Ekealterego:

See leave ChinenyeN, do not be fooled into thinking that his thought is representative of his people. It is quite the opposite. If you know Ala Ngwa very well and you understand Abia state very well, you will know this.
Do not insult Ngwa lash out at Abia state people because of his thoughts.

If anyone should feel pricked about lost glory in Abia state, it should be Arochukwu or Old Bende. These were historically the most influential. Ngwa only started gaining prominence because of Britain. Even Ngwa are overshadowing the identity of the Ndokis and those ones are crying too.

And the other guy is an Igala Boy, the foremost Igbo hater who happened to grow up in Igbo land and also have been able to gather enough information to use to fight Umu-Igbo also thanks to the ChinenyeN and his crew.

However, do not drag the whole of Abia or even Ngwa into the argument, those thoughts are his alone.

You people are seriously daft. Why are you making claims about things I never said? Not once did I claim to be representative of Ngwa people, and not once did I claim that Ngwa people are trying to leave "Igbo". I'd like you to point it out, if I did.

shantti:
I acknowledge that you people from ngwa might be stereotyped,there are diplomatic ways to address that, but threatening to leave Igbo nation as if u are the driving force of other Igbo groups is what I find annoying. If u want to go, go.

Again, not once have I stated that Ngwa (nor I for that matter) are attempting to leave the "Igbo" label. Are you not able to read or something? Because you're here arguing with me about something that I never said. Point it out if I did. Otherwise, stop putting words in my mouth.

Ekealterego:

This is what you get when you take discussions like this to the wrong forum. There were appropriate quarters where you could debate very bright people without soiling the Igbo or even Ngwa name but instead, you and your likes have created a catalogue of books for bad publicity through your wishful utopian philosophies of what Igbo nationalism of otherwise should be.

Against what was obtainable before, there are 100s of forums and Igbo groups where you could have these discussions even with people of like minds and still maintain the sanctity of your origin and not create an endless catalogue of information for haters to use.
As I have observed over time, you guys lack the tact to undergo and take this type of philosophical journey. You dreaming a utopian fantasy.

Yet again, Ekealterego, you're talking to me about the very things I told you are of no concern to me. I'm sorry, but continuing to use such rhetoric on me will not achieve anything.

Idiko1:
There is no so-called indigenous Ngwa in Ukwa. Ukwa is Asa and Ndoki period. I cannot consider Obiga as Ngwa. However Ngwa-Inyiekwe and Obegu are pure Ngwa.

ImembaN:
..I will leave that for ChinenyeN to deal with (if she wants).. because I believe she is from UKWA EAST...

I am not from Ukwa, though my village is within that vicinity near Ukwa (we practically border them). Anyhow, a little bit of history lesson. I'll make it brief.

In 1927, J. Jackson (at the time an Aba Divisional Officer) provided an Assessment Report on the Asa Native Court area. It was during this time that the colonial administration wanted a better idea of the demographics (count of men, women, properties, etc.). This would eventually lead to taxation in the Aba Division, but that is a separate matter.

Jackson was tasked with assessing the Asa Native Court area and providing some such feedback. The Divisional Officers, through the then Warrant Chiefs, went community to community, compound to compound to gather such information. Among the information provided by the then Warrant Chiefs were claims of village affiliation and origin (mind you, the Warrant Chiefs were locals).

In that assessment provided by the Warrant Chiefs, which Jackson in turn provided as an Aba Divisional Officer, it was shown that approximately 50% of Asa villages claimed to have migrated from the Ikwerre area, while the other 50% of Asa villages claimed to have migated from the Ngwa area.

Likewise with the Ndoki area. P. A. Talbot was a Colonial District Officer in Southern Nigeria, but primarily served as an anthropologist and researcher. Around the same time that Jackson had provided his assessment, Talbot was working on his anthropological research of the local communities. Talbot died before he could finish the work which was then carried on by Mulhall. The work was then published some 30+ years later; The Physical Anthropology of Southern Nigeria.

Based in part on the study of the physical anthropology within Ndoki and number of communities that claimed descent from Ngwa, Talbot (and also Mulhall) characterized the Ndoki villages as an offshoot of Ngwa.

In summary, there are apparently indigenous Ngwa villages found all throughout the southern half of Abia and spilling over a bit into the eastern part of Rivers. They just have their different identities.

shantti:
Nnah, we are not dragging it with u, you people can split off and become a different ethnic group. We are not holding you back. I dont see the essence of you arguing here on nairaland, like u have to convince us first before u can split. We give u the go ahead, SPLIT OFF PLEASE

Not once have I stated that Ngwa people (or I, for that matter) want to split off. All I'm saying is give room for those communities that do. So addressing me is a waste of time. Perhaps, address the Igbo propagandists so that they too will be like you and stop dragging it with those communities that do not want to be included.

I'm sorry to say shantti, but you really missed the point of my statement with this last submission of yours. Let me see if I can make it simple. It doesn't matter what list you itemize concerning culture, language, way of life, etc. At the end of the day, ethnicity (ethnic consciousness) is about identity. The culture, language, way of life, etc are only used to perpetuate an identity. They are not the identity itself. That is the crux of my statement. So there can exist those who seemingly share parts of one's culture, language, ways of life etc, and yet share zero identity (a.k.a zero ethnic consciousness) with each other. I know that for many Igbo people in modern day this concept might be difficult to grasp, but it is the truth. In time, some people will come to understand that (and some may never end up understanding it really).

aribisala0:
I have been here long enough to take your views seriously even if I do not always agree with them.

I quarrel with the term paranoia as a descriptive for what can be formulated as difference in opinion with intolerance.
Contemporary Igbo nationalism as partisan as it might be is a legitimate stance that is entitled to feel threatened.
Quite a lot about how nationalities evolve over time is above the head of the average punter and most people tend to see things in concrete terms .
Many of the subtler nuances are too removed, too esoteric and could be seen as self indulgent even . Change, is often painful and in this case biographical deconstruction might be psychologically unbearable and existentially de-validating
We all have to tell ourselves some story about ourselves and invest a lot in that it is natural to expect resistance just like one would see when you try to remove a deity by force.
It might help to see things in those terms
Large nations are often formed by the coalescence of groups that share a LINGUA FRANCA and later a common ancestry narrative is then superimposed by fiat or blood.
There is nothing new there . Now even in Nigeria there are good examples

Honestly, this submission here is good. It is true that there is nothing new about the sort of back and occurring between those in Camp A (self-determination) and Camp B (Igbo nationalism). It should also be noted though that I do understand the fact that Camp B is a legitimate stance. After all, I did say I find their stance warranted, so I can respect its legitimacy. Anyhow, in light of your submission, I can understand your quarrel with using the expression "borderline paranoia". Perhaps I was being overly insensitive (while thinking I was trying to be nice). Perhaps I might desist from using the expression. It's as I explained a little earlier to Ekealterego, we simply don't want the same things for the region. I guess I can continue to oppose them comfortably with this thought rather than framing is as a knee-jerk "Igbo bu Igbo" or "Igbo bu otu" or "borderline paranoia" reaction.

Nawa, after all this time, who would have thought it would be you that would somewhat convince me to consider partially easing my foot off of the neck of Igbo nationalists.

aribisala0:
What do you mean by borderline paranoia. How is it manifested .
It sounds rather nebulous with a danger of misinterpretation or misrepresentation of your thoughts
Whatever it is calling it "borderline" is not illuminating and that can probably be dispensed with? No?

I was trying to be nice to them by simply using the expression “borderline paranoia”, because I wanted to keep my statement clean. But it seems I will have to some additional explanation.

Aribisala0, you’ve been on this platform and seen my posts long enough to know that I am referring to the very same knee-jerk “Igbo bu Igbo” and “Igbo bu otu” reactions from Igbo nationalists. You’ve been on this platform long enough to know that I am referring to the simple fact that even the slightest mention of anyone wanting to happily live their life or have their identity independent of this “Igbo” tag sends these people into a frenzy. That is the borderline paranoia. Aribisala0, you of all people, I shouldn’t have to explain this to. They’ve argued with you too over a million times because of this single subject matter.

Ekealterego, you asked about what I mean by self-determination. I told you want it meant and what it means to me. I said agency and you’re saying that is nothing of note. Obviously, you side with Camp B, and that makes us at odds, because I cannot for the life of me imagine siding with someone who thinks agency is nothing of note. See, this is why I will continue to oppose Igbo propagandist. The only thing you all are missing is actual authority and you will become the very same oppressors that you claim to hate.

Ekealterego, you should get comfortable with the idea that I may never agree with you on what you claim you want for Igbo people. If you are really on the side of Camp B, then you are a propagandist, and someone like you will always be an eyesore to someone like me and perhaps vice versa.

This doesn’t mean we can’t interact and have healthy conversations now and in the future. It just means that at the end of the day, we don’t want the same thing for Igbo people.

Ekealterego:
What do you mean by "self-determination? Maybe you can elaborate?

Given the fact that you are aware of the Nigerian socio-political climate, I shouldn’t have to explain self-determination to you. But alas, I will try to be open since I like to give people the benefit of the doubt.

What I mean by self-determination (within the Igbo context) is simple. There is a degree of borderline paranoia that some people (mostly nationalistic Igbo) have when it comes to the idea of “Igbo unity” and “Igbo identity”. I am not concerned about whether such borderline paranoia is warranted or unwarranted. Anyone who knows anything about Nigerian history is aware of the root of it, and for someone like me, I find this borderline paranoia to be generally warranted. However, that does not make it healthy.

Considering the length of time that this response has been allowed to perpetuate and considering the sort of discourse it has brewed, I find it toxic. It is one thing if the appropriate communities within the Lower Niger shared (or even at minimum, respected) this response as a part of the general consensus. But they don’t.

This borderline paranoia is in direct conflict with the very sentiment of self-determination that we know is characteristic of the Lower Niger. The events of the past 100 years have shown that such self-determination has not died. As a result, all we have is tension, angst and disgruntled people everywhere. Here is a (perhaps reductive) way to concisely express this dichotomy.

On one end, we have the individuals and communities who at one point living in relative peace and identifying how they pleased, because identity was a fluid concept. People were free to determine what that meant for them. We can call this Camp A.

On the other end, we have individuals who a yearning for an unprecedented amount of single-mindedness going to the extent of expecting and demanding adherence to a concrete set of identities. We can call this Camp B.

These two concepts are in direct odds with one another. The mere existence of one means you cannot have the other. This is not a situation where one can have one’s cake and eat it too. At this point, it should be easy to see why we have such controversy. These two philosophies cannot co-exist, and anyone who says that they can is simply being dishonest. We have experienced almost 60 years of enmity in the Lower Niger region due to this simply dichotomy of views. It should be evident that this is a problem.

Now, that is the synopsis of the basis of my views. Here is where my actual personal views come in. The only thing I care about in this world is agency. Human beings, communities, peoples, should have the agency to choose. This agency is the core of self-determination. A while back, I was discussing with someone here on NL about identity, how it morphs and changes due to context and time. I made one specific comment in that conversation.

The agency to create and morph identities is more important to me than the identity in question. I might live out my life and die as an Ngwa man, but my descendants in maybe 200 or 300 years may end up with a different identity and have no idea what Ngwa (or even Igbo) ever was. That is life. Agency at work.

Because agency is what I care about, I side with Camp A. Protecting self-determination means more to me than the current, toxic idea of “Igbo identity” and “Igbo unity” that certain people (Igbo nationalists) are parroting.

This was a long answer, but I hope it is clear to you what I mean by self-determination.

It is very important that you read and maybe reread this post of mine for comprehension. For far too long, Igbo people here on NL have been walking around making assumptions about my worldview. So if you, Ekealterego, and I are to ever have a meaningful discussion, you’ll need to not make those same, incorrect assumptions and actually take the time to understand what my worldview actually is.

This is truly unbelievable, Ekealterego. Three Ngwa people have independently expressed (to varying degrees of intensity) the idea of Ngwa people being suspicious of Igbo, but it is I (who hasn’t even said anything controversial) that you want to point at and dismiss. It’s pretty clear to me that you are falling into the same trap of making assumptions about who I am and what I believe. This same trap has been doing Igbo people on this platform for over a decade.

aljharem:
How are you ChinenyeN. Long time

Enyi, as we say in Ngwa, o nogbala odo ahu. It has been a long time indeed. How body?

Ekealterego:
I had hoped for a more insightful reply but 90% of your replies gave no answers but were dismissive of hard facts.

Perhaps you are not getting it. Of course my response is dismissive, because I what I’m saying to you is that you are wrongly assuming what the basis for my views are. Because if this wrong assumption, we cannot actually have a conversation, because we will ultimately not even be on the same page from the start. You are bringing up a number of ancillary things that do not represent my position.

If you really want a substantive response from me, you would first examine the core of my view, being self-determination. This is the only thing I’ve been saying. Everything else about enemies, differences, uniqueness, etc is not my actual point.

Ekealterego:
The problem is that you assume that these are exclusive knowledge of yours.

Now, I see where your problem lies, you don't actually read history or much aware of cultural evolution no understand the evolution of ethnic cohesion. And even if you know, you do not know how to apply that knowledge.

For all history, no ethnicity started as one homogenous, mono-cultural creation. However, things events in history like a common enemy, famine, rise of a dominant religion or powerful empire can arise to bind these people together. However an underlying factor behind the success of such ethnic powers and it's sustainability is usually "language".

"Italy" were just kingdoms with no sense of national cohesion until the rise of powers in Europe made them see the need to unite based on the similarities that bind them together. Same with the German ethnic group. The English people understand their differences very well.. from the Northener in Newcastle to the Scouser to the Southerner in London.
However, England as a cohesive ethnic group conquered the world.

Ekealterego, you can’t be serious. I will just let my post history on NL, especially in the culture section, speak for me on this. I’ve had this same sort of conversation with many others in the past.

Sergio101:
Considering the year you registered in nairaland.
I must say that you gave me a pure chip (Am 20).
But I tell you........ your shallow reasoning and the jejune dust in your encephalon is outer planet Earth.
Sorry for this.......... you reason like a kid.
Writes epistle full of trivalish bunkum.
A foool at forty (if only you ain't more than forty) is indeed a fool forever....

It seems you also will need some recommendations. Feel free to start with the same list I recommended to someone else.

ChinenyeN:

It's always easy to spot someone who hasn't engaged in any real analysis of Igbo culture, language, history or identity. I encourage you to engage yourself in some research. In particular, I am recommending the following works:

Anthropology and colonial administration in Southeastern Nigeria by A. E. Afigbo (in fact, the entirety of the Ropes of Sand sindication, if you can find copies of them from Nsukka).

The role of ethnic unions in the development of Southern Nigeria by Austin Ahanotu

Among the Ibos by Thomas Basden

Bible Translation and Language Elaboration: The Igbo Experience by Uchenna Oyali

The Ibo Language report from the Archive of the Colonial Office in the U.K.

Research Work in the Ibo Region from the Archive of the Colonial Offic in the U.K. (there are at least two of these.

In Search of an Igbo Identity by Dmitri van den Bersselaar

Report on Ibo Language by Mr. N. W. Thomas, 1913 from the National Archives of Nigeria

Report on Ibo Union 1938 - 1955 from the National Archives of Nigeria

In fact, there are many more that I can share, but this should keep you busy initially and help you expand your learning and understanding of Igbo culture, language, history and identity.

Eastlandx:
This is trash.
A total Bullcrap

It's always easy to spot someone who hasn't engaged in any real analysis of Igbo culture, language, history or identity. I encourage you to engage yourself in some research. In particular, I am recommending the following works:

Anthropology and colonial administration in Southeastern Nigeria by A. E. Afigbo (in fact, the entirety of the Ropes of Sand sindication, if you can find copies of them from Nsukka).

The role of ethnic unions in the development of Southern Nigeria by Austin Ahanotu

Among the Ibos by Thomas Basden

Bible Translation and Language Elaboration: The Igbo Experience by Uchenna Oyali

The Ibo Language report from the Archive of the Colonial Office in the U.K.

Research Work in the Ibo Region from the Archive of the Colonial Offic in the U.K. (there are at least two of these.

In Search of an Igbo Identity by Dmitri van den Bersselaar

Report on Ibo Language by Mr. N. W. Thomas, 1913 from the National Archives of Nigeria

Report on Ibo Union 1938 - 1955 from the National Archives of Nigeria

In fact, there are many more that I can share, but this should keep you busy initially and help you expand your learning and understanding of Igbo culture, language, history and identity.

Igboid:
ChinenyeN has always been shortsighted. The good thing is that she is only a woman and not a man, so her opinion starts and ends here.
I had many confrontation with him on his clannish sentiments in the past.
Pay her no attention. Her opinion starts and ends in NL.

Misogyny and misgendering. Igboid, you've been on this platform and interacted with me for a long time, but you want to troll with the gender pronouns you use for me. The Igbo identity and Igbo destiny is not safe in the hands of people like you. I've said this before in the past, it is people like you that will end up being the root cause for why any of this falls apart.

Ekealterego, you've interacted with me on this platform long enough to know that I don't care about this argument of "hide conversations from enemies on this platform" or "they will spare you because of claiming a 'slight difference'". Please, you should know better than that.

I obviously believe that anyone who want to attack a person or people will simply attack a person or people. Whether or not the victim thinks themselves exempt is of no consequence, because the aggressor doesn't care what the victim thinks. So whether Ngwa is "Igbo" or Ngwa is "not Igbo", any aggression on the southeast will invariably affect Ngwa. That is obvious.

But that is irrelevant for me, because "slight difference" is not the basis by which I make my statements. You, and many others, should know this.

Now, let me respond to some strange comments by you.

Ekealterego:
Sometimes I don't know what is responsible for your archiac views. You all around the internet crying about "Ngwa identity" as if there is any nation in the world even with a homogenous country where there are no regional identity, culture and language.

Ngwa isn't even a homogenous group. Please, don't expend your breath on this amateur point. My views have nothing to do with homogeneity.

Ekealterego:
You are usually blind about where to draw the line or the on which platform to discuss them.. What is shameful is that most of you are so archaic in your thoughts that you lack to tact to discuss it in a public platform like Nairaland where hate, and vultures are ever looking for the most minute of things to exergerate and fight you..

Again, I don't care about this need by some Igbo people like yourself to "hide" or be overly concerned by "enemies on this platform".

Ekealterego:
At the end of the day, do you think if you are fighting a common enemy, that they will spare you because you hold on to a "slight difference"

I already explained this. Anyone that wants to be an aggressor will be an aggressor. "Slight difference" or "big difference" doesn't change anything.

Ekealterego:
If you are so vocal about your Identity, what will people who were more historically stronger with a more reverred history like Arochukwu in the same Abia state will do?

This is an amateur argument. I've already said that the Igbo-speaking communities should be free to maintain their own ethnic identies. What makes you think I will be concerned if Aro decides to do so?

Ekealterego:
The same Aros that "Aba" was named after?

This is one of the least insightful comments I have ever heard from you on this platform. That said, it seems you want to position yourself as someone who is familiar with Ngwa history and oral tradition. Left with me, I will say that this one statement shows you really don't know anything about Ngwa history and oral traditions, but I am a man who likes to give people the benefit of the doubt. So how about it? Do you want to dive into this topic and compare notes? I'm open if you are.

Ekealterego:
What is so unique to Ngwa that you left your Ngwa Facebook groups to discuss that you hold on to so tight even before enemies on this platform.

Amateur argument. Again, you know that my stance isn't about "uniqueness" and "slight difference". It is simple self-determination. I urge you to not forget that.

Ekealterego:
Just so you know also, your talk about "Igbo ethnic identity" holds the same for ALL large ethnic groups in the WORLD.

Another amateur argument made by Igbo people. There is this need to compare one's situation to someone elses, as though it matters. I've said it before on this platform, trying to draw a comparison of the Igbo context to another, unrelated community's context is a useless endeavor. Why? Because at the end of the day, the Igbo communities you are discussing are under no obligation to follow another ethnic community's model. The only thing that matters is the actions Igbo communities take with respect to their different desires of self-determination.

Ekealterego:
Chose appropriate platform to champion your Ngwacentric Igbo views, it is only wisdom. You don't find Yoruba people who are even way more diverse disgracing themselves here in that manner.

Again, comparing someone's context to someone elses. It's amateur. Perhaps you aren't in Yoruba circles, but they disgrace and argue among themselves a lot.

Ekealterego:
Igboid, you remember when I debated with you that ChinenyeN and the rest of those generation on Nairaland caused more harm than good right? That's why we respect MNK.

I remember this conversation. I still think all that bandwith was (at the end of the day) well-spent. Sometimes we only have the luxury of evaluating things after the fact/in hindsight. When I evaluate the development that occurred on NL, because of my willingness to consistently challenge the lack of self-reflection, lack of honesty and general Igbo propanda here on this platform, I am pleased.

MrMaestro:
When and how did this “Igbo” identity start? And what was the reason behind it?

The history of "Igbo identity" is complex, but I will try to sum it up. For some people who have conversed with me here on NL, this may sound like a repeat (but I think it is worth repeating).

Igbo identity is the end product of two thing. 1) The effort Europeans put into classifying and grouping communities for the purpose of effective colonial administration. 2) The shared Biafran experience. #2 is more significant than #1, but #1 actually drew the initial boundaries.

Thanks to the efforts of colonial administration, British anthropologists and ethnographers, we got a categorical definition of what "Igbo" was. For example, it is because of their effort that (Naija politics notwithstanding) we can easily recognize an "Igbo group". It's not hard, and this is thanks to the categorical definition that they provided. By the 1920s, nationalism was starting to develop in Nigeria. We saw our first set of "Igbo Union" during this period. So at this time, it was clear that some people starting to accept the categorical definition to describe themselves.

The Biafran experience is when it really solidified. The categorical definition was finally transformed into an ethnic definition by the end of the war. Igbo people (categorical definition) provided this ethnic definition by themselves, and have continued to perpetuate it (in an often fanatical manner).

So there isn't a single "starting point". It's really just the culminating effect of various events in the past.

onumadu:
Ladies and gentlemen, as you should discern by now: ImembaN = ChinenyeN

Just saying ...

Always typical of Igbo people to try to rob someone of their Igboness and self-identity on this platform since 2008. You people think you actually have authority. Shninama. Imemba is a wholly different person than I. We don’t even write or communicate the same, and we don’t 100% share the same views. It should be easy to tell us apart.

For the record, I believe the Igbo tag is unavoidable, but from an academic standpoint and even a general knowledge standpoint. The academic definition of Igbo is just an ethno-linguistics family of languages. The world also now knows that there are a group of communities in the Lower Niger that can be referenced with the word “Igbo” or “Igbo-speaking”. This is general knowledge that is available or has become pervasive, so I can accept it. By coming from an Igbo-speaking community, I am invariably described as “Igbo”.

But language is not identity. Igbo people are trying so hard to turn “language into ethnicity” for every Igbo-speaking group, and that is where I draw the line. All Igbo-speaking groups should be free to proudly return to maintaining their own ethnic identities, if that is what they want. An Igbo identity is not compulsory.

Jetro033:
if I may ask, who are the Saro'

So when the British abolished the slave trade, there were still ships and slaves that were in transit. Some of them were resettled in Sierra Leone. They came back to Nigeria mostly in hopes of making it back to the communities they were stolen or sold from. Many couldn’t completely trace themselves back and they ended up settling in different pockets/areas in the southwest, southeast and south south Nigeria as close as they could find for their former communities. Those are the Saro.

They effectively integrated into the local communities that they settled around/beside.

eduj:
This thread and it's author are the reason the Ngwa man will always accept any Igbo movement with suspicion.

Ngwa has generally viewed Igbo with suspicion from the start. People think the sentiment has disappeared just because everyone is trying to live their life. But truly, I wouldn’t be surprised if the sentiment becomes more openly expressed and grows to the levels where it was at in the 1920s. Simply because as things continue to be more unstable in Nigeria, those who shout “Igbo identity is non-negotiable” and insist on forcing that ideology will only end up making many other communities besides Ngwa standoffish.

eduj:
If the government of the day were wise enough to carve the Ngwa lga's with there opobo,ndoki and ikwerre brethren into rivers state, we will today be rejecting the Igbo identity.

You’re actually not far off from the mark. This is what Ngwa people wanted and petitioned the British for on numerous occasions as early as 1910 up to the 1940s. Truly, if the request had been granted then, the story now would have been rather different.

Yeah. I think it’s about time Igbo people start giving room for communities to finally exit. After all, this idea of “Igbo identity” is barely even a century old. It can be undone. The benefit of being a “large national block” doesn’t even exist, and that’s basically the only purpose of this Igbo identity. In other words, it doesn’t even serve a purpose anymore.

We should bring back “biri ka m biri” so that communities can embark on their journeys for self-determination.

Perhaps we can move this to a culture section topic. If you get the time to open one up and mention me, I’ll be glad to come discuss.

ImembaN:
ChinenyeN
what your opinion on IPOB..
should Ngwa advocate for a separate state (ABA state)..

So there are two parts to this question. IPOB and Aba State. I'll respond to them separately.

I am of the opinion that IPOB is an organization that lacks foresight. I am also of the opinion that IPOB also lacks any real influence. The recent events that I've heard of during the stay-at-home order only shows that IPOB strength is coming more from fear-mongering than being an actual force for change. The only population IPOB is hurting in the process are the very same people it claims to want to protect and defend.

As for advocating for Aba State, truly, I don't think it matters. Whether it is Abia or Aba, Nigeria or Biafra, there is a certain limitation that cannot yet be broken. That limitation is the negative feedback loop that exists between governance and those being governed.

Nigeria's situation has shown that governance breeds people who are discontent and want to step in to change things, only to yet again contribute to bad governance, which then breeds people who are discontent and want to step in... You get my point. It is an unending loop.

This loop exists because Nigeria keeps its citizens uninformed, provides almost no transparency about the political process and engages in fear tactics and to maintain the status quo. This failure of a condition has not yet been solved and it will not be solved just because new state boundaries are created.

As much as I am an advocate for self-determination and self-sufficiency, I have little to no reason to believe that it will change anything. But, if substantive change is not a primary concern and if this is simply a matter of self-determination, self-identity and pride, then sure. After all, state creation in Nigeria has really become just a matter of self-determination and nothing more. So if that's the case, I don't see any reason why Ngwa shouldn't freely advocate for Aba if it's equivalent to advocating for self-determination.

ImembaN:
From my own understanding ..(according to Nvosi version) UHU is the ancient Ngwa word for EZI (outside) .. it mostly use as an idiomatic expression..

We share a similar understanding in my area as well (Akuma Imo). We either call it “uhu” or “uhwu”. Some people say that it was replaced by the term “ezi”. Some say it was replaced by the term “ulo”, but I after studying Ngwa and Igbo etymology we, I have a different suspicion.

Before we started building “onu ovu”, it used to be that the ancestral homestead was also a sort of farmland/garden. I think this combination of “home” + “farm” is what “uhwu” actually referred to.

With the advent of “onu ovu”, the “ulo” (various residential building structures within the ”onu ovu”) and “ezi” (the area in and around the “onu ovu”) replaced the idea of “uhwu”. That’s why I think some people associate “uhwu” with “ezi”, while some also separately associate “uhwu” with “ulo”.

We hardly use the word anymore in my area. It’s one of those words that will probably be forgotten in another generation or two.

Igboid:
Clarify then.

You really just want me to repeat myself? “Uhu” does not show up commonly as a placename. In other words, it can be seen in some Ngwa village names sparingly, but not as commonly as eastern Ndoki who use it more. The statement can’t get any simpler than that. But if it makes it easier for you, just go look up the village placenames online and see for yourself.

Ekealterego:
What is the relationship between Ngwa and Ndoki like today?

That depends on who you ask. I’d say the relationship is mostly the same as it was in pre-colonial times. Nationalism in Nigeria just adds a new political dimension to it all. So there’s more political tension, but the day to day social dynamic is largely the same. Same old Nigerian story for most communities.

Igboid:
So Uhu jumped Ngwaland and appeared in far away Ndokiland.
Wonderful!

That’s not what I said.

Igboid:
Ok. Thanks.
Do they have Uhu/Uru/Ufu named places in Ngwaland?

This is actually one of the few things that shocked me and I had to look into it. “Uhu” in place names is rather uncommon for the area. In short, from what I gathered, it’s really predominantly eastern Ndoki that have “uhu” prevalently in place names. For the rest of the area, “uhu” is known as a word, though “ulo/uro” is more commonly used.

Igboid:
Ok. Thanks. I was just trying to determine if Ufu/Uru/Uhu has something to do with origin of a town, ie where they sprouted, as in "ifu" to germinate/sprout.

The sound shifts show a different etymological pattern in proto-Igbo reconstruction.

Ipu, ifu, iwhu, ipfu, ivu, etc points to a potentially older bilabial sound that might be reminiscent of “-pw-“.

Uhu, uru, etc points to an older, potentially “s”-type sound in linguistic reconstruction.

These words show vastly different reconstructions. The tone patterns are also different, suggesting different etymologies.

Igboid:
Exactly.
We are coalescing. But many clannish people don't like this.
They are usually too invested in seeing the influence of other Igbo clans on their own clan, without paying interest to how their own clan are influencing others.
Let me invoke one of them. ChinenyeN, present yourself here for some flogging. Lol!

It’s a terrible loss all around for all lectal communities, and pan-Igboism as it stands is just not worth it. But I guess it’s inevitable considering the effects of colonialism and Christianity on Igbo-speaking communities’ self-identity (and lectal utility).