₦airaland Forum

[quote author=Ileke-IdI link=topic=850.msg6710081#msg6710081 date=1283809359]Green white greenis okay, I guesss.
I also like this flag, better if they add some color in the white area.[/quote]Copy cats!

Using the Biafran Flag colors. Pick your own colors.

I prefer the Biafran flag

Don't know where Ibime got "genocidal slaughter of Ijaws" from?

Simply said we will push them back to Bayelsa. We are not as cruel as some other Nigerian groups. That can be an Ijaw reservation like the Americans have for Indians.

IJAWS ARE THE MAIN PROBLEM IN THE NIGER DELTA

Itsekiri hates them
Ikwerre hates them
Ibibio hates them
Urhobo hates them
Delta Igbo hates them
Ogoni are neutral with them
Yoruba warned the Ijaws about venturing into Yorubaland

The Ijaw Problem must be dealt with.

chyz:
Military repraisal from who, the europeans or ijaw? and with the use of whos weapons your or the europeans,if it was an ijaw military.

He must be talking about the British expedition against Mbaise. We all know the story. Some European preacher went into an Mbaise village and the locals did not like his new faith so he was cannabilized. His parts spread throughout Mbaise.

When the British heard about this, they sent a expedition against these people.

Read this on Young, Fly & Igbo on FB sometime ago. . .

Igbo-Ijaw Relations

In Igbo parlance, It is said that someone's neighbour could be more of a brother. The saying is hinged on the fact that the proximity associated with neighbourliness promotes mutual understanding and empathy. The Ijaw and her neighbours, including the Igbo, have known one another for thousands of years pre-dating the famous Hausa-Fulani relationship.

The pre-Nigerian history of the Ijaw and the Igbo in particular, was indeed a peaceful one, filled with significant legacies. One of them was the formidable rise of an Igbo slave boy, who later became one of the most respected African kings. King Jaja as he was known, was equally revered during his reign by the British Royal House of Windsor. He was shrewd in business, as well as savvy in politics. The slave boy from Amaigbo, in the present Imo state, later founded Opobo Kingdom and established the Jaja dynasty that runs till date.

The history of the Ijaw and the Igbo in respect of the origins of Opobo and Bonny (Umu-Ubani), vis avis the intermingling of the two peoples, have actually produced a hybrid race. The two communities today are bi-lingual. The Igbo dialect of Opobo known as "Igbani", was favourably chosen as one of the Igbo dialects by the colonial Bible translation committee. This was In total exclusion of Nri/Awka and Onitsha dialects for that matter. It could rightly be said that the Igbo version of the Holy Bible is a testimony of the real Igboworld. It is not uncommon to hear Igbo family names such as 'Ubani', referring to the town of Bonny. But the post civil war politics has twisted Bonny and Opobo, and made them sound far distant lands from the rest of the Igbo.

Events preceding the Nigerian civil war, and the part played by some Ijaw leaders at the time, and immediately after the war, especially in Port-Harcourt, have come to define the modern Ijaw political philosophy. A propaganda philosophy that could be said to be rooted in the fear of Igbo vendetta. Fear, which this writer and many Igbos thought was un-called for. The systematic indoctrination of innocent new generation of the Ijaws with such Igbophobia was strategically of no value.

I should stress that there was a leaf to be borrowed from the Late Chief Ken Saro-Wiwa's uninvited appearance at one Ohaneze meeting 1994. There and then, Chief Saro-Wiwa to the amazement of everyone, asked his fellow Igbo neighbours to lend their voices in his struggle for the self-determination of his Ogoni people. It was indeed a milestone. To many Igbos, he was simply a "saboteur". And moreover, a man who used his newspaper column in the 70s to humiliate them on a weekly basis. To see him come to them on a mission to revive an agitation that he actually helped to stifle was all too amazing. However, his appearance at that Ohaneze meeting would mark the first time any Southern minority leader, would sit in an Ohaneze meeting with their Igbo brothers after the civil war.


It is instructive to mention that It was at the same meeting, that the Late elder statesman Chief Sam Mbakwe reminded the audience of something else. For the first time, most of the attendees learnt from Chief Mbakwe that while Easterners were searching for a name to be given to the new nation which was about to emerge, It was an Ijaw, the late Frank Opugo, that suggested the name Biafra. A name synonymous with the Igbo today, and whose youths are proudly dying for. On the other hand, Ken Saro Wiwa, however, was warmly received at the meeting in a true brotherly re-union. It was really an emotional situation.

Currently, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark is the Ijaw national "leader". He equally serves as the intermediary of the Ijaw rebels and Nigeria's federal government. In recent years, the name Edwin Clark has been synonymous with all what Ijaw stands for--freedom, self-determination, fiscal federalism, political federalism, states creation, resource control, separate Ijaw region and so on and so forth. If this is an aversion of the ignoble roles played by this man in the period preceding the civil war, it is yet to be seen.

One of his contemporaries Chief Anthony Enahoro has since turned a new political leaf. Though at the dawn of his political life, Chief Enahoro has thrown away the material lures of Nigerian politics in place of ideology. He is apparently keen on how he would be remembered by the ever-growing assertive Southern politics. He is a regular face at the Ethnic-Nationalities Forum meetings, which sometimes are held under the auspices of Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, a former political adversary. It will be recalled that Chief Anthony Enahoro was the Nigerian Government's 'Joseph Goebels' during the war years.

On the other hand, Chief Edwin Clark appear not to have been politically redeemed. He was one of the arrow-heads that engineered the Nigerian government to reject the Aburi Accord of 1967. An agreement that granted Eastern Nigeria (including part of his Ijaw nation) confederate status within the Nigerian nation. His anti-Igbo rhetoric, plans and actions have rather increased in recent times. Clark's legacies visavis his "Ijaw-nation" were not more than his selfish interests. Such was manifest when he accepted a ministerial position at the expense of the confederate status granted to Eastern Nigeria. Which he is today fighting for crumbs of the same agreement under different terminologies--13%, 17%, 25% derivation etc,

Despite his unmitigated malice to the Igbo, the latter have not relented in her goodwill towards the Ijaw people and their aspirations. Clark is currently a leading voice in the South-South. A zone that was created at the instance of the former Vice president, Dr. Alex Ekwueme. What is happening now is the use of the South-South people's assembly (SSPA) platform to subtly discredit any Igbo-speaking presidential candidate; and the South-South/South East joint presidential candidacy. The latest moves might not be unconnected to recent verbal attacks on the Rivers state Governor, Dr. Peter Odili by Prof. Tam David West. West had on several occasions been confronted by Nigerian journalists on his anti-Igbo antecedents.

Some Ijaw leaders have severally accused the Rivers state Governor of leaning to Ohaneze, and had on one occasion asked him to confirm or deny being Igbo. He has for reason(s) that I thought were not wise kept mute on this particular issue. Not too long ago, a group that called themselves Niger-Delta Coastal Guerrillas said that Gov. Odili is even from Anambra and won't be allowed to represent the South-South. To further press home their message, there have been paid newspaper campaigns warning of the perils of an Odili presidency.

One would not fail to question the meaning to all these bravado. Does the Nigerian constitution stipulate that an ethnic Igbo shouldn't vie for the office of the presidency? Talking to the Vanguard on Feb.26 on the joint South-East/South-South presidency, Clark said, " We will not accept it. If it is our turn to present a presidential candidate, that presidential candidate must be from the South-South, not somebody who has double loyalty" He was referring to no other person than Gov. Odili, or any Igbo speaking South-South candidate. It is important to mention that Ijaws from other hamlets outside Bayelsa state assert their Ijaw purity without intimidation. The Apoi of Ondo state are equally regarded as their own, even though the Apoi have for centuries past adopted the language and manners of their Yoruba neighbours. Why should an ethnic Igbo-speaking Governor's case be different? More spurious when juxtaposed with the fact that the Igboid language group of Rivers state--Umuetche, Obigbo, Ikwerre, Ahoada, Omoku and Ndoni constitutes a superor majority over the Ijaw group.

The Igbo wants the Ijaw to succeed. A prosperous Ijaw neighbour mindful of her territorial limits will more than anything else be in the interest of her Igbo neighbour. To trivialize the presence of native Igbo-speaking communities in the Niger-delta is a travesty of history and an open aggression on the general psyche of the Igbo-speaking people.

Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo couldn't be lying when he talked to CNN April this year, he said, ", there are other groups in the Niger-Delta alongside the Ijaws, there are the Urhobos, Ogonis, Igbos, Itshekiris, Efiks and so on"

I would also like to reiterate that Gov. Odili's current travails in the hands of some Ijaw leaders and groups, should serve as an eye opener to some native Igbo communities in the South-South who are hell bent to disfigure their identities. For when the chips are down, those who find it politically expedient to accept and support their Igbo denial, will remind them that they are true Igbos. Odili is currently in that quagmire now. He was 'Rivers man' all the 15 years he's been in the Rivers state politics. And now that he has aspired to be Nigeria's president, the minority Ijaw leaders have found out that he is an Igboman. Same will happen if It were to be a candidate from any of the communities such as Ukwuani, Ika, Ikwerre, Ekpeye and so on. And in Rivers state, the situation will equally not change If It were people like Prince Chibudom Nwuche, Austin Opara or Chibuike Amechi in Odili's situation,

It is a dilemma for the Governor. The politics have shifted from that of Rivers state to the gigantic national politics. The Igbos, I believe will vote for him. But any attempt to deny his Igbo identity will cost him the over 40 million Igbo population support in Nigeria. He's smart; he's aware of It. After the Nigerian civil war, some Igbo communities in the present South-South adopted the names of their 'local governments' and 'clans' as their 'ethnic nationalities' to escape the deprivations that visited the Igbo race. Odili's native Ndoni was not an exception, though forcefully ceded to Rivers state together with Obigbo In 1976 by the then Mamman Nasir Boundary adjustment commission.

There are several Ijaw demands that includes states creation which this writer equally supports. States can no longer be created by military decrees as was done in the past. We have seen the powers of democracy from the botched "third term". As democracy and Its intensive horse-trading takes root in Nigeria, the Ijaw and the Igbo will need each other's help. Definitely the Ijaw will need the Igbo more than the Igbo will need her, because of the latter's numerical standing and tripodal status. .

Alhaji Umaru Dikko had in the Sunday Punch of 25Th June, threatened the Ijaw rebels to learn from the hard lessons of their more experienced, big Igbo neighbours. I am not saying that he was right in his threat. But a politically united Southern Nigeria can quickly wither this kind of arrogant threat and bravado. It is time the new generation of the Ijaw sent their untiring, and faceless retired politicians home. Edwin Clark should go home with his malicious politics; It is high time the Ijaw fashioned a new PR.

------------------------------------
@Ude - You seem to post everywhere where Igbo congregate! I see you starting trouble.

Ibime:
@ Richyblack,

I don't talk without facts. I'm on my Blackberry so I can't provide links.
The fact that no Igbo could trade directly with Europeans on the coast is evidence enough of where the balance of military power has lain historically.
In summary, I set you the task of unearthing a military defeat of any Ijaw nation by any Ndigbo group at any point in history. Make some use of Jstor or something. Hehehehem

As for Chyz, I don't do teenage angst. Make better use of your debating skills by continuing your argument with googles in the music section.

What nonsense are you talking about?

The hinterland was controlled by trading monopolies like the Aro who would not allow you Ijaws into the hinterland. You had to go through us and other Igbo clans. I have never heard of any Ijaw groups defeating any Igbo clan in battle. You all were not even one people. There was not any Pan-Ijaw. And my clan alone would have dealt with you Ijaws easily.

Ijaws were only used by the Europeans, because they could not venture further inshore, because of fear of malaria.

Onlytruth:


Must there be a gun in the diplomacy? lol.

Do we not strike an iron while it is hot?

That is how I deal with the Ijaws.

Onlytruth:


Here we go again.
Bros, let people not misunderstand me for you again o!

We are both preaching diplomacy though!

I am just simply talking about Gunboat Diplomacy a form of diplomacy is it not? lol

Dede1:
I can not fathom what in the hell that prompt any Igbo person to insinuate Ijo was denied any opportunity in Eastern Region. Talk about scholarship awards and right to represent eastern region of Nigeria, Ijo go more than it fair share. George Korubo was the first eastern region candidate to be nominated for training at RMA Sandhurst, UK. He was followed by individuals such as Nelson Soroh. An Ijo was the minister of Justice and Attorney General of the region. All the best secondary schools in eastern region such Government College, Umuahia, Afikpo, Owerri and Holy Ghost College, Owerri were headed by Ijo.

These nonsensical accusations of denial of opportunities in eastern region by these Ijo backstabbers were induced into their memories through ridiculous propagandas mounted by Northern and Western regional politicians. I guess today they must have found out the truth. Other than Ibibio, Ogoni, Atama/Ekoi and Annang, I would not mind a country formed within the contiguous Alaigbo.

Gbam!

And people want diplomacy with them? I say complete and utter rubbish.

I'll give them diplomacy! Gunboat diplomacy!

I must say that I am ignorant of the Igbo from Anambra & Enugu state! So much I didn't know.

My focus has always been the Igbos in Abia, Imo, Cross River and Ebonyi State.

Andre Uweh:
Forgive them.

I can forgive but I can't forget.

My opinion still stands, I'll rather stay in Nigeria then join in a nation with the Ijaw.

Onlytruth:
You see why I advocated diplomacy and inclusion? Unless you want to fight everybody, there is no other way.

I only said I had one beef and that is with the Ijaws. Sorry, but the Ijaws are not friendly with any of their neighbors. I have a Itsekiri friend who hates them more than me.

The True Extent of Alaigbo (Igboland)

Our borders will always remain contentious.


This thread has turned into something else though. I welcome any debate about the Igbo in this state called Nigeria.

ow11:
The main theme of this thread has finally surfaced. . . .People like ezeagu and Richyblack have contributed their own to the real question asked whilst unashamed bigots like Ezeuche is running his mouth like a redneck hill-billy stuck in rural Alabama.

I am also disappointed in naijaking1's responses on this thread!

Oh so I am a bigot? Shut your mouth. Who was the one who first posed this question for all to join?

[b]I look for Igbo interest first and foremost. [/b]If that makes me a bigot, tribalist or a supremacist, then so be it. Maybe that is why people get angry, because I do not put our interest secondary. And I will gladly say it for the whole world to see.

Goodness, the main theme of the thread was created by me. EWU!

Of course you would say those words, since you are not an Igbo, but a saboteur. That is why you all will be dealt with soon enough.

Onlytruth:
Did you read my posts  at all before you typed?
Where did I say that Igbo must fight?

Didn't I say that diplomacy is the best tool? Didn't I say that the minorities are free to go form their own tiny nations?

Do you just like jumping into things without reading up first? A true slowpoke.

I was wondering that as well. lol You were the one calling me to task. We were on opposite ends of the spectrum. I support military might and you support diplomacy.

The poster obviously thought did not read you responses.

THE AMAKA:
stop biting off more than you can chew.
mscheeeew

They are spreading lies about the Ndi Igbo in other threads. This can be beneficial for them.

Katsumoto & Aigbofa,

Come in here and learn.

[quote author=Ileke-IdI link=topic=509317.msg6708035#msg6708035 date=1283788990]Obviously, the North has the political power.

And one would think you actually know anything other than the stuff you make up in this section.
I've learned a long time ago not to learn from your posts, but to derive ridicule from it.

If I need more "political knowledge", I simply read more into posters like onlytruth, katsumoto, koboj, beaf and etc.
So you see, you're not the only one disappointed  [/quote]

Oh really? Is that so? You be a fool to not listen to some of my words. A person who is native to the East. A place you know nothing about. Someone who is able to not only speak Igbo and many of its dialects, but also Ibibio.

I understand the history of my people, and my region.

Now what do you have to offer? I have NEVER seen you add anything new. So why do post in this section? The only thing u do is post "news," which even a toddler can do that.

I am also the author of a thread in this section that continues to grow with time.

udezue:
@OnlyTruth and EzeUche, so the North-Hausa are Kingmakers while you the East / South-Igbo are the subordinates? Later u go dey for "Extent of Igboland beating your chest about Igbo superiority yet come here to practice Northern blind worshiping. Anyone who thinks IBB will hand over ones he gets his on Aso Rock need to think deep.

@Ude

Hush up my Aro brother! No one is worshiping no Hausa. But we understand the importance they play in Nigerian politics. We already know this. Do not get upset with us, get upset with the British who made it this way.

[quote author=Ileke-IdI link=topic=509317.msg6707942#msg6707942 date=1283787894]see you already fearing the hausa man.[/quote]Where is the fear in my post?

So simply speaking the truth is fear? The North has the political power. Every Nigerian knows this. It has been like this since independence so this is not new news.

*smh* You disappoint me with your lack of political knowledge.

udezue:
No Igbo should support IBB and his arrogance. Blabbing simpleton. So na him go determine when the Igbo must contest? Chaiiii insult

Ude, no Igbo should be supporting Jonathan either. 2015 is our year. The North has the political power so it is just the way it is.

As long as they make that promise using Allah's name, they will mean it!

[quote author=Ileke-IdI link=topic=509317.msg6707891#msg6707891 date=1283787165]Why do you go to school? That should give you the answer to that question.

So, what was Nzeribe's influence? From your own  perspective and knowledge, plz.[/quote]Touche!

You didn't fall into my trap.

Learn about the Association for Better Nigeria (ABN) that he helped set up. This group was partly responsible for the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential elections. Nzeribe’s ABN went to court on the eve of the presidential election (June 11, 1993) and secured an injuction from an Abuja High Court.

[quote author=Ileke-IdI link=topic=509317.msg6707869#msg6707869 date=1283786862]ehrrm, i thought abiola won. but was killed by IBB. So IBB is now Igbo? [/quote]Dammn you don't know anything. Why are you on the politics section?  There is a reason why I said the Igbo prevented Abiola from getting his dream.

People have already discussed Nzeribe's influence on this issue.