gregyboy:
Lol......did ogiso even exist in the first place in benin... Lol You walker of mythology.......

If you nitice no benin person dey follow any yoruba argue benin-ife myth again because i don open their eyes......

The more i tell the truth the better for my edo brother to learn faster

It is adimila not adimula... Mugu

Oronmiyan never came to benin before 1900 upward, oromiyan only came to benin after 1914

It was oba eweka11 who ruled in 1914 that brought him to benin to use him as sacrafrical slave... Mugu

Oranmiyan my foot bring any European document from 1475 to 1897 stating benin ife connection Mugu.... Wen u b

Yoruba cannot use benin history to uplift their dead ego

If we benins would allow oromiya myth then we would also allow the nri myth of creating the benin dynasty

Summary ogiso never ruled, ogiso were myths of heavenly benin gods they are called sky royals

The rulers of benin since inception were OBAs and were never once called ogisos

When oba eweka11 invited yorubas to destroy their history by stretching his hands to their friendship for favors overtime dey soin became comfortable with this benin-yoruba friendship and Yoruba monarchy started adding to their tiles oba to promote their status, historically

Ogie=means royalty, any royalty from benin are called ogie

The oba of Lagos in ancient would be ogie eko, meaning the royalty of Lagos, only the king of benin bears oba, the others of his children bears ogie meaning royalty

Just like sultan and emirs....

TAO11:
Yes, the “Ogiso” exist for the same evidence why “Oranmiyan”, “Eweka”, Ewuare”, et al. exist — that is, corpus of oral traditional accounts affirming their existence.

Beause I have debunked your joke to the extent that they all acknowledge you as a slowpoke. Even your own Edo people do acknowledge you as a slowpoke on the Ife-Benin connection.

Let me tag one Yoruba (@babtoundey) and one Edo (@Atigba), and one Igbo (@Mraphel) to demonstrate how all Southern-Nigerian representatives have you’ve acknowledged you as a slowpoke on the Ife-Benin connection.

Except that no body on Nairaland thinks you’re mentally stable.

I have challenged you to mention one person on Nairaland who believes you’re mentally stable. And unsurprisingly, you couldn’t find anyone.


Stop signing, your nickname at the end of every little comment you make.

No, the title of the Oba of Benin which you posted here did not say he is “Adimula” or “Adimila[sic]”.

Rather, your screenshot wrote that he is the “Ovbi Adimila [sic]” — that is, “the son of the Adimla [sic]”, but not the “Adimula” himself.

So, your oral traditions admit that Benin Kings have a progenitor whose title is “Adimila [sic].

So, to know how to properly spell/pronounce it (and what it really means), then you (the King’s salve) must ask me (the progenitor of your Kings) because the word itself is my title even according to your own traditions.

When you approach the Yoruba side, we use the tittle for the Ooni of Ife. We call the Ooni by this title: “Adimula” among several other praise.

Notice that as predicted by your own traditions, the Yorubas do NOT describe the Ooni as “the son of the Adimula”.

No, instead the Ooni is “the Adimula” himself.

Ooni-risa, Adimula, Olofin Aye! ... “Oba n Ki O”!

Now that, the “Adimula” has been translated for you earlier, can you now translate what “Adimila” or “Adimila” means in Edo language.

E go begin Dey Luku-Luku.


What difference would it make if he came on the 31th of December 1899??

Stop signing your nickname at the end of every comment.

Moreover, it appears that it was Oba Eweka 11 (and his ancestors l) that were the sacrificial slave to Oranmiyan going by written account of H.L. Ward-Price when he met Oba Eweka 11.

Oba Eweka 11 informed Ward-Price that every morning at dawn, he (Oba Eweka 11) must pay certain obeisance to the Ooni of Ife.

Moreover, there is no motive for Oba Eweka 11 to fabricate a lie that ridiculed him like this, especially when we know that there was no political context at the time.

The Western Region (which you often cling to) wasn’t founded until in the year 1939. Oba Eweka 11 died in the year 1933. So, come up with another story.

I have disgraced you repeatedly (even on your own threads) on the Benin-Ife connection. You always run away.

The embedded images below show a late 1200/early 1300 bronze cast of the then Ooni of Ife. This bronze cast was excavated from the palace of Benin kingdom.

www.nairaland.com/attachments/11555237_11424577screenshot20190518174256jpeg914408e4bec15692c9e651a0b301769f_jpeg_jpeg30203ddd5168bccf1908e9c9f5a1fead

Another Angle:
www.nairaland.com/attachments/11555238_11427363screenshot20200426at115936amjpegda815e1e70859f70855eca8ea386219f_jpeg_jpeg1556c8b25833645cac380aa021666e32

Q: How did scholars come to conclusion that this bronze cast represents the then Ooni of Ife??

A: They noticed that the regalia [i.e. (1)the textile covering the lower body; (2)the two long bigger beaded necklaces running from around the shoulder down towards the knees; (3)the annulus-shaped neck pieces sitting quite atop the collarbone; (4)the one piece of necklace (made of small spherical beads) sitting quite atop the annulus-shaped pieces; (5)the many intricately designed pieces of beaded necklaces covering the upper body — including the chest and the abdomen; and most importantly, the two beaded pieces of regalia sitting right on the chest among other unique commonalities] is exactly the same regalia found on the different bronze casts of the Ooni of Ife found in Ife itself.

See the embedded images below for two of those bronze casts recovered from Ife itself and then compare:

www.nairaland.com/attachments/11680193_screenshot20200606161235_jpeg88b6cb1312b4cc63bab7ca95f3bba6e0

Another One:
www.nairaland.com/attachments/11680177_screenshot20200606160130_jpega8c506efc9844ee61b89afa5a0240dee

Moreover, scholars realize that none of the bronze casts of the Obas of Benin ever uses the same regalia. And no other bronze cast anywhere else does.

In your reply to this I know you will as usual bring up the distraction of how the crowns are different while completely ignoring the unique regalia which is not found anywhere else except in Ife.

The ready-made refutation to that is that just as Benin kingdom does not have only one type of crowns for its kings; Ife also (as well as any kingdom for that matter) have different variety of crowns for its king.

The embedded image below is an example of a crown from Ife which is likewise tall and which is likewise without the signature round & vertical front piece.

www.nairaland.com/attachments/11684185_screenshot20200607101757_jpeg78a5e08cfa86f285ad9a1f44002ccdd9

I could have sworn that I’ve seen you write else where that the Yorubas marginalize the Edos because of our superiority.

Yes, you did write that many times about Awolowo, for example. You noted that your Obas slave for Awolowo hoping to get some favour.

Except that a myth is a story which is obviously inherently naturally improbable.

As such, Oranmiyan establishing the Oba dynasty in Benin according to your Benin vast body of oral tradition is not a myth.

Whether Benin used to be ruled by some rukers called Ogiso prior to Oba is unquestionably grounded in your own oral tradition, in Yoruba oral tradition, and in Igbo oral tradition, among other accounts all over southern Nigeria.

What is obviously naturally improbable is that they dropped from the sky.

This claim is not supported by any evidence whatsoever — whether oral account or written account.

Moreover, it is false because it refuted by the logical fact that the word Oba does not have meaning that has to do with monarch in the Edo language.

Its meaning in relation to monarchy is found only in the Yoruba language.

The syllabic components are “o” and “ba”, where: “ba” is the Yoruba word which translates simply as: “to reign”, etc., and “o” describes the pronoun who performs the action.

“Oba” as a Yoruba word thus literally means: “the one who reigns”.

I dare you to translate “Oba” in Edo language by breaking it down into its syllabic components.

Oba simply has no meaning in Edo language because it is an alien word recently introduced into your lexicon around the year 1200CE.

There is no evidence any where to support or suggest this dumb idea as I have already demonstrated above. Eweka 11 in 1933, Wester Nigeria was founded in 1939.

Yet Eweka11 informed Ward-Price a European tourist that he (Eweka11) must every morning at dawn pay obeisance to the Ooni of Ife.

No “Ogie” means “King”. And there are royalties from Benin that are not called “Ogie”, e.g. “Orodje”.

You just try out several jokes on Nairaland to see how far you can go with it. Thank God for me on Nairaland to check your delusions.

Europeans have been in Lagos before the beginning of the present kingship dynasty of ‘Lagos Island’.

The Lagos dynasty never used a non-Yoruba name as its royal title. The historical royal titles of the Obas that have ruled Lagos include: “Oloriogun”, “Ologun”, “Eleko”, and presently “Olowo-Eko”.

These are Arabic words for predominantly Muslim territories regardless of whether they are Arabs or not.

gregyboy:
.

TAO11:
(1) Keep living in ignorance and delusions! But I promise to school you as always:

(a) A.F.C. Ryder’s 1965 hypothesis which you’ve attached here have been thoroughly debunked by subsequent archaeological finds which weren’t available at the time of his 1965 publication.

(b) Also, his unfamiliarity with certain information such as the significance of Oba Eweka’s morning ritual to Ife while facing the rising sun at dawn also contributed to his confusion and misinterpretation.

One such historian and scholar of African History who have contributed at some great depth to the disastrous refutation of his hypothesis is Robin Horton in his “Ancient Ife: A Reassessment”. Robin Horton writes in relation to this subject as follows:

“Curiously, Ryder, in pursuing his argument, does so in full awareness of a fact which one might have expected to moderate his enthusiasm for it. Here, I refer to the ritual in which the Oba of Benin addresses prayers to his forefathers at Ife through an eastward facing window at dawn, thus making an identification (albeit a symbolic one) between Ife and the east.* Far from sounding a note of caution in the face of this fact, he regards it as yet further evidence that the original home of the Eweka dynasty was not Ife but some more easterly or north-easterly center. His reasoning seem to be that, since the symbolism of dawn and east is alien to Ife or indeed Yoruba religious life, the ritual must represent a relatively recent grafting of the idea of Ife as dynastic home, on to a more ancient practice directed to the real dynastic home in the east or north-east.

In fact, as further information now makes plain, Ryder’s interpretation of this ritual is misguided. To start with, if we turn to Dahomey, on the opposite margin of our region, we find much the same identification. Thus Maupoil, in his classic account of Dahomean religion, tells once more of a strong association of Ife with dawn and the east. He adds that although in this area the association is one that actually does correspond with geographical reality, in the minds of the people it is not so much a summary of geographical observation as a highly appropriate piece of symbolism. For Dahomeans, dawn and the east are in this context first and foremost symbols of certain admired attributes of Ife.* Again, several scholars have noticed, there is an epithet widely current in our region which praises the city as: “Ife, creator of the world, whence come the dawn”.* Far from being something isolated and alien, then, this symbolic association of Ife with dawn and the east is something highly characteristic of the region.

Had Ryder known of this background to the Oba’s dawn prayers, he would surely have drawn somewhat different conclusions ... And had he taken this into account, he would surely have been less enthusiastic about his “look anywhere but west” approach.

Further information has also cast doubt on the iconographic arguments with which Ryder buttresses his case. Thus we now have several examples of the Maltese-cross symbols on terra-cotta materials excavated at Ife.* And the presence of this symbol in the city’s archaeological deposits vitiates the argument [with which Ryder buttresses his case], ... Again, we now have several examples of the “cat’s-whisker” facial mark on terra-cotta heads excavated at “classical” Ife sites. And the presence of this mark vitiates yet another argument.* ... Oddly, he himself acknowledges in a footnote the existence of one “cat’s whisker” head excavated at Ife. But rather than allow it cast doubt on his argument, he treats it as the exception that proves the rule. With discovery of several such pieces, however, such special pleading, already dubious, becomes totally unacceptable.

Nor are the Maltese cross and the “cat’s-whisker” the only Bini motifs for which Ife counterparts have been established over the past few years. On the contrary, recent excavations at Ife have revealed a whole series of motifs previously thought to be peculiar to Benin.*

Along with the new iconographic findings, we have also acquired an impressive series of dates. Application of carbon-14 and thermoluminescience [sic] techniques to excavated materials has enabled us to assign approximate absolute dates to several major Ife settlement levels and to the terra-cotta and brass works associated with them. Dates for terra-cotta pieces range from c. A.D. 1000 onward; whilst dates for brass pieces range from c. A.D. 1275 to c. A.D. 1440. Application of these techniques to materials from Owo and Benin has also enabled us to assign dates to some of the ”classical” terra-cotta and brass-work associated with these cities. Significantly, the Owo and Benin date-series begin slightly later than their Ife counterparts. One particularly interesting Benin date is for a brass piece previously assessed by Fagg and Dark as early on the ground of its Ife-type naturalism. Thermoluminescence tests give it a date of c. AD. 1420 — just what it should be on the premises adopted by these authors.*

Taken together, the new iconographic and dating discoveries would seem to have swung the balance of evidence back in favour of the consensual thesis of a “classical” political and artistic tradition which originated in Ife and subsequently spread to Benin.”

~ Robin Horton, “Ancient Ife: A Reassessment”, Journal of the Historical Society of Nigeria, Vol. 9, No. 4 (June 1979), pp. 85-87.
.
.
.
(2) On the overall, the decisive evidence which conclusively demolishes Ryder’s hypothesis (and other hypotheses like his) is the archaeological find of a bronze figure of the then Ooni of Ife which was excavated from the palace of Benin Kingdom and dated to c. A.D. 1300.

I have elaborated significantly on this particular find in my foregoing comment, as to how it conclusively establishes the early imperial domination of Benin Kingdom by the sacred and ancient Kingdom of Ife.

See the following link for my detailed discussion on this archaeological find:

https://www.nairaland.com/6048841/how-unveil-promote-ancient-igbo/55#93639393

cc: macof, BabaRamota1980, LegendHero.

IDENNAA:


Excuse me, what are the Aro influence in Igbo land ? What are the traditions they introduced ? I don't like the pairing of Nri and Aro....I almost feel there is an agenda behind it. I know we are all Igbo but let's not muddle everything up just to sound learned.

RedboneSmith:
How did this happen? How did an Igbo thread get derailed into this now-tiring Benin-Yoruba feud?

Eastlink:
What insolence? Only a local champion would ask such question. Aro influence was written copiously by the British that Achebe himself wrote more about them in his things fall apart than Nri! From Long Juju Shrine, to the slave trade and down to the formation of Osu, Umeh, Diala caste system, to making the name of Chukwu, Amadioha, and Kamanu Ozuzu popular. To spreading the wearing of the Akwaocha from Ndokki, to helping spread the use of the manilla, dane guns to the Ibo hinterland, economic way of life of Ndigbo (long distant trade), and cultural identity etc. Nsibidi, Ekpe, Ikoro drums, Mazi, Oriaku, Ogaranya, Killing of twins, Opu Agwu cap worn even in Kalabari, Ogoni, Ibibio, Opobo/Bonny and Efik land.

Even before joining Nairaland, I have always known about Aro. Watched movies such as Musanga warriors that displayed the act’s of the Aros. Down to the Aro wars on Ibibioland, to the Aro economic deals with Bonny, Calabar, Kalabari, Okrika, Nembe/Brass, Aboh, Ogoja etc. To Aro and her confederacy creating a dynasty in Kalabari, Okrika and Calabar etc. The Amakiri royalty is Abam. The Duke town royalty and people of Ikot Eshiet of Calabar have Aro blood. The Okrika royalty is Abam and even till today goes by the title Abam 1V. The Okochiri (Ateke Tom), Dokubo, as a matter of fact, what is known today as Ikwerre, Ogba, Ekpeye, Kalabari and Calabar were Aro formed. Aro control stretch to Ibibio, Oron, Cameroon, Benue, etc. Truth be told, only that the Nigerian civil war really did a bad number on Aro till the extent that these Aro formed communities denied relationship with Aro after the war.

Aro were among the first Ibo groups to transverse the whole east, the middlebelt through her Edda cousins and the mid-west from her association with Aboh Kingdom.

Aro controlled Iboland and bent everyone to follow the Long Juju and Osu case system. I never knew or heard about Nri until I read Elizabeth Isichei’s Ibo history. Aro was the norm till the rise of the internet helped push Nri to the attention of other parts of Ibo with the Wikipedia page and Eri folklore. As a matter of fact, Aro was on the verge of forming an empire before the coming of the whiteman. No wonder Aro was first destroyed before the British marched into other parts of Igboland.

Again, In my history classes in Uniport and while reading a few history book, Aro influence at one time had me even thinking my part of Iboland originated from Aro? I’m from Egbema and in time past had the unfounded notion that we migrated from Benin’s mainly due to some clowns pushing the Benincentric trash in old Rivers state. And then after carrying out a few research I found out we migrated from Isu/Oru into our present location. However, looking deep and after a new research, I have a feeling that the founder of my community may be an Aro man looking at how the history was said.

Omanambala:




After all these , what is the contribution of Aro to Igbo land culture. Okolu gbagoo okolu gbadaa . Maybe they introduced the Chukwu variant of God but not Olisebuluwa, Chineke nor Chi. Aro is relatively new in comparison to Nri/Awka clans and NO Aro didn't bend anybody but you southern Igbo. Their foot solders were annihilated in the Nri/Awka areas and they never ventured that direction again. Their settlements like Izuogu, Ikelionwu took Nri cultures and up till today Arondizuogu practice Nze na Ozo.

No , Aro didn't introduce ogalanya , akwa ocha , killing of twins nor oliaku....Aro didnt influence Igbo culture the way you fraudulently trying to make it. These are some grave lies you cant prove. Nri/Awka don't play Ikolo , you southern Igbo do. Achebe's historical books were well centered on Nri cultural practices.

Again, Aro is relatively a recent settlement.

Ofunwa111:



Nnaa, I am not here to compare Aro of yesterday to ancient Nri but I will not stand by and let some ignorant persons disrespect an ancient civilization with verifiable influence across Igbo land and well beyond. Aro were nothing but a criminal Confederate who terrorized southern Igbo with their Abam and Ohafia foot soldiers. These Aro are not noble men !

Why didn't they cross those southern areas into the culturally strong Nri/Awka settlements ?











For the writer to have written "ogalanya , akwa ocha , oliaku" shows he doesn't even know what he is saying.

Ofunwa111:








Nwanne, neither am I comparing. I just find it amusing when I read certain stuffs that common sense and verifiable evidence show it's a pure lie. As regards your question, I believe the noble men of Nri ancestory already had a culture to die for and would not give into whatever the Aro were bringing, Hence the annihilation in the Nri/Awka areas, which was enough for them to retreat.

Ofunwa111:













For the writer to have written "ogalanya , akwa ocha , oliaku" shows he doesn't even know what he is saying.

Eastlink:
No Nri that had no cloth on until Aro middlemen introduce Akwaocha to you. Where in Nri was Akwaocha woven? Ndokki were the first to weave Akwa ete cloths which the Aro middlemen carried to as far as Nsukka. Pictures of Nri naked chiefs are scattered in the internet. Where did you see Aro naked people?

Aro may have sold slaves but her impact in Igboland far out weight Nri! Sorry, but Nri are just local champions with no relevance. Aro stood as men and transversed all part of Igboland down to Cameroon. Had dynasty in Kalabari, Okrika, Calabar, Ikwerre etc and brought a lot of economic and cultural Influence on Iboland.

Achebe in his things fall apart talk a lot about Abam. Even when Okonkwo was banished to his maternal home in Mbanta, we saw a lot of cultural influence you guys are trying to downplay or dash to Nri. Aro may be young but they at least met an existing Ibo culture which they advanced. But Nri another clan with suspicious origin want to tell us how they created the Ibo culture. Something the Aro okigbo hardly do. Imagine the conconbility. Make una carry chair go siddon one place.

We saw the Osu and Diala caste, we saw the reference to Ani, earth goddess, to Chukwu, and to Amadioha. We saw the sacred phython, the New Yam festival, tbe wrestling, the headhunting wars, the Nso ani, and a lot of cultures that had no bearing to Nri.

Idemili people had their culture spelt by Achebe. Owerri saw theirs through the Mbari homes, Awka saw their through Agbala shrine. Yet, Achebe didn't reveal the over hyped Nri. The much announced Ichi facial mark was not even mentioned. Nze na Ozo that you want to dash Nri was a general Ibo culture and never Nri! Who dash Nri Nze na Ozo? Who dash Nri Ofo na Ogu? Who dash Nri four market days? Stop claiming general Ibo cultures as yours. You can stick to your Afa or anything your brothers in Aguleri practice but stop claiming ownership of Ibo culture. How can you claim Father to Ndibo when you're just a child.

Rewind back to Okonkwo's home town in Umuofia. We could see the famous Agbala shrine of the Awka people. We saw Ogbanje, we saw Chief priest and Priestess. There was nothing Nri in Okonkwo's things fall apart. And all these were written even before the fake Nri tales began flaring up. All of which began after the civil war. Partly by Onwejeogwu and Isichei etc. I would believe Achebe's well research novel than the trash written by Delta Ibo historians.

RedboneSmith:


What is this thing you wrote? What is the connection between Aro and Akwaocha?

Eastlink:
Nowhere in Iboland weaved the Akwa until the Ndokki came into the picture. The Aro’s interacted with the Ndoki and Ubani. It was from that interaction that the Akwaete was taken into the hinterlands. Akwaocha is weaven in the same mold of Akwete. Anything you want to call it, you can call, the Ndokki were the originators of any weaved Ibo native wears. However, today that method of weaving have been replaced by the contemporary wax George fabrics. And the Aro, by nature of their travels took ferried those cloths the other parts of Iboland.

Eastlink:
No, Nri that had no cloth on until Aro middlemen introduce Akwaocha to you. Where in Nri was Akwaocha woven? Ndokki were the first to weave Akwaete cloths which the Aro middlemen carried to as far as Nsukka. Pictures of Nri naked chiefs are scattered in the internet. Where did you see Aro naked people?

Aro may have sold slaves but her impact in Igboland far out weight Nri! Sorry, but Nri are just local champions with no relevance. Aro stood as men and transversed all part of Igboland down to Cameroon. Had dynasty in Kalabari, Okrika, Calabar, Ikwerre etc and brought a lot of economic and cultural Influence on Iboland.

Achebe in his things fall apart talk a lot about Abam. Even when Okonkwo was banished to his maternal home in Mbanta, we saw a lot of cultural influence that you guys are trying to downplay or dash to Nri. Aro may be young but they at least met an existing Ibo culture which they advanced. But Nri another clan with suspicious origin want to tell us how they created the Ibo culture. Something the Aro okigbo hardly do. Imagine the conconbility. Make una carry chair go siddon one place.

We saw the Osu and Diala caste, we saw the reference to Ani, earth goddess, Ifejioku, to Chukwu, and to Amadioha. We saw the sacred phython, the New Yam festival, the wrestling, the headhunting wars, the nso ani, and a lot of cultures that had no bearing to Nri.

Idemili people had their culture spelt by Achebe. Owerri saw theirs through the Mbari homes, Awka saw their through Agbala shrine. Yet, Achebe didn't reveal the over hyped Nri. The much announced Ichi facial mark was not even mentioned. Nze na Ozo that you want to dash Nri was a general Ibo culture and never Nri! Who dash Nri Nze na Ozo? Who dash Nri Ofo na Ogu? Who dash Nri four market days? Stop claiming general Ibo cultures as yours. You can stick to your Afa or anything your brothers in Aguleri practice but stop claiming ownership of Ibo culture. How can you claim Father to Ndibo when you're just a child.

Rewind back to Okonkwo's home town in Umuofia. We could see the famous Agbala shrine of the Awka people. We saw Ogbanje, we saw Chief priest and Chielo the Priestess. There was nothing Nri in Okonkwo's things fall apart. And all these were written even before the fake Nri tales began flaring up. All of which began after the civil war. Partly by Onwejeogwu and Isichei etc. I would rather believe Achebe's well research novel than the trash written by Delta Ibo historians.

Eastlink:
No, Nri that had no cloth on until Aro middlemen introduce Akwaocha to you. Where in Nri was Akwaocha woven? Ndokki were the first to weave Akwaete cloths which the Aro middlemen carried to as far as Nsukka. Pictures of Nri naked chiefs are scattered in the internet. Where did you see Aro naked people?

Aro may have sold slaves but her impact in Igboland far out weight Nri! Sorry, but Nri are just local champions with no relevance. Aro stood as men and transversed all part of Igboland down to Cameroon. Had dynasty in Kalabari, Okrika, Calabar, Ikwerre etc and brought a lot of economic and cultural Influence on Iboland.

Achebe in his things fall apart talk a lot about Abam. Even when Okonkwo was banished to his maternal home in Mbanta, we saw a lot of cultural influence that you guys are trying to downplay or dash to Nri. Aro may be young but they at least met an existing Ibo culture which they advanced. But Nri another clan with suspicious origin want to tell us how they created the Ibo culture. Something the Aro okigbo hardly do. Imagine the conconbility. Make una carry chair go siddon one place.

We saw the Osu and Diala caste, we saw the reference to Ani, earth goddess, Ifejioku, to Chukwu, and to Amadioha. We saw the sacred phython, the New Yam festival, the wrestling, the headhunting wars, the nso ani, and a lot of cultures that had no bearing to Nri.

Idemili people had their culture spelt by Achebe. Owerri saw theirs through the Mbari homes, Awka saw their through Agbala shrine. Yet, Achebe didn't reveal the over hyped Nri. The much announced Ichi facial mark was not even mentioned. Nze na Ozo that you want to dash Nri was a general Ibo culture and never Nri! Who dash Nri Nze na Ozo? Who dash Nri Ofo na Ogu? Who dash Nri four market days? Stop claiming general Ibo cultures as yours. You can stick to your Afa or anything your brothers in Aguleri practice but stop claiming ownership of Ibo culture. How can you claim Father to Ndibo when you're just a child.

Rewind back to Okonkwo's home town in Umuofia. We could see the famous Agbala shrine of the Awka people. We saw Ogbanje, we saw Chief priest and Chielo the Priestess. There was nothing Nri in Okonkwo's things fall apart. And all these were written even before the fake Nri tales began flaring up. All of which began after the civil war. Partly by Onwejeogwu and Isichei etc. I would rather believe Achebe's well research novel than the trash written by Delta Ibo historians.

Omanambala:



First of all, Aro did not weave nor introduce the akwaocha to anybody unless you have the facts to back your claims. Before the akwa ette group the Anioma incliding Ogwashiukwu , Asaba , etc who are bonafide Nri settlements were weaving akwaocha till date ! Lets fix the nonsense before we move to the big stuff because this is going to be a fun and long ride.

Eastlink:
Show us evidence of Ogwashiukwu, Asaba, Isele Ukwu weaving cloths in the 18/19th century and I’ll show you pictures of their Bini overlords roaming naked. Akwette were the first weaved cloths in Iboland. Others who began wearing cloths learn’t from them.

Eastlink:
https://tdsblog.com/akwete-igbo-traditional-textile-made-in-nigeria/

Omanambala:


But let's clear this out, Aro were never weaved clothes.

Omanambala:

Paul Osuyi, Asaba

Akwa Ocha, the popular hand-woven cloth, is peculiar to the people of Anioma (Delta North senatorial district) of Delta State, which has three sub-constituencies of Aniocha/Oshimili, Ika and Ndokwa. The area is the Igbo-speaking part of the state.

Among the people of the various constituencies are certain cultural affinities, including language, that define each of them. But Akwa Ocha, a fabric that has evolved over time, is a uniform clothing material for the people. It is a ceremonial material that is not worn every day.

Although it is not clear where Akwa Ocha, which literally means ‘white cloth,’ originated from, many are of the opinion that the people of Ubulu-Uku in Aniocha South Local Government Area started it.

Ubulu-Uku is one of the several communities in Aniocha/Oshimili constituency, otherwise referred to as Enuani people, and the community is believed to have started producing Akwa Ocha after processing harvested cotton, which was widely cultivated in the area.

Mr. Joseph Ogoegbunem, a native of Ubulu-Uku, told our correspondent that Akwa Ocha is part of the culture of the Enuani people as it represents certain aspects of their culture, adding, however, that the process of making it used to be very tedious.

Ogoegbunem compared the laborious process of making Akwa Ocha to the energy-sapping process of turning raw cassava into garri before the advent of mills and other modern techniques.

Ogoegbunem said: “Akwa Ocha is part and parcel of the culture of my people, that is, the Aniocha/Oshimili people, or Enuani, that constitute part of Delta North senatorial district (Anioma) of Delta State. We grew up to meet it, it was handed over to us by our forefathers.

“It is a combination of male and female endeavours in some ways. It is a combination of male and female efforts in the sense that the males go to plant the cotton and do the harvesting. Then, in the evening, you see the women trying to filter the cotton.

“It is now that some of these things are so modernised that you can go to the market and buy cottons in rims. Otherwise, it starts from the planting and eventual harvesting of the cotton buds.

“And trying to dry them and treat them in such a way that you have a roll of cottons, they have a way of turning them round and they become a string and become a roll over time.

“But the process is very laborious and time-consuming. It is just like processing cassava into garri, when they were using hand grater, you can imagine the quantity you would get.”

Another native of the town, Godfrey Ubaka, also said that Akwa Ocha is part of the culture of the people, noting that “it represents certain aspects of our culture.” Ubaka gave further insights into the making of the treasured fabric.

“The women treat the wool in the Akwa Ocha stuff. There is a stand or a loom just like you have at the blacksmith’s. The loom is where the woman stays, because it is more of a feminine thing, doing the knitting.

“They know where to put it in between the loom, and the point to hit it, before you know it, the thing is forming, until they get up to a yard. In those days, not everybody had the privilege of wearing cloth but there is a point it gets to, when you are becoming a man, and you get a yard,” he said.

Ubaka went further to explain the cultural and religious significance of Akwa Ocha and distinguished it from other hand-woven cloths in other parts of the country.

“It is called Akwa Ocha because it is entirely white. These days, you see designs that distinguish one from another. In Benue, there is also a distinct one that the Igbirra people do with which they perform the swange dance.

“So, it is essentially an aspect of the culture, a statement of our values. The Akwa Ocha has its own cultural and religious significance because we are talking about purity.

“I still remember that, growing up, it was part of our culture that, if you come to marry my daughter, and I expect that I have trained her pure and I give her to you in marriage, she does not just go like that. I accompany her to your house with one yard of Akwa Ocha.

“That is what you lay on the bed on the first night of mating. It is expected that during first mating, some blood drops on the Akwa Ocha.

“Eventually, it is with joy that you return the Akwa Ocha to me as a testimony that you met my daughter at home, that she was not wayward. I would receive it with greater joy.

That is part of the culture of significance, talking about purity.

“Then the men would tie it as they go out. There were also stages, as a man, when you could tie one across your shoulder. And it is used during some occasions. During burial ceremonies, it is usually a sight to behold the Akwa Ocha contrasting with the red cap.

“Red in that sense is about royalty, it is also talking about valour. You don’t just wake up and start wearing red cap,” Ubaka said.

According to him, as young ladies grow up in Ubulu-Uku, there are certain things expected of them. One of such things is the making of Akwa Ocha.

“As a young man growing up, there were certain things expected of you. You should be able to set traps and catch animals. You should be able to climb palm trees and cut down bunches of palm nuts. Those are attainments.

“The women should be able to weave cloth. If you cannot weave, you should be able to buy from those who weave, as a gift to your man or husband,” he said.

As a treasured item, Akwa Ocha is among the most important two-dimensional art forms in Nigeria. It is not the everyday clothing material, as it is reserved for special occasions.

And it is used as precious gifts for people considered important visitors, according to Emeka Mgbodo, a native of Asaba in Oshimili South Local Government Area.

Mgbodo was not, however, certain about the origin of Akwa Ocha, saying it is contestable to say that the fabric originated from any of the communities in Enuani.

“Talking about where it originated from, that is where historical bias can come in but I know that it is a culture of the Aniocha/Oshimili people. We have a cultural link with Benin people till date.

“The palace of the king of Ubulu-Uku, for instance, still has a role to play before the final coronation of the Oba of Benin. These are integration, cultural linkages. So, I can’t be certain where and when it originated.

“I would rather say that it is an industry of Aniocha/Oshimili people, the Enuani people of Delta State. If I say it is from Ubulu-Uku, some persons may say that it is from Issele-Uku or Ogwashi-Uku, as the case maybe. These are people living within the same geographical territory, with same culture,” he explained.

Mgbodo said people are not attracted to learning the skill of producing Akwa Ocha because of the laborious and time-consuming processes, noting that when it was done manually, it used to take over two weeks to produce just a yard of the material.

“If you go to where they are doing it and drop a million naira, it cannot give you Akwa Ocha by tomorrow morning, It goes through a process. It is about creativity. You need to book it ahead of time.

“To what extent has the process been commercialised for mass production? Government may have put some machinery in place but nobody knows how sincere those efforts are.

“I think that there are one or two aspects of technological inputs needed in order to see that the time it takes to come out with one yard is reduced drastically. In Benin, for instance, there are the bronze casters, which is not for everybody.

“There is a link between that Benin culture and ours. But producing Akwa Ocha does not require that one must be an initiate to be able to do it. It is just about transfer of skills, it is essentially feminine.

“It takes time, a gestation period, for us to weave one; it might take two weeks or thereabouts. And in this era, I don’t see why a woman would be ready to sit down and go through that kind of training,” he said.

Uniform for feasts

In celebrations in Anioma, Akwa Ocha comes in more than one colour, with customised designs to suit the taste of the wearers. It is an indication that the industry has gone through various innovations.

Some Akwa Ocha are embellished with motifs and symbols reflective of the people’s religious and social beliefs. The motifs may range from the mundane to the spiritual, and incorporate plants, animals, man-made objects, geometric shapes and cosmological symbols.

Mrs. Mary Igbudu, popularly known as Oyibo, is reputed for the production of Akwa Ocha. She lives in Ubulu-Uku but she is the presently the chief trainer of beneficiaries of the Delta State government’s skill acquisition scheme under the state’s job creation office.

At the shoe leather factory, Issele-Uku, where 23 beneficiaries are undergoing training in the production of Akwa Ocha, Igbudu gave credit to the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for bringing about innovations, especially with the introduction of other colours of the fabric.

“Akwu Oma was introduced by Okowa to give different varieties of colours. He told us that people see Akwa Ocha as burial cloth. It is with the white that you will know that there is a burial ceremony in any place but with Akwu Oma, it can be used in any occasion.

“Our governor frowned at the situation where our people will be wearing materials for other cultures and people, but now you wear this one so that anywhere you go they will easily identify that you are from Anioma,” she said.

Igbudu stated that she inherited the art from her forebears when the raw cotton was processed manually into wool for the making of Akwa Ocha. She added, however, that, these days, they get the raw materials from the market.

“We buy the raw materials, that is, the thread, from Onitsha in Anambra State. Before, we planted cotton seeds, harvested the cotton and processed it to become the wool for Akwa Ocha. But we now go to the market to buy the processed wool.

“In those days, we would harvest the cotton, remove the seeds, and process it locally. It took a lot of time to process. But this is machine thread and it is lot more easier. The old one was not pure. After processing it from cotton, you would wash it. Akwa Ocha is our tradition,” she said.

She explained that the Delta State government has introduced new and modern methods of producing the material, adding that it is now less time-consuming while at the same giving her the opportunity to train the younger generation on how to make it.

“Our mothers handed it over to us. It was manually produced in our community but the state government has introduced a modern method of making it.

“You just fixed it against the wall; that is how we used to do it. We normally did one wrapper, that is, two yards (four pieces) for a period of two weeks in the old system, but now it takes just one week to produce.

“I am training people and it takes them three weeks to graduate. We have trained 110 under the job creation scheme. Those we have trained are all over the state weaving the material.

“People are buying it from all parts of the world; the demand is high. We export it to Europe and America upon demand from our brothers and sisters over there.

“The material is expensive because of the energy-sapping effort of producing it. There is also the issue of the creativity in the finished product. You sit in one position for hours while your brain is working.

“I want to appeal to government to continue to encourage local industries, especially in the area of producing local fabrics. Government should train more people, particularly the youth, to take over from us,” she said.

One of her trainees, Christiana, a native of Oleh, Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State, informed our correspondent that she developed interest in the Akwa Ocha because of its uniqueness and commercial potential.

Christiana claimed that she is a trained fashion designer, but decided to add the Akwa Ocha aspect to her knowledge in order to have an edge over her competitors in the fashion world. She added that she also went into it to save it from extinction.

“Akwa Ocha is a cloth associated with Anioma people but for some time now, the people producing it are getting old, and it is almost going into extinction. I love it and decided to join in the production to sustain it.

“And because the producers are few, demand is high. Sometimes, it is even difficult to cope with the high demand. So, I am in it because I know it will be economically viable than the normal fashion design, where I am already an expert,” she said.

Another trainee, Theresa Okafor, said that she would definitely establish an outfit for Akwa Ocha production after graduation.

On the innovations whereby a variety of designs and colours now exist in Akwa Ocha, Ubaka described it as a welcome development, noting that it has enhanced the economic viability of the industry.

“We also use it to welcome important visitors, people we feel have accomplished something. These days, people don’t just tie the cloth, they take it to the tailor to get designs that suit them, but it is not a fabric for every day,” he said.

According to him, “Cultivation of cotton, picking and processing it is still on, but it takes a longer process. So, what is more common now is that the weavers go to the market and buy processed cotton in bundles and use that to do the weaving. It is faster.

“What they use is not sewing machine; it is loom, which is a wooden stand, manual and not mechanised. That was why it was taking long to process.

“Recent innovations are good, particularly the various designs on the fabric. We used to tie it as wrapper, with the other one crossing the shoulder with a red cap and hide fan to march as a titled man.

“But, over time, people now take that yard or spread and go to the tailor to make what suits them. It is just about what we inherited as a culture and are trying to modernise it and use it to express ourselves, and as a means of livelihood.

“The skill is not common. Go to Ekiti, you are given Adire, or Benin you are given bronze, so it is with Anioma and Akwa Ocha. It is one of the things we are known for in our celebrations, festivals; it and speaks a lot about our creative ability because you begin to wonder about the intricacies.

“At the end of the day, all the things they teach in science about symmetry, about alignment, you just see that everything is in order while making Akwa Ocha. That is the level of creativity, the beauty of it all.”

Ubaka opined that there was need to expand the production of Akwa Ocha because of the high demand from both within and outside the country even as he expressed concerns over the seemingly inability to transfer the skill to the younger generation.