Akhenaten:

And the Ijo had every right to fear majority domination after all they have been through in the ages starting with British aggression as British merchant men subjugated the people of this region all in the name of capitalism and colonialism.

If the Igbo wanted, they could have shifted small and engulfed the whole Ijaw population. They've had 1000 years opportunity with no NATO or Human Rights Watch. You think the Igbo started having an opportunity to dominate the Ijaw only since a British man decided to create a company called Nigeria?

I was expecting  a sermon on how to keep Nigeria one, but all I'm seeing is an epistle of the ND and Ijo.

Not saying that that is not an issue that urgently needs to be addressed. However, I cant blame the Nigerian regular civilians, it's not like the oil money was REALLY spend on us.

Can we now discuss how to keep Nigeria one, if there's anything to really discuss?

Quote
CONCLUSION: The Igbos should understand that the crisis facing the South today was directly or remotely caused by them. But because their leaders had not been sincere to them, they have continuously propagated the lie that the West is responsible for their problem. A few facts should illuminate this:

1. In 1957, the North threatened to secede if independence was granted to Nigeria because they were not ready. Zik, was supposed to have reached an understanding with Awo to let the North go. But to Awo’s consternation, Zik formed an alliance with the North which succeeded in delaying independence and allowed the North to get ready.
2. In 1966, a group of young Igbo officers planned a coup that killed only non-Igbo politicians. Included among the politicians was Ahmadu Bello who was a god-like figure to the Northerners. Before you could say Jihad, all the Sabongaris were on fire and the pogrom that would lead to the civil war has started,
3. Instead of trying to seek immediate political solution to the crisis, the Igbos declared Biafra. They war lasted for 30 months. The Igbos lost everything. The Hausa-Fulani oligarchy took this defeat of Biafra as the conquest of the South. Since then, they have transformed the privilege of leadership into that of a birthright and they have used it not only to stunt the growth of the South but also to subject their people to a state of perpetual servitude and feudalistic iniquities.

The Igbo/Yoruba Relationship


http://www.nigerdeltacongress.com/iarticles/igbo.htm

O se eko ile

Akhenaten:

Actually, the title is from the slogan that was used to maintain the integrity of Nigeria during the civil war.

I am not into sermons. My main concern is the suffering of a people. And no region is worse in this union than the Niger Delta region. You should go to the Niger Delta to see what I am talking about. I am talking about going to the impoverished areas of Delta and Bayelsa state. The very heart of the Niger Delta, and the region that provides the nation's wealth while at the same time is the most impoverished region in all of Nigeria.

Any person with a heart would weep. It is so disgusting, that it makes me sick how the Niger Deltan people have suffered.

Akhenaten:

step1, this is not a thread to discuss the Nigerian Civil War. This is a thread to discuss the plight of the Niger Deltan people. Mainly the Ijo, Urhobo, Ogoni, Isoko etc. There will be plenty of time to discuss the Nigerian Civil War in its detail, but why should Igbo-Yoruba relationship be included in this thread? Stop with your nefarious actions.

The world does not revolve around the Yoruba or the Igbo.

Anywaz, so this thread is suppose to discuss the situation in ND and other minority groups . . . . ok, carry on. I'll be viewing.

Remember Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress.

Akhenaten:


Even my very own Igbo people, do not understand the plight of the Niger Deltans. We say, it serves the Ijo right for not supporting Biafra. That they deserve what they get, without realizing that we would have dominated this region in all of honesty if Biafra has succeeded. And the Ijo had every right to fear majority domination after all they have been through in the ages starting with British aggression as British merchant men subjugated the people of this region all in the name of capitalism and colonialism.  

Bovine Excrement!

Dude - poster. World domination was not started by the Igbos, neither was economic domination. I get angry when fellow Igbo people sit down and accuse their fellow brethren of economic domination. Dude, it is the result of hard work, perseverance, diligence and determination to succeed.

This is the singular reason why the white folks dominate us in almost every aspect, they see opportunities, they take it.

[size=1pt]I think you should see Igbo economic domination as a blessing for the future. It can serve as a unifying factor for West and Central Africa.[/size]


Now back to the discussion in focus. The last time I was in Bayelsa, a sachet of pure water was NGN10 while it sold in other parts of the country for NGN5 - what is my argument here? Bayelsa is surrounded by the water bodies more than any other state in the federation. Why can't they produce sachet water at cheaper rates? This the question, I threw at my Bayelsan colleague here in the UK. His response was there is so much money in Bayelsa that they can afford to purchase sachet water at NGN20 if the need be.

Quote from: Akhenaten on Today at 07:49:30 PM

We have to be honest with ourselves. In all honesty, Igbo domination is real in the economic sense. We know how to take over an economy without even thinking about it. Most of the time, we do not mean to, but it happens.

I weep for the Niger Delta more than any other region in Nigeria. This region has been exploited by everyone. The British were the first to exploit this region for Palm Oil. Then came the Nigerian Federal Gov't has been exploiting this region for its oil. I do not think Biafra would have been any better concerning this region either.

My heart goes out to the people of the Niger Delta. Especially to the Ijo. Their region has been destroyed and the people left destitute. I blame Nigeria as a whole for using this region.

I blame the political elite for leeching off this region and stealing the resources of these people without cleaning their environment.

Even my very own Igbo people, do not understand the plight of the Niger Deltans. We say, it serves the Ijo right for not supporting Biafra. That they deserve what they get, without realizing that we would have dominated this region in all of honesty if Biafra has succeeded.

Dude I don't know what you are smoking, but please speak for yourself (if you are Igbo )

The bolded words are balderdash and lack common sense.

So, a 17 year old Igbo boy, newly "settled" by his "oga" and hustling in say Yenagoa or PH, or Warri, is suddenly "dominating" the Niger deltans?
Show me how many Igbos own oil blocks and shares in oil companies more than ANY other Nigerian tribes.

I am yet to see any Igbo, that deep down his/her heart, does not feel the pains of the Niger deltans, after all there are Igbos there too. Therefore, to come here talking about Igbo insensitivity to Ijo plight is the most air headed thing I have ever heard.

You are lumping things together. The ND is suffering partly because Biafra failed.

There is no way you can convince any sane mind that Biafra would have not made any positive difference to the ND. The people who have controlled Nigeria's oil resources are FAR REMOVED geographically from the region; so how can you say that Igbo wouldn't have handled the situation better, when all our lives would be affected by the environmental destruction of Biafra's coastline?

My friend you are really smoking some strange hard drug. Get off it fast!  

Guy i dont see any meaning in your post. If you got a solution, lets hear it.

@ Ezeagu,

You are forgetting that before Lord Lugard and British anthropologists classified us, there was no such thing as the "Igbo" nation.

@POSTER


If you do not know the consequences of your post on this forum, I suggest you do a simple exploratory research before posting such crass irresponsible articles. This nonsensical Niger Delta is the brain child of detractors of Ndigbo and eastern region of Nigeria. When the palm oil and coal resources were used to sustain the economy of eastern region, nobody knew Niger Delta. It was only mentioned in the religious circle as the diocese of Niger Delta with its Headquarter at Onitsha.

Posted by: Ibime

@ Ezeagu,

You are forgetting that before Lord Lugard and British anthropologists classified us, there was no such thing as the "Igbo" nation.

You are right.
This partly explains why the Jaja of Opobo story was possible.
The entire region was evolving naturally, and who knows what tribe would have come out of that evolution.
I really believe that the British intrusion, hence classification and tribal based delineations destroyed this natural process.
A typical example of that fusion is the okrika people.

Ibime:

@ Ezeagu,

You are forgetting that before Lord Lugard and British anthropologists classified us, there was no such thing as the "Igbo" nation.

Before the arrival of British, there were Igbo (Ebo) people and Jos (Ijo), the people who lived by the river sides.

Posted by: Dede1

Before the arrival of British, there were Igbo (Ebo) people and Jos (Ijo), the people who lived by the river sides.

Those are still Oyibo man's classifications.

Methinks that what would have happened if they did not interfere is a situation whereby we would be like the Yoruba, spanning many dialects of Igboid/Ijoid/ and any other Eastern "iods" groups, but with very weak "center".

You would have things like "ikwerres" "ngwas", "elemes","eches", okrikas", etc, all mutually intelligible to some extent, but no ONE tribe. We could have been less suspicious of one another because for an Nnewi man to trade with the white man, he would need the services of say an opobo man, instead of it being an Igboman needing the services of say an ogoni man or Ijo man, etc.
The wars we had before were between say Aros and ngwas, or aros and ibibios; not Igbos and ibibios.

The east was fine until oil showed up. 

My favourite topics on Nairaland__Niger Delta____Igob Domination___Civil War____ Nigerians will never agree on these topics____everybody have his lense and only his have a good focal point

Goodluck to you all

step1:

Quote
CONCLUSION: The Igbos should understand that the crisis facing the South today was directly or remotely caused by them. But because their leaders had not been sincere to them, they have continuously propagated the lie that the West is responsible for their problem. A few facts should illuminate this:

1. In 1957, the North threatened to secede if independence was granted to Nigeria because they were not ready. Zik, was supposed to have reached an understanding with Awo to let the North go. But to Awo’s consternation, Zik formed an alliance with the North which succeeded in delaying independence and allowed the North to get ready.
2. In 1966, a group of young Igbo officers planned a coup that killed only non-Igbo politicians. Included among the politicians was Ahmadu Bello who was a god-like figure to the Northerners. Before you could say Jihad, all the Sabongaris were on fire and the pogrom that would lead to the civil war has started,
3. Instead of trying to seek immediate political solution to the crisis, the Igbos declared Biafra. They war lasted for 30 months. The Igbos lost everything. The Hausa-Fulani oligarchy took this defeat of Biafra as the conquest of the South. Since then, they have transformed the privilege of leadership into that of a birthright and they have used it not only to stunt the growth of the South but also to subject their people to a state of perpetual servitude and feudalistic iniquities.

The Igbo/Yoruba Relationship


http://www.nigerdeltacongress.com/iarticles/igbo.htm

O se eko ile

The most stupendous post so far. Were there no meetings to resolve the crises in GHANA (Aburi) and Ethiopia?. Nonsensical.

Onlytruth:

Posted by: Dede1
Those are still Oyibo man's classifications.

Methinks that what would have happened if they did not interfere is a situation whereby we would be like the Yoruba, spanning many dialects of Igboid/Ijoid/ and any other Eastern "iods" groups, but with very weak "center".

You would have things like "ikwerres" "ngwas", "elemes","eches", okrikas", etc, all mutually intelligible to some extent, but no ONE tribe. We could have been less suspicious of one another because for an Nnewi man to trade with the whiteman, he would need the services of say an opobo man, instead of it being an Igboman needing the services of say an ogoni man or Ijo man, etc.
The wars we had before were between say Aros and ngwas, or aros and ibibios; not Igbos and ibibios.

The east was fine until oil showed up. 

I think you are forgetting some important people in that region. Before the British, the Igbos are not in organise nations and therefore would have opened them to gradual domination by the larger and more organised groups. The Northern empires were gradually advancing towards the West and East___we might have been writing different stories today

i do not know the reason why i have the feeling that ahkenaten is ezeuche.

Posted by: Akhenaten

Rubbish. . . people have the nerve to question my Igboness. This is not even about the Igbo. Ekwensu rasikwa gi anya to anyone who questions my "Igboness" again.  Angry

The heart of the Niger Delta is in Delta and Bayelsa State. Look at a map if you do not believe me.

Anyway, I do not feel any of the majority groups understand the pain of a minority group. Always worrying about ourselves.

The Ijo have always feared Igbo domination even before Nigeria gained its independence. That is why they wanted a separate region for themselves, which was shot down by the British colonials who stated that they would be protected under the Constitution.

Minorities views are suppressed by majority groups. Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo there is no difference.

Just like you have the right to post any nonsense you want, we also have the right to question your Igboness.
I am yet to meet any Igbo who hold these views.  

Maybe your towns people have dominated the Ijos, not mine. So speak for yourself.

My people are TRADERS. We may own properties in areas outside of Nnewi, it does not mean that we stole them. We actually work hard and BUY them.  

So back to sender!

Ibime:

@ Ezeagu,

You are forgetting that before Lord Lugard and British anthropologists classified us, there was no such thing as the "Igbo" nation.

There was an Igbo nation and different towns and Igbo groups identified each other as Igbo. The mistake people make is with the strong group identity Igbo groups have. If there was no Igbo nation then it wouldn't have been possible for Nri peace warriors to have distributed yam medicine and other cultural things around Igboland. To give you an example of how the Igbo were a nation, if somebody had been given a red cap title in Umunede it would be recognised in Nike.

All this is to say that the Ijaw and Igbo have been living side by side for thousands of years despite the Igbo having become much larger than the Ijaw. The Ijaw culture still exists which is a rare thing to happen under a dominant group.

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Posted by: Tsiya

I think you are forgetting some important people in that region. Before the British, the Igbos are not in organise nations and therefore would have opened them to gradual domination by the larger and more organised groups. The Northern empires were gradually advancing towards the West and East___we might have been writing different stories today

Exactly my point. But don't forget that the East is HOMOGENEOUS "religionwise". If you want to fight any of the eastern tribes to eternity, try setting aside their "gods", then you would see. Also remember that the Jihadists were not as strong as the British. The british even kept fighting the eastern groups well into the 20th century.
So, yes a gradual assimilation with northern groups would have been possible. But you and I know that northerners were jihadists (rapid changers). They would have met stiff resistance because of that.

Akhenaten:

The Ijo have always feared Igbo domination even before Nigeria gained its independence. That is why they wanted a separate region for themselves, which was shot down by the British colonials who stated that they would be protected under the Constitution.

Minorities views are suppressed by majority groups. Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo there is no difference.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that the Ijaw is a tiny secondary group because they are actually becoming a main group and they have also been dominating smaller groups like the Ogoni as well.

To those who claim that there was no Igbo before the coming of the whiteman; why did Olaudah Equiano wrote in the 17th century that he was Eboe (Igbo)?.