Abagworo: Has anyone ever asked why it is only among Igbos that someone that speaks Igbo language as his 1st and only language denies affinity to the greater Igbo? Was it always like this? Granted the Europeans aided in creation of the Igbo identity( but it is also same across Nigeria and Africa) why then is the case of Igbo different? Why is Agbotaen et al trying their best to dis-link the kinship they share with other Igbos. Why are they trying so much to lean on the Benin side of their history rather than accepting the truth even as told by the Obi?

The answer is simple. The failed coup of 1966 which was tagged Igbo coup had a multiplier effect on the feeling of other Nigerians towards Igbos and the resultant war and the war propaganda worsened it. The Igbos lost the trust other Nigerians had for them and anybody that had the option of dual ethnicity would hurriedly drop the Igbo part and some went as far as modifying their languages.

The other question is "would denying your Igbo kinship help you gain acceptance?". IMHO, it can only give a temporary relief from the immediate situation but will hunt you in the long run. For example here on Nairaland, a lot of non-Igbos believe Agbotaen has a genuine case without knowing what is involved. Agbotaen would feel that his campaign of distinct ethnicity had met success among non-Igbos but realized it hit the rock when some (Igbo)Ikas were caught as the kidnappers of Osun speaker's wife. Most non-Igbos immediately accused Igbos of bringing kidnapping to SW without knowing fully well that it is the same (Igbo) Ikas that they had all these while lent Agbotaen support of distinctness.

My advice to the Igbos in Delta State is to think twice and never believe that sudden change in ethnicity will make all those other Nigerians view them differently. It is still on record that most of the Igbo officers that were involved in the 1966 coup were from present Delta State. It is also as a result of the coup that the polgrom against all Igbos happened and the resultant Biafran war as well.

Seconded.
When Hausa muslims go on rampage against Ndigbo, Ikas will not be spared. Any attempt to make Ika an ethnic group is a waste of time.

pat077: who is speakin 4 u. Are u d only one 4rm asaba? I speak 4 myself. If u're proud relating wit d igbos dats ur businees.

Like i said to all you deniers--when you speak, speak for yourself. Don't say and act like your words is for everyone. That's the problem with ppl like you, agbotean, etc. when you ppl start, you shout and act your voice is that of everyone. The most annoying thing about it is they believe una and the rest of us get the causality along with una. If i didn't address you, would you have let them know you spoke for yourself alone? Why mention Asaba and the word ppl when your words represent just your own view. I don't even know if you are from asaba, doubt it, but whatever. Next time when you want to speak, say the word "I", don't say "we or ppl" cause when they start attacking and insulting, the rest of us get dragged under the bus with una. It's f2king annoying. To make matters even worse, you invade every thread with una bs. Like i said, don't mention Asaba again. Keep Asaba out of your bs.

1. my igbo friend , please do not continue in this type of propaganda about civil which occurred in 1966, the ika universal delcaration was in 1930 , when the british counted ika area as benin or part of benin ,when benin chiefs told them ika was founded by benins and part of benin ,so our fathers said they where not part of any known ethnic group in nigeria and that ika was an ethnic group of its own , so it has nothing to do with the civil war.
2. every community and people has the right to decided who they are , and even if the europeans or any body later classified ika as igbo ,we the ika people have the right to say we are not igbos, and that we have done,in delta state , the british initially classified isoko as part of uhrobos , may be because of similarity in language and it took many years but later isoko pulled out and asserted thier isoko as a seperate ethnic group, the point is not what people call you but what do you call your self.
3. no ika person has ever denied that there was igbo migration in to ika area or that some igbo culture existed in ika land ,but it is the igbo people that clearly avoid the fact that ika has a strong benin culture in kingship, way of life, religion, dressing, hair style , system of political culture and ideology and a mix of benin in our language ,but go on saying it is only igbo that founded ika , that is very funny with all the ika people with benin names, and the fact that some parts of ika like ozara and ten other villages and tows speak a language similar to edo or are these villages also igbo ,or should we say they are not ika based on their language,
4. why is it that it is only the igbos that will not let others be and they like claiming any body with their names or certain culture , itsekiri is a mix of yoruba and edo and some of them bear yoruba names, while others bear benin names and their language is a mix of both stroongly yoruba and edo , but they are a different ethnic group and the yorubas are not going on propaganda to say why do the itsekiris not say they are yoruba or the benin saying the same thing, the isoko was merged to uhrobo before but they later pulled out and uhrobo people are not masking noise about it ,and ishan and benin has similarity in language but both are different ethnicities and no noise is made about it by the benins,so why is it difficult for igbo people to know and accept that ika is a seperate ethnic group different from igbo and that majority of ika people will never like to be igbo .
5. currently the people of igbodo kingdom are at logger head with their obi,because he went to marry an ebonyi -igbo woman and the community is saying that an igbo woman cannot give them a heir apparent ,and that he should marry an igbodo woman or an ika or anioma or edo woman ,because that is the tradition in ika land, may be that is a food for thought for many igbo people , please read further on this issue on www.ikaworld.com
igbodo is the most eastern area of ika land and their nearness to predominantly igbo cultural area has influenced their language and way of life and many of the citizen migrated from igboland and they are usually the ikas that say they are igbo and that invariably all ikas are igbo , but this sentiments still persist.
6. the ika people know that they share something with igbo and edo and we can work with these two groups at our advantage ,and it is not by propaganda that the igbos can get ika to work with them ,but by proper understanding of the ika man and respect for his ethnicity that will bring about that , ika people are very sturborn and we can stand our ground , in ancient benin empire it was ika that was always battling benin,and during the british too our fathers went to war against them, and this stand was also proven during the civil war,

agbotaen:
4. why is it that it is only the igbos that will not let others be and they like claiming any body with their names or certain culture , itsekiri is a mix of yoruba and edo and some of them bear yoruba names, while others bear benin names and their language is a mix of both stroongly yoruba and edo , but they are a different ethnic group and the yorubas are not going on propaganda to say why do the itsekiris not say they are yoruba or the benin saying the same thing, the isoko was merged to uhrobo before but they later pulled out and uhrobo people are not masking noise about it ,and ishan and benin has similarity in language but both are different ethnicities and no noise is made about it by the benins,so why is it difficult for igbo people to know and accept that ika is a seperate ethnic group different from igbo and that majority of ika people will never like to be igbo .

The answer to your assertions above still lies with the Europeans. Itsekiris speak a language closely related to Yoruba and could even be called a branch of Yoruba and not Edo. Right from time, they were always viewed as distinct ethnic group that has language similarities with Yoruba. The Europeans always wrote about 2 related groups of Sabo and Igabo which I believe referred to Urhobo and Isoko. Same with Efik and Moko which I believe represented Efik and Ibibio. However in the case of Igbo they wrote that they were various groups that spoke a similar language that varied in intelligibility from one part to the other and also wrote Ika as the Western side of the Niger Igbo.

I have followed Emeka Esogbues blog and write ups for quite some time now and its no surprise he would come up and say Anioma is not igbo with his mentor Dr Kunirum Osia.Kunirum Osia has initiated Esogbue into a Bigot.The truth is that Esogbue and Kunirum Osia can say whatever they like,they cannot drag all western igbos(Anioma)to believe they are not igbos.They are not the mouth piece of Aniomas and cannot be.I am from Aniocha and simply Igbo.All those who buy their idea are the ones who are allowed themselves to be brainwashed.I saw the Ikwerre of Rivers State try to reinvent themselves as an "ethnic nationality." And for 40 years, they failed miserably. Let us not make the same mistake the Ikwerre made just for political expedience. Now the Ikwerre are trying to come back to the bigger Igbo tent after so many years of chicanery and it is tough for them.

Andre Uweh:
Seconded.
When Hausa muslims go on rampage against Ndigbo, Ikas will not be spared. Any attempt to make Ika an ethnic group is a waste of time.

@ANDRE THOSE THAT DENY THEIR IGBONESS ARE THE VOCAL MINORITY.MAJORITY OF WESTERN IGBOS(ANIOMA)KNOW TOO WELL THAT THEY ARE IGBO.LIKE I SAID THOSE THAT DENY IGBO ARE THE VOCAL MINORITY.SO WHEN YOU COME ACROSS ONE,JUST KNOW THAT HE OR SHE IS A VOCAL MINORITY.ESOGBUE AND HIS GROUP ARE THE VOCAL MINORITY.ESOGBUE IN ONE OF HIS MAILS TO ME SAID,YES HE HIS IGBO BUT HAS DECIDED TO CREATE A NEW IDENTITY FOR HIMSELF AND THE PEOPLE OF ANIOMA.I MADE HIM UNDERSTAND THAT HE IS NOT THE SPOKESPERSON OF WESTERN IGBOS(ANIOMA)EVEN THE MAN THAT FORMED THE NAME ANIOMA NEVER SAID HE WASNT IGBO BUT EMEKA AND HIS COLLEAGUES HAVE GONE ON RAMPAGE TO MAKE ANIOMA A NEW ETHNIC GROUP.ESOGBUE,LAURETTA ONOCHIE,GLORIA ELUEBO OPENED A FACEBOOK GROUP PAGE CALLED 'NDI ANIOMA'.WHEN I JOINED THIS FACEBOOK GROUP AND NOTICED THE TYPE OF BIGOTRY GOING ON THERE AND HOW THEY TRY TO BRAINWASH PEOPLE THAT IN THE GROUP,I DIDNT HIDE MY DISGUST TOWARDS THEM AND SO DID OTHER MEMBERS OF THIS GROUP BUT TO MY GREATEST SURPRISE,THEY REMOVED AND BLOCKED ME FROM THIS GROUP.NOT JUST ME BUT OTHER GROUP MEMBERS WHO EXPRESSED THEIR DISGUST.ANYBODY WHO IS FROM WESTERN IGBO LAND THAT DOES NOT REASON WITH THEM BECOMES AN ENEMY.IS THIS HOW ITS SUPPOSE TO BE?WILL THEYFORCE PEOPLE TO BECOME BIGOTS??LEAVE THESE PEOPLE,THEY CAN DO WHATEVER THEY LIKE BUT WE KNOW WHO WE ARE.....IGBO......LIKE I SAID,THOSE THAT DENY IGBO ARE THE VOCAL MINORITY

Ournaija:

The other day I was discussing with a young man from Ogwashi-Ukwu who was on an industry attache in my coy.He told me he is not Igbo and I asked him where he came from, he said Delta. I asked where in Delta before he confessed Ogwashi-Uku. I quickly added if you are from Ogwashi-Ukwu it means you are an Igbo man. That was when he opened up to me why he choose to be a Delta man instead of an Igbo.

He said he had issues with his Yoruba mates both at home and school. He said he fell in love with a Yoruba girl who is his classmate. He was disgraced the day she took him home. The parents started shouting at her How could you bring Omo-Igbo home as a your husband to be. But the girl tried to explain to them that he is not Omo-Igbo (SE) but a Delta man so that he can be accepted. But the parents insisted that they are all same.

This young man has taken another identity so that he can be accepted by other tribes especially Yorubas by claiming he is a Delta man. I had to correct him to defend his ethnicity even if people don`t accept him. By changing his ethnicity wouldnt make people love him the more. I quickly added that a time will come in Nigeria that people will be judged by who they are and not by where they come from. The civil war did lots of damage to the Igbo people.

For me Igbo ethnic group comprises of different nations/tribes just like other ethnic group.

As a matter of fact,i am also from ogwashi ukwu.do you know what that name means??it means Ogwa Nshi(nri) ukwu meaning Great Place of Nri(nri is written as nshi)and this town was founded by adaigbo who is from Nri and ogwashi people would always refer to themselves as "umu adaigbo"|.I am a proud igbo man no matter the kind of discrimination i face as an igbo man and i still maintain that.If you dont like me because i am an igbo man,then that is solely your problem.It wouldnt make me to deny my roots...NEVER!.It amazes me when igbo people across the niger would deny igbo because they are not located in the south east.That young man should stop being inferior.Thats all i can tell him.you only feel inferior when you make people think you are inferior.EVERYBODY SHOULD KNOW THAT AMB.RALPH UWECHUE WHO IS THE PRESIDENT GENERAL OF OHANEZE NDI IGBO IS FROM OGWASHI UKWU.

agbotaen: 1. my igbo friend , please do not continue in this type of propaganda about civil which occurred in 1966, the ika universal delcaration was in 1930 , when the british counted ika area as benin or part of benin ,when benin chiefs told them ika was founded by benins and part of benin ,so our fathers said they where not part of any known ethnic group in nigeria and that ika was an ethnic group of its own , so it has nothing to do with the civil war.
2. every community and people has the right to decided who they are , and even if the europeans or any body later classified ika as igbo ,we the ika people have the right to say we are not igbos, and that we have done,in delta state , the british initially classified isoko as part of uhrobos , may be because of similarity in language and it took many years but later isoko pulled out and asserted thier isoko as a seperate ethnic group, the point is not what people call you but what do you call your self.
3. no ika person has ever denied that there was igbo migration in to ika area or that some igbo culture existed in ika land ,but it is the igbo people that clearly avoid the fact that ika has a strong benin culture in kingship, way of life, religion, dressing, hair style , system of political culture and ideology and a mix of benin in our language ,but go on saying it is only igbo that founded ika , that is very funny with all the ika people with benin names, and the fact that some parts of ika like ozara and ten other villages and tows speak a language similar to edo or are these villages also igbo ,or should we say they are not ika based on their language,
4. why is it that it is only the igbos that will not let others be and they like claiming any body with their names or certain culture , itsekiri is a mix of yoruba and edo and some of them bear yoruba names, while others bear benin names and their language is a mix of both stroongly yoruba and edo , but they are a different ethnic group and the yorubas are not going on propaganda to say why do the itsekiris not say they are yoruba or the benin saying the same thing, the isoko was merged to uhrobo before but they later pulled out and uhrobo people are not masking noise about it ,and ishan and benin has similarity in language but both are different ethnicities and no noise is made about it by the benins,so why is it difficult for igbo people to know and accept that ika is a seperate ethnic group different from igbo and that majority of ika people will never like to be igbo .
5. currently the people of igbodo kingdom are at logger head with their obi,because he went to marry an ebonyi -igbo woman and the community is saying that an igbo woman cannot give them a heir apparent ,and that he should marry an igbodo woman or an ika or anioma or edo woman ,because that is the tradition in ika land, may be that is a food for thought for many igbo people , please read further on this issue on www.ikaworld.com
igbodo is the most eastern area of ika land and their nearness to predominantly igbo cultural area has influenced their language and way of life and many of the citizen migrated from igboland and they are usually the ikas that say they are igbo and that invariably all ikas are igbo , but this sentiments still persist.
6. the ika people know that they share something with igbo and edo and we can work with these two groups at our advantage ,and it is not by propaganda that the igbos can get ika to work with them ,but by proper understanding of the ika man and respect for his ethnicity that will bring about that , ika people are very sturborn and we can stand our ground , in ancient benin empire it was ika that was always battling benin,and during the british too our fathers went to war against them, and this stand was also proven during the civil war,

.

AGBOTAEN,I WILL NOT GO INTO AN ARGUMENT WITH YOU BUT I CAN AUTHORITATIVELY TELL YOU THAT THERE ARE LOTS OF IKA PEOPLE WHO DONT JUST SHARE THE SAME OPINION WITH YOU AS REGARDS IKA PEOPLE.HOWEVER,YOU ARE ENTITLED TO YOUR OPINION BUT WHATEVER YOU SAY ABOUT IKA PEOPLE,YOU CANNOT SPEAK ON BEHALF OF IKA PEOPLE.THANK YOU

olisaokere:


@ANDRE THOSE THAT DENY THEIR IGBONESS ARE THE VOCAL MINORITY.MAJORITY OF WESTERN IGBOS(ANIOMA)KNOW TOO WELL THAT THEY ARE IGBO.LIKE I SAID THOSE THAT DENY IGBO ARE THE VOCAL MINORITY.SO WHEN YOU COME ACROSS ONE,JUST KNOW THAT HE OR SHE IS A VOCAL MINORITY.ESOGBUE AND HIS GROUP ARE THE VOCAL MINORITY.ESOGBUE IN ONE OF HIS MAILS TO ME SAID,YES HE HIS IGBO BUT HAS DECIDED TO CREATE A NEW IDENTITY FOR HIMSELF AND THE PEOPLE OF ANIOMA.I MADE HIM UNDERSTAND THAT HE IS NOT THE SPOKESPERSON OF WESTERN IGBOS(ANIOMA)EVEN THE MAN THAT FORMED THE NAME ANIOMA NEVER SAID HE WASNT IGBO BUT EMEKA AND HIS COLLEAGUES HAVE GONE ON RAMPAGE TO MAKE ANIOMA A NEW ETHNIC GROUP.ESOGBUE,LAURETTA ONOCHIE,GLORIA ELUEBO OPENED A FACEBOOK GROUP PAGE CALLED 'NDI ANIOMA'.WHEN I JOINED THIS FACEBOOK GROUP AND NOTICED THE TYPE OF BIGOTRY GOING ON THERE AND HOW THEY TRY TO BRAINWASH PEOPLE THAT IN THE GROUP,I DIDNT HIDE MY DISGUST TOWARDS THEM AND SO DID OTHER MEMBERS OF THIS GROUP BUT TO MY GREATEST SURPRISE,THEY REMOVED AND BLOCKED ME FROM THIS GROUP.NOT JUST ME BUT OTHER GROUP MEMBERS WHO EXPRESSED THEIR DISGUST.ANYBODY WHO IS FROM WESTERN IGBO LAND THAT DOES NOT REASON WITH THEM BECOMES AN ENEMY.IS THIS HOW ITS SUPPOSE TO BE?WILL THEYFORCE PEOPLE TO BECOME BIGOTS??LEAVE THESE PEOPLE,THEY CAN DO WHATEVER THEY LIKE BUT WE KNOW WHO WE ARE.....IGBO......LIKE I SAID,THOSE THAT DENY IGBO ARE THE VOCAL MINORITY

Thank you. You need to come here more often because me saying it alone isn't registering to them. chyz, to ogbuefi, to ezeagu to igboboy to etc equally spoke on this and still they disregard it. I'm thinking of just given up like the others did and let whatever statement fly.

1. mr igbo what do you have to say to igbodo citizens telling their obi that an igbo woman from ebonyi cannot give them a heir and they asked him to marry an igbodo or ika or anioma or edo ? it is simple ,majority of ika people dont believe they are igbo/
2. have you ever wondered why ika did not support igbo during the war , ? it is because majority of ika dont believe they are igbo ,so get that right.
3. yes it is true that some ika people believe they are igbo ,but it is usually some persons from igbodo,and ekwuoma who are near predominantly igbo zones of ika land,
4. why is it that all ika kings and nobles and intelligensia ,are avoiding belonging to ohaneze ndigbo like a plague? it is because they do not believe they are igbos.
5. but many igbos are allowed to hallucinate on ika being igbo ,but i tell you when the chips are down ika nation knows they are ika and not igbo.
6. anioma was created some half a century ago , but the are is made up of four groups the aniocha, ndokwa, oshimili and ika , and ika has built their distinct ethnic nationality as we are following the great declaration of 1930,by our fathers.which clearly identified ika as a seperate ethnic group and i can tell you that over 95 percent of ika people believe and subscribe to the highest pan ika socio group -the ogua/onu ika for the ika ethnic group of which sunday osifo is our current leader ,and the ika elders forum headed by justice ehiwarrior from owa kingdom , and so we do not belong to or believe in ohaneze ndigbo as ika people have taken their destiny in their hands.
7. if all these igbo propagandist will take time to study the declaation of chief osadebe,when they formed anioma , they will find out , it was not to progagate igbo ,but to create a different identity for the people that live in anioma area , as he said that the migratory pattern was from edo,yoruba, igala, igbo and others, and he even said that asaba had migrations from even igala people as well as igbo people , but that is not my business as ASABA people are the only ones that can tell us who they are and they have said they are igbos ,so that is good for them, but as for us we are ika ethnic nationality.

agbotaen: 1. mr igbo what do you have to say to igbodo citizens telling their obi that an igbo woman from ebonyi cannot give them a heir and they asked him to marry an igbodo or ika or anioma or edo ? it is simple ,majority of ika people dont believe they are igbo/
2. have you ever wondered why ika did not support igbo during the war , ? it is because majority of ika dont believe they are igbo ,so get that right.
3. yes it is true that some ika people believe they are igbo ,but it is usually some persons from igbodo,and ekwuoma who are near predominantly igbo zones of ika land,
4. why is it that all ika kings and nobles and intelligensia ,are avoiding belonging to ohaneze ndigbo like a plague? it is because they do not believe they are igbos.
5. but many igbos are allowed to hallucinate on ika being igbo ,but i tell you when the chips are down ika nation knows they are ika and not igbo.
6. anioma was created some half a century ago , but the are is made up of four groups the aniocha, ndokwa, oshimili and ika , and ika has built their distinct ethnic nationality as we are following the great declaration of 1930,by our fathers.which clearly identified ika as a seperate ethnic group and i can tell you that over 95 percent of ika people believe and subscribe to the highest pan ika socio group -the ogua/onu ika for the ika ethnic group of which sunday osifo is our current leader ,and the ika elders forum headed by justice ehiwarrior from owa kingdom , and so we do not belong to or believe in ohaneze ndigbo as ika people have taken their destiny in their hands.
7. if all these igbo propagandist will take time to study the declaation of chief osadebe,when they formed anioma , they will find out , it was not to progagate igbo ,but to create a different identity for the people that live in anioma area , as he said that the migratory pattern was from edo,yoruba, igala, igbo and others, and he even said that asaba had migrations from even igala people as well as igbo people , but that is not my business as ASABA people are the only ones that can tell us who they are and they have said they are igbos ,so that is good for them, but as for us we are ika ethnic nationality.

Are you well at all Mr Ika Edo?

agbotaen: 1. my igbo friend , please do not continue in this type of propaganda about civil which occurred in 1966, the ika universal delcaration was in 1930 , when the british counted ika area as benin or part of benin ,when benin chiefs told them ika was founded by benins and part of benin ,so our fathers said they where not part of any known ethnic group in nigeria and that ika was an ethnic group of its own , so it has nothing to do with the civil war.
2. every community and people has the right to decided who they are , and even if the europeans or any body later classified ika as igbo ,we the ika people have the right to say we are not igbos, and that we have done,in delta state , the british initially classified isoko as part of uhrobos , may be because of similarity in language and it took many years but later isoko pulled out and asserted thier isoko as a seperate ethnic group, the point is not what people call you but what do you call your self.
3. no ika person has ever denied that there was igbo migration in to ika area or that some igbo culture existed in ika land ,but it is the igbo people that clearly avoid the fact that ika has a strong benin culture in kingship, way of life, religion, dressing, hair style , system of political culture and ideology and a mix of benin in our language ,but go on saying it is only igbo that founded ika , that is very funny with all the ika people with benin names, and the fact that some parts of ika like ozara and ten other villages and tows speak a language similar to edo or are these villages also igbo ,or should we say they are not ika based on their language,
4. why is it that it is only the igbos that will not let others be and they like claiming any body with their names or certain culture , itsekiri is a mix of yoruba and edo and some of them bear yoruba names, while others bear benin names and their language is a mix of both stroongly yoruba and edo , but they are a different ethnic group and the yorubas are not going on propaganda to say why do the itsekiris not say they are yoruba or the benin saying the same thing, the isoko was merged to uhrobo before but they later pulled out and uhrobo people are not masking noise about it ,and ishan and benin has similarity in language but both are different ethnicities and no noise is made about it by the benins,so why is it difficult for igbo people to know and accept that ika is a seperate ethnic group different from igbo and that majority of ika people will never like to be igbo .
5. currently the people of igbodo kingdom are at logger head with their obi,because he went to marry an ebonyi -igbo woman and the community is saying that an igbo woman cannot give them a heir apparent ,and that he should marry an igbodo woman or an ika or anioma or edo woman ,because that is the tradition in ika land, may be that is a food for thought for many igbo people , please read further on this issue on www.ikaworld.com
igbodo is the most eastern area of ika land and their nearness to predominantly igbo cultural area has influenced their language and way of life and many of the citizen migrated from igboland and they are usually the ikas that say they are igbo and that invariably all ikas are igbo , but this sentiments still persist.
6. the ika people know that they share something with igbo and edo and we can work with these two groups at our advantage ,and it is not by propaganda that the igbos can get ika to work with them ,but by proper understanding of the ika man and respect for his ethnicity that will bring about that , ika people are very sturborn and we can stand our ground , in ancient benin empire it was ika that was always battling benin,and during the british too our fathers went to war against them, and this stand was also proven during the civil war,

its clear that your fathers fought against binis when the binis wanted to expand their empire and impose their rule on you people.even the time of the british,you fathers fought but finally succumbed to defeat and at that point the british imposed the bini leadership on your people.AM I RIGHT OR WRONG?...secondly if you were bini migrants,why would the binis try to impose their rule on you people?on the other hand,why would your great grand fathers flee bini empire if they were truly bini people??have you asked yourself,if truly there were migrations from bini,couldnt it have been igbos who after or continuous harsh treatment from the kings of bini decided to leave the area and retrace back home to settle??

olisaokere: [/b]

its clear that your fathers fought against binis when the binis wanted to expand their empire and impose their rule on you people.even the time of the british,you fathers fought but finally succumbed to defeat and at that point the british imposed the bini leadership on your people.AM I RIGHT OR WRONG?...secondly if you were bini migrants,why would the binis try to impose their rule on you people?on the other hand,why would your great grand fathers flee bini empire if they were truly bini people??have you asked yourself,if truly there were migrations from bini,couldnt it have been igbos who after or continuous harsh treatment from the kings of bini decided to leave the area and retrace back home to settle??

The above is something those bini wannabes have failed to understand,EZECHIMA,AKALAKA,EKPA-OHIA, these are all names exclusive to igbos only,yet they were the names of the so called bini ancestors of some anioma clans,ogba people and ekpeye people.

BELOW IS AN ARTICLE WRITTEN AND POSTED BY EMEKA ESOGBUE IN 2008.WE ALL SHOULD KNOW THAT HE IS AN IGBO MAN AND SHOULD BE DISREGARDED IN TOTALITY WHEN HE COMES UP TODAY TO SAY ANIOMA IS AN ETHNIC GROUP OR NOT IGBO BLA BLA BLA.THIS MAN AND HIS COHORTS ARE BEGINNING TO EMBARRASS IGBOS IN DELTA STATE ...(I NEEDED TO POST THE FULL ARTICLE HERE FOR ALL TO READ).

http://www.openarticle.com/article.cfm?id=F2421454-5484-40E0-AE680822B647084F

EXCERPTS

2008 Failed Igbo Day: Ohaneze Ndiigbo Do Something Today

Posted on 10/6/2008 by Emeka Esogbue

As I seek to publish this article, I must state categorically that I expect unaccountable number of rebuttals from my non tolerant fellow Igbo readers but in spite of this, the truth must be told because it is only this truth that can set us free from the present predicaments our Igbo nation is facing. I wish to remind our fellow IgboS who normally view constructive works on the Igbo situation in nation as attempts to denigrate the people that balanced criticisms prescribes perquisite for recovery and rediscovery for the people and this for long has remained the major instruments several people have utilized in radically turning around their societies for good. Biological and cultural affinities should not make us realize that we are associated with problems.

One should however still be grateful to the like of former Governor Achike Udenwa of Imo State one of the few Igbo men that believe that problems are leaving side by side with Igbo to the extent that the ethnic group is not finding its feet politically in the present day Nigeria. Achike Udenwa in a way has helped to portray that truth about core issues about the Igbo race and its segments needs discussed and addressed thoroughly.As a key player in the political affairs of the Igbo land there is no doubt that he has a perfect understanding of politics and exactly how it affects the Igbo people of Nigeria. Our Igbo leaders obviously continue to fail us where it matters and have themselves proved that they cannot keep the light of the spirit of leadership of the race burning as lit by Azikiwe,Ibiam,Osadebe,Okpara and others

The September 2008 failed Igbo Day have not spoken in our favour but have really further confirmed that all is not well within the camp of the race that everyone even outside the country once tipped to produce the likes of sound minds that would usefully rule the country for many to come.

In 2008, at the venue of the celebration of Igbo Day in Okpara Square in Enugu State, Nigeria suspected youth wing of MASOB invaded the venue and disrupted the celebration half way into the event. Events like this are not new to the Igbo race but what was perhaps strange was that the Igbo perhaps for the first time have decided to fight themselves dirty in the public to the extent that Otunba Gbenga Daniels had to intercede on behalf of the elders of Igbo present on the occasion for justice to be tampered with mercy. We thank the almighty God that the youths MASSOB listened after all.

Other tribes seem to posses the charisma lacking among the Igbo indigenes and indeed the Igbo society as a whole. This charisma is the ability to speak and be listened to, ability to gain recognition as a tribal leader, ability to be held as one with insignia of leadership and ability to posses the attribute of recognition for the leadership control of a society. The problem of the Igbo in todays society of Nigeria begins with the absence of any force that speaks and expects to be listened to as one great leader with the mandate of the people perhaps since the exit of the Great Zik of Africa. Even some critics will argue that Azikiwe himself found himself in similar socio-political mess as his presumed leadership of the Ndiigbo was frequently challenged. The height of this can best be defined with the events of the Nigeria-Biafra war in which the Great Zik defected to Nigeria because he wanted to be part of the planning process of Nigeria but the opportunity was never accorded him. Still wanting to remain relevant he defected to Nigeria where he believed that better respect would be accorded him.

One thing that puzzles me is that even Ohaneze have found itself overwhelmed by this problem of the Igbo leaving a lot of vacuum asking to be solved. Is it not right for us to conclude that the Igbo are facing the worst stage as a nation in nation? As further noted by Achike Udenwa, the failure of the Igbo is a collective thing.I blame ourselves for the fate of the Ndiigbo today, because we are contributed to the problem of elevating individual interest rather than that of the collective Igbo race?

We recall that the Igbo in the past 8 years of Obasanjo administration produced 5 senate leaders and all the five states of the South-East produced one senate leader each and at present an Igbo man is the chairman of People?s Democratic Party so one can obviously understand the viewpoint of this Ex-Governor but these leadership positions have translated to nothing for the Igbo larger society as nothing has changed for us. The southeast is the most politically divided today in the entire nation of Nigeria and no one Governor or leader in region has firmly stood up to challenge this situation at hand. Again the region is the most relegated among all the existing geo-political regions of the country.

The issue of erosion which plagues the region and other Igbo lands in the country continues unchecked without a single Governor of Igbo extraction rising to the challenge and rallying round other governors to seek solution to this problem which drives the people of the region o other regions where they further constitute the second largest ethnic-groups after the natives of such regions, developing every region they come across with so much burden of taxation and discrimination among several others the opportunity of developing our own Igbo land are therefore lost to nothing.

Ordinarily the Ndi igbo have no place in the politics of Nigeria which they have worked so hard to build more than every other tribe as every single region of the country have had the Igbo contributing to its development whether directly or indirectly. [b]Even the population of Ndi igbo have remained grossly undercounted as far back as the history of population census in Nigeria can take us back yet Ohaneze have not considered it wise to radically gather the vast brains of ethnic group from Imo, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, Delta and Rivers and seek solutions to the problems troubling us recognizing that cross-fertilization of ideas and not rebuttals and pretences will help us to overcome the problems.[/b]Ever since the Lawmakers in the country moved for the creation a sixth state for the region to help balance the number of states existing in the South-Eastern region, no single Igbo leader has radically reminded the Nigerian Government of this development lately. Haba! Something must be wrong somewhere.

The southeastern region is the home of the Igbo nation, and the Igbo are significantly found in Delta State, Rivers State, Cameroun and Equatorial Guinea, the socio-economic and political well-beings of the Igbo of Delta and Rivers States especially are tied around the southeastern region of Nigeria who indeed are expecting the region to determine their political climates in the entity of Nigeria but these bulk of people appear to be losing hope after exhausting their patience. While the Igbo in Delta State especially have patiently awaited the larger society to push forward their bid for the creation of Anioma State unsuccessfully, some closely related sub-groups and Igboid groups such as Ika and Ndokwa people have taken to the discrimination of the Igbo not just because of the negative implication of the Civil war on the Igbo nation but because Igbo nation are found wanting in its ability to politically lead the entire Igbo race. No group obviously wants its future mismanaged.

As the humble man he is the like of Achike Udenwa has taken blames for several of these bad situation besetting the Igbo race because according to him,the failings of one man as that of all because they) collectively are(were) entrusted with the people?s interest, but the politician from Orlu would not take any persons blames for downturn?

The Igbo should not worsen their own problems like Governor Chime, a host who decided to absent himself in his own ceremony leaving guests to take charge with no words from him and Governor Elechi who the Igbo people also look to, to help usher in solutions to the problems confronting not only the region but the entire Igbo of Nigeria. The affairs of Igbo race should be taken seriously for the failed congress should have afforded the Igbo the opportunity to discuss their problems once again. And the Igbo Youth wing of MASSOB allowing the congress to hold and expressing their grievances, holding their leaders accountable for their failings by far?would have been a better option than scutling the congress and allowing the leaders to leave. The problems have only deepened and nothing less is expected.

The Ohaneze and indeed the entire Igbo leaders would need to do a lot more put the race back on track because the Igbo are not born to be ruled but also rule because as the citizens of Nigeria we have equal rights as those of Hausa/Fulani and the Yoruba. Whatever other ethnic groups can do right politically in Nigeria, the Igbo can do better. For a society that has produced Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chinua Achebe, Augustine Esogbue, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala the next president of Nigeria needs to emerge from Igbo
land whether from Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi, Abia, Delta or Rivers States. We need it. Ohaneze do something.

1. i am an ika man and ika people are not descendants of eze chima , ika was founded thousands of years before eze chima , the people that are eze chima are some aniocha/oshimili communities, so it shows you do not know the history of ika or anioma people and i am sure you are an igbo man from accross the niger.
2. agbor kingdom started thousands of years ago as ominijie in present agbonta and i gues you know agbor is a bini word called agbon -which means earth.
3. ika kingdoms started having kings a proper monarchy in 12th century and that time benin was just a small town , it was in 15h./16th century that benin started expanding and ika area was taken in late 17th century and after prolonged war we pulled out of the benin empire and agbor became powerful too conquering several towns and controlling them, in 18th century agbor successfully blocked benin from getting tribute in areas along the river niger as agbor was collecting such tribute , even up to igbudu akan in present day aniocha area.
4. benin even conquered their closest neiighbours the ishan also and others too and it was to enlarge their land , although today some historians say benins conquered the scattered tribes of edo and tried to bring them together .
5. we as ika people have never claimed to be benin and we shall never be igbo , we are just ika ethnic group.
6. we refused the benin because after several hundreds of years that our fathers migrated from benin ,others people like ishan, ora, igbo and others have also migrated and we have become a different people and our fathers too sort to create their own kingdoms too.and wield power .

the establishment of owa kingdom involved a lot of war too as the warrior edogun/odogun from ute okpu had to conquer the different communities that he met and bring them together as one owa kingdom.
just like the british did to nigeria, even in benin before the kingdom was founded the children of the last kings called ogiso fought against the oba-ife led groups that introduced obaship into edo land.
2. most of the ika kingdom was started when there was dispute in benin and they moved to our present area called ika to form their kingdom and if you see the sand in all ika area is called benin soil , because its not different from the ones in benin , it is red sand that shows continuity .
3. the soul of ika land is in the obiship which is benin style
2. chieftancy is along benin lines
3. culture in dressing and religious symbol such as osenobue for God , ehi , and in most ika peoples family names.
4. our world view, and the way our towns are divided is close to benin
5. however we still have some festivals like ikenga, iwagi that is aking to igbo festivals ,
6. this two ethnic cultures of edo and igbo has distinguished ika people as a seperate ethnicity that is not igbo and not edo.
so please go and learn ika history well and stop brandishing eze chima as we are not children of eze chima , my town history in owa starts from adagba who migrated from ikoha in ovia in benin and ugbasogun who came from benin to found owa kingdom in ika north east and later odogun from ute okpu became the first king of a unified owa.

Agbotaen what you are making is futile effort because Igbo as an ethnic group is too diverse for those things listed up there to be enough reason of not being Igbo. Odogu is an Igbo in every sense of it and from what you posted founded a unified Owa. Just say what you believe you are and stop providing evidences that rather make you sound more Igbo to me.

NB. Where I'm from, we also claim Benin origin but still Igbo today.

1. why do you igbos love propaganda and what is not true , it is edogun or odogun in owa language and it is not odogu ,
2. odogun did not found owa ,he only migrated from ute okpu in late 12th century and as a soldier of the oba of benin ,he wared and conquered the owa people and created the unified owa kingdom as before that time ,many of the communities were seperate.
3. owa ofien has existed for about 600 years before odogun came and the first people to live in owa are from that town and they migrated from ikoha in ovia in edo state -benin.the name of the man who led ofien to owa was adagba.
4. next was owa ekei from benin led by ugbasogun a benin warrior .
5. about odogun -some ute history said his father ijue was from nri in anambra ,while other elders from ute and owa say he was from benin as all the sons of ijue were bearing benin names and ijue was a benin name.
6. but we found out that as at that time ijue was kng of ute okpu the system of rulership was benin style , but the inhabitants of ute were mixed bini and igbo migrants and that flowed into owa.
7. ika has both edo and igbo migrations and even some yoruba migrations too ,but this has made us different ,i am not benin and i resent being igbo and no proper ika or owa indigene will want to be igbo.
8. finally ika in their majority always distant them self from igbo , so why all these igbo propaganda of ika being igbo , why dont you igbo people make do with those that believe they are igbo, as ika people are not a part of your ohaneze ndigbo , the reason is that we believe we are ika and not igbo , and i know you are also aware of how our fathers distant them selves from igbos during the civil war .
the ika highest socio political group is called ogua/onu ika .
ika have rejected igbo long time and will continue to do that as we are a seperate ethnicity and our culture is different from yours and you know what ika call the igbos ig-----------.

Well,no one is being forced to accept what he/she is not. But,from the debate above,it is clear that 'Ika' is not an ethnic group.there is nothing that made 'Ikas' distinct from their neighbouring groups.Ika is either Igbo or Bini. But,if any Ika person disagree,then he/she should tell us what make Ikas distinct from either Igbo or bini or anyother neighbour. Ika culture is a mixture of Igbo or Bini likewise their language.there is no word in Ika thats neither Igbo nor Bini nor anyother language of the world likewise their culture.And the meaning is that,Ikas are either Igbo with bini influence or bini with Igbo influence.there is nothing about Ikas that made them distinct.

Ika is an ethnic group, Agbor is an ethnic group, Owa is an ethnic group, the tiniest village in Igboland is an ethnic group, Igbo is an ethnic group, Anioma is not an ethnic group.

ezeagu: Ika is an ethnic group, Agbor is an ethnic group, Owa is an ethnic group, the tiniest village in Igboland is an ethnic group, Igbo is an ethnic group, Anioma is not an ethnic group.

You're spot on. Even a family in Isi-Alangwa stands more chance to be an ethnic group than Anioma.

1. agbor and owa and others are part of ika ethnic group, and your beloved igbo ethnicity was created by the europeans ,so if igbo is an ethnic group then ika is also an ethnic group and numbers do not make an ethnic group and there is nothing igbos will say that will make majority of ika people to follow them, so get that rightt.
2. it is our right to be ika and we have accerted that , ika is an established ethnic group and we are accerting it , bini recognise ika as a distinct group and so if igbo like or not let them wallow in their delusion , but when the chips are down majority of ika will let them down .
3.what is ika-ibo? it is either you are ika or igbo and we are ika ethnic nationality.
4.if majority of ika people love igbo so much then they will like to be igbo, but calling an ika man igbo is an abomination.
5. we are proud of being ika , we dont need to be benin and we certainly dont need to be igbo as the world view of ika is different from igbo.

agbotaen: 1. agbor and owa and others are part of ika ethnic group, and your beloved igbo ethnicity was created by the europeans ,so if igbo is an ethnic group then ika is also an ethnic group and numbers do not make an ethnic group and there is nothing igbos will say that will make majority of ika people to follow them, so get that rightt.
2. it is our right to be ika and we have accerted that , ika is an established ethnic group and we are accerting it , bini recognise ika as a distinct group and so if igbo like or not let them wallow in their delusion , but when the chips are down majority of ika will let them down .
3.what is ika-ibo? it is either you are ika or igbo and we are ika ethnic nationality.
4.if majority of ika people love igbo so much then they will like to be igbo, but calling an ika man igbo is an abomination.
5. we are proud of being ika , we dont need to be benin and we certainly dont need to be igbo as the world view of ika is different from igbo.

Answer this simple question: what name do Bini people call people from Agbor?

ezeagu:

Answer this simple question: what name do Bini people call people from Agbor?

ika
and there is also ikwale in bini btw

ezotik:

ika
and there is also ikwale in bini btw

So Agbor people are no longer know as Owi Igbo? Do Bini people even know what Ika is?

ezeagu:

So Agbor people are no longer know as Owi Igbo? Do Bini people even know what Ika is?

lol becos u chose to remain ignorant does not mean others are coz i remember bokohalal posting a bini folk song specifically to u about ika. the knowledge is out there, go and embrace it.

Bini people call people from Agbor Owi Igbo, yes or no?

^ No.

Oh sorry, I think I remember you telling us it was actually "Ovi Igbo".

People can easily forget things by purpose on the internet.

[size=4pt]It's not only Ika they call them, it's Omo Bini.[/size]

oh, so u know how to correct urself? good. and it is not 'ovi igbo', so please correct urself again and use the proper spelling and that i never had such a conversation with u.

Can you write the correct spelling?

no. but google is ur friend.