₦airaland Forum

5. Summary and Conclusion
Language contact phenomenon has a lot of implications among which
are bilingualism, multilingualism, borrowing code – switching, pidgin and
so on. Such incident between Igbo and Esan languages has not only
linguistic but cultural, and socio-political implications. From the study of
the influence of Esan language on Igbo due to their contact, it was
discovered in the first place that the speech community at the language
boundary between Igbo and Esan – which is Ekpon could neither identify
themselves as Ika nor Esan speakers but Ekpon speakers. However, from
the linguistic point of view they belong to Ika dialect speakers of Igbo
language.
It was discovered also that there are a lot of variations between the
Ika dialect speakers and that of the other speakers of Ika that are residing
in Agbor and its environs. For instance, there are changes in words like
“Okele” for Ekele (greeting), “Onwole” for “Onweni” (nothing). There is
change in syntax e.g. “Me ri Agbor ebeni” for “Agbor ebeni kemri (I live
in Agbor).
Culturally, there is little or no relationship with the Igbos (Ikas) as
their culture is in consonance with Esan culture. The various festivals and
rituals running from the beginning to the end of the year are synonymous
with Esan culture. Politically, they are affiliated to Esan style of
traditional leadership. Another important aspect of the Ekpon people is
that the bilingual phenomenon is gradually dying away. The older
generation of folks speak Ika and Esan languages while the younger
generation does not understand nor speak Esan language. The older ones
claim that they find it difficult to speak Esan and that those who speak it
struggle to do that. On the other hand, the immediate neighbours like
Ewosa who speak Esan language do not understand the Ika spoken by
their Ekpon neighbours. This is why some Ekpon people try to speak
Esan to their Esan neighbours but switch to English when the
interlocution becomes unintelligible. Ehinze – Language Contact: Ika Igbo and Esan pp: 104-111
Journal of Igbo Language & Linguistics (JILL) No. 3 December 2011
110
The variety of language contact studied here demonstrates that there
is in principle no limit to what speakers of different languages will borrow
or transfer from each other, given the right opportunity. One of the
greatest challenges facing linguists is to account for both the social forces
and the linguistic mechanisms and constraints which operate jointly to
determine what particular outcome emerges from the language contact
that can lead to great benefits both practically and theoretically. Research
on its social aspect can lead to insights on group relationships and group
identities, and how they are shaped by processes of accommodation in
some circumstances and by divergence and conflict in others.
Understanding of the social forces that guide and constrain language
contact use is of vital importance both to language contact, planning in
areas like education, politics and social welfare and to understanding the
ways language changes. Research on the linguistic aspects of language
and language contact leads to insight on the nature of linguistic systems,
the mechanisms by which they interact to produce new strategies of
communication, the creativity of human beings in adopting and adapting
new materials to be reshaped into new manifestations of human faculty of
language contact.

Morphology and Syntax
There are few instances of variations in sentence constructions and
production of words as evident in the following examples:
1. Enyi a nu we ebuo (Ika) enyi a nu welebuo (ekpon)
We do understand the two (languages). The difference here is the “L”
insertion in the word “welebuo”.
2. Me ri Agbor eben (Ekpon)
‘I live Agbor here’
‘Agbo ebeni ke mbi’ (Ika)
‘Agbor here I live’
I live in Agbor
The first person pronoun “M” (I) does not appear in initial position with
“Me” form but “M” form and in some cases “Mme” form. The “Me” form
in Ekpon is borrowed from the Esan language. For instance the above
sentence in Esan will read;
Agborme yie
Agbo Iive (I live in Agbor)
3. Onye Ekpon ya me wu (Ekpon)
I Ekpon that I am
Onye Ekpon ke m wu (Ika)
I Ekpon that I am
I am from Ekpon or native of Ekpon.
The “ya” and “ke” are variants as they have the same meaning. The
pronoun changes form in Ika due to position in the sentence viz a viz
initial, middle or final but it remains Constant in form at whatever
position in Ekpon which is a characteristic of Esan for e.g. will read –
“Ovwie Ekpon me khin” from (Native) Ekpon I am.
4. Cultural Influences
The socio political status of Ekpon people is one that is rooted in Esan
culture. This is a society of people whose origin is traceable to Ekpon in
Esan west local government area of Edo State while they live in Esan
South – East Local Government Area of the same Edo State but
linguistically they belong to Ika dialect of Igbo language and live at the
linguistic boundary between Ika (Igbo) and Esan languages. Their
traditional institution is rooted in Esan culture. They have no Obiship or
Eze system of leadership like Igbos but an Onogie who is appointed or
approved by the Oba of Benin. To rule with the Onogiie are Chiefs –Ehinze – Language Contact: Ika Igbo and Esan pp: 104-111
Journal of Igbo Language & Linguistics (JILL) No. 3 December 2011
109
Ogele, Ihiami etc who help the Onogie to carry out his royal functions and
tributes to the Oba who made all of them who they are in the land.
The mode of obtaining chieftaincy titles in Ekpon is synonymous
with Esan ways. Every festival taking place in Ekpon is according to Esan
tradition. For instance, ceremonies like marriage, child naming are in no
way similar to Ika culture. The burial ceremony for example which runs
for seven days in Ekpon is what obtains in Esan land contrary to four days
burial activities in Ika/Igbo culture. This shows that apart from language,
the Ekpon life style is similar to that of Esan.

3. Lnguistic Influences
The various Linguistic changes of the language contact exercise
between Esan and Ika-Igbo are discussed in this chapter. They are,
however, being discussed under two headings vis a viz Linguistic and
cultural influences respectively. The linguistic influences are further
categorized under such sub-headings as lexical variations, phonology and
morphology and syntax.
Lexical Variation
ENGLISH IKA-IGBO EKPON
You Yu Yuno
We Enyi Eno
All Welecha Enolecha
Many Oda Ebuke
Bird Nnunu Ununu
Dog Nkite Itite
Louse Izu Ezu
Tree Osisi Osi-h
Seed Mkpuru Akpuh
Egg Ekwaran Ekur
Tongue Ire IgheEhinze – Language Contact: Ika Igbo and Esan pp: 104-111
Journal of Igbo Language & Linguistics (JILL) No. 3 December 2011
107
Ear Nti Itin
Hair Ntutu Ururu
Moon Ifon Okegwe
Water Mmiri Umi
Ash Ntu Utu
Round Okiriokiri Ghahime
Claws Mbuo Ubuo
Although these differences in words are all free variations but they
came about due to a proposed deviation (unintentional) from normal,
which was not achieved by these Ekpon speakers. The intention to drop
the Ika-Igbo words and perhaps substitute them with that of Esan or
probably new inventions, but this was to be a hard task as they are caught
between where they were coming from and where they are going to.
However, they have only succeeded in creating sub – Ika dialect from the
main Ika dialect of Igbo language.
Phonology
In this domain, we discovered some deletion of sounds and segments
as the case may be.
m – deletion
Mme me = me
o – deletion
Okpoho Okpoh
= woman
Syllable deletion:
Osisi Osi-h
= tree
Ekwukwuo Ekhwo = leave
Ekwaran Ekun = Egg
The last sounds in these cases are aspirated. This is because most of Esan
words are aspirated and have short and very fast levels of pronunciation,
mostly followed by high tones. Most of Esan words begin and end with
high tones e.g. Ekoh (ear), eke (belly), Inyie (breast), Oria (person) aran
(blood) awa (dog), ehen (fish), ibe (liver) akon (Tooth) anyo (drink)
eloloh (eye) okppia (man) etc. All these have affected the Ekpon dialect
in terms of tone and aspiration of sounds.
In summary, we can affirm that the speakers of Ekpon have a peculiar
pronunciation which tends to influence their contiguous speech
communities.Ehinze – Language Contact: Ika Igbo and Esan pp: 104-111
Journal of Igbo Language & Linguistics (JILL) No. 3 December 2011

2. Literature Review
The bilingual nature of some speech communities has made it
possible for two or more dialects/languages to be in existence, in such
speech communities. This has been a universal phenomenon in world
languages. The use of one dialect/language vis-à-vis other
dialects/languages derives from the attitudes of the language/dialect users.
Mbah (2005:276) in her study of sociophonology in Oba Igbo opines
that one of the factors that influence the selection of a particular variant is
contact. The degree of contact which speakers of Oba dialect have with
speakers of the more mutually intelligible dialects of Igbo is of great
significance in influencing their choice of the binary variant of the lexical
and morphological variables. It appears that contact factor works hand-inhand with the regional factor in Oba. Ugwuona (2004:23) in her study of
language choice and attitudinal differences in Nsukka Urban, discovers
that Owerre and Onitsha dialects of Igbo language are the prestigious
dialects among other dialects of Igbo including the host dialect, which is
Nsukka dialects. The reason for the dominance is that Owerre and Onitsha
dialects have historical, economic, educational and political advantage
over other dialects. In her conclusion, Ugwuona affirmed that there are
multiplicity of different Igbo dialects which influence one another. The
interaction of the different dialects has given rise to the phenomenon of
code – switching and code – mixing, among the dialects. As a result,
hardly can any educated person in Nsukka Urban engage in a sustained
discourse especially in a relaxed, informal context in Igbo language
without mixing some elements of his indigenous dialect.
Uwalaka (2001) in Igboanusi (2001:50) investigated the anguish of
Igbo as a mother tongue. Internal and external conflicts and revealed
crucial issues on factors affecting and underlying language choice
especially in Igbo as a mother tongue. One of the interesting things in her
study is the Igbo internal conflicts. Uwalaka defines language internal
conflicts as “the phenomenon in which for political, economic or socio –
economic reasons, dialects of a given language vie for ascendancy”.
Language external conflicts are cases in which for whatever reasons
language of a given country competes with one another or compete with a
foreign language or languages, she concluded. Okeke (2006) studied
language attitude and language shift in Nkpor dialect and reports that
there is complexity of dialect. stuation in Nkpor – Agu region of Nkpor.
Some of these dialects are Nsukka, Owerre, Umuahia, Udi, Abakaliki, Ehinze – Language Contact: Ika Igbo and Esan pp: 104-111
Journal of Igbo Language & Linguistics (JILL) No. 3 December 2011
106
Onitisha, Ohafia, Mbaise, Oyigbo, Ikwere, Ngwa, Oka, Nteje, Ogbinuike,
Aguata, Obosi, Ogidi, Ezeagu, Enugu, Ngwa, Izzi, Ibagwa, Efiom, Nkpor
etc. The attitudinal indifference of the language users in Nkpor dialect is
similar to that of Tamil dialect speakerss because that dialect situation in
Nkpor is complex, and these different dialects have different traditional
backgrounds as it is in Tamil.
However, he concluded that because of urbanization that came to
Nkpor – Agu through the influence of the commercial city of Onitsha, the
town is affected linguistically by urban life. Again, a lot of people
migrated to the town for the purpose of commerce and as such made the
town multidialectal (because they all came with their languages and other
Igbo dialects). This influenced the dialect greatly. From the discussions
about language contact, it comes out clear that the field of language
contact in African languages in general and Igbo language in particular
in particular has not received much attention in spite of huge
amount of data on the subject in other languages. By this token, it
becomes necessary to advance the field knowledge in the area of Igbo
Language contact.

Ehinze – Language Contact: Ika Igbo and Esan pp: 104-111
Journal of Igbo Language & Linguistics (JILL) No. 3 December 2011
104
Language Contact: The Influence of the Esan Language on
Ika-Igbo
S. N. Ehinze
Abstract
Language contact phenomenon has a lot of implications among which are
bilingualism, multilingualism, borrowing, code switching, pidgin etc. Such
occurrence between Ika Igbo and Esan language has not only linguistic
implications but cultural and socio-political implications. Esan and Igbo language
have linguistic boundary like other languages. Language contact phenomenon
presupposes exchange of linguistic and cultural features between the two groups.
This work therefore is a study of the linguistic features that are amenable to
socio-linguistic analysis. It seeks to discover the extent to which Esan language
exerts linguistic effects on the Igbo language. The results of the analysis show
that the effect of the contact between the Igbo and Esan languages is bi
directional.
1. Introduction
In a speech community, when two languages come together, certain
linguistic changes or developments occur. Language contact between two
people speaking different languages can have a wide variety of outcomes.
In some cases only a few words are borrowed; in others whole new
languages may be formed. The result of such language contact differs
according to several factors, including the length and intensity of contact
between the groups, the types of social, economic and political
relationship between them, the functions which communication between
them must serve and the degree of similarity between the languages they
speak.
Ika-Igbo language has been influenced at one time or the other by
Esan language contact, resulting in varying degrees of transfer of features
from one to the other. Against this background, the need arises to
investigate the possible linguistic and cultural influences existing in IkaIgbo language due to contact with Esan language and to determine
whether it is bi-directional or uni-directional.
Esan and Igbo languages share boundary like other languages.
Urhobo-Igbo, Edo, Yoruba Languages etc. The phenomenon of language
contact presupposes exchange of linguistic and cultural features between
the two groups. This paper seeks to determine the extent to which Esan
language has influenced the different linguistic levels of the Igbo
language. It is equally important to know whether linguistic changes from Ehinze – Language Contact: Ika Igbo and Esan pp: 104-111
Journal of Igbo Language & Linguistics (JILL) No. 3 December 2011
105
the contact between Igbo and Esan affect Igbo alone or Esan alone or both
and the level of significance

chukzyblingz:
I think you have a mental issues. Who did you quote before I quoted you? OMG what a dumbass u are

Okpo ngaji!

Your learned Ika researchers and mates like Ehinze are busy researching on how Bini proximity to Ika resulted in introduction of many Edo loan words into Ika original Igbo language. You are here exhibiting your ignorance for the whole world to see.

ariesbull:
Lies....so what is the name of God in ika

What are the names of market days in ika
What is the name of ika king
What do they call land

Answer these questions so that we can know how igbotic they can be

Ika market days- Eke, Orie, Aho. Nkwo
Ika king- Eze
Ika titles for Eze- Obi/Dein
Ika land- Ali

chukzyblingz:
You said those names are Edo names. But they are not Edo names. Those are Ika names with 100% ika language. Please accept your ignorance and move on

Lol. Mugu!

Those names are names of Ugbodu kings in the past, they are purely Edo names and have no meaning in Ika language, except the Ika translates them using a learned Bini language.

By the way, Ugbodu is in Aniocha and not Ika, so I wonder what's the point of this your childish argument.

No Ika man understands Bini language without first learning it.

chukzyblingz:
for your information, those names you listed there are not ika names and don't have any meaning in Ika language. You just succeeded in spewing your fabricated lies and as usual, the ignorant will accept it as the truth. What a pity.

You are deluded. Go tell that to Igbanke people running away from Bini assimilation.

chukzyblingz:
Please stop saying what you don't. All those names are 100% Ika language. You're not ika but you claim to know more about ika than the ikas themselves. Typical Igbo mentality

It's like you suffer from brain damage.

I wasn't the one who wrote about Ika original names being non Edoid. It was Igbanke people.

I wasn't the one who proclaimed Oak Igbo root. It was Chief Iduwe, and I had provided the quotes here.

You must be a descendant of one of those Bini Vagabonds, that Ika people accepted into Ikaland.

Subbway101:
[s][/s]

I have told you malnourished kid to stop screaming Odua as if they are responsible for your family problem. When will you be bold to hold your parent responsible for your misfortune, why always screaming Odua everywhere even when they dont care about you. Dont you have any shame Pazienza?

Pazienza is no longer an old man, he is now a kid.

Dude must have done a number on you.

The OP is mad, as his moniker suggested. Good a thing Ndiigbo are learning how these people behave ASAP, and not fall into their divisive traps.

"Muhammadu Buhari should stop living in the past and face the realities of the 21st Century. War-mongering and regurgitation of the stories of Biafra genocide will not shake the resolve and determination of Biafrans on the restoration of their God-given nation of Biafra. The earlier Buhari understands that nothing on this earth can stop the restoration of the nation of Biafra, the better for him and his blood-thirsty Hausa-Fulani parasites and oligarchs."

Spot on. But IPOB leadership like Ojukwu are always speaking of Hausa-Fulani, without recognizing the Odua component of the gang up. This is an oversight on their part, that if not rectified will yield similar outcome as Biafra 1.0.

They must always but it as it is. It's not just Hausa-Fulani thing, it's an Arewa-Odua alliance that we faced and must again face, if we must be free from the colonial enclave.

An Easy way to know what original Ika names sounded like is to take a look at Igbanke, the closest Ika clan to Bini, which as of today is still in Edo state.

The people have been fighting tooth and nail over centuries to hold unto what they called "Original Ika" names, that the Binis through systemic orchestrations had both subtly and forcefully tried to replace with Bini/ edoid names.

Let's hear from the Igbankes themselves:

ISSUES FROM THE STATEMENT OF FACTS
Consequent upon the facts drawn from the subject matter, some issues could be deduced to support Igbanke search for linguistic and cultural identity. These issues would go a long way in justifying our position.
1)Igbanke was deliberately, but selfishly carved into Edo state during the 1991 state creation irrespective of the linguistic difference between the people of Igbanke and the dominant Bini speaking population of the state.
2) Over 96% of Ika speaking communities in the defunct Bendel state were carved into Delta state while Igbanke and a handful other Ika speaking communities were severed into Edo state where they are presently subjected to acute linguistic and sundry discriminations
3) Because of linguistic factor, the people of Igbanke feel more at home with their kiths and kins (Ika speaking people) in Edo and Delta states.
4) Igbanke is made up of six (6) autonomous clans: Ake/Obiogba, Idumu-Odin, Igbontor, Oligie, Omolua and Ottah. These clans were governed by traditional rulers called ‘’Eze or Obi’’. These terms were of Ika origin, but have been forcefully changed to ‘’Enogie’’ a Bini term by the conquering Binis.
5) Our ancestral heritage like language, names and beliefs are being systematically destroyed by the domineering power of the Binis.

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT OF ISSUES RAISED
1)Most Igbanke indigenes who have Ika ancestral names like, “Emeka”, “Maduka”, “Chukwuka’’, “Chinyere”, “Amaka and “Ogorchukwu etc are often confronted with all forms of harrowing experiences when there are needs to visit our council headquarters, Abudu to process one official documents or the other. We are often denied the issuance of documents like, ‘’Certificate of Local Government of origin’’, Protest Letter’’, To Whom it May Concern’’ etc on the guise that we are Igbos not Binis.
2) Those who have the likes of the Ika aforementioned names, but can speak Bini language are rarely subjected to the above embarrassments and discriminations. This act goes a long way to vindicate our fear that there is a subtle, but carefully planned agenda to make us lose and abandon our ancestral linguistic and cultural heritage.
3) In order to escape from these unnecessary embarrassments, some have no other option left than to change their identity from Ika to Bini names.
4) Today, we, the good people of Igbanke are gradually losing our once envied linguistic and cultural identity.
5) Some of the eminent sons and daughters of Igbanke, whom out of their outstanding contributions to the development of the community, were recognized and given chieftaincy titles had had such titles changed from their original Ika origin to Bini equivalence. For example, few years ago, one of our sons who addressed himself as “Chief Orike-Eze” in Oba of Benin palace was shamefully harassed, insulted and forcefully forced, right in the palace to change the title to its Bini version. According to the palace, the title, “Orike-Eze” had its origin from Ika and Igbo nations.
5) Most times, when we have cause to attend meetings with the Binis in our local government area or senatorial district, deliberations are often conducted in Bini in language without considering the fact that the people of Igbanke in such meeting neither speak nor understand the language. Often than not, when we attend such meetings, we left the venue more confused than we were before we went.
6) In Edo state, Igbanke is only tolerated, not respected, seen, but not accepted. Today, in Edo state, plans are underway by the state Ministry of Education to introduce the teaching of Bini language in Primary and Secondary schools across Edo south senatorial district including Igbanke. Unfortunately, our indigenous language, Ika is not in any way considered qualified and appropriate to be taught in schools in Igbanke. To us, its another deliberate attempt to send our linguistic identity into extinction.
7) Our people have also suffered several inexplicable discriminations when..."

Even though Igbanke like the mainstream Ika remain Indifferent to the Igbo tag and even atimes Igbophobic. It's pertinent to observe what the Igbanke consider proper Ika names from the article above and attempts by Bini at replacing them all with Bini ones with force, having failed to do so subtly over the centuries.

Ubenedictus:
Yah it may very well b true, eze chima may already b ibo. And it may be true that his migration populated the area with ibos even though the primitive people were edoid, and subsequent ibo migration turned the tide of language, the edoid clothing, culture and even names remained but the language and evolve to 80% igbo.

My point is dat the migration and primitive people may b either ibo or non ibo.

"
Here tradition tells us that Ogele or Ogene was the patriarch of our ancestors; but whence he came from we do not know for certain. Even the Benin, who claim him as their own, confess to the mystry of his exact association with them. Better to know the man from his deeds among us, as I have recounted. We believe that early Agbors have some cultural affinity with the East Niger—Igbo people, and that the Edo people as neighbors of Agbor


Language: Agbor spoke the ika dialect akin to other Igbo tongues, but the special vehile of the ika culture end image. It is distinct and dissimilar from Edo language and vice versa, even though some say that Agbor was once under the Oba’s rule. This was so because Benin was the first to acquire firearms from the Portuguese, and with which they terrorized the neighboring states. But this state of affairs lasted for only a short: Agbor liberated themselves before the 18th century. “Oru asuw Igbo; Igbo asuw Ika”: From this saying Agbor appears to be the credits of the Ika dialect and the citadel of Igbo heroes.


Chief A.G.Idwue
Dein of Agbor
Agbor-Obi 1979

http://ikaworld.com/books/Iduwe.History.pdf

After he died, may he RIP, the new dein that is half Benin decided to switch the story. After reading that, I felt so sorry for am and stopped seeing agbor ppl as groups to look down on but actually pity.

It is the same with onitsha, I remember coming in contact on a forum where the Onitsha people were arguing against the Benin descendants stories. There was even one Onitsha chick I used to know that told there were this Edo group in FB the Edo followers she had kept putting up in and anytime she decline their request, they send it to her again. She said she literally had to beg them to stop and inform them she's Igbo, not Edo before they actually left her alone.
I equally came in contact with an article where one guy was attacking obi of owa and obi of Idumueje-unor for writing a book and trying to correct the Bini descendants stories many have been spreading for their land. SMFH

I've always said it, the mistake our ancestors did was allowing Bini migrants to continue staying with them after defeating them during their colonization attempt. That was the biggest error our ancestors did because to me personally, modifying the history of others is modern day colonization attempt. Their offspring have grown, adapted into the community and now seen as one of us so they are back to what their great great great grandparents tried and failed at.
Anyway for me personally, they are not doing that rewritten thing for Asaba so I can careless. I just pity those that have to go through it".

- One-naira

Ubenedictus:
Take a look at this ika names, ehi, ose, they are edoid.
1. ehiabor- Gods blessing
2. ehioma - GOD is good
3. ehiwarrior- it is god we pray to
4. omiken- mercy
5. ehimeninomiken God has shown me mercy
6. osedodo- God i plead
7. ehiedu- God leads
8. kpanmiose- God i thank you
9. ewere- good luck
10. osebor - Gods blessing

Lol! Those are ancient Bini names taken by Ika ancestors during the Bini Renaissance to curry favour from Bini. They survived today as Surnames in Ika and rarely first names.

Take a look at the Bini names common in Ugbodu today that was taken by Ugbodu kings during the Bini Renaissance to curry favour from Binis.

Ozoluwa,
Izebuwa,
Ogbelaka,
Izedomen
, Osakpalor,
Esigie,
Igbinadolor,
Osalohua,
Osamewanmen,
Ebor,

I guess the Ugbodu people are no longer of Yoruboid origin, just because they adopted those Bini names?

You are on a slippery rope here.

"Lastly, but first in importance — not only numerically, but
politically — are the Igbo or Ibo, occupying the heart of
Southern Nigeria, i.e. the country between the Niger and
Cross rivers, extending to the south within 60 miles of the
seaboard, and to the north along the Cross river as far as the
sixth parallel of latitude and up to the seventh degree in the
direction of the Niger. Going westward, and crossing over
the Niger from Abo on the right bank up to and beyond
Asaba, we find the Ibo in occupation of a narrow strip of
country that is bordered on the west by the Igabo and Sobo
country, and on the north by the Kukuruku ; and although it
is difficult to speak with any certainty, I think it more than
probable that some of the tribes to the east of the Cross river
are merely sections of the Ibo race, or are at all events of Ibo"





"The Ibo country, as has already been pointed out, is both
extensive, populous, and divided into numerous clans and
communities, speaking dialects which vary in degree from
slight to considerable. I speak, of course, entirely with regard
to that portion of it with which I was associated, and the
people with whom I came into personal touch. These were
the Aro or Ama-Ofo, Abam, N'doke, Ngwa, Omuma, Ohuhu,
Grata, Isuama, N'kweri, Ekwe, Mbeari, Oratshi, Engeni, Abua,
Abaja, Akpam — all of them situated between the Niger and
Cross rivers, — Abo and Niger Ibo, i.e. the dialect spoken by
the people on the eastern and western banks.

Comparing the language as it is spoken in all of these
different localities, the dialectical variations are not very



CHAP. IV A GENERAL ANALYSIS OF EXISTING DATA 43

marked, the purest dialect being spoken, as already pointed
out, in Isuania and neighbourhood, while the most pronounced
difference is to be found between the Niger dialect, especially
that which is spoken right on the river or on its western bank,
and that of the more eastern sections, which lie nearer to the
Cross river and in proximity to the Ibibio".
https://archive.org/stream/lowernigeritstri00leonrich/lowernigeritstri00leonrich_djvu.txt

A colonial document telling the boundaries of Igboland.

Shym3xx:
Oh, shut up. If you claim you have ancestral ties to a place, doesn't that mean you're from there? Don't play semantics with.

And I was going to stop posting on the thread, but the fact that you opened ya ignorant mouth to chat shitt with the aid of ya fingers is the reason why I'll post these excerpts below:



This is an account from British explorers in 1900 and according to them, Igbos were slaves all over the Delta districts and the outnumber the original inhabitants.

Swallow the humble pie and accept you're wrong. Don't let me post more damning academic proofs.

You are a typical Afonjo with all the bad characteristics attached to that.

I wanted to let this your comedy Post be, but on second thought , decided against, as all that lies need to take appearance of truth is the silence of those with Knowledge.

Nkem4040:
Powerful! When I read colonial books; I have read over 4 of them and one thing is constant...they spoke highly of Igbos.

Exactly. They all separated us from the Arewa-Odua people.

eleko1:
OK. Hope u aren't trying to promote Biafra? cos Biafra is DEAD.Mind u,I'm from Nsukka.. ONE NIGERIA

Afonja! Your Afonjaland in Kwara( Ilorin) died centuries ago under Afonja, murdered by your Gambari masters,

You should worry more about that and stay out of Igbo issues.

[b] Here is how Father Joe, one of the Irish Rev. Fathers who worked in Igbo land for a long time and stayed in Biafra throughout the Biafra-Nigeria War, described the Ibo (Igbo) to a team of reporters from Life Magazine in 1968: “Life (Magazine) has been dispatching teams to Biafra since June 1968, and now September, the beginning of the hot season, was on hand, we noticed a profound change. Wherever we went, people tugged at our sleeves and held out their hands, hoping for a coin, a cigarette, or a kola nut. This begging was altogether new.” “The Iboman never begs.” Father Joe said. “He's much too proud, he wants to pay for what he gets. The Ibos are wizards at saving money. When one of them gets a job, he starts saving right away; first for a bicycle, then a transistor radio, and next a bit of land. Then he builds a house on it, gets a wife and before the first child is born, he is already putting money by for the kid's school fees. The Ibos are mad for education.” He continued, “Ach, you should have known the Ibo before the war, shrewd, clannish, competitive – exasperating and proud. Some called them the Jews of Africa and others said they were as bad as the Irish, and I'd consider it a compliment either way. You know that we Holy Ghost Fathers all ran schools here before the war? The way we played on the Iboman's competitive instinct was absolutely shameless.” “What kind of parish is this? I would say to the elders. The school of the other village has an upstairs – Ibo talk for a second story – so they'd build me an upstairs and then I'd say, how can I be the Father here? There is a village not five miles from here that has a primary school and a secondary school as well. Do you expect me to spend the rest of my life rotting in a village that has no secondary school? So, up would go the new school and then I'd really put the screws to them: There is a settlement down Owerri-way that sent one of their boys to a university in Europe. Wouldn't it be a grand thing to have a university graduate of our own? And by God, somehow the village would scrimp and save until they had one: All that seems a long time ago now.” The determination and resourcefulness that once characterized the Ibo also preoccupied Father Joe. We were driving out for a last look at Emekuku Hospital when Father Joe remarked: “There was a time when it was impossible to have a car breakdown in Iboland. You'd find yourself stuck somewhere way out in the bush and first thing you know, three loafers – two of whom had probably never peeked under the bonnet of an auto in their lives – would saunter up to see what was the matter. In no time at all using rags and string they'd have you on your way again.” Father Joe shook our hands before we boarded the flight out through the flak and said, “Remember now: however this thing is settled militarily, somehow, somewhere, something called Biafra will continue to exist.”(Breadless Biafra). This is the Igbo the world used to know and which has been destroyed by Nigeria. [/b]

http://m.modernghana.com/news/415203/1/self-determination-for-the-igbo-and-all-easterners.html

Like I said before, Enu- ani people are always proudly Igbo.

Nice article.

Abagworo:
The Edo descendants found among Delta Igbos were escorts while the major migrants from Benin kingdom were Igbos. At the peak of Benin kingdom most tribes that inhabited the lower Niger migrated en mass to Benin for so many reasons including recruitment into Benin army as mercenary fighters. Odogwu was one of the most popular Igbo men of old that ventured into Benin as a soldier but later left back to Igboland after many victories. The ancient Benin had Yoruba, Igala, Igbo and Ijaw as parts of the population and at a stage during the reign of a man Igbos know as "Obu aru" that Benin was in turmoil in a war Igbos call "Agha Idu n'Oba" the non-Binis left Benin in droves heading back home and in the process establishing settlements on their way back. Most Delta Igbos are descendants of Igbos that left Benin Kingdom heading back to East while Ijaws equally did same. It is easily verifiable by pattern of settlement, language and basic culture. The migrants adopted Benin styled leadership structure and felt superior to their untraveled brothers that were still naive.

There are also some Felta Igbos that never reached Benin but were already settled before those from Benin came to meet them. They are those in Aniocha and Oshimili whom some Benin returnees settled among establishing Benin like micro kingdoms.

Now, this is a rational analysis.

Nahwao:
Why are you wasting your time?

Nigerians owe Igbos reparations for being killed in mass numbers over acts perpretrated by Niger Deltans, Yorubas and Aniomas.

Simple. This is a fact that I don't care to hide anymore.

That's what Arewa-Odua people want us to do.

They want us to keep fighting each other, while they rob us all.
A divided house can't stand against its common enemy.
Don't play into their game.

We still have Anioma people even from Ika and Ukwuani, who would defend Igboland with the last drop of blood in their body.

Rein in your anger. It's easy to be angry , but to be angry at the right persons and at the right time, is hard.

Dalu.

If you are on facebook, join us at Proudly Anioma Proudly Igbo Facebook page, to meet many Anioma people that are still holding forte.

Igwe Bu ike, and our enemies know this well.

clefstone:
after these years I'm still who I am; an Aboh man

No problem. Perhaps your children can go one step better than you, by not just stopping at being an Aboh man, but by being Ukwuani/Ndokwa too, and then Igbo.

Ngozi123.

Nice submissions from you. Dalu.

To add to what you wrote. Not all Bini surnames in Anioma means that the bearers ancestors were Bini. That is usually a mistake many make.

In the pre colonial days, Bini empire was strong and it's influence extended over the Western Igbo area and Eastern Yorubaland.

Bini was seen as royalty and many non Bini people voluntarily took on Bini sounding names to curry favour from Bini.

Example can be seen from the list of the names of Ugbodu Kings:

Adeola,
Aderemi,
Ariyo,
Odofin;
Adetunji,
Oyetunji,
Ogbomon,


Ozoluwa,
Izebuwa,
Ogbelaka,
Izedomen
, Osakpalor,
Esigie,
Igbinadolor,
Osalohua,
Osamewanmen,
Ebor,


Dike,
Ochei,
Ezenwani,
Isinyemeze.


Ugbodu people are Yoruba speaking people that migrated into Anioma from Ondo area.
Notice how the names of their kings were initially Yoruba when they arrived the Anioma area, and gradually turned to Edo coinciding with the period of Edo renaissance and when Bini empire was at it's peak.

These kings were still Olukumi speaking and descendants of the ones with Yoruba names, but took on Edo names to curry favour from Bini empire.

When Bini empire fell, the Igbo renaissance started, the Igbo Union grew in leaps and bounds, so the Olukumi speaking Ugbodu kings started borrowing the Igbo names of their Enu-ani neighbors, and this had continued till today, as Anioma continues to evolve into an Igbo enclave.

But notice in all these evolution, the Ugbodu Olukumi Yoruboid language had remained, indicating that language is a better indicator of true origin than names.

Igbo speaking Anioma clans have no other language other their Igbo dialects, indicating Igbo origin, despite many Bini sounding names acquired voluntarily or by force during Bini empire renaissance or during their stay in Bini.

clefstone:
www.nairaland.com/1362294/abohs-delta-state-not-igbos

You were well and roundly educated on that thread by SEners and even an Aboh man that was invited to that thread.

So, after these years, you are yet to repent?

Jwise4422:
we only gat one igbo tribe in nigeria and africa at large! Delta ibos are also blood lineage to s.east ibos, dont forget dat late Raph Uwechue waz president of ohanaizee-Ndigbo before he died... He was a great man and have love for all ndigbo's nd nigeria! I am from ogwashi-uku in aniocha south of delta state. Am'ma proud igbo man, i dnt decline my ethnic lineage. Even if some of d ibo dialect speaken by most deeper ones and others speak fluent dialects' we are still one ibo family... Greetings to:-> Anioma's, anambra, imo, enugu, porthacout, abia, ebonyi! Ana'm e kene un'u... Emesia

See the difference,

An Enu- ani is always proud of his Ibo/Igbo identity.

Nwanne dalu.

Shym3xx:
Lol. You sound like an illiterate. And it seems you have a fundamental problem with English language. Especially reading and comprehension.

Everything I posted on this thread has been pretty much clear and straightforward. Igbos aren't indigenous to Delta. They got there as slaves, just as they were slaves everywhere in Rivers, all the way to a place called Bonny and where Jaja of Opobo ruled.

Those tribal settlement weren't that big back then and it was easy for the Igbo slaves to dominate them in terms of population. And everything is well documented. The population of the Itsekiris back then was about 10,000-20,000. The Urhobos weren't even more than 100,000. Now imagine what the huge Igbo population of 4million would do to all the other small settlements where they worked as slaves. It's well documented that Igbo slaves outnumber the number of indigenous folks where the worked in that axis.

Anyway, why do people who got to a location as slaves want to force their identity on those they met there? To know Igbos aren't indigenous to Delta - you just have to check the history of Onitsha. Onitsha folks just started embracing Igbo identity less than 50 years ago loool. Stop reaching loool.

Lol! This is comedy, only that it's dry.

Ubenedictus:
The languge simply means that the ibo migration was largest

The migrating people from Bini to Anioma were Igbo speaking already. Eze Chima migration was a reverse migration. His name is Eze Chima for crying out loud. Not Osaze Osazuwa.

So even though they resided in Bini, they were not Binis. This is the only logical explanation why they were Igbo speaking from the word go!


They had bini friends in their company, yet on getting to Anioma, they met many primitive Igbo speaking groups already stationed there. This too was recorded in their histories.
It was easy to see why Igbo language prevailed in the end there.

elhafeez:
OP why are you complaining. the biafrans said Ibe Kachuku is not Igbo. it is not our problem pls settle it among the yeebos

Afonja liar. Can you show us where Biafrans said Kachiukwu is not Igbo?

chukzyblingz:
2% do you mean what you just typed? Igbos don't even have a 50/50 acceptance there and you said 2‰? I give up on you.

Show me just one prominent Enu-ani man denying his Igbo identity.