₦airaland Forum

As an Igbo man I have my way around what ever the Nigerian Government will bring up tomorrow, having said that, it doesn't matter much if u allow ur hate for the Igbo tribe and ur love for ur tribe men influence ur choice of candidates come 2023. WE SURVIVED BUHARI AND WE WILL SURVIVE ANYONE!!!.


Some of you have forgotten what happened 2015, we were laughed abused even for not voting for BUHARI, I remember one women that gave testimony because BUHARI'S victory in 2015, I was among the people that paid her bills when the husband lost his job because the company he was working with relocated to Ghana. Election year is around the corner, you can call Igbos what ever you like but use ur brain if it is still functional, because las las na u go feelam pass

Ordinarily one will assume that an average African is not happy with their leaders, who only see them as cash cows, but that is not entirely true, to the African man tribe and religion identity is much more important than any future u are prepared to offer to their future generations, its not about how prepprepared you are, if you like come with the solution for all their problems, once you are not from their tribe or have the same religious background with them you will fail, they will rather choose a killer, fraudster or any unprepared person from their tribe than you. And this is why someone like Peter Obi will fail

Ordinarily one will assume that an average African is not happy with their leaders, who only see them as cash cows, but that is not entirely true, to the African man tribe and religion identity is much more important than any future u are prepared to offer to their future generations, its not about how prepprepared you are, if you like come with the solution for all their problems, once you are not from their tribe or have the same religious background with them you will fail, they will rather choose a killer, fraudster or any unprepared person from their tribe than you. And this is why someone like Peter Obi will fail

As an Igbo man I have my way around what ever the Nigerian Government will bring up tomorrow, having said that, it doesn't matter much if u allow ur hate for the Igbo tribe and ur love for ur tribe men influence ur choice of candidates come 2023. WE SURVIVED BUHARI AND WE WILL SURVIVE ANYONE!!!.


Some of you have forgotten what happened 2015, we were laughed abused even for not voting for BUHARI, I remember one women that gave testimony because BUHARI'S victory in 2015, I was among the people that paid her bills when the husband lost his job because the company he was working with relocated to Ghana. Election year is around the corner, you can call Igbos what ever you like but use ur brain if it is still functional, because las las na u go feelam pass

wirinet:
Religion is the main cause of lack of appetite for studying and implementing relevant information. When religion promotes such doctrines as book is forbidden, success is a result of tithes and offerings and not hard work, unmerited success, unexplainable wealth, prayer is key to success, etc. And they waste valuable man hours praying 5 times a day, going to worship/prayer meetings, fellowships/evangelism 3 - 5 times a week, how many hours is left for productive work?

is not you are not half religious as the Jews, and yet they are doing better in Education than any tribe or people in all field of life

Deborah98:
it's the why seek ye for me ... How do you guys read and comprehend what King James says. That version of the Bible dey give me headache buy surprisingly most people prefer it cos it gives a more detailed first hand information.

what is holding African back is not religion but lack of appetite for studying and implementing relevant informations, ask urself what have you achieved differently since you stopped being religious?

jumper524:
2015, you supported Jonathan not because you were sure Buhari would be a failure but because Jonathan was your brother. Despite the ever strong presence of bokoharam with the continuous bombing of Abuja you still supported Jonathan because he's your brother. 2019 Buhari failed partly to PDP poor legacy as well as he's own personal failure and yet you saw the votes. The southwest that gave him massive support in 2015 dropped. Infact it was due to incumbency that Buhari won in 2019 not the will of the people. Now it's 2023,
Everybody has accepted Buhari failure and are planning to move on people are diverse in their presidential opinion.
You'll see yorubas supporting Obi same with some northerners because they fell he's much better but non of you Igbos without political affiliate are supporting tinubu or Atiku because you feel they are better. None.
The Atiku you guys branded in 2019 has suddenly become a thief and corrupt old man. Where was all this back in 2019.
The way you hyped this man was next to none.
If there's anybody obsessed with bigotry today it's you Igbos.
In the APC primaries northerners had their candidate in the ballot. Lawan and Bello yet the still choose tinubu and amaechi over their brother. Isint that diplomacy?
They could still eat tinubu billions and vote Ahmed Lawan the way they eat wike and voted Atiku but they didn't. They recognized a hard worker and let justice to be done only your Igbos brother were claiming its their turn without working for it during the rally yet they claim northerners has born to rule mentality. My brother you can wail forever or do the right thing but fact is, those who get it right would win 10* before those expecting luck to come to their doorstep would get it.

we knew he was a disaster

As an Igbo man I have my way around what ever the Nigerian Government will bring up tomorrow, having said that, it doesn't matter much if u allow ur hate for the Igbo tribe and ur love for ur tribe men influence ur choice of candidates come 2023. WE SURVIVED BUHARI AND WE WILL SURVIVE ANYONE!!!.


Some of you have forgotten what happened 2015, we were laughed abused even for not voting for BUHARI, I remember one women that gave testimony because BUHARI'S victory in 2015, I was among the people that paid her bills when the husband lost his job because the company he was working with relocated to Ghana. Election year is around the corner, you can call Igbos what ever you like but use ur brain if it is still functional, because las las na u go feelam pass

Fairmedia:
We dey live large for our town, we no need to run anywhere do suffer man work to live well.

u should travel around the country somethings pls, but first fix ur eyes, u get eye problem

Fairmedia:
You people make noise, yorubas, Hausas, Deltans have more wealth than you,but it's igbos with their small brains that love to show off...no be who show off pass get money pass o. Have you ever seen Otedola or Dangote posting cars on Instagram like your people?
New money dey shack. Empty barrels always makes the loudest noise.

lol don't run mad yet 2025 I go hear ur report, when Sapa don pin u down

Fairmedia:
In your dreams fool, my point is if every state stays on its own, you idiots will be the ones begging. Loud mouth for nothing, your lands are desolate. If you are wealthy as claimed your youths won't be doing peasant jobs everywhere, some Igbo youths even doing male prostitution in Abuja. Cursed people.

vote for whom ever u wish, I will meet u 2025 when things don red

Fairmedia:
In your dreams fool, my point is if every state stays on its own, you idiots will be the ones begging. Loud mouth for nothing, your lands are desolate. If you are wealthy as claimed your youths won't be doing peasant jobs everywhere, some Igbo youths even doing male prostitution in Abuja. Cursed people.

lol I know why you are angry, u never eat, and a blind man that is hungry again � how on Earth are u supposed to know that Igbos are extremely successful people

Fairmedia:
Those french men in Gabon don't sell pure water in traffic, or turn everywhere to shops, face it, your governors are the worst, that's why most of your people run from home, cos hungry wan kill them.

and yet with sachet water money I could make ur papa my tenant in his on land

Fairmedia:
Those french men in Gabon don't sell pure water in traffic, or turn everywhere to shops, face it, your governors are the worst, that's why most of your people run from home, cos hungry wan kill them.

bad governance is never a reason why people migrate, if bad governance is the reason you won't have the French in Congo, the British in Nigeria. Economic exploitation is a major factor. The whites are all over Africa for exploitation purpose, same with the igbos. So i expected you to feel sorry for your lazy ass rather than feeling unnecessary importance.

Difrent:
Emi lokan has always believed in the indivisibility of this country....so rightly said oun lo kan
Obis loyalty to the country is suspect....let him start by first denouncing IPOB and their activities/atrocities.
Same for most of you...for us to take you serious go and publicly denounce atrocities of IPOB, fish out the criminals that are making other Nigerians see you with suspicion and see this PO presidential campaign as an ibo agenda no matter how you pretend it isnt.

well we have all seen the Yoruba agenda

Fairmedia:
The point is you people are servants of southwest, you need them to survive. Bow for your master. Stop claiming rich while all you make is crumbs.

u guys are serving us without even knowing that

Fairmedia:
In your dreams, a lot of the poorest people in Lagos I know are igbos...how will you leave your state to where you are not loved and sell in go slow... selling under bridge, this shows how wretched your states are...how many yorubas do you find in Igbo land selling in hold up, and using pako shops to sell nonsense?
You idiots keep telling yourself these lies to soothe your egos. You people are a nuisance.

well u can say what u want , after all if ur eyes were seeing clear u won't have voted BUHARI into power.. Igbos that u see in that pako is earning money in a month than that ur salary in two years, but like I said tribal hatred have blinded you

Fairmedia:
Igbos constitute nuisance everywhere...it's extreme poverty that will make you leave your state and go sell gala in go slow, in another man's state, people you don't like. Op you are a tribal bigot idiot.

it is not poverty it is just business men and women moving around doing good � u that is talking might even be the tenant in ur so called land

Fairmedia:
Why are igbos going to North where they are hated, igbos are in Lagos selling in go slow, turning under bridge to shops... igbos and abokis are the nuisance in Lagos, if they are not affected by bad governance by your igbo governors, they won't be going everywhere they are not needed. Poor idiots always feeling funky
Look around your states I don't see any other tribe rushing to be in your states, because they are okay where they are. Igbos and abokis are the most dependent on others in Nigeria, they are everywhere in people's states constituting nuisance. Especially our southwest.

more than half of all the investment in Southwest are owned by the Igbos, I was ones sleeping under bridge, but today I have Yoruba people as my tenants, and u are asking y we a traveling to other places instead of staying in our state, well is because we understand the wonder of commerce and how to extract money from anywhere it might be, if ur government like make he move all the federal allocation to sambisa Las Las it go still end up in our pocket

naija4life247:
Yes, Igbos are the least affected, that is why thousands of them are in prisons all over the world for drugs trafficking while several have been beheaded in Arab nations for the same drugs trafficking. The rest are selling Gala and La Casera inside Lagos holdups and sleeping under Lagos bridges. Or have you seen any Yoruba man selling inside holdups in Onitsha or Owerri?

igbos are everywhere, working hard in field, good or bad, of cause the ones under bridge have to start somewhere, but watch him or her in five years more, you and your papa go dey fight over his only inheritance u v sold to him/her.

So u think that a vote for Obi is a vote for the Igbo, therefore you rather stick to ur 95% suffering

He stood for truth, but u can't see that even if herdsmen finish ur entire family, after all u be African man, I don't know why we happened to be together with animals in the first place, even u want to know y I call u guys animals, look at the country u guys have been ruling for many years

As an Igbo man I have my way around what ever the Nigerian Government will bring up tomorrow, having said that, it doesn't matter much if u allow ur hate for the Igbo tribe and ur love for ur tribe men influence ur choice of candidates come 2023. WE SURVIVED BUHARI AND WE WILL SURVIVE ANYONE!!!.


Some of you have forgotten what happened 2015, we were laughed abused even for not voting for BUHARI, I remember one women that gave testimony because BUHARI'S victory in 2015, I was among the people that paid her bills when the husband lost his job because the company he was working with relocated to Ghana. Election year is around the corner, you can call Igbos what ever you like but use ur brain if it is still functional, because las las na u go feelam pass

Oga there is no such report or recorded statistics in that site supporting ur claims

How the Igbos Came Out Of the War of Genocide and Belligerence with nothing to emerge the Richest Tribe in Nigeria.

Between 1966 and 1970, the Igbos of Nigeria were at the receiving end of one of the most heinous man’s inhumanity to man in human history. Apart from Hitler’s Second World War of 1939 to 1945, no war has claimed as much casualty as the Biafra civil War since the history of man. The War that was estimated to have claimed about five million lives had the Igbos as recipients of more than 80% of the casualty figure. Wars had been fought before and after the Nigeria / Biafra civil war both locally and internationally, But why the Biafra War will continue to dominate discourse is the manner which the war was prosecuted and the policies initiated by the Nigeria State during and after the war to keep the Igbos perpetually defeated and never to rise again to challenge or assert their right and how the Igbos refused to be crushed, rather they bounced back with pomp and pageantry to become the envy of their supposed conquerors.

The war was waged at all fronts with an evil intent to annihilate and subjugate the Igbos to nothing. While Yakubu Gowon, a Northern Army General was leading the onslaught with the most sophisticated lethal military hardware from Soviet Russia and Great Britain from the front. Awolowo, a leader of the Yorubas and federal minister of finance and vice chairman of the federal executive military council was using hunger through his economic blockade as weapon to finish off whatever that is remaining of the Igbos that could not die by the bombs and bullets. Awolowo, at the behest of his principal – Gowon, introduced economic blockade against the Igbos and justified it as a veritable instrument of warfare. After 3 years of resistance, three years of dearth, 3 years of death, 3 years of kwashiorkor scenery, three years of mixture of joy of freedom from oppression and unprovoked mayhem by strange people and pang of hunger and wide scale dearth, the Igbos could not stomach to carry on the war of freedom and they yielded. Their leader, General Ojukwu left the scene having exhausted all resources available at his disposal, both human and material. The war was over at least from the point of shooting and killing by soldiers, as the economic aspect of the war led by Awolowo aimed at crippling the Igbo’s entrepreneurial domineering spirit still continued till date. The economic war has been more like a baton in a relay race in which one administration hands over the baton of harsh economic measures against the Igbos to another administration whether it is a civilian or military to continue the State policies of exclusion and divide and rule.

As much as many people have tried to justified the pogrom against the Igbos that resulted to the war as a reaction to the Nzeogwu’s coup that claimed the lives of Sardauna of Sokoto, Tafawa Balewa, Akintola and many more and ended the first the Balewa / Azikiwe regime, but the truth remains that the war was borne out of envy aimed at crushing the Igbos and relegate them to the background of activities in Nigeria where they will only be taking orders and not issuing. Gowon admitted this in an interview in January 2020 that “The fear of Domination is what caused the war”

At the beginning of the war, Awolowo being the Federal minister of finance, Changed the country’s currency. This change of currency was targeted to frustrate the Igbos from using the little money at their disposal to access Forex for either weapon or food from international community. In an interview after the war, Ojukwu admitted that two things that defeated Biafra during the war, one was the currency change the other was hunger occasioned by the draconian economic blockade imposed on the East by Gowon and Awolowo.

At the end of war in 1970, Awolowo announced that every Igbo man with identifiable account deposit in any Nigeria bank prior to the outbreak of hostility would be issued £20 in exchange of whatever amount they had in their accounts prior to the war. This simply implies that the Igbos came out of the war to be integrated into Nigeria with nothing to compete with. But they carried on with resilience that saw them through the war era. By 1972 Yakubu Gowon and Awolowo initiated and carried out a national indigenization policy. This was a program in which, foreign company operating in Nigeria were mandated through the policy of the State to sell certain percentages of their company’s worth to Nigerians. Recall, the Igbos just came out of the war two years earlier, and had no means to participate in the indigenization program. The Northerners especially the Hausa Fulani stock, due to their deficiency in education and conservative mindset could not participate in the program as much. Awolowo rallied every Yoruba man to key into the program. The campaign was massive in the West; they were sensitized in Churches, Mosques, and market places. They had the means, and their leader was the initiator and head of the indigenization program. This is how the Yorubas bought 80% of the corporate organizations in Nigeria meant for all Nigerians. There was a lore in the 1970’s, 1980’s and early 2000’s that there are two powers in Nigeria. The political power and economic powers, and that while the Hausa Fulani controls the polical power, the Yoruba controls the economic power. By implications, the Igbos controls nothing.

The Igbo however carried on with the struggle of survival, they were in every hamlet in all rural villages in Nigeria scavenging for survival in the farm, market, cottage industries and any field humans can find existence possible. Those of them with the enough fund traveled abroad to continue the struggle of survival. Going back to school was not practically possible since survival is the first law of nature. The East central State had the least number of children in school. There was a massive unplanned, unsolicited, unprecedented mentorship program in Igbo land then tagged “onye aghala nwanne ya” which translates; let no one leaves his brother behind. As the name implies, they developed love for themselves and became more united. They would mentor themselves on different lines of business and trades. Those of them that were well established would go to the villages in Igbo land, negotiate with the parents and guidance of unemployed youths and out of school children to groom and mentor them for a specified number of years, usually 6 or 7 years at the end of which, they establish them to start their own. Those apprentices of 70’s are the Ubas, ibetos, Innocenes and many more captains of industries in Igbo land today. This is the secret of how the Igbos regained their number one position and dominated every sector of business, trade, industry and transportation in Nigeria till date.

Fast forward to 2008, the global economic meltdown came and badly affected the macro economy of the world such that many corporations went bankrupt; those that survived could not pay their shareholders the mouthwatering dividends they used to. This is how the Yorubas lost their grip on the economic power. The global economy power pendulum swings to the micro sector that is dominated by the Igbos in Nigeria, the Chinese and the Americans at the global stage. From 2008 and 2020 the Igbos have staged a dramatic comeback to be a race of firsts in every sector, the education they couldn’t acquire in the 70’s, their children are setting the pace now. From 2008 till date, the South East have the highest number of children in primary and post primary school level, the highest number of university applicants and highest number of graduates. In 2002, Audu Ogbeh, the then national chairman of PDP in a lecture to the Northern elders forum, in highlighting the pace the Igbos have set in education and why the North need to brace up to bridge the gap or be slaves to the more educated Igbos forever, said “that statistics from J.A.M.B office shows that University applicants from Imo State alone is more than fifty percent of the applicants of the 19 northern states put together”. Just last year, the NYSC Director General said that fifty five percent of serving youth corps members nationwide were from the South East zone alone. This is an eloquent testimony that education is expensive and only the rich can afford it.

Onitsha in Anambra State has the highest concentration of high rise buildings in Nigeria. Nnewi is a town built from the scratch in to an industrial hub by her indigenes without any Government’s fund. Today, Nnewi boasts of big industrial concerns as Chikason group, Ogbuawa, Ibeto group of companies, Innocene, curtix electrical, and many more too numerous to mention. According to Forbes’s magazine, Anambra State has the highest number of millionaires in Nigeria and the southeast has the least poverty rate in the country. Today, Igbo land is the most evenly developed in Nigeria of all lands.

Response To Reno Omokri’s Claim On Igbo Slavery In Itsekiri -By Rees Chikwendu
opinionnigeria.com Jul 24, 2021 12:23 PM
Rees Chikwendu
The ability to evaluate the information you have access to is a skill. It is called critical thinking, and not many people have this skill. Sometimes people can present information in a manner that makes you think they are telling their audience the whole truth. I understand that people are busy these days – or lazy – and do not have time to fact-check the information they consume, and they are most likely to believe misinformation. In this age of digital lies, being careful and actively prepared to interrogate information is a skill you have to hone to avoid misinformation from people like Reno Omokri.



No doubt, Reno Omokri is an intelligent man. We can’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. However, Reno is also very good at misinformation and revision of history. To his gullible audience, he is a god of history and nuggets of information, and he enjoys that sweet dopamine hit of feeling like he is right when they lick his ass. Therefore, anytime someone else probes or interrogates his false claims, his insecurity is triggered and immediately blocks the person on social media. He did that to me because I provided a factual account of scriptural claims he made. He deleted my comment and blocked me on social media.

Another thing about Reno Omokri is that he is an Igbo-phobe, a racist, and a religious bigot. Most times, if you do not critically examine his nuanced and complicated writings, which are mostly not based on thorough research, you would think he is telling the whole truth. I have keenly observed how he cherry-picks information, especially those that malign the Igbo, and some gullible Igbo would swallow hook, line, and sinker what he deceitfully puts out in attempts to demonize the people. Why is Reno Omokri obsessed with the Igbo? Did any Igbo woman ever break his heart? I know our women are beautiful and can be heartbreakers (wink).


Reno Omokri
Recently Reno Omokri threw another shade at the Igbo with his false narrative that his small Itsekiri tribe had many Igbo slaves for centuries. That triggered social media contestation this week, and many like Mazi Ogbonnaya Okoro, Mazi Azuka Onwuka, etc., have all overwhelmingly debunked his lies and half-truth with historical facts. Reno hasn’t come up with any credible information to support his claim. As persecuted people, Ndi Igbo must not lose this social media war. It makes me happy seeing our people living up to that expectation.



Now let me add another perspective to the debate and annoy some of us a little. The sky is not always blue. It can be red, grey, or black, depending on the weather. That is why intelligent humility is necessary for critical thinking. To allow emotions to cloud your judgment when it’s about a negative part of your history is a weakness. Some people suffer from this information bias.

Long before Europeans stepped their foot in Africa, Igbos enslaved other Igbos as punishment for crimes, payment of debts, and prisoners of war. It is a practice that is as old as the human race. In his biography, Olaudah Equiano, an Igbo abolitionist, explained the difference between Igbo slavery and those of the Americas and Europe. According to him, “those prisoners have been now not offered or redeemed we kept as slaves: however how unique become their situation from that of the slaves inside the West Indies! With us, they do no greater work than other members of the community, even their masters, their food, apparel, and accommodations were almost similar to theirs, (except that they were not approved to eat with free-born individuals)… some of those slaves have even slaves underneath them as their very own property, and for his or her own use.” Here Equiano pointed out that the Igbos treated their slaves far better than slaves elsewhere before the Europeans arrived. Still not an excuse.

Fast forward to the 15th Century when the transatlantic trade began, the demand for slaves spiked, and the Igbos, in their usual business acumen, smelled the boom and took advantage of it. The sad part of it was these: 1. Igbo slaves were in high demand. According to Olaudah Equiano in his narrative, “Europeans preferred Igbo slaves because of their hard work, intelligence, integrity, and zeal.” 2. Sadly, Igbos enslaved other Igbos. 3. Just like today’s Igbo political and religious elites, the Aro Confederacy and kingdom became corrupt – a conduit for the slave trade of Igbos in the name of punishment for serious crimes “frowned” by the gods. Igbo slave traders would kidnap people from distant villages or family members who brought shame to the family and sell them off to other slave merchants.

Within the above context, is it possible that in the exchanges of slaves, some Igbos became the properties of Itsekiri slave merchants and owners? Yes, but no historical evidence! Therefore, the claim by Omokri that Itsekiris and the Binis had Igbo slaves for centuries before British colonialism is false.

In response to Reno Omokri, Dr. Ejiro Imuere pointed to other historical facts. Itsekiris did not enslave any specific tribe…, people from every tribe in the Niger Delta only sold slaves to the Itsekiri, being the people at the coast before the seashore where the Portuguese camped. You must pass through their lands before you can export your slaves. In fact, if you will not sell to them as middlemen, but you want to sell your slaves directly, then you will have to pay them a rent called “comey”. Even the Portuguese paid them this “comey” to anchor their boats on the shores of their lands.

Historian P. C. Lloyd wrote in his paper, “The Itsekiri in the Nineteenth Century: An Outline Social History” published in The Journal of African History, Volume 4, Issue 2, July 1963, pp. 207 – 231:

“A further change in Itsekiri social structure during the century was the development of domestic slavery. At the turn of the century, the king held a large number of slaves, but the number owned by the chiefs is not known. The kingdom must have exported at least a thousand slaves annually. But with the decline of the slave trade, the supply did not cease, and slaves were integrated into the Itsekiri economy. Thus of Jakpa’s 5000 people, Burton estimated that 600 – 700 were slaves of Diare. Olomu’s slaves were variously numbered at 1000, 3000, and 4000.



“The slaves were never Itsekiri, rarely Ijoh. Most were Urhobo, often being men and women expelled from their communities for serious offences and sold in the riverside markets. Some were given to the Itsekiri as pledges for debts. The Itsekiri usually equate the price of a slave with a puncheon of oil. They assert that they never went to a war to capture slaves, though a favourite method of settling a debt or a quarrel was to seize a man’s slaves. Other slaves came through the trade routes from Benin and Yoruba country where they had been captured in inter-tribal wars. Nana’s most senior slaves were Ologun, a Yoruba, and Sagay, a Benin.” In summary, Itsekiri’s slaves came primarily from the Urhobo; secondarily from the Yoruba and the Bini; and sometimes (though rarely) from the Ijọ.

Looking at the nature of the Igbos, the Itsekiri tribe never had what it takes to own and domesticate Igbo slaves as Reno wanted his audience to believe, to the extent of the slaves becoming an un-named Igbo group in Edo or Delta, that claim is laughable. The Europeans who sought highly Igbo slaves because of their hard work, intelligence, integrity, and zeal, were not even able to handle the Igbo slaves because of their stubbornness and rebellion let alone the small and insignificant Itsekiri tribe o. Do you see why you must put on a critical thinking cap with Nigerians like Reno Omokri? Most Europeans who traded in Igbo slaves had losses because they were resisted and sometimes killed by the Igbo slaves. Most times, the Igbo slaves killed themselves rather than remain slaves. Within the Bini Kingdom, the Igbos dominated to the extent that the Oba of Bini saw them as a threat. They retained their Igbo language and identity under the kingdom and influenced some Bini people to speak Igbo, too. Where on earth do you have slaves colonize their masters to the extent of changing the language of the master? It’s always the other way around. Reno speaks English today because Britain colonized Nigeria. Why is the language of Britain not Itsekiri, Igbo, Yoruba, or Hausa? I wonder where Reno got his own history about the Igbo slaves in the Bini Kingdom. Also, do you now understand what is still driving today’s generation of Igbos in the pursuit of self-determination? If at all, there were Igbo slaves owned by any Itsekiri, that would have been the sick and infirmed ones sold to them, because the Igbo race, especially their women, were considered a prized and treasured possession. In fact, the Fulani up to this day would dip their joysticks in the soil an Igbo woman urinates. That is how prized Igbo women are in black Africa. Do you now understand?

The Igbos remain the most emancipated people in black Africa who help to liberated many other ethnic groups. The “Independence” of Nigeria was primarily championed by the Igbos. Today, the same Igbo are still championing the struggle to free obedient slaves like Reno Omokri from Fulani’s enslavement. Reno Omokri is a slave of the Fulani like most Nigerians today. He is in exile and cannot step his foot in his ancestral land, and from there, he still worships the Fulani because he loves and cherish his slave status like his kinsmen – Keyamo, Omo Agege, etc. Reno cannot own the wealth and the benefits of the wealth of his Itsekiri, the Fulani owns and control everything belonging to Reno and his people and only hands them peanuts. Isn’t that the worst kind of slavery? Yet Reno claims he owned Igbo – the most rebellious race in Africa – as slaves. Absolute madness!


Rees Chikwendu
I know that Reno Omokri understands how some Igbos can be emotionally charged because, like the Jews, Igbos are the most persecuted people in Africa. Therefore, any time he wants to gain some popularity on social media, he throws shade at the Igbos, monetizing his social media influence. I understand his games. But something we cannot afford in this age of social media is to lose the war fought on this lane. We can’t allow people like Reno to keep demonizing the Igbo. They did that in the past with the traditional media, but never again in this age of digital media can they succeed.

Finally, Reno Omokri should understand that we cannot be like the Yoruba, Hausa, Fulani, or any other group because we are unique. Of course, everyone is unique, and I expected a self-acclaimed man of God like Reno to understand that God created everyone and race in a unique way. Asking the Igbos to behave like the Yoruba, Hausa, or any other group he throws up as role models, is insanity.

Response To Reno Omokri’s Claim On Igbo Slavery In Itsekiri -By Rees Chikwendu
opinionnigeria.com Jul 24, 2021 12:23 PM
Rees Chikwendu
The ability to evaluate the information you have access to is a skill. It is called critical thinking, and not many people have this skill. Sometimes people can present information in a manner that makes you think they are telling their audience the whole truth. I understand that people are busy these days – or lazy – and do not have time to fact-check the information they consume, and they are most likely to believe misinformation. In this age of digital lies, being careful and actively prepared to interrogate information is a skill you have to hone to avoid misinformation from people like Reno Omokri.



No doubt, Reno Omokri is an intelligent man. We can’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. However, Reno is also very good at misinformation and revision of history. To his gullible audience, he is a god of history and nuggets of information, and he enjoys that sweet dopamine hit of feeling like he is right when they lick his ass. Therefore, anytime someone else probes or interrogates his false claims, his insecurity is triggered and immediately blocks the person on social media. He did that to me because I provided a factual account of scriptural claims he made. He deleted my comment and blocked me on social media.

Another thing about Reno Omokri is that he is an Igbo-phobe, a racist, and a religious bigot. Most times, if you do not critically examine his nuanced and complicated writings, which are mostly not based on thorough research, you would think he is telling the whole truth. I have keenly observed how he cherry-picks information, especially those that malign the Igbo, and some gullible Igbo would swallow hook, line, and sinker what he deceitfully puts out in attempts to demonize the people. Why is Reno Omokri obsessed with the Igbo? Did any Igbo woman ever break his heart? I know our women are beautiful and can be heartbreakers (wink).


Reno Omokri
Recently Reno Omokri threw another shade at the Igbo with his false narrative that his small Itsekiri tribe had many Igbo slaves for centuries. That triggered social media contestation this week, and many like Mazi Ogbonnaya Okoro, Mazi Azuka Onwuka, etc., have all overwhelmingly debunked his lies and half-truth with historical facts. Reno hasn’t come up with any credible information to support his claim. As persecuted people, Ndi Igbo must not lose this social media war. It makes me happy seeing our people living up to that expectation.



Now let me add another perspective to the debate and annoy some of us a little. The sky is not always blue. It can be red, grey, or black, depending on the weather. That is why intelligent humility is necessary for critical thinking. To allow emotions to cloud your judgment when it’s about a negative part of your history is a weakness. Some people suffer from this information bias.

Long before Europeans stepped their foot in Africa, Igbos enslaved other Igbos as punishment for crimes, payment of debts, and prisoners of war. It is a practice that is as old as the human race. In his biography, Olaudah Equiano, an Igbo abolitionist, explained the difference between Igbo slavery and those of the Americas and Europe. According to him, “those prisoners have been now not offered or redeemed we kept as slaves: however how unique become their situation from that of the slaves inside the West Indies! With us, they do no greater work than other members of the community, even their masters, their food, apparel, and accommodations were almost similar to theirs, (except that they were not approved to eat with free-born individuals)… some of those slaves have even slaves underneath them as their very own property, and for his or her own use.” Here Equiano pointed out that the Igbos treated their slaves far better than slaves elsewhere before the Europeans arrived. Still not an excuse.

Fast forward to the 15th Century when the transatlantic trade began, the demand for slaves spiked, and the Igbos, in their usual business acumen, smelled the boom and took advantage of it. The sad part of it was these: 1. Igbo slaves were in high demand. According to Olaudah Equiano in his narrative, “Europeans preferred Igbo slaves because of their hard work, intelligence, integrity, and zeal.” 2. Sadly, Igbos enslaved other Igbos. 3. Just like today’s Igbo political and religious elites, the Aro Confederacy and kingdom became corrupt – a conduit for the slave trade of Igbos in the name of punishment for serious crimes “frowned” by the gods. Igbo slave traders would kidnap people from distant villages or family members who brought shame to the family and sell them off to other slave merchants.

Within the above context, is it possible that in the exchanges of slaves, some Igbos became the properties of Itsekiri slave merchants and owners? Yes, but no historical evidence! Therefore, the claim by Omokri that Itsekiris and the Binis had Igbo slaves for centuries before British colonialism is false.

In response to Reno Omokri, Dr. Ejiro Imuere pointed to other historical facts. Itsekiris did not enslave any specific tribe…, people from every tribe in the Niger Delta only sold slaves to the Itsekiri, being the people at the coast before the seashore where the Portuguese camped. You must pass through their lands before you can export your slaves. In fact, if you will not sell to them as middlemen, but you want to sell your slaves directly, then you will have to pay them a rent called “comey”. Even the Portuguese paid them this “comey” to anchor their boats on the shores of their lands.

Historian P. C. Lloyd wrote in his paper, “The Itsekiri in the Nineteenth Century: An Outline Social History” published in The Journal of African History, Volume 4, Issue 2, July 1963, pp. 207 – 231:

“A further change in Itsekiri social structure during the century was the development of domestic slavery. At the turn of the century, the king held a large number of slaves, but the number owned by the chiefs is not known. The kingdom must have exported at least a thousand slaves annually. But with the decline of the slave trade, the supply did not cease, and slaves were integrated into the Itsekiri economy. Thus of Jakpa’s 5000 people, Burton estimated that 600 – 700 were slaves of Diare. Olomu’s slaves were variously numbered at 1000, 3000, and 4000.



“The slaves were never Itsekiri, rarely Ijoh. Most were Urhobo, often being men and women expelled from their communities for serious offences and sold in the riverside markets. Some were given to the Itsekiri as pledges for debts. The Itsekiri usually equate the price of a slave with a puncheon of oil. They assert that they never went to a war to capture slaves, though a favourite method of settling a debt or a quarrel was to seize a man’s slaves. Other slaves came through the trade routes from Benin and Yoruba country where they had been captured in inter-tribal wars. Nana’s most senior slaves were Ologun, a Yoruba, and Sagay, a Benin.” In summary, Itsekiri’s slaves came primarily from the Urhobo; secondarily from the Yoruba and the Bini; and sometimes (though rarely) from the Ijọ.

Looking at the nature of the Igbos, the Itsekiri tribe never had what it takes to own and domesticate Igbo slaves as Reno wanted his audience to believe, to the extent of the slaves becoming an un-named Igbo group in Edo or Delta, that claim is laughable. The Europeans who sought highly Igbo slaves because of their hard work, intelligence, integrity, and zeal, were not even able to handle the Igbo slaves because of their stubbornness and rebellion let alone the small and insignificant Itsekiri tribe o. Do you see why you must put on a critical thinking cap with Nigerians like Reno Omokri? Most Europeans who traded in Igbo slaves had losses because they were resisted and sometimes killed by the Igbo slaves. Most times, the Igbo slaves killed themselves rather than remain slaves. Within the Bini Kingdom, the Igbos dominated to the extent that the Oba of Bini saw them as a threat. They retained their Igbo language and identity under the kingdom and influenced some Bini people to speak Igbo, too. Where on earth do you have slaves colonize their masters to the extent of changing the language of the master? It’s always the other way around. Reno speaks English today because Britain colonized Nigeria. Why is the language of Britain not Itsekiri, Igbo, Yoruba, or Hausa? I wonder where Reno got his own history about the Igbo slaves in the Bini Kingdom. Also, do you now understand what is still driving today’s generation of Igbos in the pursuit of self-determination? If at all, there were Igbo slaves owned by any Itsekiri, that would have been the sick and infirmed ones sold to them, because the Igbo race, especially their women, were considered a prized and treasured possession. In fact, the Fulani up to this day would dip their joysticks in the soil an Igbo woman urinates. That is how prized Igbo women are in black Africa. Do you now understand?

The Igbos remain the most emancipated people in black Africa who help to liberated many other ethnic groups. The “Independence” of Nigeria was primarily championed by the Igbos. Today, the same Igbo are still championing the struggle to free obedient slaves like Reno Omokri from Fulani’s enslavement. Reno Omokri is a slave of the Fulani like most Nigerians today. He is in exile and cannot step his foot in his ancestral land, and from there, he still worships the Fulani because he loves and cherish his slave status like his kinsmen – Keyamo, Omo Agege, etc. Reno cannot own the wealth and the benefits of the wealth of his Itsekiri, the Fulani owns and control everything belonging to Reno and his people and only hands them peanuts. Isn’t that the worst kind of slavery? Yet Reno claims he owned Igbo – the most rebellious race in Africa – as slaves. Absolute madness!


Rees Chikwendu
I know that Reno Omokri understands how some Igbos can be emotionally charged because, like the Jews, Igbos are the most persecuted people in Africa. Therefore, any time he wants to gain some popularity on social media, he throws shade at the Igbos, monetizing his social media influence. I understand his games. But something we cannot afford in this age of social media is to lose the war fought on this lane. We can’t allow people like Reno to keep demonizing the Igbo. They did that in the past with the traditional media, but never again in this age of digital media can they succeed.

Finally, Reno Omokri should understand that we cannot be like the Yoruba, Hausa, Fulani, or any other group because we are unique. Of course, everyone is unique, and I expected a self-acclaimed man of God like Reno to understand that God created everyone and race in a unique way. Asking the Igbos to behave like the Yoruba, Hausa, or any other group he throws up as role models, is insanity.

Igbo Had No Business With The Itshekiri: A Historical Perspective -By Maazi Ogbonnaya
opinionnigeria.com

Look at this map very well. When the Portuguese arrived in the 15th century, they partitioned two main places they traded. Bight of Benin and Bight of Biafra.

The word “Biafra” is a Portuguese name, not an Igbo name. Bight of Biafra was bigger than Bight of Benin.

The Igbo hinterland, Ibibio, Efik and all the tribes found in old Calabar, Rivers were all under Bight of Biafra.

You can see the rest by the left under Bight of Benin. Bight of Benin was also known as Slave Coast.

There was later a Bight of Bonny which was formerly under Bight of Biafra.

The European slave traders who operated majorly under the Bight of Biafra include: Daniel Backhouse, William Boats, William Davenport, George Case and John Shaw.

At this time, slave trade was a huge business all over Nigeria. The Benin Empire comprising Itshekiri, Urhobo, Edo and co were dealing in slave trade, selling their own people. The same way Igbo and Yoruba and Efik, in fact everyone was doing the same business.

The Igbo slave traders had two concentrated Seaports they focused on under the Bight of Biafra. Such ports are: Calabar Port and Bonny Port. Bonny was the busiest. The Yoruba were doing theirs in Badagry, having the highest slave concentration. Badagry to Benin Republic.

How do you expect an Arọ man to leave Calabar and Bonny closer to him, under his own territory to travel long distance of Benin to trade in slave or Itshekiri?

The Igbo who did business with Bini traded in bronze, copper, medicine, etc. Igbo were known also for herbs and healing.

When you read “Igbo Worlds” by Professor Elizabeth Isichei, it states that most people in Anịọma didn’t have any encounter with the Arọ but Nshi people. Nshi was the name Nri was called in the past. The progenitor of Ọgwashị-Ukwu was an Nri man.

The business of the Igbo slave dealers was working as middlemen. They get slaves, hand over to the European trade dealers, collect their money and hunt for others. This was the same business with other tribes in Nigeria as at that time.

Igbo were travelers. They did businesses with Benin as I said earlier. Most account established that Eze-Chima— a progenitor of Ọnịcha was a medicine man to Ọba. The question is, Eze Chima is it an Edo name?

Ọba of Benin needed the Igbo working for him more than the Igbo working for him needed him. His personal medicine man had to return to hinterland. He came back with all his family. Of course there must have been mixture of Edo people in that journey, hence Ọnịcha is founded through Eze Chima.

Itshekiri had the first encounter with the Portuguese in 15th century. They were also amongst the first to get western education. They traded in slave trade as well. There was no way Itshekiri man could find his way to Igbo land to enslave anyone. They worked as middlemen, handling their own people to the Europeans just as every other person was doing. Those in Benin Empire would get slaves, Itshekiri people would help and pass them to the European trade dealers.

Itshekiri currently has no dialectal variations which experts said must have been caused by their early contact with the Europeans and mixture of slaves who couldn’t find their ways but settle there. How can those slaves assuming they are Igbo form their language, still remain there, whereas the Itshekiri has no dialectal variations like other languages? Itshekiri had no business with Igbo but Bini, Yoruba, Ịjọ. It was grouped under the Yoruboid.

Ginuwa, the Itsekiri founder and first olu (king), was originally a prince of Benin, so that subsequent kings are descendants of the Ọba of Benin. Lesser chiefs once met as a council and advised the olu. Chieftaincy is being redefined in conformity with modern government, and some settlements do not participate in chieftaincy at all.

In that axis, Itshekiri served as middlemen for Europeans, getting goods from Bini empire and supplying to Europeans. Such goods include humans, palm oil, bronze, copper, etc.

The Portuguese also made their ways to other regions. That was when Igbo called them ndị Potokiri.

“The British broke the Itshekiri trade monopoly in 1890’s then the flourishing Itshekiri economy went into decline” (Encyclopedia Britannica)

Remember, the Igbo gave the colonial administrations headache. Is it the Edo or Itshekiri that could enslave the Igbo? Even if you accuse Anịọma of being slaves to Edo or Itshekiri are you referring to Anịọma Igbo that fought Ekumeku resistance for 30 years against the British intrusion? With all the European sophistications, the Igbo fought them and dealt with them, frustrate them, na small Itshekiri or Edo go enslave them?

Remember, the Igbo sold to the Europeans by their kins, many refused. Instead of being slaves, they killed themselves. Many jumped into the sea. Read about the Igbo landing in America. They said over their dead body, being slave? They jumped into the water and got drowned.

That shows who the Igbo are. You can’t just wake up and toy with them, then go scot free. They rather die than allowing you enslave them.

© Maazị Ogbonnaya
Twitter: maazi_ogbonnaya