Everybody hatin' and what not lol.
I think the igbo mentality or outlook on life is a very misunderstood one.
so i'll try to explain things from what i've learned



1. Igbos are a cellular people. Most tribes focus on group grandeur, how much land they can conquer or own how many ppl they have, who's dominating who. Igbos don't care about that. The focus is not on the nation but instead the person. and igbos chain of importance goes race-nation-tribe-region-village-family-self from least important to most important. I dont see it as selfish, it's a brave individualism that is found no where in africa.
Does that mean we don't care about that other stuff? no. we believe everything linked to the self is the best. Our country is the best compared to others, our tribe is the best compared to others, our village is best compared to others our family is best compared to others we are the best compared to others. This cellular individualism is one main component to the igbo cultural mindset. Some take it as arrogance when its really an unflinching confidence. To you we will bicker about our differences, but to someone unlike you and i we will defend out commonalities to the death.

2. Igbos believe in merit. We believe every man is born equal until, later in life, they MAKE themselves superior. We, because we believe everyone starts at the same finish line have an heroic optimism about life. Every igbo child believes he can be president. Why not? If an igbo child is falling behind expectation his seniors will often say "your mates are doing _______ while you're here doing ____________". We don't believe one person is born better then another and nothing is out of our reach. Therefore if we see a billionaire we will aim to be a trillionaire.

3. Igbos believe in freedom. We, in our culture have no overlord like institutions like a monarch or a nation. We therefore don't 'do' nationalism. All attempts to incorporate us in a nation in everyone else's definition of what a nation is often fails. We were to most rebellious, by far, during colonialism. Slave narratives show that traders didn't want igbo male slaves cause they had the highest chance of jumping ship, rioting, suicide, or mutiny. We don't like the concept of being ruled or controlled. At the same time we dont aim to rule or control others. We believe that every man is born free and must die that way, that there is man and God and no power in between. It's because of this that igbos are democratic. We believe when an issue arises that everyone should have a say.

4. In the end of the day. We will always be Igbo. Our culture isn't the material things you see around you, the language the dancers ect. Our culture is like water, we are willing the bend and change to suit the time and be the best we can be. I wouldn't be suprised to learn that the language we speak isn't our original language, the cloths we wear aren't our original clothes, and so forth but we will always, as my reading of our history has proven, be the same ppl and do the same things cause its the ideas that define us, not blood

-we'll always value achievement no matter how we define it
-we'll always be prooccupied with the god damn village no matter where we go
-we will always be troublesome
-we will always be arrogant
-we will always shoot for the stars
-we will always be the shit!

Igbo Ukwu, one of the oldest archeological sites in nigeria/africa has jewels from the middle east, The same shit we're spending our money on today LOL.

IGBO KWENU!

are you trying to speak ebonics?

and what are you saying btw.

slave traders did not want Igbo slaves or slave traders preferred Igbo slaves.

are you aware you're confused?

I dont think I should bother with the rest of your "write up".

Just keep on feeling funky.

@Ikengawo
I dere nke oma. ji si ike. Anya umuigbo di n'elu.

Ikengawo:


2. Igbos believe in merit. We believe every man is born equal until, later in life, they MAKE themselves superior. We, because we believe everyone starts at the same finish line have an heroic optimism about life. Every igbo child believes he can be president. Why not? If an igbo child is falling behind expectation his seniors will often say "your mates are doing _______ while you're here doing ____________". We don't believe one person is born better then another and nothing is out of our reach. Therefore if we see a billionaire we will aim to be a trillionaire.

3. Igbos believe in freedom. We, in our culture have no overlord like institutions like a monarch or a nation. We therefore don't 'do' nationalism. All attempts to incorporate us in a nation in everyone else's definition of what a nation is often fails. We were to most rebellious, by far, during colonialism. Slave narratives show that traders didn't want igbo male slaves cause they had the highest chance of jumping ship, rioting, suicide, or mutiny. We don't like the concept of being ruled or controlled. At the same time we dont aim to rule or control others. [size=14pt]We believe that every man is born free and must die that way, that there is man and God and no power in between.[/size] It's because of this that igbos are democratic. We believe when an issue arises that everyone should have a say.

Onye kwe, chi ya ekwe (We dictate to our gods, not the other way round)! Classic.

are you trying to speak ebonics?

and what are you saying btw.

slave traders did not want Igbo slaves or slave traders preferred Igbo slaves.

are you aware you're confused?

I dont think I should bother with the rest of your "write up".

Just keep on feeling funky.

words from hatez and a bitter-leaf lady

Ikengawo:

Everybody hatin' and what not lol.
I think the igbo mentality or outlook on life is a very misunderstood one.
so i'll try to explain things from what i've learned



1. Igbos are a cellular people. Most tribes focus on group grandeur, how much land they can conquer or own how many ppl they have, who's dominating who. Igbos don't care about that. The focus is not on the nation but instead the person. and igbos chain of importance goes race-nation-tribe-region-village-family-self from least important to most important. I dont see it as selfish, it's a brave individualism that is found no where in africa.
Does that mean we don't care about that other stuff? no. we believe everything linked to the self is the best. Our country is the best compared to others, our tribe is the best compared to others, our village is best compared to others our family is best compared to others we are the best compared to others. This cellular individualism is one main component to the igbo cultural mindset. Some take it as arrogance when its really an unflinching confidence. To you we will bicker about our differences, but to someone unlike you and i we will defend out commonalities to the death.

2. Igbos believe in merit. We believe every man is born equal until, later in life, they MAKE themselves superior. We, because we believe everyone starts at the same finish line have an heroic optimism about life. Every igbo child believes he can be president. Why not? If an igbo child is falling behind expectation his seniors will often say "your mates are doing _______ while you're here doing ____________". We don't believe one person is born better then another and nothing is out of our reach. Therefore if we see a billionaire we will aim to be a trillionaire.

3. Igbos believe in freedom. We, in our culture have no overlord like institutions like a monarch or a nation. We therefore don't 'do' nationalism. All attempts to incorporate us in a nation in everyone else's definition of what a nation is often fails. We were to most rebellious, by far, during colonialism. Slave narratives show that traders didn't want igbo male slaves cause they had the highest chance of jumping ship, rioting, suicide, or mutiny. We don't like the concept of being ruled or controlled. At the same time we dont aim to rule or control others. We believe that every man is born free and must die that way, that there is man and God and no power in between. It's because of this that igbos are democratic. We believe when an issue arises that everyone should have a say.

4. In the end of the day. We will always be Igbo. Our culture isn't the material things you see around you, the language the dancers ect. Our culture is like water, we are willing the bend and change to suit the time and be the best we can be. I wouldn't be suprised to learn that the language we speak isn't our original language, the cloths we wear aren't our original clothes, and so forth but we will always, as my reading of our history has proven, be the same ppl and do the same things cause its the ideas that define us, not blood

-we'll always value achievement no matter how we define it
-we'll always be prooccupied with the god damn village no matter where we go
-we will always be troublesome
-we will always be arrogant
-we will always shoot for the stars
-we will always be the shit!

Igbo Ukwu, one of the oldest archeological sites in nigeria/africa has jewels from the middle east, The same shit we're spending our money on today LOL.

IGBO KWENU!

Well stated.

The fact remains that the Igbo man stands for justice, equity and fair play. Unfortunately, not everyone that is currently surviving will survive in an atmosphere that is free from sycophancy, hypocrisy, back stabbing and man-know-man.

In my opinion every single person should prefer justice to injustice.

Ikengawo,
well written but, i am sure a lot of bashings is on its way considering what you wrote on the other thread.

Ikengawo, this is really wonderful and straight to the point of what Igbo is. You must have been an old and experience man in Igbo history.

Ikengawo:

The focus is not on the nation but instead the person. and igbos chain of importance goes race-nation-tribe-region-village-family-self from least important to most important. I dont see it as selfish, it's a brave individualism that is found no where in africa.

Igbos believe in merit. We believe every man is born equal until, later in life, they MAKE themselves superior.

Is the intrinsic Igbo desire to make oneself superior to his peers the root cause of the widespread propagation of kidnapping and other illicit vices in Igbo land?

Ibime:

Is the intrinsic Igbo desire to make oneself superior to his peers the root cause of the widespread propagation of kidnapping and other illicit vices in Igbo land?

It is most shocking to know that a Niger Deltan can carelessly make this statement.

nuzo:

It is most shocking to know that a Niger Deltan can carelessly make this statement.

Im just echoing sentiments passed on to me. 

Some Rivers boys told me that we invented kidnapping, but Igbo societal pressure to "make something of oneself" has caused Igbos to move into this lucrative venture en masse and become the masters of the art. 

Ibime:

Im just echoing sentiments passed on to me. 

Some Rivers boys told me that we invented kidnapping, but Igbo societal pressure to "make something of oneself" has caused Igbos to move into this lucrative venture en masse and become the masters of the art. 

See ya mouth.
The Niger Deltans kings shall reclaim their throne the moment the FG either withdraws the amnesty package or include their Igbo counterparts.

Ibime:

Im just echoing sentiments passed on to me. 

Some Rivers boys told me that we invented kidnapping, but Igbo societal pressure to "make something of oneself" has caused Igbos to move into this lucrative venture en masse and become the masters of the art. 

I believe the poster highlighted this on one of his post where he said that even the 419 introduced by yoruba has been made global by igbo guys.

Meaning probably that for evey nigerian criminal, an igbo criminal is likely to be more innovative.

LOL it's true.
if given an environment that's supportive of our nature we always excel and thats why we do so well in the United states a country built on merit democracy equality and hard work.



i also forgot to mention the importance of GOD.

Igbo ppl are the most religious in the world, by far, i would say the other nigerian tribes tie for second, but every igbo has a strong and real belief in God.


Reading igbo history you begin to see how this unique way of thinking has given us a unique history.
the 2 known igbo empires

Aro Federation

and the 'Kingdom' of Nri were both very unusual.


Aro in essence was a business. Not even a giant uniformed business, but a 'culture' or system of business that Aro igbos used to dominate the others as well as Ijaws and other tribes in the area. They convinced everyone that their oracle can cleanse sins, then when ppl when to the temple they'd kidnap them and sell them as slaves
through this they became powerful and rich but still didn't impose themselves on others, they were primarily concerned with making money, and contemporary historians classify this as an empire cause of the success they had.

Nri wasn't even a kingdom, just a highly acknowledged hold figure that everyone recognized. Nri has and never had legislation over any other parts of igbo land

A bandwagon of tribal horn blowers having their annual idiocy pride parade i guess?
I have lost my patience with people who bring in tribal issues into this politics section! There is a section for Tribal discussions., OP Please move!

^fat.

---- 101 what is the location of your wailing wall?

Chaiii Umu Igbo wu enyi. Kwebelu mu.