₦airaland Forum

Great topic.

The majority of the area now known as Abia and Ebonyi states were once dominated by non Igbo groups. Igbo groups from Central Igboland moved in and eventually dominated the area. The founders of Ututu/Ohafia/Abam, Bende, Umuahia Ibeku, Ngwa, Ezza/Izzi/Ikwo, etc were apart of these migrations.

A smaller number of originally non Igbo groups also moved into the area during and after the Igbo migrations. The founders of Abiriba, Arochukwu, Edda, Amasiri, Uturu (not to be confused with Ututu), Isingwu, Item, Nkporo, etc were apart of these migrations. The clans eventually adopted Igbo as their main language most likely because Igbo was the lingua franca in their new areas, intermarriages with Igbo speaking neighbors, and trade.

NRIPRIEST:
Here I come; I'm very pleased to know that you have realized that Aro culture doesn't represent the greater Igbo culture. We all agree that Aro culture was relativelly new because they migrated from northern Imo and are settlers to where they presently occupy now,so,when you wanna discuss Igbo culture I suggest you start with the most authentic Igbo culture(Nri) to avoid backlash. It is both mischievous and misleading to discuss Igbo culture and start with Aro of 18century. The culture of the Igbo doesn't start with Aro Okigbo. There was Eri/Nri,Isu and others that predates Aro. Its ok to be proud,promote and glorify your culture but you mustn't neglet the culture with which Igbo people drew their identity from. Hey,I love the Aro regallia but the record must be set straight. An Igbo proverb says "ahaba oke ebido na isi..meaning; The eldest pick firstly,when the father's properties are divided. Nri bu isi Igbo! And this must be respected!

The Aro did not come from Northern Imo.

My mother is from Nri. The Eri/Nri people are originally from the Igala.

The Igbo culture most likely evolved from the Orlu, Okigwe, Owerri, and Awka areas and expanded in all directions.

odumchi:
Antivirus, why do you speak commandingly on issues that you [apparently] know little about? Your statements are becoming borderline insults.

Who on this earth told you that the Aro have no lineage? The Aro people are composed of three otusi (lineages) which are: Ezeagwu, Okennachi, and Akuma Nnubi. All Umu Aro communities also trace their origins to a particular village within these lineages. Originally, we (Aro people) were an amalgamation of different peoples but now, due to cross-pollination and other factors, we are all one.

Exactly my brother.

Antivirus92:
do you actually know what a lineage mean? How can you call a confederacy of ndi ibom(in akwa ibom),ekpa,ezza/izzi(in ebonyi state) and umuezeagwu that came from owerre axis a lineage because they came together to form aro confederacy? Do you actually know anything about aro history? Again umuiguedo are NOT considered as umunri please. An ogbunike or nando or nteje man cannot tell u that he is nwa nri but he can claim brotherhood with umunri. This where you guys get it wrong,mistaking umunri,umueri,iguedo etc even though they are all related.

The Eze Agwu lineage did not come from the Owerre axis.

samobo:
NSIBIDI AND THE IBIBIO CIVILIZATION OF AROCHUKWU


The Ibibio word "Nyibi" which means turn in English, is the root of Nyibidi. Nyibidi means turning. The play was usually accompanied with drummings. The drum is called Ibit in Ibibio. The drum for the ruling Crown is called Ibit Itam. Itam means crown, hat, or headgear. Ekpe(leopard) was indeed the governing deity and Ibit Itam was one of their major plays. Ukara means governance or government in Ibibio. Ukara cloth is worn by those in the government of Ekpe. The Ekpe and even Ekpo masquerade of old used to dance in a circular motion in order to induce a trance-like effect or feeling. Hence Nyibidi. Ibibio is the largest language of the Cross River and Akwa Ibom territories. Efik, Ekoi, Annang, Oron, Eket, Qua, Ibeno, Okobo,etc. are all variations of Ibibio. The Ibibio owned and controlled Arochukwu until they lost it in 1634 to the allied forces of the migrating Igbo and the Akpa. The Igbo slaves of the Ibibio rebelled and joined forces with the Akpa who were themselves of Ibibio origin.
The Ibibios left both Arochukwu and their ancient Long Juju, but those who remained continued to run the oracles and influence the Igbo converts/practitioners of Ekpe.
The Ibibios and Efiks taught Nsibidi to the Igbos through the Ekpe society. The chief language used in Ekpe is Ibibio. The Ibibios and Efiks knew Arochukwu as Ibom and Mbot Abasi. Mbot means creation. Abasi means God. Therefore, Mbot Abasi means the creation of God or, simply, the people of God. While in Arochukwu, the Ibibio leaders had a secret society called Ekpe. Ekpe means leopard or lion. The leadership operated (and still does)in an esoteric manner. Only members are privy to the innerworkings of the group. They developed an elaborate system of logograms through which their ideas, knowledge, and activities were recorded. Nyibidi which means turning (going in circles), evolved into Nsibidi. Nsibidi is Ibibio for what is at play or, what's playing? Nso = what. I(as in letter "e" = is. Bidi = play or playing. NSO-I-BIDI (NSIBIDI) or NSO-I-BIRI(NSIBIRI) means what's playing? What's at play?
Therefore, Nsibidi means what is playing or, what's at play? The language and words used in Nsibidi ceremonies are mostly if not all Ibibio words. Ikpo is Ibibio word for funeral. Ikpe is also Ibibio for judgment. Enyong or eniong is Ibibio word for North or upper strata. Ekpe is Ibibio word for leopard and Esop is Ibibio word for court. Nsibidi was later adopted as the name for the writings associated with Ekpe society. It is true that the Europeans found most of the Nsibidi script among the Ekoi, but it is really of Ibibio origin. When Aro and their allies conquered the Ibibio in 1634, they took over the oracle but retained its priests, with Loesin as the chief priest. It was he who later initiated the new Aro indigenes into the cult as priests. IBINI UKPABI is the IGBO corruption of IBIT UKPABI( Ibibio for DRUM of the CREATOR or DRUM of the CREATOR GOD).
Some say the Igbos used the word IBINI as homage to the slave-raiding Oba of Benin who caused their migration to Arochukwu. After the IBIBIO lost AROCHUKWU, the Igbos renamed the Ibibio deity IBIT ITAM (Drum of the Crown). They called it IBINI UKPABI. IBIT is IBIBIO for DRUM. UKPABI is the creator. The corrupted version, IBINI UKPABI, is what they use these days. Since Arochukwu(Mbot Abasi in Ibibio or God's creation/people in English) is the spititual center of the Igbo race, you can say that their 'holyland' is actually of Ibibio origin. I'll call it the IBIBIO CIVILIZATION OF AROCHUKWU. The Ibibio created it and that explains why the Aro deities have mostly Ibibio names.
Photo's Source:Northcote Whitridge Thomas (1914) Anthropological report on the Ibo-speaking peoples of Nigeria, Part IV. Harrison and Sons
Author: Northcote Whitridge Thomas
Additional source: http://www.mediander.com/connects/501555/anaang-people/#!/

Interesting post but there were no "Igbo slaves of the Ibibio" lol it was a tenant/landlord relationship between the Eze Agwu lineage and the indigenous Ibibio. The relationship went sour and eventually there was war. The Eze Agwu lineage invited Nnachi Ipia (founder of the Oke Nnachi lineage) the medicine man from Edda for assistance during the war. Nnachi Ipia invited the Akpa-Ekoi (Ibom Isii lineage) from East of the Cross River to intervene.

Many of the Ibibios that remained in Arochukwu after the war were actually relatives of Eze Agwu Inobia (founder of the Eze Agwu lineage) that allied with him during the war.

odumchi:
I can't say I didn't expect this...

Antivirus, I'll know you're serious when you find a real and detailed account of Aro history and not the Wikipedia version.

Let me just point a few things out here. The Aro are broken into three lineages: Ezeagwu, Ibom Isii, and Okennachi. Ndi Okennachi are from the Edda (who are from the east of the Cross River). Ndi Ibom Isii originally were not Igbo and are from east of the Cross River also. The Ezeagwu lineage resided in the Cross-River basin prior to the establishment of Arochukwu and was led by a man called Nna Uru.

Nna Uru migrated (and brought his clan along with him) from the Igbo heartland and not from northern Igboland. The Igbo heartland refers to the Ideato-Okigwe-Orlu-Nkwerre axis (Northern Imo and a bit of Southern Anambra).

I hope you see what I'm getting at...

I must applaud you for your stubborness, though.

I salute you my brother.

My father belongs to the Eze Agwu lineage (of course he has ancestral ties to Ibom Isi and Oke Nnachi lineages as well). I honestly question the Igbo Heartland theory.

Nna Uru and Eze Agwu Inobia were most likely from the Abiriba/Edda axis:
1. The Abiriba/Edda area is very close to Arochukwu.
2. Abiriba and Edda people both claim to have founded Arochukwu.
3. Eze Agwu Inobia was a blacksmith and Abiriba people were known as blacksmiths.
4. Eze Agwu Inobia called on Nnachi Ipia the Edda medicine man for assistance during the war. Nnachi could have easily left after his efforts to use medicine to get rid of the Ibibios failed. Instead, Nnachi and the Eddas risked their lives to stay and settle in a war zone to help Eze Agwu. I think this may symbolize some type of ancestral relationship between Eze Agwu and the Edda people.
5. The Igbo “heartland” is distant and too vague. I will say that Uturu (next to Okigwe) or Nkwerre origin will make some sense since they were also known as blacksmiths. I even read Uturu and Nkwerre claims stating that they also founded Arochukwu. However in terms of distance, origins, culture, dialect, etc Abiriba/Edda makes the most sense.

That's just my opinion of course.

ifyalways: @Bolded,where is that?
Ka nka,nwa Mazi.

The Ekoi also known as Ejagham are located in South Eastern Nigeria (Cross River State) and Southern Cameroon.