₦airaland Forum

aribisala0: Were Ngwa or Aro people known as Igbo in 1800. when was the first time that all "So-called" Igbos today were so addressed??

Yes, the Aro were known as Igbo prior to colonization. I am interested in finding out your familiarity with the Igbo in general.

Oke ochicho emeele any ihe. Greed has done irreparable damage to us.

This reminds me of a line in an Oriental Brothers song that goes:

"Uwa atuwala m ujo! Elu uwa atuwala m ujo! Onye ya na nwanne ya puru na elu uwa egwu atu wa ya o!"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqlgd7padic&feature=youtube_gdata_player

afam4eva: By American standards since we're talking about CNN here.

Well in American standards, yes. However, I don't think we Africans should be measuring our wealth in American standards because if we did, then many people would be considered poor even though they are living quite comfortably. Rather we should be comfortable with our own standards as Anonymous6 pointed out.

anonymous6: True, it can go both ways, for example in Nigeria a Nigerian of that social class can afford a house girl, driver and etc but in America most middle class can't afford that . I remember I was reading some where where a American was surprised how non-wealthy Nigerians/ghanians, and etc can afford house girl and driver, and etc. He connected that with being only for rich, was surprised how some middle class Nigerian were living, and thought they were living better as middle class then ones in America, which he had points. Some middle class in Nigeria are living better then ones in America at times, due to how both societies are structured

You're right. Living in Nigeria can be very enjoyable if you have enough cash. A middle class American living in a house with a picket fence, a car, and a garage could easily own a large house and a large compound in Nigeria.

afam4eva: Two in three Africans are poor...Maybe they thought Africa starts and ends in Igboland.

Poor on what standards, though?

To an American, earning N150k a month is considered poor while in Nigeria it's middle class.

The term "middle class" fluctuates in meaning from place to place. For example, a middle class American would probably be considered an upper class Nigerian and vise versa.

It's interesting to see how this definition changes across continents. However, if spending between 2 to 20 dollars a day qualifies one as a member of the African middle class, then maybe.

Paul John: When Ikeke Idi stop been tribalistic in her utterances

I couldn't have said it better.

Based on my own personal observations, I've noticed a few things that continue to plague we Africans in the West and especially in America.

Here are those things:

1. There is an African proverb that goes, "It takes a village to raise a child". In a society that places much of an emphasis on the nuclear family and little on the extended family, it is very difficult to raise a child [up to African standards] with the absence of the "village". If the father and mother are at work, then the child is either left to his/her own care or the care of a babysitter. Such a condition does not support the passage of lineal knowledge, advice, and proverbs as is customary in most African cultures.

2. In a country where most people speak only one language (like America), it would be very difficult for one to properly allow his/her children to grow well acquainted with their native tongue, unless of course great care is taken. As for us Nigerians, the shameful truth is that many of our children born and raised in the diaspora are unable to communicate with us in their native tongues.

3. When a child is born, he/she immediately takes a liken to his/her immediate locality. We Africans (in my opinion) must continue to remind ourselves and our children that we are mere visitors and not settlers. I've seen too many cases in which an Amercan-born African child is rarely taken home by the parents but then, when marriage comes around, is forced to search home for a spouse. If your child cannot even say the name of his community, then don't expect him/her to marry from there when the time comes.

Although the dangers are many, living in the West can be rewarding if approached properly. I'd like to hear some of you guys' ideas/responses/attitudes.

Living in the West is not for the faint of heart, the weak, or the lazy. The West, and America in particular, demands much from its citizens and seeks a populace that is flexible and ready to change.

The change wrought upon unsuspecting immigrants is enormous and often disastrous. With the aspiration to accumulate wealth, or "ego oyibo" as some call it, comes the need for hard sacrifice which is most evidently observed on the social and cultural lifestyles of we Africans.

Living in the West is very challenging because it requires adaptation, evolution, and compromise. Some of us [Africans] embark on this journey for fabulous wealth while others seek a safe place to seek refuge. However, one thing that universally affects us [Africans] is the need for adaptation culturally and socially.

Isn't this supposed to be in the culture section?

Will we roast virtual yam and eat?

In fact, it's been unlocked since March.

Here are a few that I know:

Cut your coat according to your size: do only what you can achieve.

A bird at hand is better than three in the bush: do not always rely on possibilities, instead focus on reality.

When a once-beautiful piece of cloth has turned into rags, no one remembers that it was woven by Ukwa master weavers: no one remembers a good thing once it has changed.

The prince is never guilty in his father's court: People are biased.

One first drives off the fox, before taking the chickens home and blaming them for straying: issues are attended to in order of importance.

Let both the kite and the eagle perch, if one says that the other shouldn't perch let its wings break: live and let live.

The cow only realizes the value of its tail once it's cut off: people only realize the value of their possessions when they don't have them.

It's condition that made the crayfish bend: our current situations are a result of our environment.

Whether it was the tenant who seduced the landlord's wife, or the landlord who seduced the tenant's wife, it is the tenant who would leave the house: no matter what, you must submit to the power of superior authority.

If someone agrees then his personal spirit agrees: your capacity for success is dependent on your desire to succeed.

The son of spirit shouldn't oppress the son of man and the son of man shouldn't oppress the son of spirit: live and let live.

One day monkey go go market e no go return: those that do evil will always be caught.

It's funny how she was flown all the way to Germany for something as common as a ruptured appendix. This is a slap in the face to the Nigerian health system. If the presidency doesn't trust its own country's health system (which clearly needs to be improved) then why expect others to do so?

I won't be surprised if government officials are now flown abroad for having the stomach virus.

onila: look @ the state of Nigeria. . n yr saying tribalism is good

If each of the major ethnicities in Nigeria existed in its own sovereign country, "tribalism" would've been referred to as "nationalism". Nationalism itself is generally good because it is a mentality in which one thinks for the good of the nation. Nigeria is not a nation, rather it is a country made up of three large nations (Igbo, Yoruba, and Hausa) and many other smaller ones, thus when someone thinks or acts for the benefit of their nation it is referred to as "tribalism".

toshmann: Ogwala gi ebe o shi.

Lol. O bu kwa i si na unu anaghi asu "shi-shi"? Ejidela m gi taa.

O si na o bughi onye Igbo, na bu di ya bu onye si Mbano.

Tribalism is very natural and healthy if looked at a certain way.

Suchie: Igbo kwenu,abughi m onye igbo. Bt e toro n ala igbo,dim bukwa onye igbo.ahuru ndi igbo n anyi karia ndi ozo maka na ha di sharp mara kwa ga esi enete nwunye ha anya nke ukwu.anyi bu ndi ; Otu ocha(ehime mbano)imo state

Nne ndeewo. Kedu ebe I si?

I'm guessing that by "yardsticks" you mean "standards".

Just feel free to post anything that you may find interesting and would like to see on the home page. There is absolutely no limit to the amount of suggestions that you (each person) can make.

toshmann: "shi-shi" wu ndi owerri

nnam nu n'ulo, ojighi ekwenti, ojighi email address, ochoghi new technology, lol, aga m aju ya maka asusu di iche iche

Lol. Nsogbu adighi. Achoghi m inye gi nsogbu.

Ihe m ji amara ebe onye si bi iju onye ahu otu o si akpo 'feces' na asusu ya. Onye ahu si mu 'nshi' m marala na o ma aburiri onye Imo.

Andre Uweh: @Odumchi, most Isiala Mbano speak same dialect. But Ehime is different. In Ehime Mbano, communities such as Nsu,Nzerem and Umunumu speak the same dialect spoken in Isinweke/Obowu axis. Though Umualuwaku up to Aba branch are different but it is closeer to Isinweke/Obowu dialects.
For example in Isinweke/Obowu dialect=Ogbalaghala (he has ran away)is same in all parts of Ehime but not same in Isiala.

Andre, ndeewo. I meela nnukwu. Aghotala m ihe unu kwuga ugbua.

anonymous6: This story is nothing new in Nigeria but I guess the shocker is it happened in Lagos?

Even in Lagos things like this aren't new. All parts of Nigeria are relatively backwards in terms of justice administration.

Thanks for your suggestion.

toshmann: To me ha wu otu asusu ahu. But o wu nna m ka I ga aju nke ahu. Nna m ga AMA de difference. But o ga awu very minor difference.

Kedu kwan otu nna gi si eru m aka? Lol.

O nwere enyi ezi-na-ulo m bu onye Mbano, asusu ya na asusu ndi Imo nile (na-agunyeghi nke ndi Owere/Urata/Oguta/Ideato) na adakata m ka otu na nti. Ihe m ji mara ndi Imo unu bu otu a unu na asu "shi-shi".

toshmann: Eche m na owerre na uratta wu otu. Asusu ha di similar. Amaghi m de difference. Odika asusu amaraku mbano vs añara mbano. Owu otu ihe ahu.

Ha di kwa iche kama ihe gbara ha iche adighi nnukwu. M biara mata na ha di iche mgbe m bidoro egwu Oriental Brothers (ndi na asu Owere) na nke ndi Peacocks International (ndi na asukari Urata).

Ka m juo gi: Isiala Mbano na Iheme Mbano ana asukata?

afam4eva: Enugu and Abia too.

Yes.

Lol

O ka foro. Anyi ahubeghi Etche, Ndoki, Ahoada, Izzi, Ikwo, Abam, Ezza, Urata, ma o bu Ngwa.

Since most Igbo Nairalanders are from either Anambra or Imo, we've seen mostly Anambra and Imo dialects.

Osologbue gozie gi.

Kobojunkie: Even here in Chicago, 200K will get you a decent Condo downtown.

If i add a little onto that same $200k, I can erect a 7 bedroom mansion in my town complete with a gate and a boys' quarters.