Igbo unity permanently. Obi Edozien then called on the people of the South-East zone to support the creation of Anioma State and another for Igbo-speaking people of Rivers State to make for seven states, all of which will be lumped together in one zone or region.
http://nigeriavillagesquare.com/forum/main-square/28995-asagba-asaba-why-some-igbos-denounce-their-heritage.html [/b]

[b] You have been active in the politics of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo to the extent that people from Anioma are not comfortable given the fact that the Igbos of the mainland are not sympathetic to the Igbos in the diaspora. Some of their leaders still believe in the philosophy of the Igbo union of excluding their kiths and kin outside the Igbo heartland.

Is it because you are the monarch as represented in term Ohanaeze or that Ohanaeze represents the aspiration of the Igbo speaking people of Delta state?

I think this perception doesn’t have any real foundation. I know that there are some people across the Niger who believe that even though we speak Igbo, we are different kinds of persons. That our attitudes and our beliefs are different.

There are many on our side too that disagree with attitudes of the Igbos in the East . But these are not in keeping with our own beliefs and attributes and therefore, we are not one. But we are the Igbo speaking, have our history that we migrated from that side, our language, we understand it, but we are a broader people because after the igbos here, you have the Urhobos, the Ijaws and so on and to the North, we have the Igala people and the Hausa people.

So in that sense, we are a border people and so we have been subjected to more influences than those in the heartland. So there are bound to be differences in the course of our history. Nonetheless, I can say that the whole thing you are seeing is a wrong perception of a few.

If it was a correct attitude or perception, I don’t think the Igbos will accept an Anioma person to be the head of Ohanaeze, if you know, the present head of Ohanaeze is Ambassador Ralph Uwachue, an Anioma person. Before that, the secretary-general of Ohanaeze was Chief Achuzia, an Asaba man. So that perception that you say, although it exists, does not portray the true feelings and attitude of the Igbo leadership.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/05/i-was-punished-for-defending-the-customs-of-my-people-prof-chike-edozien/ [/b]

But I am supposed to take the words of Chukzblingz over those of Obi of Asaba.