This isn't politics but I'm curious. Someone made this comment that every Igbo can trace their ancestry to the founder of their town and I was surprised. I can actually trace my ancestry back 10 generations. I thought it is just my village and perhaps a few others that have this history. If you're Igbo, how far can you trace your ancestry? Bear in mind that the founder of the town must be the person that first settled there after deforesting even if it is a small portion in the jungle.

As an epilogue....what I have noticed is that the names precolonial Igbo bore are mostly different from the type of names we bear these days. For instance, one of my forefathers bore the name, Ulu. These days, Ulu would be a female name: the second daughter actually. Could you imagine an Igbo bearing a name like Ogbuinyinya (horse killer) these days? What about Nwanasoegebe? This means that Igbo were making guns before the whiteman came to these shores. Also, the first of my ancestors to have an English name must have been born around 1905 (an estimate). Finally, I think the first of my ancestors that know about must have been born around 1720s.

I have done my family history genology to my 9th generation(this is both my father's and mother's linage).

I will increase it to 15th this xmas. Because of this I am traveling to my home town this year to get more questions from my elders

Yes!!
I have traced about 4th generation
I’m glad I did that
Always stay close and pay attention to elders
No professor in school will teach you that but only your elders.

nabiz:
I have done my family history genology to my 9th generation(this is both my father's and mother's linage).

I will increase it to 15th this xmas. Because of this I am traveling to my home town this year to get more questions from my elders

Could you mention a rare name that are no longer used these days that any of your ancestors bore.

Are you kidding? I have my family tree traced up to Eri sef. Do you know how many generations that is?

Nearly every family from my place can trace back to Eri, except the ones who sojourned to our town sometime in the past. Perhaps centuries ago.

Even just last 2 Christmases they shared the document again showing the trace back. I saw all the sibling families to mine. Incidently nearly the whole sibling families live close to our house.

Mr Scamhunter that is total fallacy. No village/community in Igboland is founded by one person.
In that your community, there are people you can marry and those you cannot.
Ask about your own lineage.

Don't be deceived by what you see on Wikipedia or from ignorant people that make things up just to compensate for their lack of history or knowledge about themselves as Igbo because their parents were busy licking white people's ass in the name of civilization.

We have gotten to the stage that an average Igbo man can recite up to the 10th ancestors of David in the Bible but doesn't know his Grand father's name talkless of great grand Father.

Thank God I am not in that category

BKayy:
Mr Scamhunter that is total fallacy. No village/community in Igboland is founded by one person.
In that your community, there are people you can marry and those you cannot.
Ask about your own lineage.

Don't be deceived by what you see on Wikipedia or from ignorant people that make things up just to compensate for their lack of history or knowledge about themselves as Igbo because their parents were busy licking white people's ass in the name of civilization.

We have gotten to the stage that an average Igbo man can recite up to the 10th ancestors of David in the Bible but doesn't know his Grand father's name talkless of great grand Father.

Thank God I am not in that category

What do you mean?

SlayerForever:
Are you kidding? I have my family tree traced up to Eri sef. Do you know how many generations that is?

Nearly every family from my place can trace back to Eri, except the ones who sojourned to our town sometime in the past. Perhaps centuries ago.

Even just last 2 Christmases they shared the document again showing the trace back. I saw all the sibling families to mine. Incidently nearly the whole sibling families live close to our house.

No community in Igboland is founded by one person.
Most of the names Igbo communities bear is not even human names.
Some are like the 10th or 4th name of the particular community (eg Opobo).

SlayerForever:



What do you mean?

Saying that everybody in the community is a descendant of the "man" (if it is a human) the community was named after is a lie. A very big one.

BKayy:

No community in Igboland is founded by one person.
Most of the names Igbo communities bear is not even human names.
Some are like the 10th or 4th name of the particular community (eg Opobo).

There's always a forefront founder.

Definitely. In my town one of the communities is named after some group of people that came later. Another one is simply named after the back of the town.

BKayy:

Saying that everybody in the community is a descendant of the "man" (if it is a human) the community was named after is a lie. A very big one.

Yes. One's lineage may not necessarily start at the name of the town. I confess that was a bit naive from OP.

BKayy:
Mr Scamhunter that is total fallacy. No village/community in Igboland is founded by one person.
In that your community, there are people you can marry and those you cannot.
Ask about your own lineage.

Don't be deceived by what you see on Wikipedia or from ignorant people that make things up just to compensate for their lack of history or knowledge about themselves as Igbo because their parents were busy licking white people's ass in the name of civilization.

We have gotten to the stage that an average Igbo man can recite up to the 10th ancestors of David in the Bible but doesn't know his Grand father's name talkless of great grand Father.

Thank God I am not in that category

Do not generalize. One, I did not learn anything I wrote there from any book, but oral tradition of my village when I was a boy. There was no phone or common internet access then.
Two, I cannot marry anyone from my village or clan because it is seen as incestuous. Everyone in my village, even old people would trace the same ancestry to a man called Dioba.
Three, I can even tell you of some things that some of these my ancestors did. One was jailed by whitemen when my village fought a war with another town and burnt down a house. Another older ancestor was shot with a gun but survived during precolonial days. Another was lost in a jungle and was escorted home by a wild dog. Oral tradition says that is the reason they do not eat that species of dog.
Four, we know those whose forefathers were migrants in my village. In fact, my village head said that even though we do not marry them now, that it is possible that it could happen in future since they are migrant from another Igbo town.

This has nothing to do with the whiteman or research.

ScamHunter:


Do not generalize. One, I did not learn anything I wrote there from any book, but oral tradition of may village when I was a boy. There was no phone or common internet access then.
Two, I cannot marry anyone from my village or clan because it is seen as incestuous. Everyone in my village, even old people would trace the same ancestry to a man called Dioba.
Three, I can even tell you of some things that some of these my ancestors did. One was jailed by whitemen when my village fought a war with another town and burnt down a house. Another older ancestor was shot with a gun but survived during precolonial days. Another was lots in a jungle and was escorted home by a wild dog. Oral tradition says that is the reason they do not eat that species of dog.
Four, we know those who se forefathers were migrants in my village

This has nothing to do with the whiteman or research.

You are mostly on point. In our place we still narrate the exploits of the earliest men. My great great great grandfather was a particularly brutal fellow known far and wide. His son was a fabled hunter who killed an elephant. The tusks are still with us. I even grew up playing with the arrow and heavy spear. Mehnnn nostalgic!



OP you just made me recall some things I hold dear. The whites do not play with their history. We should not play with ours.

If I could get hold of those hunter equipments our fabled ancestor left I will show them to even my children and grandchildren if I live long enough. I don't see them around anymore, sadly.

SlayerForever:



There's always a forefront founder.

Definitely. In my town one of the communities is named after some group of people that came later. Another one is simply named after the back of the town.



Yes. One's lineage may not necessarily start at the name of the town. I confess that was a bit naive from OP.

You are actually quite correct. Anyway, my definition of a town there isn't like Enugu or Nsukka, but a subset which some call community. I wasn't implying town in a modern sense but the fact the in the olden days, our collection of villages or clans were probably our idea of town. For clarity, let me say that villages in my community (ruled by a traditional ruler) comprise our clans. All these villages can trace their lineage to one man, Dioba. There are 9 villages representing the 9 sons of Dioba. Thia is the Dioba that was the first settler that I reckoned would have been born around 1700s. Of course my calculation is an estimate. Could be earlier.

ScamHunter:



You are actually quite correct. Anyway, my definition of a town there isn't like Enugu or Nsukka, but a subset which some call community. I wasn't implying town in a modern sense but the fact the in the olden days, our collection of villages or clans were probably our idea of town.

Yes definitely. The towns in definition today due to expansion may be too big to have a single history. When I talk about town myself I'm talking about all the sibling communities to mine who mostly have a common ancestor. I don't used the modern connotation of town, it's not very accurate.

SlayerForever:



There's always a forefront founder.

Definitely. In my town one of the communities is named after some group of people that came later. Another one is simply named after the back of the town.



.

No doubt, there is always a first.
But there is a high chance that names we know today are not actually the first or even humans.
Most are a reference, probably to what the place or people are known for (attitude or otherwise) eg Obi Ekwensu, Nkerehi, Ámá enyi, ogbu n'abalị in Ikwerre Rivers state Etc.
All these things you see on Wikipedia or one old man will wake up and start counting imaginary children of one mystical man as the founders of the community is fallacy.

Igboland has been in continuous inhabitation for thousands of years. Carbon dating of things excavated from there confirms it.

The Funniest ones are those that quote 15 century, 16 etc on their town and ascribe it to a mystical founder but can't explain why there are towns with related names in their zone.

When we are ready to be truthful to ourselves, we will come to the understanding that Eri is not the founder of Igbo. He is an Igbo man like everybody else.

Culture, Customs and Language is not something that be formed in an instant but evolves to attain climax after hundreds or thousands or years. That climax is what we call distinct ethnicity. No matter how much you try to erode it, it will still miraculously survive because it took time to be formed.
Igbo is one of it. Probably the oldest in Nigeria.

Ancient Igbo people the whites met placed little importance in it because like they told the whites "Igbo dị omimi" Meaning "Igbo is a mystery"
Then the whites saw it as lack of Knowledge but today they no longer classify towns or ascribe their history to a particular man if it was not recorded and if it is will be noted that it was just the name.

BKayy:

No doubt, there is always a first.
But there is a high chance that names we know today are not actually the first or even humans.
Most are a reference, probably to what the place or people are known for (attitude or otherwise) eg Obi Ekwensu, Nkerehi, Ámá enyi, ogbu n'abalị in Ikwerre Rivers state Etc.
All these things you see on Wikipedia or one old man will wake up and start counting imaginary children of one mystical man as the founders of the community is fallacy.

Igboland has been in continuous inhabitation for thousands of years. Carbon dating of things excavated from there confirms it.

The Funniest ones are those that quote 15 century, 16 etc on their town and ascribe it to a mystical founder but can't explain why there are towns with related names in their zone.

When we are ready to be truthful to ourselves, we will come to the understanding that Eri is not the founder of Igbo. He is an Igbo man like everybody else.

Culture, Customs and Language is not something that be formed in an instant but evolves to attain climax after hundreds or thousands or years. That climax is what we call distinct ethnicity. No matter how much you try to erode it, it will still miraculously survive because it took time to be formed.
Igbo is one of it. Probably the oldest in Nigeria.

Ancient Igbo people the whites met placed little importance in it because like they told the whites "Igbo dị omimi" Meaning "Igbo is a mystery"
Then the whites saw it as lack of Knowledge but today they no longer classify towns or ascribe their history to a particular man if it was not recorded and if it is will be noted that it was just the name.

Unless you're claiming that our ancestor lied. Before the whiteman came, Ndigbo or Ndi gboo had clear oral tradition that was passed from generation to generation. Father to children. This is what we are talking about not some research. For instance, if you go to my village, every knowledgeable person will give you the same history. Compare to Konta Kinte of Roots that his American descendants traced their ancestry to the Gambia using exactly the same family tree. If it is not applicable in your part of Igbo, do not think that this oral tradition died off in all Ala Igbo.

ScamHunter:


Do not generalize. One, I did not learn anything I wrote there from any book, but oral tradition of my village when I was a boy. There was no phone or common internet access then.
Two, I cannot marry anyone from my village or clan because it is seen as incestuous. Everyone in my village, even old people would trace the same ancestry to a man called Dioba.
Three, I can even tell you of some things that some of these my ancestors did. One was jailed by whitemen when my village fought a war with another town and burnt down a house. Another older ancestor was shot with a gun but survived during precolonial days. Another was lost in a jungle and was escorted home by a wild dog. Oral tradition says that is the reason they do not eat that species of dog.
Four, we know those whose forefathers were migrants in my village. In fact, my village head said that even though we do not marry them now, that it is possible that it could happen in future since they are migrant from another Igbo town.

This has nothing to do with the whiteman or research.

That brings me to the question one elder asked one man quoting history of others that they come from one place or the other but maintained his own clan didn't come from any place.
It goes this way "onwe onye akọ na ala o puo Ome?" meaning, "is there anybody that was planted on the land and he germinated?"

What you just described is your people's modern history. I won't like to go deeper but one thing you have to keep in mind is that any history of a particular place in Igboland that starts with the man marrying one wife is a lie.

I able to easily trace my ancestry to the 12th generation.
From Inyi (Inyi town) to Umuagu whose first son is Ogbo. Ogbo grandson is Ezechebereaku (my family full surname to this day) who also the great grandfather of my grandfather (Irengeneoka)

It's very easy for me as we are often told in family stories.

Ezechebereaku begat Ezechechike begat Irozuru begat Irengene Matthew (who happens to be the first with a white man's name and also a Christian)

If you have traced your ancestry, I have just this advice for you:
Make sure you document it. Write it down somewhere. Histories can be lost if not well documented and can be revised. Document it, so that in future, there would be no ambiguity.

BKayy:

That brings me to the question one elder asked one man quoting history of others that they come from one place or the other but maintained his own clan didn't come from any place.
It goes this way "onwe onye akọ na ala o puo Ome?" meaning, "is there anybody that was planted on the land and he germinated?"

What you just described is your people's modern history. I won't like to go deeper but one thing you have to keep in mind is that any history of a particular place in Igboland that starts with the man marrying one wife is a lie.

You're actually digressing...Where did I say may ancestors were monogamous. I made a calculation that the earliest ancestor must have lives around 1700s. Would monogamy have spawned 9 villages from one man in 300 years?

SlayerForever:
Are you kidding? I have my family tree traced up to Eri sef. Do you know how many generations that is?

Nearly every family from my place can trace back to Eri, except the ones who sojourned to our town sometime in the past. Perhaps centuries ago.

Even just last 2 Christmases they shared the document again showing the trace back. I saw all the sibling families to mine. Incidently nearly the whole sibling families live close to our house.

How was this done? Oral or written? From Eri?
Tell us more. What did they tell you of Eri? Who was he? Where did he come from? Abeg, tell us.

michelz:
If you have traced your ancestry, I have just this advice for you:
Make sure you document it. Write it down somewhere. Histories can be lost if not well documented and can be revised. Document it, so that in future, there would be no ambiguity.

Thanks very much. I actually wrote it down 4 years ago. I think I'll update it after researching and consulting with my elders in the village before they all die. Thanks again.

ScamHunter:


You're actually digressing...Where did I say may ancestors were monogamous. I made a calculation that the earliest ancestor must have lives around 1700s. Would monogamy have spawned 9 villages from one man in 300 years?

Not earliest but the one that migrated to where you are.

Svlla:
I able to easily trace my ancestry to the 12th generation.
From Inyi (Inyi town) to Umuagu whose first son is Ogbo. Ogbo grandson is Ezechebereaku (my family full surname to this day) who also the great grandfather of my grandfather (Irengeneoka)

It's very easy for me as we are often told in family stories.

Ezechebereaku begat Ezechechike begat Irozuru begat Irengene Matthew (who happens to be the first with a man's name and also a Christian)

I just love this. Just check those names and compare with what we bear these days. My first ancestor with English name also had Igbo name, Ejiemeni. I've not even heard that name any other place in Ala Igbo.

Igbo need to start tracing their mindset back as well because One Nigeria and LAGOS has tarnished the cells up in the you know what....


Psychological Homeless many are from the great Nation

So you are now tracing your generation when BBC burst your bubble of Israel lineage attachment

michelz:

How was this done? Oral or written? From Eri?
Tell us more. What did they tell you of Eri? Who was he? Where did he come from? Abeg, tell us.

Apparently, it's always been documented by the community. Because even before last two Christmases they shared the document again I have seen the family lineage written down in lesser detail by my grandfather in Igbo as far back as 20 years ago. (He was very learned and kept records. My father does so too. And I do so too, at least small )

As for the document just little detail is written about the ancestors. Perhaps so it won't be too voluminous.

BKayy:

Not earliest but the one that migrated to where you are.

I think you are right. He was the one that deforested the jungle we now call home. Must have been terrifying. One more thing I noticed about my ancestors is that they loved having neighbors. This means that people must have been few and dangers much. This is one of the resons why they welcomed migrants and made them feel at home and adopt our place. There is a common saying in my place that Gidigidi bu ugwu eze. They wanted more people around possible for company or to help ward off attacks. We may never know the main reason.

ScamHunter:


I just love this. Just check those names and compare with what we bear these days. My first ancestor with English name also had Igbo name, Ejiemeni. I've not even heard that name any other place in Ala Igbo.

Thanks.
True, those names are nothing compare to what we bear today
I just love hearing them talk about history and mention those names

ScamHunter:


Unless you're claiming that our ancestor lied. Before the whiteman came, Ndigbo or Ndi gboo had clear oral tradition that was passed from generation to generation. Father to children. This is what we are talking about not some research. For instance, if you go to my village, every knowledgeable person will give you the same history. Compare to Konta Kinte of Roots that his American descendants traced their ancestry to the Gambia using exactly the same family tree. If it is not applicable in your part of Igbo, do not think that this oral tradition died off in all Ala Igbo.

I think I mentioned somewhere that ethnicities are formed after thousands/hundreds of years.
All Communities in Igboland are made up of almost Igbo people but saying that they all come from one man is a lie. The only common thing is that they were all part of the evolution that gave birth to the identity "Igbo" which is thousands of years old.

In the past people migrate alot, and they settle where is favourable to them. There was no defined boundary then so people settle close to each other without knowing it. With time, they all become part of one community. Then a name is given, it might be from them or outsiders to refer a particular place which is where they inhabit.

So my dear I am not saying that your elders don't know what they are talking about but that your history much older than that.
OK that your town, is there no village in it that bears the same name with a villages in other communities around?
Names like "uruagu, umuagu, ifite/ivite/ihite," etc

BKayy:

I think I mentioned somewhere that ethnicities are formed after thousands/hundreds of years.
All Communities in Igboland are made up of almost Igbo people but saying that they all come from one man is a lie. The only common thing is that they were all part of the evolution that gave birth to the identity "Igbo" which is thousands of years old.

In the past people migrate alot, and they settle where is favourable to them. There was no defined boundary then so people settle close to each other without knowing it. With time, they all become part of one community. Then a name is given, it might be from them or outsiders to refer a particular place which is where they inhabit.

So my dear I am not saying that your elders don't know what they are talking about but that your history much older than that.
OK that your town, is there no village in it that bears the same name with a villages in other communities around?
Names like "uruagu, umuagu, ifite/ivite," etc

All the villages in my "community" bear Umu or children of or Ama, the compound or front yard of... Amaekpu, the front yard of Ekpu. Umu Ulu, the children of Ulu. We also have Obi... sitting room of....