hackney:

Does anyone really care who comes from where?

Ask the Berom.

ChinenyeN:

Slave masters referred to most, if not all, of the southeast as "Igbo"/"Ibo"/"Ebo" (or Eboe Country). "Igbo Identity" as we know it now, is a recent development. Tumuzi is correct.

Although, Tumuzi, if I'm remembering correctly, there is actually a group of people within Igboland whose name is actually "Igbo", but they're the only ones that I know of who bear "Igbo" as their actual group name (before colonialism).

You really talk from both sides of your mouth. My people have been called Nwa onye Igbo long before slavery. It's obvious you really don't know who you are and you’re waiting for an opportunity to claim Ngwa is not Igbo, just like Ikwerres.

We knew it's called Igbo not Ibo, Eboe, Ebo, etc. Remember, we have both "b" and "gb" in our letters so we knew the difference and corrected the Europeans.

Binis called us Igbos ages ago, so many of our towns bear our ethnicity as part of their names which include Amaigbo, Akwukwu Igbo, Igbuzor, Igbo ukwu, Oyigbo, Rumuigbo etc.
No ethnic group's name is used as a name of a town. No Igbo town bears only Igbo as their name, which is an attribute of an ethnic group just like no town is called Yoruba, English, German, Jew, turk, etc.

This clearly contrast to Ikwerre, Ika, etc and similar delusional people that claim the name of their towns and local governments as their ethnic group because they refused to understand and accept that there are similar people like them outside their immediate tribe/clan that belong to the same ethnic group as theirs.

Germanic tribes used to live separate like the Igbos before they were finally unified as an all inclusive German ethnic group that’s now Germany.


@ Tumuzi, Olaudah Equiano was sold as a small boy so could possibly not have known.

Your post is wrought with assumptions and what seems like lack of knowledge and understanding, 006.

ChinenyeN:

there is actually a group of people within Igboland whose name is actually "Igbo", but they're the only ones that I know of who bear "Igbo" as their actual group name (before colonialism).

Funny boy, the bolded sentence is devoid of assumptions and showed immense knowledge and understanding, abi 

there is only one thing I can make out of this: Igbos are bent on fusing other minorities to their own group, for whatever reason. While this may be in order if they canvas for equal partnership, from some of the comments above, it seem Igbos want to dominate their own neighbours and view the failure to achieve this as a continuation of civil war! This is blackmail at it best and it doesnt help their causes.

Igbos should learn from Hausa - Fulani partnership, if the ever want to achive the goal of having larger territory within Nigerian socio political contest. Wearing the badge of morribond civil war, and blackmailing other minor tribes is not a way to achieve dominant, it will only weaken their positions.

Did Igbo people think south west is populated by only yorubas? They must have missed a point that Benin and yoruba shared the same ancentral origin to ask themselves how many times Oni of Ife try to force Benin to identify with yoruba cause.

I think with mutual cooperation, Igbo can achinve their goals, and not by blackmailing minority tribes that refused to join them

^^^
What are you talking about?
Which minorities are we trying to fuse into Igbo ethnic group? Are you by any means refering to Ibibios, Efiks, Ijaws, Ogonis? When have the Igbos tried to fuse these groups to Igbo ethnicity?

You seem clueless.

By the way, who are we blackmailing?

Ask the Berom

[size=14pt]It is good,  finally,  the Sub-consioness of the Beroms has come out to the foreshore, out of the yoke of the Hausa / Fulani Haegemony. Today the world is aware there is a tribe in central Nigeria called Beroms. Even gaff prone Gaddaffi would have being educated by his aides that the transgressions in the middlebelt was a fight put off for another day due to the interjections and interuptions of colonialism. I would urge the Ikwerre's to resist the un-necessary over-bearingness and lordship from the expansionist Igbos from the North especially now that everyone has her own little pokey State. [/size]

yes, i am clueless! Pls educate me!

006, You're getting funny (no joke; you're genuinely making me laugh). Answer this question, are there or are there not specific groups who answer "Igbo" in Igboland?

^^^

I've never heard of such a town or group but if you'd tell me where they are, I'd like to pay them a visit and see if they are like me 

@Olanajim: Okrika people are very close to Igbo people. Half of them speak Igbo language. Yet Ndigbo do not regard them as Igbo because they are not Igbo.
So what expansion are on about. Have the Okrika people ever attempted Ohanaeze meetings?. Have the Ohanaeze asked them to join?. The answer is no.
Ndigbo aknowledge that their are minorities in the then Eastern region, so do not come here to type crap.

you are a bit funny. Anyway, I have a policy of not debating with one eyed religious and ethnic bigots. This wont be an exception!

If the message I was sending across is not clear to you, so be it!

See you on another thread. But remember: you cant effect any meaningful change on nairaland. Get a podium, preach your cause on tv, newspapers, and get your people behind you. Stop wasting your talent debating alone, be the change you want the world to be.

Finally, you dont win friends by cutting their limbs. Persuade, persuade persuade!

Olanajim,
Dude shut ur trap. We know who is Igbo and who is not. What non Igbo group are u talking about? Check ur damn self.

olanajim:

you are a bit funny. Anyway, I have a policy of not debating with one eyed religious and ethnic bigots. This wont be an exception!

If the message I was sending across is not clear to you, so be it!

See you on another thread. But remember: you cant effect any meaningful change on nairaland. Get a podium, preach your cause on tv, newspapers, and get your people behind you. Stop wasting your talent debating alone, be the change you want the world to be.
Your silly behaviour here is annoying. You write about Igbo expansion programme where non exist. You are not an Igbo and as a result, you do not know who are Igbo.
From the borders of Ebonyi state up to Ogoja, are Igbo speaking, yet they are not Igbo. Igbo people do not claim them. The reason is because they are not Igbo.
Ndigbo are not interested in other peoples territories and have never been, and will never be. Your calibre is not the type to discuss Igbo affairs as you have not got the mental capacity to do so.


Finally, you dont win friends by cutting their limbs. Persuade, persuade persuade!

Your silly behaviour here is annoying. You write about Igbo expansion programme where non exist. You are not an Igbo and as a result, you do not know who are Igbo.
From the borders of Ebonyi state up to Ogoja, are Igbo speaking, yet they are not Igbo. Igbo people do not claim them. The reason is because they are not Igbo.
Ndigbo are not interested in other peoples territories and have never been, and will never be. Your calibre is not the type to discuss Igbo affairs as you have not got the mental capacity to do so.

Yeah u aint interested in other people's territories indeed, thats why during the war in which yall got pummelled into oblivion Ojukwu had the nerve to try to capture Lagos. greedy Ibo people!!!

bk/babe97:

Yeah u aint interested in other people's territories indeed, thats why during the war in which yall got pummelled into oblivion Ojukwu had the nerve to try to capture Lagos. greedy Igbo people!!!

Lagos expedition was not for territory acquisition but for liberation.

Andre Uweh:

Lagos expedition was not for territory acquisition but for liberation.

Liberation of who? Can you please explain some more what you meant by that.

Andre Uweh:

Lagos expedition was not for territory acquisition but for liberation.

Trust an ibo man to always have an explanation for everything. yeAh, Just like yall to say Kidnapping aint a crime, but actually is a "forced vacation" . . . . without the vacationer's consent!!!!

KnowAll:

[size=14pt]It is good,  finally,  the Sub-consioness of the Beroms has come out to the foreshore, out of the yoke of the Hausa / Fulani Haegemony. Today the world is aware there is a tribe in central Nigeria called Beroms. Even gaff prone Gaddaffi would have being educated by his aides that the transgressions in the middlebelt was a fight put off for another day due to the interjections and interuptions of colonialism. I would urge the Ikwerre's to resist the un-necessary over-bearingness and lordship from the expansionist Igbos from the North especially now that everyone has her own little pokey State. [/size]

Your comment about the Ikwerre is unnecessary and tacky at least. Your spitefulness draws away from any of the intelligence and creativity that you can add to this forum. Ikwerre people never asked for your opinion, if anything your enthusiasm seems sinister and only an Igbo with Atlantic water in the brain (at least) would take your advice. I hope you go on to positive things.

bk/babe97:

Trust an ibo man to always have an explanation for everything. yeAh, Just like yall Kidnapping aint a crime, but actually is a "forced vacation" . . . . without the vacationer's consent!!!!

A good irritant is an intelligent irritant. You have no knowledge of your target, therefore you are ignored and seen as a nuisance, a much lesser status. You would be impressive if you could at least string a few descent sentences together. It's not hard to offend Igbo people, but even at that you have failed. Make another fake account and try again.

Knowall
Just to expand your micro and empty brain, the Biroms and Angas are completely different from the Hausa/Fulani. They do not speak the same language, no same religion, culture etc. They do not even have emirs nor hausa surnames.
The case of Ndiikwerre is not similar, if you had been Ikwerre, you will feel sorry for your ignorance.
In religion, Ikwerre people are christians just as their Igbo kins. They also believe in Amadioha and other Igbo traditional religions.
In language, they speak Igbo.
In culture, they do kolanut rituals just as other Igbo groups. They build the same traditional houses as other Igbo people pattern theirs.
They have Ezes as other Igbo people.
Mr know nothing, do not bother your bigoted self with Ikwerre politics. Common stop it.

I am still wondering why this thread has not been placed in the other category. I think SEUN and KOSOVO are in support of the balkanization of Igboland. These Yorubas are always interfering in Eastern politics.

Seriously @ ezeuche

[b]Igbanke is of the Ika tribe in Africa which constitutes Agbor, and up to the border towns of Alifekede down to Umunede. According to Omoregbe Nwanwene,

“six villages constitute Igbanke: these are Umoluah, Igbontor, Idumodin, Ake, Olije, and Ottah – all migrated from different places.”
It is also the case that the foundation of history of Igbanke indicates poignantly that for many centuries after the different villages of Igbanke had been founded, the Igbankes enjoyed absolute independence because they were not vassals of any other people. The name Igbanke arose from a combination of (the names of) two villages: Igbontor and Ake, after a thorough historical supremacy was established.

The government of Igbanke is presided over by the Eze, Enogies, Odioweres, Ndichies, Dikens, Okhiolors, and Okhialis. Each of these heads has his jurisdiction The jurisdiction could be stratified into three: The family level, the clan or hamlets and the villages. At the family level, the Okhilor (he is usually the oldest man in the family) presides. At the village quarters, the Okhilor is the head, while the Eze rules over the entire village. Igbanke is chiefly a patrilineal society and as such its women are seen as performing passive roles. The language spoken in Igbanke is Ika: It is a mixture of Delta Ibo and Oredo languages. Given that Igbanke has a mixed culture, its mode of conflict resolution includes influences from Edo and Delta.
Before any conflict could be managed or resolved, its cause is examined. In traditional Igbanke society, most conflicts have been triggered off by issues regarding Land, Power, and Money. Land is a primordial asset of the Igbanke people and so, there is often the die-hard feeling of ownership and attachment to it. The quest for power is mostly common amongst title holders and seekers. Power struggle could also be found within families. The causal factor of money cuts across all strata of the Igbanke society.A Case of Divorce Settlement
Marriage, in traditional Igbanke society is considered a very sacred institution. However, the culture permits polygamy. Cases of divorce are not rampant due to the patrilineal nature of the society. Nevertheless, cases of divorce are resolved with a great degree of traditional protocol which ultimately forestalls the practice of divorce. Procedures for divorce settlement are as follows:

Most of the time, the woman goes back to her family at the height of a crisis between she and her husband. Her refusal to go back to her husband has little or no effect to the divorce process. Except for cases of murder a woman will always be forced to go back to her husband’s house.

For settlement, the man’s kinsmen usually summon the woman’s relatives to the man’s house. The woman is asked first to narrate her case. She is given ample opportunity to "cry out" her emotions. The husband is thereafter asked to give his own side of the story. Depending on the degree of the conflict, the eldest in both families mediate the issue. In Igbanke, emphasis is placed on the values of society which glorify peace and harmony. Their minds are drawn to Iyiolor (a family deity that promotes peace in the family). An interesting aspect of conflict resolution at this level is that the couple is not asked whether they want their marriage, rather, they are told (by the mediators) why their marriage should continue. At the instance of a resolved conflict (divorce settlement) the woman is expected to prepare pounded yam with Ujuju soup (this is a special of the Igbanke people). Often, it is expected that her husband feeds her while she kneels in front of him under the watchful eyes of the elders. At the end, they are bound by nso (abominations) of Iyiolor; they are also bound by the sanctity of their marriage and their joint upkeep of their children – this becomes the agreement for peaceConflict management at the village level
Land is said to be a major asset in traditional African society. Conflict over land could arise as a result of problem of inheritance, farmland, settlement and boundary dispute. A major war that ensued between the Igbanke and Agbor people in 1895 was as a result of land. Omorogbe Nwanwene narrates the story accordingly:

"The genesis of the war dated back to early 1895. It started like a grain of mustard seed. It started due to accusations of land encroachment by the Agbor indigenes at the border lands. All these got to the apogee the moment an Igbanke woman on the border land(s) was abducted."
An Igbontor man known as Mgbako went to Agbor to get back his wife who went to farm and never returned. On getting to Agbor, he also was taken captive. The cause of this tragic phase of man’s inhumanity to man – taking a man’s wife illegally and then taking the husband prisoner for daring to ask for his wife is on something material: land. The news of this high-handedness spread over Igbanke with incredible rapidity.

First of all, an Igbontor general, Ojei, nicknamed Orimatun, went to Agbor on a friendly mission to get the release of Mgbako. He too was caught. Unable to kill him by any means, the people of Agbor asked Orimatun to go back to his people and tell them that they would never gain the release of Mgbako. All Igbanke leading men met and took a decision to send all Nwobu (untouchable) priests to Agbor to secure Mgbako’s release. But the people of Agbor killed them all. All overtures of peace from the Igbanke people of Agbor were turned down by the Obi of Agbor – Obi Osagbobu. Cosequently, the Igbankes regrouped with their warlords and war was declared on Agbor in 1895. The tumultuous war raged on until both villages saw the need basically for some reasons: The sacredness of life in the traditional religion; the intermarriage that exists between them; the long relationship that had existed between long before the war, and the need for peace.

The move for peace started with the Obi of Agbor extending fresh palm frond leaves to the Eze of Igbanke. Usually, the item is dispatched by a young lad (believed to be very harmless), clad with Ekwo-ochan (white traditional apparel). The lad is escorted by two warriors up to the boundary where he is left to deliver the item to the emissaries of the king at the other camp. If the other king is in support of peace, he accepts the fresh palm frond and sends the lad back with two of his servants bearing a white dove or a cork. But if he refuses, the lad will be sent back with a red cloth, or he could be killed. But in the case of the Igbanke-Agbor war, the peace move was taken. The moment the white dove was sent to Agbor, the war stopped. Delegates of both kings met at the boundary, performed the necessary sacrifices, killed a he-goat, spilled the blood in a hold right there at the boundary and planted a kola-nut tree right there. Till date, the area is still called Ogidon (a corruption of Ogi-udon: kola nut of peace).Igbanke is one of the biggest villages in Orhionwon Local Government with a very old traditions and one of this traditions is the Egwu New Yam Festivals. The Igbanke egwu new yam festival is a celebration of traditions, its takes place between the months of August and September every year.

The new yam festival starts with the traditional clearing of roads in the town by the youths. this roads are believe to be used by the spirits of the dead (Ndi Nmo) who are visiting the town for the festival. Also this roads are used by the title holders in going to the town shrine to offer sacrifices to appease the gods of harvest and for peace of the town.

The next step heralding the festival is the traditional painting ofthe walls with native chalks and red earths, (in this time all homes in the village is painted) and then the "Eka Mno" ceremony, the traditional announcement of the commencement of the new yam festival.Eka Nmo ceremonies are held at the palaces of the enogies of Ake, Idumodin, Omolua and Igbontor, on this day, the enogie invites sons and daughters of the town to witness the occasion, during the ceremony he announces the beginning of the annual festival and the announcement gives the title holders the permission to eat from the new yams. (Before then, title holders are not allowed – permitted to eat from the new yam)

During the Eka Nmo ceremony different musical groups are invited to entertain visitors. One of the features of the egwu new yam festivals is the "Oroko Dance",this is a group of traditional dancers made of men from all work of life and of all ages. This dance group goes from house to house in Ake and Obiogba and in each compound dances are held for a few minutes and the householders offer present ranging from palm wine to kolanuts and money as the occasion demands. The Oroko dance is the highlights of the festival as it is the delight of both old and young. At the last dance night where the stars do not sleep, all the dance step are repeated and the audience are keep in awe till day break.

Another major features of the festival is the communal eating together called the "Nil Ugwa", in this day every household cook pounded yam with different type of soup decorated with meats and dried fish. The villagers goes from house to house eating and offering prayers, among the meat presented by the household, a part is taken to the home of the oldest man of the town where everybody assembled in the evening to share it among one another according to age, it is an abomination for the man who is sharing the meat to leak his finger in the process. If by mistake he does, he need a special sacriefies to clean him of any anger of the gods. The "Nwa Ubu" Priest after the traditional announcement of the festival do not sleep in their normal rooms but outside in a hut build for this purpose till the end of the festival (on the Iha Ogugu day). This hut is decorated with native chalks and all sorts of carved images, here he receives his visitors and family members. Nwa Ubu is a god of harvest and the protector of the children of Igbanke town. (Nwa-Ubu nigbo, Ori Nkehin ne Oriewinke).

The other highlights of the festival events is often on saturday "Eke Market day", this day the town is agog with activities and different faces are seen along the road and in different house, almost every compound is filled with son and daughters of the family, visitors from far and near, this festival acts as opportunity to meet old friends who are in Oru-Oyibo in far away land.

The priests are to travel to the "Land of the Unknown" to appease the god of the spirit of the deaths, but before they embarked on this "hard" but joyful journey dances, exchange of native chalk powder (Nzun) and offering of prayers are held. The drummers bring out their best drums and entertain visitors and men and women dance to their satisfaction. The children are not left out of the show as they add colours to the day with the fire work "Kakados", a wooden stick with iron filled with matches like gun powder.

The priests left the shrine at about 4.00 p.m. and before this there is a little shower of rain an indication that the gods has washed their hands and accepted the offering given to her. The priests and their family members and visitors alike walk to a certain point and then only the priests have to go further to the "heart" of the valley where they bring back native chalks believe to be the heart of Nwa-Ubu god. This native chalk is believe to be the protector of the people of Igbanke

The Igbanke Egwu new yam festival is a festival worth the effort tovisit, when next you are near between the months of August and september, ask for the next date of the celebrations, you will be welcome.

==Conclusion An attempt has been made so far to demonstrate the process of conflict resolution in the traditional society of Igbanke. The efficacy of the traditional method cannot be ruled out by the day. The emphasis of the traditional model is on truth. It focuses, not on the practice of law, but on the course of justice. Conflict, at the traditional setting is not merely managed, but it is concertedly terminated. This is possible because so much emphasis is placed on the values of the community which strongly upholds peace and harmony. Nay, the Western model may gain from a true traditional African model of conflict resolution.


The Igbanke Egwu New Yam Festivals[/b]

Eze- You again? this hatred/bitterness will not get you anywhere. I will advise you to free your mind and be open.
I will also advise you to read extensively the history of Nigeria starting from pre-independence through the first coup (Nzeogwu's), counter coup when Ironsi was killed in Ibadan and the then governor Adekunle Fajuyi decided that he should be killed with him, the civil war and up to after the second republic. This may give you another perspective about other tribes and learn to be more accommodating. Please read widely so as to have different views of different authors that are directly involved. We thought by now Dim would have released his on memoir.

Ok Ijebus are not yorubas, thats the same thing equating ikwerres as not igbos, all these focks who dont know shiieet would come here and be spewing shieet from knowallnothing to olanajim am not even going to mention that slowpoke who claims he is in new york

wtf? how is this politics?

After some researches through books and contacts,I think the Ikwerres should no longer speculate about the origin of their ancestor.Ikwerres call the entire Igbos Isoma or Isuama which is more like using the name of a sub-group to refer to an entire ethnic group.The Isoma's have their ancestral home at Amaigbo which is also the ancestral home of the Ikwerres.I came to this conclusion because the closest Igbos to Ikwerres are the Oroatta who also refer to their neighbouring Igbos as Isoma.Ikwerres also call Oroattas Isoma.The implication of this is that Ikwerres left Isoma earlier than Oroattas and therefore believed that everything north was Isoama.

Another interesting point is in the name.Igbo Ngidi is the founder of Amaigbo or Isuama while 0kpo Nwagidi was the founder of Isiokpo which half of Ikwerres believe is their first settlement.In ancient Igbo people usually used Nwa which means son in name calling hence Okpo nwagidi could be Okpo son of Ngidi while Igbo Ngidi could be the Father of Okpo and Isu.There is another Isiokpo in Ideato just north of Amaigbo who could as well be the children of the same Okpo who migrated southwards to found Isokpo Ikwerre.

Abagworo, when you say "Oroatta" are you speaking in reference to Uratta people?

ChinenyeN:

Abagworo, when you say "Oroatta" are you speaking in reference to Uratta people?

Yes Uratta,Ulatta and Oratta are all different versions which literally means Atta's house.

If you compare the use of "Ohunhun" by Ngwas and "Isoma" by Ikwerres in reference to all other Igbos you will also note its significance in their migratory pattern.Ohuhus are related to Ngwa just like Isomas are related to Ikwerre.The ohunhuns had a slight disagreement with Ngwas while the Isomas likely had a bitter disagreement with Ikwerres.