₦airaland Forum

Klinee:
How can u said this have u been to Nzam before? Combine togather they are bigger than Nzam but individualy Nzam is double far bigger than each of them. Just say the truth stop claiming.

I don't know where this argument is going? Even at that, the Nzam in question is only partially Igala speaking. The rest rest speak Igbo and their traditional ruler Igwe James Okolo is Igbo. The president of the town union is Igbo.

Why don't you take this matter to your chief and town union? That is the best channel for your grievances to be heard instead of this market dance on Nairaland?

iyeachile:
the ' real igalas' are those from dekina, ankpa , idah, ofu. Etc.

It is always the case with communities living in the heart of an ethnic group; they are unadulterated so to say. But you begin to observe residual cultural influence towards the borders.

Like in Ibaji and Echeno, they are more or less Igbo which many Nigerians do not know. The traditional ruler of Echeno is HRH Joshua ANAZODO, Igbo lineage. Then for Ibaji, your guess is as good as mine. I have already mentioned important Anambra people with Igala surname and lineage as well. This is what i am saying, people should read and ask themselves questions instead of these emotional petty jabs going on here.

JonBee1:
I'm for such co-habitation and cultural plurality and harmony. So I appreciate you perspective.

To be fair to the OP he asserted that he has not been personally discriminated against (which is a testament to the loftiness of the Igbo)
But given the issue OP raised on the igalla language in school and ignoble response from some irrational loudmouthed neathathal igbo on the thread (see post below). Someone got to set them straight.



Hitler have spoken.
All hail the Fuhrer!
Let us segregate them. They are not Anambra enough. Not even Igbo what a shame.
Maybe you can build a n apartheid wall around them like the one in West Bank to keep them out of the mainstream Anambra (o ye from the tribe of Judah)
Maybe we adopt the FINAL SOLUTION and exterminate them so that "no trace of your cultural existance would be found."

The only way you can educate yourself from the internet is to not join issues with any body that rushes to the key board to write nonsense. You'll unknowingly become like them when you begin to exchange perspesctives based on their level of reasoning. What joins the Ibaji-Igalas with their Igbo brothers is much older and deeper than all these rantings here. Just select the comments you respond to.

Klinee:
No not the one in ogbaru

Why not the one in Ogbaru?? Are you not drawing the lines again? Continue, we shall see where you'll stop?
Tell them the history of Odekpes, are u denying you don't know it? Mtcheeeewww!!!

[quote author=JonBee1 post=27074917]@tabletman,

Irrational neatherthal fo.ol, Stop imposing Igbo as a medium of communication in an Igala community at the detriment of the local tongue

@ the bolded, are you sure you know what you are talking about? The areas you are talking about have always been Igbo culturally dominated areas with Igala co-habitation right from human history. They've been so before anything Nigeria was formed, they've been Igbo dominated even during the civil war. All the chiefs of the towns have been Igbo since human recollection. Respect should however be accorded to the minority even as the presence of the majority should equally be recognized. I know the chief of Nzam personally, a nice human being and very good friend of my dad. HRH Igwe James Chukwuemeka Okolo is a man that loves his community as a whole, Igala or Igbo notwithstanding.

Klinee:
The Igala in Anambra comprises of many towns;NZAM(headqauter and also the largest town in Anambra west, also the largest oil deposit in Anambra state), INNOMA, OWELLE,UKWALA, ODEKPE,IGBEDOR, IGBOKEYI,ODE, ALLAH and ONUGWA. We lies at the river Niger and omambala coast. Located in Anambra west L.G.A. We have 98% of oil deposit in anambra state. Predominantly farmers,fishing, we are the food basket of nation. Our language is gradually going into extintion. We speak Igala but most our young ones today speak Igbo more than our language. I dont know if they are feeling shy to speak the language, i remember meeting one of my town person at onitsha, i greeted him in Igala he answered me in Igbo ,it goes like this" ME: John kayi dee? JOHN: nnaa! Udo di,ME: kabe enale? JOHN: nnaa! Ka munwa fu madu ebaa." I think the government of Anambra state is not doing well to Igala language just as they do to Igbo language. I know that we are minority language in Anambra with about 5% of the population. It dosnt mean that we shouldnt be value. The government only recognise and promote Igbo language, where igbo language is being taught in every basic and post primary schools in the state. I remember in my primary school days in village where the teachers(IBOS) normally constrain us not to speak Igala in forecorner of school,is either we speak Igbo or English. In the government media companies; Abs 1 & 2 radio, Abs awka tv, Abs onitsha tv, purity radio, Nta awka tv, Nta onitsha tv and many other private radio and tv stations in Anambra. Out of all these media companies only one station allow Igala language that is Abs 2. And the programme takes 10mins only in a day with just two occurance in a week. We have two languages in Anambra; Igbo and Igala. The government need to help and promote our language. I think inferiority complex is affecting our young ones due to the fact that the language is not being promoted to people of Anambra. If we are conversing in our language maybe in any of the major cities in anambra, the igbos around normally refer us as foreigner in the state because many never know that we are full blooded Anambrian. Imagine commissioner of information,tourism & culture(now former) Hon. Maja Umeh saying in a live interveiw that he did not know that igala is in anambra. We have also had discrimination mostly people from anambra central&south,enugu,abia,imo claiming that we are not anambrian. I want to use this medium to appeal to government of anambra state. If it will be possible to appoint two or three igala indigene as commissioner or any appointive position. Secondly to charge the medias to employ igalas to enable them create a programme where the language will be desseminate to people.

I’ve read most of the comments here including yours. I could only but deduce that most of the commentators have little or no knowledge of the Igbo Igala historical tangle. One ancient Igbo adage says that “Egbusigodu Igbo nine, Igbo afodukwa n’Igala” Meaning even if all the Igbos were wiped out, Igbo will still remain in Igala”

Therefore, when I read your comment I laughed because I view you as someone having a very faint knowledge of the Igala/igbo history as it relates to the Omanbala region. This is because it is almost impossible to draw a line of distinction in a Anambra and Enugu states on where Igala or Igbo blood line begins and ends. Parts of the western Igbo territories of Anioma to half of the total local governments in Anamabra and Enugu states are of Igbo and Igala descent. Onitsha, Atani, Dunukofia, Aguleri, Nteje, Nri, Igbariam and most parts of Ogbaru have traces of Igala. The village of Umubele in Awka town also etc.

In Enugu, the Nike people, Enugu Ezike and parts of the state trace their origin partially or wholly to Igala. Most importantly, these communities always assert their Igala links when it matters. Igala and Igbo have a very long history of almost ancestry but which was disencouraged when Islam creeped into Igalaland and when Aliyu Obaje converted to Islam and became their king. He died two years ago but fortunately for them he was replaced with a Christian monarch Michael Ameh Oboni who is now trying very hard to rekindle the lost relationship with Ndigbo.
Therefore, If we have to descend to surgical identification of marginalization, the OP should then shut his mouth up because people of Igala blood line are well represented in Anamabra state.
Even now, the Secretary to Anamabra government, Mr, Oseloka OBAZE from Ogbaru is of Igala blood line. Former Aviation minister Stella Adaeze ODUAH is of Igala blood line. We can as well say that the current governor of Anambra state, Willie Obiano is partially Igala because his town of Aguleri is partially of Igala origin. The village of Odeke in Aguleri has its replica in Ibaji Igala and today they speak Igala. So Mr; OP where do you end this line that you have ignorantly started to draw. My town in Anambra has no Igala connection. So, who is marginalizing who now?

I'm yet to ascertain the veracity of your claims that Igala language is not aired sufficiently, if that is true it is condemnable. But however, your encounter with the said Igala man at onitsha and your comments about him, has equally put you at the same pedestal with those you are accusing. You should have had no qualms with a fellow state citizen who expressed himself in the language he's comfortable with. Please, bury this petty bullshit!

wazoboy:
Some of the search that gave is because of the infamous nature of some of the states; Borno, Plateau, etc will have some high values because of too much violence in those places!

Of course high values are driven by human activities, residence and interest. Positive wise, economic centers would register high values because of population and interest. Negative wise, violence ridden areas such as plateau and Borno, in this instance, will also see an increase in values as a result of human/global inquisitiveness. Nothing more, no other factors behind the numbers.

Therefore the 3M and 2.9M respectively are quite normal for these areas. Even as a peaceful and progressive Kaduna state is registering a lowly 380,000 and Kano slightly above 3M. That tells a lot comparing with Lagos state, Imo state or other parts of the nation whose values are driven by economic interests, large habitation and relative peace.

,

Arinze96:
I am yet to understand this thread!

It simply tells you about the human nature; where you have more people is where you have more food and it is where people tend to "search" for more greener pasture.

atlwireles:
Cool, learnt something new today.

A clear indication of the population pressure and focus in the country. Let them continue deceiving themselves. The truth will be out one day.

atlwireles:
Names like rivers, delta and Niger are more generic. That explains their very high numbers.

To get an accurate and non generic results, search be adding state instead of just typing for example Ondo, type Ondo state Nigeria.
You"ll get the following results:

Kano state nigeria 3.010.000
Lagos state 30.300.000
Anambra state 3.220.000
FCT Abuja Nigeria 2.600.000
Imo state nigeria 7.560.00
Enugu state nigeria 3.290.000
Oyo state nigeria 2.710.000
Delta state nigeria 733.000
Zamfara state nigeria 660.000
Ebonyi state Nigeria 1.290.000
Abia state nigeria 3.040.000
Rivers state nigeria 6.490.000
Kaduna state nigeria 384,000
Ondo state Nigeria 2.500.000

The centers of gravity in Nigeria are clearly visible!!!!!

Please Niger state Nigeria returned 3.980.000!

@OP, you have a few reasonable points that should be of concern in advance democracies but not in Nigeria. Whether you like it or not, this election like the 2011 will be decided by the usual primordial factors. Hausa Fulanis muslims will vote for their man in APC. Northern christian minorities will go GEJ. Yorubas will be divided even as Igbos will vote en masse for the incumbent. 85% southern minorities will go for GEJ.

The only dynamics that can upturn this election is if the APC fields a Northern minority christian presidential candidate, in which case GEJ will lose that small but decisive chunk of the electorate. But to field Buhari, Atiku, Tambuwal or Elrufai and hope for victory is some what overstretching your luck or prognosis.

p

[quote author=christopher123 post=26984463]“How the whites got to call these language-related clans Igbo, no one knows. And when they were called Ebo by the whites the slaves were very much surprised as they had never heard the name before while back in their homeland. The term 'Igbo' might be a name borne out of slavery during the slave trade

The problem with some of us is that we don’t always attempt to sit back and think about the things we read as history on the internet before rushing to accord them undue standard. How could any intelligent person ever tinker with the thoughts that the white man invented the word Igbo. Honestly, the saying that thinking is a hard job for some is just very true. For thousands of years before the advent of the white man “Igbo” as a word has been in existence within its speakers. It reflects in their personal names and towns. I guess it was the white men that gave Igboukwu town her name? Did they also christen Igbo-etche and Umuakuru-Igbo towns in Etche community in Rivers state?

In the western, northern eastern and southern igboland there are towns and personal names with Igbo either as prefix or suffix. Akwukuwu Igbo is a town founded in the 14th century by Nri across the Niger. What about Igbouzo town near Asaba? There are towns like Igbo etiti and Agulu Uzoigbo and so on. On human identification, personal names like Okigbo, Onuigbo, Igbokwe, Igboanugo, Odezuluigbo, Odenigbo etc. Therefore, Igbo is the people and the language and it has been so for thousand of years. The WORD "IGBO" DIDN’T START WITH THE WHITE MAN PLEASE. This is just an insult!!!

The usage of Igbo in Nigeria is only a recent construct that started in the 1920s. A newspaper of 1924 carries a story of an awka man and an onitsha man discussing over a new unfamiliar name the whites who had come into Nigeria were calling them. And when they prodded the whites further to ask them why they were being called a name they were not used to instead of their clan names as usual, the whites explained to them that because he the awka man speaks a language which the onicha man also speaks and understands then both clans must be related and are brothers so they will be called one name which is 'Igbo'. And they said 'ok'.

Balderdash! Ridiculous! Laughable! The first ever international conference on Igbo language was held on 4th January 1907 at Asaba. Interestingly the most important Igbo city at the time. Ndigbo converged at Asaba as Igbo people for that occasion. Being aware that such an event took place and reading your post above makes it very difficult to comprehend your drive. The legendary Olaudah Ekwuano, way back in 1840 in England had identified himself with his town as well as Igbo.

will be back later.....

christopher123:
Now , on the reasons why the Benins donot have a record of Ezechime , there are many possible reasons for that. In those days many people fled from Benin and it was not possible for the Benin people themselves to keep tract of people who left there. The Ezechime group was just one out of so many emigrations from the city. Another reason was the crime Ezechime was accused of. He was said to have assaulted the Oba's mother who had trampled on his farmland. You cant expect the Benin people to remember such an event considering the kind of glorification they give the Oba and members of the royal family.
ON THE USE OF " UMU ''
The prefix " Umu " was after assimilation. It was not as if they were known by that prefix from the beginning. It was just a natural process of evolution from Edo speaking to Igbo speaking. Even in Agbor , the Obis come from a community with the same prefix. All Obis come from Ogbe Umudein. The title of Dei is definitely not of Benin origin. All these come to show that our people despite the Benin origin of many of them became Igbo speaking with time. It will also become more Igbo sounding because it will more convenient for such descendants to pronounce it as such. Amongst the Umuakashiada, the name would would have probably come from Akasiada which is Edo sounding. Also donot forget that later Igbo groups began to settle with them such as the Asaba people in Ezionum and the Awkuzu people in Obiaruku.

The earlier the young generation start using their brains the better they can improve on their common senses. Intelligent historians have tried to piece the Ezechima puzzle and concluded that it was a reverse migration that began in Igboland. Please, ask yourselves the following questions:

1) Chima was the first Obi of Onitsha, why is it that all his immediate children that succeeded him bore Igbo names: Obi Chimaukwu, Obi Chima efi, Obi Oraeze. Even when it is very practical these kids were born in "Benin" outside Igbo speaking land by a supposedly non_Igbo speaking Chima?

2) How long did he and his entourage trek from Benin to Onitsha to have lost their Benin language?

3) They stopped in Obior, Obampkpa, Issele ukwu etc, very good. Were they losing the Edo language at each stop in these towns and to whom?
How many months or years would it take you to lose your own language, if at all possible?

4)A story corroborated by even the Edo website was that Chima and his followers were also having problem with the Oba because of the shrine of the Ezechima people. The name of this Shrine was and is still UDO. The Udo deity is Onicha peoples flagship. Infact there is no UDO there is no Onitsha. It is the symbol that they have carried for ages. This said, UDO shrines can only be found in Igboland in places like Onitsha, Nnewi, Ekwulobia, Ogidi, Ukpo, Abagana, Ekwulu mmili etc. It does not replicate anywhere outside Igboland. My question here is: what was Ezechima and his followers doing with the Udo shrine in far away Benin? Where and how did they acquire the deity?

6)At the same time that Chima was reported to have arrived at the place called Onicha in the 15th century, another strong historical figure called Chima from Ohafia in the present Abia state (Orofia in Anambra dialect) was establishing towns and villages in neighboring towns around Onicha. He established villages in Ogidi, Abagana, Ukpo, Abatete, Nimo and so many. The eldest man in Orofia village of Abagana was always given the title of CHIMA. So, my question is: who was this Chima? Could it have been a coincidence that two different Chima were making history at the same time in neighboring communities? Have we mistaken one person to be two different persons? Wonderful, isn't it? Some historians are now begining to theorize that it could be the same man from Ohafia who travelled to Benin and returned back after so many years of sojourn. Thus the reverse migration hypothesis that is fast gaining ground.

Please, i need only mind boggling responses.

This is the kind of delegation and courtesy visit common in the good old days of Nigerian politics. Quite reminiscent of the days of Zik, Okpara, Odumegwu Ojukwu and Ekwueme. And this is the first time any modern new politician in Igboland would enjoy this privilege of national importance. It is also not common in other regions where the politician have equally lost respect. It would rightly be called a national endorsement and Abuja's passing of the baton from Ekwueme to Chief Peter Obi as the new face of Igbo politics. Ndigbo have endorsed him after his tenure as governor and now Abuja and the other regional leaders have followed suit. Good for Obi!

Not the undignified switching of political camps that is rampant today.

victor1464:
Hey mr man. d niger delta central region which hav much influences 4rm d ijaws,urobo,isoko,bini, and d larger part of igbo....all dis doesnt make dem igbo...4 ur infomation d Ukwuanis r not igbos and will neva accept it...d ukwuani is a seperat ethnic entity..we call u igbos our neigbours and somtimes our brothers.. D igbos and d ukwuani people of delta state will only come 2geda wen it bcoms political necessary and that is wat we r doin now workin 4d creation of a new state 4rm delta state called ANIOMA STATE which both 4d UkwuANIS and Igbos(aniocha people)

Victor, there is no need for long grammar here. It is very very interesting that you want Anioma state despite that you said you're not Igbo. That's fine, but i had thought you would have wanted to join the non-Igbo groups like Isoko and urhobos in the upcoming delta state. Why stay with people you don't like? Asaba, your capital is a 100 percent Igbo town located in the heart of Igboland and with a long Igbo history. Don't you think Anioma state would be dangerous for your types because your generations to come will by default drop their village dialects and embrace the Asaba igbo dialect which is central Igbo? How about that? No anti Igbo Ukwuani sentiment can withstand the overwhelming Igbo vibration at Asaba. That you know.

Honestly, I don't really understand you guys because your fellow clan's man, Ogoegbunam Dafe of Obiaruku was a founding member of the Igbo state Union in 1937, which later became known as Ohaneze. Even the town of ABBI, the political capital of Ukwuani people was founded by a man from Achalla in the present Anambra state. So, my message here is: if you don't like Ndigbo, do not aspire to join Anioma state because it would be counter productive. I bet you the heat would be too much for the anti Igbo clans in such a state.

And yet ONE miilion native Igbos of Benue state in their own land, are under the slavery of Idoma people since Lugard's North South demarcation in 1914. When it comes to other people's matters, we suffer cognitieve bias. Read on....http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=56412

.........And ONE MILLION, Yes, ONE MILLION IGBO INDIGENES OF BENUE STATE INHABITING 300 VILLAGES ARE CRYYING TO BE CARVED BACK INTO IGBOLAND Read on......http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=56412

Nigerians are really very gullible lot.....I've been wondering why people are not serious to ask why this celebrated "prophet and healer" did not see this humongous catastrophy in his visions coming

This is the West East railway link that was initiated two years. I guess it's now approved and will link Edo, Asaba, Onitsha, Nnewi, Yenagoa to Calabar.
For one thing, this guy, GEJ, don't embark on white elephant projects. This one is going to be his closing landmark achievement for his administration, watch out!

soroptimist: So that is the area wey it take concern you abi....

Na clueless GEJ 2nd term you are most disturbed about......

When APC and PDP were trading blames over BH.......we all felt no one was being sincere between them,now a neutral person who has no reason to lie made a startling revelation yet you felt he was paid

"startling revelation"....Are you serious?
As if the people of that contraption have forgotten GEJ's election and how the "country would be made ungovernable". And how everything else revolves about Hausa Fulani losing power and the threats to get it back. "Neutral person" indeed! The hungry Davis is a poor hatchet man and should better return to Sidney and apply for an income support. Yeye de smell!

Cheap black mail from a paid scoundrel like Davis. Tarnish Ihejirika. Draw a bad blood between GEJ and Ndigbo. Knock their heads and deny the minority Ijaw man the Igbo votes he needs in 2015. A very poor winning strategy and very cheap one. I thought the hungry negotiator was smarter than this. Wasted my precious time listening to a balderdash.

ibedun: Igbo sees brown and rustic roof. I see ancient cities, testament to our continue greatness.

When a child see money for the first time he is bound to misbehave.

We have been doing it for centuries unlike those who left the bush and interior villages just a few years back.

No Sir, I think what the Igbo see is the dearth of individual competition - constant improvements. It's also the dearth of emulative spirit. Example is the consequence of so many high rise buildings in Enugu, Onitsha Owerri and now Nnewi. Though there are elements of over weening pride in their comments, but in all, i think their reactions were mostly spontaneous but often misconstrued.

The Ikwerre people and the Rivers state will by default become landlocked. The new Oil Rivers state will however be shared by Ijaw and some other Igbo groups, but i think GEJ's plan here is to have the capital on the coast on Ijaw territory.

Iriruaga100: This work is not complete without the people of itsekiri in warri, the urhobo's frm sapele nd the bini's who had first contact with the portugese nd transferred to them the slang. I will give the OP a big F, if this was a project work.

This is an interesting thread, you can as well remind us of some the words so that we can assimilate them.
Which of the words please?

How could it be that everybody forgot one of the oldest, if not the oldest pidjin word "Una'?

Una means you people from the Igbo word Unu-you people


Una was introduced in the Carribean by west african Igbo slaves but soon became the most popular pidgin amongst the slaves in the whole carribean. Unu is still used in its original version in the carribean. But when freed slaves arrived Freetown it was changed to Una.

For the salary, it is not different from the scale in China. The average workers' salary in China is in the range of 200 US dollars. Health coverage is a luxury o. Make una just commot this salary aspect. Duration of working hours is also nothing in most places in China.

Sir, I've been following the comments from the day one of this project. You're a man made of strong stuff.
I've not forgotten your advice on how to start my project on single rooms. I will contact u when i am ready. I may decide to start with one side first. Nice work Sir.

phatjoe50: better just follow the steps

Ok, still i'll like to know the need for that
Thanks anyway

phatjoe50: Won't you change the ceiling?

No, because of the cost, want to do it gradually.

phatjoe50: You have to employ excess hands and follow this steps.

But he talked about changing the ceiling as well

okenwa: Step.1 Move the items to one room,then change the ceiling.
Step.2 Repeat step 1.

Thanks, but are there other precautionary measures concerning the old nuggings?
Must i change the ceiling as well?