Physcs MHD ride it on I am waiting.From your statement you reason like a slave , so full of bitterness of your pathetic life.You think you are a match for me, Hmmm them neva born u.I am waiting. FOOL

1)I dont think Omojie is in his 20s , we are probably within the same age bracket.But we have very different views on how an Ika man should be defined.The claim tht Ika is distinct and unique people from other Anioma(Western Igbo) is a recent development.I tend to be conservative in my definition of peoples across the country.The claim that Ika is an ethnic group is just rubbish.Let me take it this way, many Esan people think Esan is an ethnic group distinct from the Benin and give whatever reasons they can gather  to justify such claims.Omojie is thinking from tghat perspective and this is why I say he should be ignored.Noise like the one he is makig have alays been made after the civil but when it comes to making serious judgement or taking position as it relates to our people , these noise makers melt away.I have always challenge Omojie tha the concept of Enuani-Ukwuani and now Anioma have for centuries been Igbo based and as such there cannot be room to make claims of a minority but he wants a revolution.He is free to continue with his noise but it will be short-lived just wait and see.

2)For the Itsekiris(Jekri) and Ibibio/Annang/Efik issue, I think those definition are older and have always been well defined hence it was no problem from the earliest beginning for the colonialists to cement those divisions.The Efiks have always seen themselves as a superior ethnic stock and it would be difficult to call themselves Ibibio no matter how close they are.The Annangs who are actually an Ibibio group have grown to a size they can see themselves as a completely distinct people with their own "language" But it should be noted wthin the Ibibio as presently defined there are some groups which would have evolved into distinct peoples.Good examples are the Enyong of the Itu area and the Eket-Ibeno peoples of the coastal areas who ae today classified as IBIBIOS unlike the Annang and Efiks eventhough their dialect might even be more divergent.The only group from my little study of the languages of the area that deserves the title of a distinct ethnic group would be the ORON cluster.
For the Itsekiri, the kingdom have always been a well defined unit after its foundation in 1480 unlike Ika which was adopted by the colonialists and natives of the area just in the 1890s.They have always been relating with the Europeans , you can see it from their dress pattern yet the dialect is similar to Ikale while like Owo it had shared a strong connection to the ancient Benin Empire.It is because of this European relationship that will make them to consider them as a distinct people.The contemporary Itsekiri people however donot see themselves as being so distinct from the Yoruba.

3)On Olaudah Equiano, He was an Igbo no doubt but debate have always been made on where exactly in Igboland.The Anioma people tend to see him as one of their own from the description of where he came from; ESSAKA in the EBOE country.To us we tend to believe that Essaka is Ashaka(pronounced at times as ESHAKA till today ) while Eboe refers to Aboh( often pronounced EBOH  till today ) which the people of the area tend to define themselves.This area was notorious famous for slave trade and this is the reason the area is sparsely populated till today.The slaves captured from the entire Aniomaland and beyond even up to Igala lands where sold via the Ijwa kingdom of Brass where Aboh maintained a slave outpost.We also believe that his constant reference to the Benin kingdom could only have emanated from a man who originated from an area where the sphere of Edo influence was felt.But of recent Catherine Acholonu did her own research and thinks he may have originated from Isseke in the Ihiala area of the present Anambra State.It is a matter of how you see the points raised by the two sides.


4)I think the Igbo can be  defined according to four groups namely
a)the Northern Igbo comprising of Anambra, Enugu as well as the Ideato area of Imo state
b)the Southern Igbo coverng the present Imo, and  Abia  states ,as well as  Ikwerre, Ndoki and Etche peoples of Rivers state as well as Ihiala people of Anambra state
c)the Northeastern Igbo or Ebonyi state
d)the Western Igbo comprising of the Anioma people, the Egbema, Ogba , Oguta, Ndoni and Ekpeye peoples of Imo and Rivers State, as well as the Onitsha and Ogbaru peoples of Anambra state.

1)Just ignore exotik, he is young and unexposed.The only Benin person I respect here is Bokohalal.Those initial verbal missiles were actually meant for Physics MHD.I will just say Bokohalal was hit is the cross fire.If he is offended, I apologise, However, let me state that history bitter or sweet must neva be denied.The primary reason Anioma people tend to point at Benins just as Abagworo noted is because of the close ties we had for some 800 years with them.
Let me restate that I have moved on.I spent my early life in Benin and till today I still have some friends of Benin stock.I therefore donot have any form of hatred towards any group for whatsoever reason.I didnt like the response of Physics MHD to Omonuan.If your neighbour says he is aggrieved and no matter how you think he must have "exxergarated" those claims.You should just shut up or better still try like Bokohalal not to insult.I am at times not an apostle of "silence is the best answer to a fool" some fools need to be thrown at them their own coins.

2)On the claim that Ika people deny that they are not Igbos, I will give a yes and no answer.We are Igbos but we do want those things that make us unique as a people to be preserved.The designation "Igbo" was imported to us by the colonial masters. Before the colonial era we had two names for ourselves the Enuani(or Eluali in Ika dialect) and Ukwuani.The Enuani are used for the upland peoples ie from Agbor to Asaba while the Ukwuani is used for the lowlanders like the people of Ndokwaland.Beyond the Niger to the East, the Enuani and Ukwuani people founded many settlements, the Enuanis founded Onitsha and Ozubulu while the Ukwuanis founded Ogbaru and Oguta.This also expains why Onitsha, Ogbaru, Ozubulu and Oguta are collectively grouped as a unique Eastern Igbo "riverine group"

From the very beginning the Enuani and Ukwuani(notice the similarity in names) have always seen themselves as kith and kin thus when the concept of Aniomaness was rooted it was more or less another stage of development at least from the perspective of identity for our people.The two names we call ourselves corresponds more or less with the Edo names Ovbi-Eka(Enuani)  and Ovbi-Ekuale(Ukwuani).The name "Eka" is actually of Edo origin and it means a farmland because our people were great farmers (till this day). We never called ourselves Ika originally.The Enuani people of what is now defined as Ikaland pronounce it "Ika" not the Edo "Eka", In pronounciation we pronounce the borrowed Edo words an "I" to replace the Edoid "E" thus the Enuani pronounce Ika(Eka), Isama( Esama) , Ihondor(Ehondor), and so on.

Those who say they are not Ikas tend to over-stress those cultural and dialectical differences.The fact is that we are all Enuanis even up to Onitsha.The concept of Ika which some of them tend to promote as if the identity itself is based on antiquity is not more 120 years in usage.The colonial rulers merely  adopted the Edo name and definition to describe the entire area even up to Asaba.In the same light , the Europeans used our name for the Esan people "Ishan" to define their own division.

Ika people cannot pull out and say they are not Igbos.The fact that they are Enuanis and Aniomas settles that and just like Exotik has noted they will tell World where they belong when the time is right.I bet anyone the Ika man will always go along with other Enuani groups like the Aniocha so let Exotik keeping dreaming.I wish him goodluck.

@Bokohalal, You are unfit to educate me.If the Benin understood the difference so well between the Ika and Eastern Igbo then an event of that nature would never happen.As for Exotik I knew you are refering to the likes of Omojie and I can categorically tell you that his opinion is a minority one.The fact that we dont shout over the issue does not mean we donot know.

Abagworo has said it all, Benin is a land many of us originated from and indeed according to Bokohalal, the Benins understand perfectly the difference between the Eastern Igbo and the Anioma yet so many were killed.It is important to note that history bitter or sweet should be told.We remain close to the Benin and we shall always remain close to them .Whether you think persons like me have not moved on , is your own personal business and cup of tea.I was born abt the time it happened but I cant tell exactly what happened but I can tell you that I "enjoyed " the Nigerian-induced poverty that followed the war.
Let it be known that the Anioma people have forgiven the Edo and other peoples that committed atrocities against them and have moved on with their lives.And it must as be noted that I am not in position to mis-educated my people on their history.They know their history so well.On the issue of Igbanke, I am yet to be given a response why the Oba would install a native of Igbanke as a palace chief with the mandate of destabilizing the genuine clamour of his own people.I therefore donot have the time to ague with insincere people.

On the claim that services is worth more than industries , it is true, yes I agree with that.But wht is the contribution of the Services Sector to Nigerian GDP ? There is just nothing worth mentioning in Benin apart from the Transportation Sector and that ultimately cant lead to development.Benin or Edo is so developed, How much is generated as IGR monthly in the state even with the highest rate of taxation in the country just a billion naira monthly. Let us be sincere. The private owned factories are a good strategy for development and this is what actually drives even the economy of Canada and else where in the West. I have not seen Benin people shown any lead in the sector.The Evbuoriaria ndustrial estate is empty and dead and this is why the Comrade Gov have no choice than to tax Private Schools and other "services" rendering bodies with taxes regarded as by far the highest in the country.


On the post as regarding the educational institution sited in Beninland, I am ready to accept or reject any point you raise with that post.I am waiting.

The transformation of Egba is admirable and my brother schooled there.But to say none in Anioma has not done what Dr Iyayi has done fr his community is rubbish.In my town Igbodo, the likes of Chief Mbulu based in Cnada where you reside has done very much for the community.He single handedly built a town hall, a primary school school and periodically grade the roads in the community.A site for a secondary school has been made courtesy of his philantrophy.What of Dr Isioma Okobah who single handedly built a health centre and via her Deltan Doctors in the Diaspora(DDD) carry out free mediacl care for various communities across the state ? What of Patti Boulaye that built a health centre at Okpanam ? What of Chuks Ochonogor that sited Novena University in Ogume to open up the place ? Or is it the efforts of the natives of Ibusa in developing their town I should be mentioning or Jim Ovia in Agbor ? Or Rev SW Matin(the first African to have graduated from an American University in 1917) of Issele Uku and his Pilgrim Baptist Mission or what Nuel Ojei is doing now ? You see the likes of Bokohalal donot know and I think it should just be better they just shut up.

@Andre Uweh, Yes, it is the spam box, Any suggestions on how it could be handled ? Because I have written several posts that would have thrown the opinions of the likes of Exotik and Bokohalal into the thrash .

@Abagworo, Thank you for educating the likes of Bokohalal and those who reason like him.


The claim of an Ovbi-Ika being different from Ovbi-Igbo is funny because to start with there was nothing like an Igbo people in Edo thought and civlization before colonial rule because they dont share any boundary, So I wonder where that distinction came into the picture.The Edos called the Upland Anioma people Ovbi-Eka stretching from Agbor to Asaba and not just the present Ika LGA.The amplified claim by Bokohalal on who is Ika or who is Igbo is just a ploy to exxergerate the quest the distinction we project ourselves.It is not for the Edo for the Edo people to tell us who is or who is not because they are not involved.This distinction is just a carryover of sentiments by some Ika people (as presently defined ) of which Bokohalal has attributed to have had a Benin definition eventhough the Benin donot share any physical boundaries with the Igbo ! It is so funny, even some people sharing boundaries with Agbor and Abavo call them Igbo , it is only when the some Ikas tellthem of the distinction does the Ovbigbo and Ovbi-Eka whatever comes into the picture.
The Ovbi-Eka distinction if actually exists would not had lead to the serious casualties we are talking.The Sapele and Warri episodes were bad but the Benin massacre was the most painful because we are closest to the Benin as compared to the others.

And just as he noted the Anioma people be it of Enuani and Ukwuani stock have always shared a close relationship with the Edo people generally.this is the reason this event is particularly and most be condemned .When people say we should just forget, I dont agree with that.If we forget , it might re-occur all over again.Europe has not forgotten the events of World War 11 nor have they forgotten the Balkan war so why should we just forget the Civil War because we want to forge ahead ? How far have we gone ?

On the claim that Obi Osaigbobu of Abavo who was the Obi during the deportation of the Oba Ovonramwen do not even know wht happen.During the planned 1897 invasion of Agbor, Abavo which was then a protectorate of Benin would not support Agbor in logistics and troops because they had never trusted Agbor who they perceive as a next door imperial power.Thus there was never a time the Obi of Abavo declared he was joinig the Oba of Benin to Calabar.The Oba himself was not taken to Calabar via land but water so I wonder how the Obi of Abavo, a town over 40 miles away would have heard abt the impending deportation of the Oba and would want to join him.


On the Benin airport being the fourth busiest in Nigeria , that exists in the dream of Bokohahal.The busiest airports in Nigeria are Port Harcourt, Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Warri.The Benin airport is "dry" for most of the year.How many airline companies even operate there ? Besides the airport is so small.The only busy period of the year is during the Xmas when several Edo-born natives return from their sojourn overseas and elsewhere perhaps this is wht gives Bokohalal the impression.On the claim that Benin is one of the financial centres of the country is that what he was told ? To the extent odf saying that Benin is financially more vibrant than any town in Igboland.Perhaps he has not been to Aba and Onitsha and this is why we see such remarks.

1)Omojie or Agbontean as he calls himself here should just be ignored that guy is a pest and he is on rampage to misinform people on the internet.After the challenge given to him on Nigerian Best Forum , the unrelenting irritant and dreamer.Ika people are Enuanis and nothing can change it.Let it be noted that people who reason like Omojie form a small minority in Ikaland especially in Owa he claims he comes from.

2)I have read the posts of Bokohalal and especially Physics MD , both of course of Edo stock from the nature of their writing, I think they are either too young or ignorant to realise the atrocities committed by their folks in Benin City during the war.I will say , well ignorance of course can be forgiven but it important to educate those who are ignorant of those unfornate past events and put some record straight for posterity purposes.

3)The writings of Physics MD is nteresting but it is the mind set of many Benin people tribalism.At least Bokohalal tries to be conciliatory with his remarks and the likes of hysics Md thinks they can re-write what is history, So if the people of Benin were so protective like your grand father , wht did they not counter the claims of the Anioma people when it was brought to the Oputa panel in 2000, At least with all of these eveidence you claim was the fact on griund it would been enough evidence to dismiss such "irresponsible claims" The people ther at least claimed they were eye witnesses to what happened and they were demanding compensation, The Benin massacre as I call it was real.Over 1,000 Anioma civilians were killed and as you rightly noted they were also killings of Anioma people(not Igbo as u claim ) in such towns like Sapele and Warri.Because of our Midwestern background it becomes easier to prey at us because geographically , we were not Biafrans thus when the genocide against Igbos occured we just became the first victims.In my home town Igbodo, tens were killed and the town almost entirely demolished.The town was in days engulfed with the stench of decomposing human remains.It was that bad.Our Obi was mocked and asked to kneel down to beg for the lives of his people(over 200 of them who were lined up for killing by the federal troops).These people were civilians.In the North, they killed thousands of Igbos Anioma people included, the best and brightest amongst us.One Chief Osadebe, a business magnate and title holder in Jos was killed and vast properties carted away.In Bauchi one of the siblings of Nduka Okoh who was to become the Acting VC of UNIBEN was killed and now Benin, they killed many of our people and called us "Ovbigbo".One Offor, a school proprietor in my hometown was killed in Benin, there was a case of a man who travelled to Benin to buy milling machine for maize who was killed as well after being exposed by those who he was suppose to buy the machine from as "Ovbigbo" there was even a sad case of a man who just went to my home town to arrange for his marriage and was killed after being exposed by his neighbours as an Igbo man.

4)In my family close relative via marriage and a civil servant then in the Ministry of Justice in the course of the crisis sent his wife and children to the village .But he stayed put.I dont know why but the reports I got was that there was a rampant looting of properties held by Anioma people by the indigenes.This claim is not far fetched.The Anioma to this day have always because of their superior level of education had dominated the civil service and somehow had enjoyed a higher standard of living which must have been a source of envy and admiration of theri Benin hosts.Of course , when the problems came , it was the right opportunity for those with siniter intents to strike.My relative was a victim.His landlord along Cooke road then one Bright(as he calls him ) unknown to him called a group of the federal troops to his house where he said an Igbo was residing.this was a man that dines with him and helps occassionally in finance.When he heard funny sounds he quickly dashed to an excellent hiding place and when the troops stormed the apartment, they could not find anybody.They accuse Bright of deceiving them, Where is the Igbo man ? they asked and he told they perhaps he might have escaped somehow, Then the troops saw the dog kept by my relative family and shot it dead.

5)When , he was sure that the murderous federal troops had left, at night , he quitely sneaked into the bush.Benin was small and bushy those days and from the bush after wandering from civilization fro some days and in hunger, he stumbled an Urhobo hunter in the Jesse axis , who took pity on him , fed him and hid him in a camp in the bush.Somehow, a villager from he hunters village discovered him in the bush and went to the village and told them that their relative had hidden an Igbo man in the bush.They got to the site with the intent to perhaps kill the helpless man but lest they knew, that the hunter who was aware of their evil plans quickly got to where he hid my relative and told him what would be his fate if he does not leave there.My relative told him, he was from the Agbor area and pleaded with him to show him the route to the area.The hunter took him to what is now Sakponba-Agbor road and asked him to go straight.On his way, tired he encountered another group of federal troops who captured him and bundled him in a truck.He thought that was his last.They brought him back to Benin and took him to a refugee camp ran by the Red Cross.It was there he heard that the systematic anihiliation of Anioma people by their Benin hosts had stopped because of the bad image it brought to the Govt of Nigeria.Everywhere , were thousands of refugees of Anioma origin, those who survived the onslaught and without their properties.This is a true live story and I am not into swearing but my God knows what I am saying is the truth.Igbos generally should start documenting the atrocities meted on them by those who say they belong to the same country with them.

6)THE MURDERS OF THE COUP OF JANUARY 1966, Before I digress into that let me quote this culled from the Oct 12 , 1960 Parrot Newspapers and this was what the Saudana of Sokoto has to say about the new nation Nigeria " The New nation called Nigeria shall be the estate of our great grand father Othman dan Fodio.We must ruthlessly prevent a change of power.We use the minorities in the North as willing tools and the South as a conquered territory and never allow them to rule over us and never allow them to have control over their future" Thus this why he desparately rigged the elections in the West to favour his unpopular lackey Akintola and thousands were killed as a result.The Prime Minister was helpless because he being instructed by the Saudana eventhuogh by the constitution he was the most powerful politician.That coup of 1966 was not the first coup in Africa and by my count only 11 people died including an Igbo , one Unegbe.Incidentally that coup consume those who were responsible for the crisis and people positively received the coup.It was when the British and top civil servants mainly from the North in response to Ironsi becoming the new leader that the coup was branded "Igbo coup" though a Yoruba Adegboyega(I hope I am right with this name) was involved.Of course they did their counter coup, thousands of Igbo born military officers were killed.The first man who was killed in Abeokuta barracks , one Okonweze was a native of Asaba.Not tired with their "counter coup" they began to kill Igbo residents in the North and within three months, they killed over 30,000 civilians.Mr Physics Md, You are wicked to post just one aspect of what transpired in this country just to fulfil one useless point in your arguement.

7)Indeed the Anioma people have moved on with their lives and somehow the God of justice have replenished them.At one time our detractors thought we will nevr grow.They wiped out the male population of Asaba thinking that they will never grow,But go to that town , there are men everywhere.It looked like a miracle.Aniomaland is no doubt the most transformed part of the old Midwest region especially since 1999.I would not like to go into comparison between the Anioma people and the ir Benin neighbours yet.On the claims of Igbos attempting to stal Benin lands I find this claim funny.It is the Edo, that have annexed the Anioma towns of Igbanke and Ekpon and want to force them by all means to become Edos.The Anioma people will retrieve these stolen territory it is a question of time.

Now for comparisons between the Benin and Anioma.PhysisMD says Anioma is no paradise, but Benin is neither and in fact Benin is in a more appaling and laughable situation.Omonuan was right.Benin is just one city ethnic group.Even the city was in a deplorable state before Oshiomhole gave it a face lift but a lot needs to be done considering the size of the city.Benin Coty from her size ranks 9th amongst the largest cities of Nigeria.The larger cities of Nigeria in population include Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Ibadan, Onitsha, Kaduna, Port HARCOURT ad Enugu.Benin is the least is growth rate and least industrialized , even Agbor has more industries than Benin.Imagine Benin without the influx of people to Europe and remittances sent back to Nigeria , it would have been a dead zone.Let us be sincere.This is the case in Benin City, Go to the villages and you will see the kind of backwardness in the area.There was a time I was travelling between Asaba to Benin.Virtually all the villages of the Anioma area had electricity whereas their counterparts in Benin were in complete darkness.Take a critical look between Igbanke an Anioma town forcefuly being claimed by benins and the largest Edo village of Urhonigbe.Incidentally both of them are in the same LGA Orhionmwon, Whereas Igbanke is quite developed, what will first greet you in Urhonigbe are jigger flies and that town is dirty and there are no signs of development, This is the case of Urhonigbe for the smaller villages , it is even a more pathetic case.
The boast that we have illustrious sons and daughters is borne out of the fact that barely 40 years ago, we had barely nothing.My family for instance lost our properties in Calabar and we had to start a new life in Aba.My father was paid a paltry 4 pounds(N8) as compensation.But today, I am not hungry by the grace of God and I feed better than many of those whose had more than N8 in 1971.That is why as a people so oppressed , we need to celebrate the achievers amongst us.It is not as if I am just being boastful but Aniomaland have produced more VIPs than the other parts of the Midwest put together.Even in UNIBEN, Anioma born Prof Nwanze was the VC before a native Benin man became the VC of that great institution.Anioma people have not just done themselves proud in just banking, In fact in every field of endeavour.Whereas the Edo used blackmail and intimidation to get Rev Imasuen to be ordained as the Anglican Bishop of Benin, the Anioma people have produced the likes of Rev Nicholas Okoh as the head of Anglican Church in Nigeria, We have Rev Chima Iweha of Abuja Methodist Diocese, We have Bishop Gbuji of Enugu Catholic Archdiocese, I just recalled that they almost used the same mechanism they used in installing Imasuen to foist a Benin born Bishop of the Catholic Archdiocese, That one no work.


9)I think the Anioma and Edo has got over the bitter past and sad relationship of the recent past.However what is important is that people should not just post rubbish here because they feel they can write,I just saw the claim that Biafran troops killed Hausa civilians, Na wa ! When and where did that happen ? Because I know of the only killings of the Hausa people were those (in 1966) who were killed at Obigbo in particular said to number abt 300 for the retaliation of their own progrom in the North.The Biafran started in 1967 when virtually all the Hausas left South except those of military and para military positions.When the Biafran backed Midwest Igbo forces took ove Benin, I insist from all records that not even a single civilian was killed.I challenege anyone to contradict this

@Cheikh, All available records suggests that a substantial number of the slaves sold to the western hemisphere were of Nigerian descent.Bonny at that time was reputed to have the largest slave market in the entire west coast of Africa.
Most of the slaves sold from East Africa were channelled to the Arab world and not across the Atlantic.According to a written document by a notorious English slave dealer one Capt. Adams in the 18th century, he noted that 20,000 slaves were annually sold from the five slave rivers of the Niger Delta.Of the 20,000 sold as slaves ,16,000 or so of them were derived from a hinterland nation called IBOS.In other words he noted that within 20 years ,no less than 320,000 of this people would have been sold as slaves.In addition he also noted that from the Calabar axis, no less than 50,000 people of the same ethnic stock were sold as slaves within the same period.
This corresponds more or less with the estimates given by slave traders from Europe that 70,000 slaves were sold annually from Africa to the western World.Of this figure, 3,500 came from the Badagri axis while 18,000 came from the Bonny axis. amounting to 22,500 or about one-third of the Africans sold to the slavers.
In the early 18th century when slavery was abolished in the British sphere of influence, the chief slavers beame the Portuguese and Spaniards and they found a perfect source from Yorubaland.These were mainly captives from the Yoruba civil wars of the 19th century.

The Igala and western Igbo share a lot in common.Traditionally ,the Western Igbo call the Igala "Igah".Some western IGbo towns are said to have originated from Igala and in the town of Ebu an Igala dialect persists.The Igala are the closest friends to Igbos.This is my personal opinion.

@ZIM DRILL .Nigeria have always been densely populated even before colonial rule.If you read from your history books , you will notice that most of the slaves sold during the trans-atlantic trade were of Nigerian descent.
Our land have always been highly populated because it has always been in out thought to live closely together.This explains why there are up to 250 nationalities just within this modest geographical space called Nigeria.
This is also the reason why a country like Ethiopia with 85 million people is also densely populated.