₦airaland Forum

df2006:
Ever heard of political realignment?

my friend i no dey for too much talk, you can write all you want, at the end of the day pickin wey lost sabi im tru father, we will just go back and forth with no meaningful headway, it dose not mean much to me whether you are benin or igbo, no be wetin i go chop! how ever it is worrying the type of things you post

non the least, very divisive, but i wonder? why do you guys carry so much hate? and bitterness

There is no hatred between Ndigbo and Binis, so do not go there. Oba Akenzua, the predecessor to Erediuwa was asked to define the borders of Igbo and Bini, he he clearly did that. If you know your history, you will know what am talking about.
On political realignment, why did they choose to align with Ndigbo instead of Binis or other Nigerian groups. They even chose to fight on Igbo side during the Nigeria crisis.
Even Within EDO state, non Bini groups have not accepted been Bini talkless of Igbo groups.

Abagworo:
My family happens to be one of the Bini- Igbo migrants.I therefore think I am qualified to give a clearer view.During afa,we call the names by lineage up till the first bini migrant whose name is akaraka.akaraka is an Igbo name and not edo.I think he was actually from Agbor and settled briefly by the river bank before crossing the niger.Agbor always spoke Igbo as their language and bini as a palace language.Igbo starts from Igbanke in Edo state.

WORD.

amazonia:
Of course, there is no doubt that these people today speaks igbo language.
That does not make them Igbo. Our children growing up today in England
speaks English and some are British citizens, that doesn't mean they are
English,welsh, Irish nor Scottish. So if Ika and others speaks igbo to facilitate
their commerce that do not make them Igbo. Though, there are true Igbos
citizens there, they came from the east of the Niger river.

Ogoni and Okrika people traded more with the Igbo than Bini and Igbo. Yet Okrika and Ogoni are not Igbo, neither do they speak Igbo and bear Igbo names. I hope you guys are learning.

df2006:
@ andre, pls don,t rewrite history, the ishans and the etsakos are from benin, do you know the meaning of[b] agenegbode [/b] on the banks of the river niger in edo state? it means " we will not cross" they came all the way from benin and at agenebode they refuse to cross, all these places all across the banks of the niger were the frontiers of the benin kingdom northwards including eastward. like amazonia rightly said because the ika people speak igbo, dose not make them igbos.

Makurdi is an Hausa name, yet the people of Markurdi are not Hausas but Tivs. Eko is also a Bini word yet Lagosians are not Binis. Get it right.

df2006:
and like you rightly said the influence is in kingship, the king owns every thing, the king tells the people who they are.

But why are their kings more inclined to Igbo organisations than Bini organisations?. Am sure you will not answer this question as you guys have not answered my previous questions.

df2006:
and like you rightly said the influence is in kingship, the king owns every thing, the king tells the people who they are.

Yea, just like Oba Akenzua told the Nigerian army that the people who live after Abudu are Igbo. The rest is now history.

amazonia:
Of course, there is no doubt that these people today speaks igbo language.
That does not make them Igbo. Our children growing up today in England
speaks English and some are British citizens, that doesn't mean they are
English,welsh, Irish nor Scottish. So if Ika and others speaks igbo to facilitate
their commerce that do not make them Igbo. Though, there are true Igbos
citizens there, they came from the east of the Niger river.

So at what point did they hire Igbo people to teach them Igbo language and change their names?.

amazonia:
Of course, there is no doubt that these people today speaks igbo language.
That does not make them Igbo. Our children growing up today in England
speaks English and some are British citizens, that doesn't mean they are
English,welsh, Irish nor Scottish. So if Ika and others speaks igbo to facilitate
their commerce that do not make them Igbo. Though, there are true Igbos
citizens there, they came from the east of the Niger river.

Am only replying you because you are more intelligent than the original poster. Have a look at Edo state, Even the Ishans and Etsakos are not Binis. Bini is Oredo and sorronding areas. The Bini empire rose to high prominence under Ewuare the great. But It does not mean that those groups who were annexed by Ewuare's expanding empire became automatically Binis. So do not turn logic upside down.
Would an Owoh, Ekiti and Ondo people accept that they are Binis because at a certain time they fell under Ewuare's great might. In the same vain, why should Igbo communities east of Bini claim Bini. I think, the biggest influence of Bini on Western Igbo is in Kingship.

I know that Amb. Uwaechue's inauguration speech was rendered in Igbo language. I hope the speeches at Igbo day will be in Igbo language.

amazonia:
@Asha,
Yes, in Benin, we do colloquially refer to them as ovbe-Igbo.
That doesn't mean we don't know they are not Igbo.We
call them Igbo because they speak igbo,although they do
have their own dialects, that are often a hybrids of Edo
intonations. The Royal palace till today plays vital part in
the coronations of Obi and other traditional leadership positions in these communities.
The great-grand son of oba Ovoramen is the current traditional leader of Owa.
My friend you are the one dreaming. You seems not to know your limits (boundaries).

This post of yours is a very stupendous one. You should be more concerned with the small size of the Binis compared to Delta Igbo. Was there an epidemic that wiped off the larger percentage of the Bini people?.
Have you not wondered why Eze Chima and his descendants are all Igbo till date, speak Igbo language and practice Igbo culture.
Why do they attend Igbo meetings instead of Bini meetings.

[quote author=Aloy+Emeka link=topic=521092.msg6831857#msg6831857 date=1285611266]Very soon, he will be required to travel to Southern Nigeria with visa. Thanks to Allah that he doesn't have to visit his Igbo inlaws in Delta state again since their daughter he married is dead. [/quote]Regardless of Maryam Ndidiamaka's death, IBB will always be welcomed by his inlaws. He has been good to them and even gave them a state capital.

amazonia:
@asha,
Yes the osadebeys, like other original indigence of the area are of Edo origin
The ancient Bini-empire encompasses those geographic territories. So in the
event of the demise and fragmentation of present day Nigeria, we the Edos
will reconstitute our old Bini-kingdom. Asaba, Agbor, ogwashu-uku etc are
bonefieled part of Edo heritage.

It is an outright stupididy to claim that Bini empire extended to Asaba instead of claiming westward expansion to Lagos. You are scared of the Yorubas. I do not know if you were born by 1987 to note that one of the survivors of the British sack of Oba's palace was an Igboman. During the Bini centenary of 1987, one of the eye-witness accounts was narrated in Igbo by an Igbo who lived in the Oba's palace as a boy then.
That goes a long way to show that Igbo people lived in Bini also. The misunderstanding between this Igbo groups and Oba Ewuare in the 16th century probably led to the Eastward movement of this Igbo groups.
Despite Bini influence, Igbo language is still retained as well as Igbo culture.

[quote author=#Afanna link=topic=520493.msg6826300#msg6826300 date=1285529608]biafra mean ijaw. [/quote]How?. Am sure you will not answer this question. You are also needed in another thread to explain how Ijaw got a population of 14 million, from a silly post of yours.

This is very interesting. I still remember the 1994 edition of Igbo day in Asaba which was jointly organised by Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Aka Ikenga. Asaba stood still on that day.
I hope this will positively impact on the sensitive issues in Abia at the moment.

Obiagu1:
@ maxsiollun, you're a FALSE WRITER, move away. Retard.

Biko, were ya nwayo, I beg you in the name of Jesus.

It is the responsibility of govts to preserve life. In civilised world, even if a man is 102 and requires a surgery of £4,000. He still gets it. I have seen that happen several times. There is no need to neglect Pa Samuel because of his age.

@Texazzpete: Africa has a very rich cultural heritage. A lot of our stories were not told or where told by the whitemen. Remember when a white man writes your story for you, he does not detail it. Remember in things fall Apart, the whiteman said he will write about Okonkwo in only a paragraph or may be a page. Yet Chinua Achebe wrote a whole book about Okonkwo.
In essence, for us to know about our future, we have to know our past. Nigeria is about to celebrate 50th anniversary, and those who died fighting the occupiers are not known and has not been accorded full recognition of their efforts to resist imperialism. You can be of good help by coming up with the ones in your Edo group. I am an Igbo, and more conversant with Igbo topics. Part of my growing up was in Ibadan, I can also do for that Region, but their guys can handle it.
Hence, come up with what you know about resistance groups and communities in colonial Nigeria or peace.

aaidel:
another charlatan joins the race

Stop that silly behaviour here.

Let us Thank God that Segun Osoba is still alive.
No, let no one blame Max on the issue because what Max wrote on the issue was the information he got from those he interviewed.

Congratulations to Chidinma and the entire Ekile family.

ChinenyeN:
Andre, do you seriously intend on going back and forth with Becomerich on this issue?

I think I should ignore him because he is not ready to accept new facts.

In terms of the creation of Anioma state, I have written so many articles in support of the creation of Anioma state. My uncle was a member of the Ohanaeze delegation that demanded for the creation of Anioma state in 1991 from IBB.

@KnowAll, you are wrong. The article is not about slavery. Reread the first post. It is about proud Igbo communities west of the Niger who gallantly resisted the British occupation of their land.
Modern day nationalist like Azikiwe etc have been glorified for the resistance of colonial rule. But prior to Azikiwe's era, there were people whom hitherto unknown also resisted imperialism. They are also heroes and should not be forgotten.

The Obi of Ekwuoma. Akumazi etc bear Igbo names. The Obi of Owa speaks Igbo, does Iri ji festival and other Igbo rituals. He is more inclined to Igbo than Bini.

The Obi (Dein) of Agbor is Benjamin .K. Ikenchukwu. It does not matter if it is Dein or Obi. His father was a well respected Ika-Igbo who went by the title ''Obi of Agbor.
Apart from Agbor, the other kingdoms use Obi as the title of their paramount ruler.

@Ileke Idi.
Do not derail this thread further.

Ist October, 2010, marks The 50th anniversary of Nigeria's independence from imperial Britain. It was not a walk over for the British to conquer Nigeria, some individuals and groups resisted the imposition of colonial rule.
Please let us discuss the brave roles of this groups and peoples.
Thanks.

texazzpete:
Please focus on resisting those kidnappers and armed robbers that are killing and maiming your people now instead of dredging up ancient glories.

Clown, get out of here. You are not intelligent enough for this sort of thread.

As Nigeria prepares to celebrate fifty years of Freedom from colonialism, let us not forget those groups and peoples who resisted the whiteman's occupation of Nigeria.

EKUMEKU  WAR OF WESTERN NDIGBO
The Anioma-British war popularly referred to in history as Ekumeku or Ekwumekwu in some Anioma quarters occurred between 1883-1914 and involved Anioma and the British. The Anioma are mostly Igbo therefore all Anioma speak Igbo beyond the enclaves of non Igbo ancestry of the Anioma region. It is therefore easier to recognize that Ekwumekwu is an Igbo word. However, different sources have interpreted "Ekumeku" differently.

Ekumeku is indigenously known in Anioma historical context as "Aya Ekumeku". Aya in Igbo language denotes "war" while Ekwumekwu in Igbo onomatopoeia connotes "Do not talk about it" or "Not to be spoken about". This is a portrayal od secrecy associated with Ekumeku movement. The terribly fast, devastating and invisible nature or strategy employed to wage the war couples with the initiation requirement necessary for the recruitment of soldiers may have warranted the word "Ekumeku" In the years of the Ekumeku war, it was a taboo to reveal the secrecy behind the activities of the cult regarding initiation, operational bases, movement and sources of the cult group.

This situation posed the British with so much difficulty as they were unable to manage the activities of the Anioma perceived worrisome to their imperialist policies. The mystery surrounding the activities from which the people derived unexplainable strength puzzled the British who perhaps were hasty to abolish what they believe could become established in the socio-cultural society of the Anioma and constitute hindrances towards realizing their economic aims if nothing was speedily done.

Resistance was strong in western Igboland with series of wars waged to resist the British who had strong economic interest in the region and Ekumeku with well organized leaders joined in oath-taking secrecy to forestall the activities of the British in the region. Guerrilla warfare was the effective weapon if this was to be achieved. The Ekumeku became the greatest of the Igbo nationalism that instilled fear and discipline in the minds of the British on how and how not to deal with the Igbo people generally. It was from Ekumeku that other Igbo regions derived boldness to confront the British. Perahps, there existed no region in Southern Nigeria where the people ferociously and collectively rose to resist the British imperial conquest as in the Anioma region where the war lasted for 16 years with heavy casualties on both belligerents. 

Attempts in the 19th and 20th centuries by the British to impose imperialistic and hegemonic measures that would subjugate the Anioma people for their own economic gains triggered-off the Ekwumekwu war. Anioma had viewed socio-economic activities of the British in the Anioma region as an intrusion that must be resisted at all cost and the British decided to employ the use of force to subdue the people. This became a threat in the Anioma society. Scholars of the Anioma History believe that while Britain because of its experiences derived from other parts of the country was well prepared for the outcome, the Anioma were little prepared and only ready to defend its territory from economic violation of the British. This gave the Britisn an upper hand over their Anioma counterparts. It was not until towards the end of the war that the rest of the Anioma towns prepared themselves for the battle the British.

The Anioma nation had before 1898 engaged in violent clashes with the British resulting in the identification of the Anioma region as a difficult terrain and it was the feeling of the British that the area needed to be purged if they would derive economic gains from the region and for the social activities of the British to be impacted on the people.  Interestingly, the British had already noted the leaders of the region as violent because of their unpleasant experiences with the people. In 1830, the Lander Brothers reported their sour experiences in the hands of the Anioma back home as they were captured by the Anioma community who did not understand their reason for crossing through their territory. It was a crisis that put the Anioma in the bad book of Britain only waiting to explode.

By 1870, the crisis between Anioma and Britain had escalated culminating in the invasion of Ndoni, an Anioma community by the British in the same year. The British parliament had ruled that the use of force would be necessary to compel the people of Ndoni to cooperate with their economic terms among several others. Atani another Anioma community would suffer the same fate as it engaged the Royal Niger Company in 1880 in a bid to control the trade of the region. The Royal Niger Company with its charter perpetuated what Joseph Egwu an erudite scholar regarded as the first genocide against the Anioma people. Finally, in November 2, 1897, Onicha-Ado (Onitsha) an Anioma community was bombarded in what was to set the Anioma rulers against the British in many years of guerrilla warfare.

Ibusa-Royal Niger Company War (1898)
The real first of the Ekumeku wars was between Ibusa and Royal Niger Company. Dr. Joseph Egwu in an article titled"Ekwumekwu Movement" published in Anioma Essence Vol. 1, No. 4, 2008 edition delivers a beautiful account of the Ibusa-Royal Niger Company War in which the Royal Niger Company forces commandeered by Major Festing decided to attack Ibusa.

Strangely, the Royal Niger Company launched a surprise attack on Ibusa and thus won an initial victory which through was temporary. The Ibusa forces retreated and the feeling of the British was absolute victory.

Writing further, Father Zappa in 1898 emphasized that rather than surrender, the Ekwumekwu soldiers continued to resist as the Ibusa forces reinforced. Major Festing's further appeal and indeed reinforcement of troops from Lokoja that joined the forces of the Royal Niger Company helped the Forces to sustain victory over the Anioma community of Ibusa.

"Indeed it was not the possession of more sophisticated firearms that ensured Major Festing's ultimate victory, it was rather wanton and callous destruction of Ibusa farms and villages that forced them to sue for peace.

Ukwunzu/Owa-the British (1904)
On the 11th February 1904, severe fighting increased between Ukwunze and Owa on one side and the British as the other party. W. E. B. Crawford Coupland, the Divisional Commissioner ordered for 4 Connaught Rangers, 2.95 artillery and other weapons with which the people were subdued.

Owa-the British (1906)
The Ika people displaying prowess of the most war-like of the Western Igbo speaking people with the fierce wars fought to end S. O. Crave-Read and his British styled inhuman treatment. In this war, Ekute provided military support to the Ekwumekwu soldiers. The Ika people fought a well prepared battle as Lt H. C. Moorhouse would later put up a brilliant defence of himself on why he appeared prone to sustaining casualties stating that the Ekwumekwu soldiers operated with a well trained soldiers and geographical knowledge was an advantage. Mr. S. O. Crewe lost his life in the battle.

Ogwashi-Uku-the British
The Anglo-Ogwashi-Uku war which began on November 2, 1909 with a mandate to the British Forces to kill everybody proved to be a partial disappointment ion the part of the British and more than anything proved that the British Forces could collapse if matched with sophisticated arms and ammunition. In that war the British sustained 34 casualties with the death of Captain H. C. Chapman.

With the fall of Ogwashi-Uku, the Anioma was doomed for balkanization. Dr. Egwu briefly summarizes what thereafter befell the Anioma as thus:

"Anioma Region was divided into four and joined to other groups neighbours who were then given political precedence over Anioma. Asaba Division was joined to the Benin Province and Aboh Division (Ndi-Olu) were joined with Urhobo, Ijaws and Itsekiris to make up the Delta Province. Onitsha, Oguta and environs were joined to the Eastern Provinces. This made political unity nearly impossible. This was the genesis of our woes!

With the fall of Anioma, the great price for losing a war was paid by the people. The region was balkanized by the British and many Anioma territories such as Onicha-Ado (Onitsha) and Oguta were permanently lost to the easterners. That of Onitsha was characterized with a change of the name that disassociated it from Onicha-Olona, Onicha-Ukwu, Onicha-Uku kinsmen but in all Anioma achieved for the Igbo nation a movement more extensive and resisting than what the British had experienced in Africa South of the Sahara.

Igbafe in his work opines "the ability to manipulate their Age Grade system and other associations building an extensive network of communication throughout the whole of Anioma…no matter its cost, honour, bravery and integrity which have been internalized and consolidated in their myths, legends, proverbs and typical behaviour patterns.

The Anioma Ekwumekwu commanders were:

1. Dunkwu Isusu (Onicha-Olona)
2. Ochei Nwayazia (Onicha-Olona)
3. Nwabuzo Olimagwo (Issele-Uku)
4. Mokobia Odiajo (Ogwashi-Uku)
5. Nwaiyogolo (Ogwashi-Uku)
6. Eninwizomo (Ugbodu)
7. Idegwu Otokpoike (Ubulu-Uku)
8. Monye Ukpe
9. Diei Nwobodo
10. Egbune Uza
11. Awunor Ugbo (Akumazi)
12. Abuzu (Idumuje-Unor)
13. Idabor (Issele-Uku)
14. Agbambu Oshue (Ibusa)

Some of the Anioma towns that participated were:
1. Isheagwu
2. Kwale
3. Ugbolu
4. Obiaruku
5. Aboh
6. Ebu
7. Ubulu-Uku
8. Ogwashi-Uku
9. Akumazi-Umuocha
10. Onicha-Ado (Onitsha)
11. Obomkpa
12. Ezi
13. Issele-Uku
14. Ilah
15. Okpanam
16. Issele-Azagba
17. Owa
18. Ibusa
19. Idumuje-Ugboko
20. Agbor
21. Igbodo
22. Umunede
23. Asaba
24. Ute-Okpu
25. Ashama
26. Idume-Ugbo
(ArticlesBase SC #2316537)http://www.articlesbase.com/culture-articles/ekumeku-war-of-the-anioma-people-2316537.html

The Prof should be asking ''where was the north east and north west in 1014, 1945 and 1960. Some times I wonder at some professors from the north who are not well-informed.