RuddyFusion:
he's delta and not Igbo

There is no ethnic group called Delta.
Nzeogwu hometown is currently in Delta too,likewise Okocha jay jay and Okonjo Iweala. But we all know they are Igbo by ethnicity.

Not saying that the new CDS is Igbo though. He would have to clarify that himself.

post=98467707:

Dumb he is Igbo from Agbor Delta state

Did the man say he is Igbo?

Some Ika people identify as Igbo while others just want to be left as Ika and nothing more.

Dorathy of BBN 2020 is an Ika lady that self identifies as Igbo. There are some of them like that.
In my opinion, until an Ika comes out and self identifies as Igbo, Ndiigbo should treat him/her as a non Igbo.

So as far as I'm concerned, the man is not Igbo until proven otherwise.

Hmm.
Biko umu Ezekuna, unu Tokwehu!

Unu jiri ya nwayo. Umu Effium bukwa umu Igbo ibe unu. Uwa ga abata anyi Nile.

Ka udo chia!

Please there is nothing like Southern Nigeria.
Each to his own.

Cherez:


Hello bro, I'm really interested in this
Please can you open a thread and name me then give a detail of this
If we Igbos are guilty of taking your lands from you then we deserve what happened during the war
I'm humbly asking for your cards cos the truth is that there was a war and a military base was needed, you don't expect the govt then to pay people for the land as they're just temporary stages for the war
Like I said earlier, alot of such stuffs exist in ANAMBRA state where I'm from
Or do you expect the govt then to pay every recruited soldier fighting the war then salaries?
If soldiers then we're not paid for their lives, how do you expect lands (not life) to be paid for?
So all these soldiers fighting BH now should pay for the military bases they use in the deserts where they fight BH from?
Please may I have your cards which proves the Igbos allocated your lands without pay?

He has no evidence to tender. They are irredeemably Igbophobic. This is why I will never support IPOB until I see them carve out every inch of minorities from Biafra. I would rather Igbo be in a country with Hausa Fulanis than with these minorities.
They are mentally denatured beyond repair as far as relationship with Ndiigbo is concerned.

ariesbull:


Bennin royal stool is from Yoruba and that is why they loaned the yoruba title of Oba

Also they worship yoruba gods like Ayilara and Sango

They borrowed the Yoruba goddess of Ocean too. I have forgotten the name.

gregyboy:



Are you sure there is no word like oba in the various ediod clan lexicon


We have the name oba in the various edoid language representing king, urhobo use the word oba, estako, lagos, isoko, esan, as names and praises


The question is which Yoruba monarchy use the title oba to represent king before 1930 when the ooni of ife adopted it and the others followed


The other various edoid supgroups could also adopt the title oba attached to their title as yorubas did in the 1930, but they choose not to, not to cause confusion, if they did, your confusion will cease to exist and your argument will be baseless

Oba doesn't mean King in Edoid languages. Its a copied word.
The man with Oba title in Etasko copied as well.
Why is it too hard for Africans to admit the truth?

I have seen snippets of the Akalaka book you posted.
I have engaged the writer in Ekpeye kingdom Facebook Page.
He seem to be replacing their Bini concocted stories of Akalaka with a new concocted stories.

The Ekpeye Bini wanna bees have not received good reception from Bini like they think they would, so many of them are recanting their Akalaka fables and are coming up with new one, where Ekpeye of One and half LGA is said to have ruled Igbos, Binis and Yorubas .

The book is full of misinterpretation of facts and disfiguration of Igbo words to assign different meaning to them.

Abagworo, are you sure you have gone through that book?

Abagworo:


That fake story of Bini and Ikwerre was concocted recently not even 1970 like you think. Iduu people only got as far as Omoku through Ndoni and never reached Ekpeye. These happened quite recently like few hundred years ago. Ikwerre is Ikwo-ere from Ebonyi while Ekpeye and Ogba have been living side by side with Igbos before some Iduu people were given refuge only for kindness to be repaid with distortion of history. Ekpeye people have come out recently to condemn the distortion and will soon publish their own history which will end the story of Akalaka as Bini man because Akalaka is older than Bini.

Really? You mean Ikwerre is from Ikwo in Ebonyi state?
That's new to me.

Even the so called Idu migrants to Ndoni and Omuku were not Edo speaking people. They were Edo cultured but Igbo speaking groups.
My estimate is that these people migrated probably from around Agbor.

Anthropological report in Western Ibo spoke of a once powerful Igbo kingdom called Ogidi existing in exactly the space between modern Igbodo and Onicha Ugbo.
The Bini people attacked and levelled Ogidi and captured many of its people as refugees in Bini.
Many of them scattered helter skelter and probably, it was these people that reached Omoku, and Ndoni and even Aboh.

Too many suppressed stories in Western Igbo that could hold key to piecing together the Igbo origin are missing because the people suffer from mental issues and are wandering in Stockholm syndrome induced by Bini imperial stronghold those places.

We need to invest in archeology. The entire Anioma land is an archeological site that when well excavated we can begin to unravel many secrets about who we are as Ndiigbo.

gregyboy:




The bini royal stool is never from a yoruba entity,
The benin royal stool is indigenous

Try and steak your mouth to what you know only

Tell what other Edoid group apart from Bini where Oba is used as word for King?

Tell me just one.

I don't fancy Yorubas as I think both of you are trouble makers. But the truth must be said without Bias.

No body that is neutral would not admit that Oba is a Yoruba word.
It is used among all Yoruba groups as a word for king, and not just title of kings.
From Ilaje to Ilorin. Oba remains King in Yoruba speaking realm. The Oba can take any title he wants, but Oba remains the title for king in Yoruba speaking realm.

But in Edo speaking realm. Only Benin whose monarchy is of Yoruba origin use Oba. The Afemai, Akokos, Isoko, Urhobo, etc. Oba has no meaning.
They all use cognates of Edoid word for King, ie Ojie for Esan, Ogie for Bini, and Ovie for Isoko and Urhobo. The Ovies in Urhobo land go by different titles, but they are all called Ovies.

Even in Edoid speaking parts of Ondo, like Ipe, Epinmi, etc. The word for King remains Ogie in their local language, while in keeping to their need to attach to Yorubas, they give their Kings the title of Oba.

samuk:


guy the emotion is real and raw, are you trying to be funny or you are for real. How can you sincerely tag entire communities across the south east, south south and middle belt with their kings mad because they claim to have Edo heritage, Nna, this is too much. Even if all these people drink from the same madness contaminated water source it worth be this effective.

Edo/Benin is like a very wealthy man who had numerous children running into hundreds of thousands in the past and some the descendants of this man are now retracing their roots.

Whilst you guys are trying to expand and build your Igbo Biafra empire/kingdom, the question should have been what is it about Benin that still make people to want to claim it over 100 years after the empire/kingdom ended. Tagging all these people as mad will not help.

Edo is a minority ethnic group . Anioma is even bigger than Bini in population. How exactly can Bini give rise to Anioma? Does it even make sense to you? Especially when we have Anioma speaking communities even right in Edo state as we speak.

Igbo speaking Groups claiming Edo origin are doing so out of mental issues.
They are not alright. Its a form of Stockholm syndrome.
I read colonial report on Western IBO , the white anthropologist were clear to register dissent when they hear irrational bini oral stories there.

The Bini was made to be a strong place by Portuguese. Claiming relationship with Bini became a thing of protection for many groups, so too many irrational stories were concocted.
And know this, wherever this Bini irrational stories exist, there usually authentic Igbo origin stories which is over time suppressed and forgotten for political advantage. The only reason we have Onicha Ugbo coming forth with this Igbo version of the story is because of her tussle with Issele uku. If not, I'm sure we would not have this version.

Even E.A Iduwe in his story on Ika history mentioned this mental issues with groups in Western Igbo being too quick to formulate and promote irrational origin stories from Bini rather than acknowledge migrating from a nearby Igbo speaking groups.
Iduwe was sad that many Ika communities originated from Agbor but because of the spirit of wanting not to be seen as appendages to neighbouring Igboid speaking Agbor, these groups would go on to concoct and promote Bini origin stories, making it very hard to chronicle events.

Look at Bini stories of Ikwerre and Etche recently. This started immediately post 1970, but we now have a generation of Ikwerre people who would swear they came from Bini when common sense will show that Ikwerre are an Igboid people formed by migration of Igboid people from Neighboring Imo and Abia state and Ukwuani and few Ogba and Ekpeye Igboid inputs.


We can't be extending Biafra when the people are already Igbo speaking and has been so since antiquity.
The worse that will happen is that they will become Austria while we become Germany. But they will always remain Igbo speaking people regardless of what they label they choose for themselves.

And the reason I engage in this argument is not because I want them to identify as Igbo, but because they often can't sell this Bini irrational stories without having to taint the story of those of us in SE. They do this by claiming we turned them to Igbo speakers,when our fathers never met them speaking anything but Igbo. This is usually the point of acrimony which when viewed by outsiders tend to paint the image of Igbos forcing them to be Igbo, when the truth is that we only care about the historical distortions.

samuk:


Like you yourself said earlier there are numerous accounts and probably there are still more reversed versions yet unwritten.

None of these claims and counter narratives borders the average Edo person. Haven't said that, present day Edo people don't have the authority to deny anyone their Edo heritage irrespective of were they may be resident in the world. Edo don't have a comprehensive list of Edo indigines across the world.

The average Edo person is in Edo state minding his business and people in far away, Owerre, Oguta, Onitsha, Ikwerre, ahoada, Kogi, Benue, people across south south, south east, west and middle belt are all coming out without being forced to claim their Edo heritage, what are we supposed to do?

It seems your anger with people like myself is our acknowledgement of these people, I or anyone else doesn't have the authority to deny these people their history. Igbo seems to want to forcibly claim people, Edo don't go looking for people, our people are the ones looking for us. Like they say every child will some day finds his way back home.

Nna be fair for once, it won't hurt, what do you expect Edo people to do, reject their people?

If a stranger you know nothing about wake up one day and start claiming to be your brother, when you know deep inside you that he isn't, as he doesn't even speak your language.

You should be upright enough to recognize they are suffering from mental issue and not try and take advantage of that to start cooking up irrational stories.

Two people cannot be getting mad at same time.

Those are our people who have mental issues. We are trying to see how to get them back to their senses, the last thing we need are Edoids trying to take advantage of their situation to worsen the issues. Why have you chosen to fuel their mental issues by claiming them even when you know deep inside they are not Edoids?

RedboneSmith:


Why is this hard to understand na. We are Igbo. We are not Igala. Some of us have Igala ancestry. They've been assimilated and are fully Igbo. I mentioned Nsukka to serve as an illustration for the Illah situtation, because a similar thing played out in their history, where some Igala people moved south and are now fully Igbonised. Not Igala anymore.

This has been my position on my people from the get-go, but for some reason not really clear to me, some of you take it to mean that I am neither here nor there, part-Igala and part-Igbo leading to really unneccesary and frustrating fights.

Hian.

Okay. Bro. No issues. We are cool.

[b]However, in what I can best be described as the first recorded palace coup in Nigeria’s traditional folklore, Chima’s good fortunes attracted the jealousy of some other powerful interests who protested against his growth as a stranger in their midst and hatched a plot that he was planning to dethrone the Oba, on the pretext that he had challenged the supreme authority of the Oba, over an altercation with royal emissaries who invaded his farm in the name of the king. But Chima, by virtue of his powers as a native doctor, got wind of the plot and promptly gathered his family and some loyalists, absconded from Benin and headed East, ostensibly to his supposed home town in Nri, Arochukwu, where he was said to have originally migrated from,” Obi Chukwumalieze1 said. Continuing the narrative, the Obi of Onicha-Ugbo said that the escaping party, after wandering for a long period, arrived at Ani-Emi, the first original settlement of the Onicha-Ugbo people and Chima was then crowned as the first Eze (King), thus he became known as Eze Chima, (King Chima).[/b]


No be today Igbo man hard work and success in foreign lands start attracting envy and desire to kill him by non Igbos around him

Poor Ezechima. Imagine having escaped from Edo haters only to have descendants suffering from Stockholm syndrome and need for political power grab start referring to him as an Edo man.
The old man must be rolling in his grave.

samuk:


Where did this Onitsha Ugbo's account defers or contradict Zik's grandmother story of Ezechime, it doesn't, in fact it supports Zik's grandmother's position, she never said Ezechime left Benin in peace, Zik autobiography agree that Ezechime left Benin in time of tribulations fearing for his life. Were is the contradiction.

It States clearly that he wasn't an Edo. He was IBO as his name suggests.

Obi Chukwumalieze1, sitting under the watchful gaze of his grand-father, Obi Okobi, whose majestic influence beamed down from a framed photograph hanging on the wall just above the royal chair, noted that the multiple gifts and talents of Chima, as hunter, blacksmith, brave warrior and sorcerer, had assisted Oba Eweka tremendously in staving off aggressions from neighbours like Dahomey, Songhai and even Ghana and elevated him to the position of a highly respected Chief in the Benin royal palace. “As you know very well, Chima is an Ibo name and the Ibo race is famous for its migratory spirit, especially in search of greener pastures; so there is a connection between him and Arochukwu. He was also a very industrious young man, a farmer, hunter, blacksmith and also a Native Doctor and used his skills to assist Oba Eweka, who in turn appreciated his efforts and elevated him to the position of a very high Palace chief in the kingdom

Its common sense really. No Bini Prince ever bore Ezechima or Igbo names.

samuk:


Expansionist? you are funny, were are will expanding to. Been there, done that, others can carry on from where Benin stopped. I will be the first to tell you that the Benin empire ended in 1897. Every great empire/kingdom rise, fall and are confined to the history books, Benin is not an exception. What we don't want is envious people like yourself trying to rewrite and distort our history. Fortunately and thanks to early Europeans visitors, Benin history is now watertight and cast in stone, protected from morden days revisionist and expansionist like yourself.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/excitement-anticipation-onicha-ugbo-gears-historic-ine-new-yam-festival-2/

Read and learn.

Bini imperialist fought Ezechima tooth and nail, causing the people to flee helter skelter. Oke n'ofia, Nkwere n'onu , according to Obi Onicha Ugbo.
The Onicha that ran to Ugbo became Onicha Ugbo, those that ran to the bush and organized a guerilla against terrorist Bini army were called the Onicha Onucha olomina( Onicha that fought and went to the bush to hide) aka Onicha Olona, and lastly, some Onicha ran and crossed the River Niger and were welcomed by the Obosis(Idemili), they were called Onicha Mili, aka Onitsha you know today in Anambra.

The story of Ezechima is the story of Bini terrorism on the people. And their desire to survive such attack. Any Ezechima claiming Edo origin is suffering from Stockholm syndrome.
I don't waste time to tell them that even to their faces.

samuk:


I am not the one saying Ezechime and umuezechime are Edo, they are the one saying so themselves, I have no such authority to proclaim these people Edo just like I have no authority to deny them being Edo if they claim that is what they were or are. I wasn't alive when Ezechime left Benin, I can only rely on what his prominent descendants such as the Obi of ISSELE-UKU and Zik said. I am unlike you that pretend to people history more than them and their king.

Nope. They are not saying it in unison. There are many versions of the story and I just shared one which is in tandem with what we know in SE.
And the story i shared was by an Eze from the eldest Ezechima clan called Onicha Ugbo, from where Onitsha people migrated from.
And you can see obviously that it is not an Edoid story.

You just don't want to accept it, even when it is the most rational story out there, because it doesn't help you expansionist agenda.
You want to believe a man by the name Ezechima who kept Offor staff, and had all his children and towns named in Igbo language, was an Edo man. Is your head not touching ?

Ndo.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/excitement-anticipation-onicha-ugbo-gears-historic-ine-new-yam-festival-2/

pazienza:
He, however, hinted at the metaphysical presence and significance of the ancient Iroko tree in the palace ground and was quick to recognise the omniscience of the Supreme God in all the activities that guided the festival.

Corroborating the historic significance of the new yam festival to the people of Onicha Ugbo and also lending his voice in support of the peaceful commemoration of the grand festival, the Odogwu of Onicha-Ugbo and Minister of State, Petroleum resources, Dr. Ibe Kachiku, described the festival as a grand carnival which has created a colourful, cultural platform for the sons and daughters of Onicha-Ugbo to unite and re-connect with their roots annually. Dr. Kachiku, who spoke through Chief Felix Onyekamsi Kachiku, the representative of the Odogwu and Diokpa (most senior elder) of the Kachiku family, noted that as the traditional Military General of Onicha-Ugbo kingdom, adequate measures have been put in place to ensure a peaceful celebration and the safety and security of both indigenes and visitors, during the celebration, even as he added that the kingdom enjoyed a warm and very cordial relationship with all her brother neighbouring communities and the festival would be a colouful parade of dances, a panoply of razz-matazz, a kaleidoscope of glorious colours and indeed a bountiful feast of food and drink for one and all.


Highlight of the formal commencement of the Onicha-Ugbo new yam festival, was the 36 kilometres royal procession on foot, accomplished in about two hours, to the various clans that make up the kingdom, including the ancestral spot at Abu- Anor where Onicha-Ugbo, first settled, led by Obi Victor Chukwum-alieze1, accompanied by Chief Festus Mafiana , the Iyase (Prime Minister), Chief Michael Diji, the Isama, Chief Augustine Osodi, the Ozoma, Chief Anwuli, the Omu, Chief Okafor Amafuise, the Odafe, Chief Bazee Nwokolo, the head of Ogbe-obi clan. Others included Chief Ken Iwelumo, the Alibo (Ambassador plenipotentiary), Chief Nwawolo, all the clan heads from Ogbe-kenu, Ishiekpe, Umuolo, Ogbe-obi and Agba clans as well as military war chiefs and other titled chiefs, including Dr. Okwudili Okwechime and Ogbuefi Chuks Egbe, amongst others, all resplendent in their full traditional splendor in Akwa Ocha (white cloth) Okpu (cap) and staff of authority to match.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/excitement-anticipation-onicha-ugbo-gears-historic-ine-new-yam-festival-2/

Samuk. I hope you went through this account of Ezechima by Obi of Onicha Ugbo.

Because his account is exacly in tandem with our own knowledge of the history in Idemili.
.
Issele uku and her king cannot change a history they share in common with others just because they yearn for political advantage.
It doesn't work that way. You cannot distort a history you share with others and claim its your right to claim whatever you want. You are entitled to your own opinions and not to your own facts.

We went to stream together to fetch water, on your way back you stumbled on a stone and broke your pot. We both witnessed the event.
Now you went and told people I pushed you from behind and you fell and broke your pot, and you claim its your right to tell your own story the way you please that I have no right to intervene even when I'm being portrayed in bad light on your concocted stories?
Does it make sense to you now why SEners while not interested in what an Issele uku man want to address themselves as, but are fully interested in Ezechima story?

samuk:


I think the dude is trying to start unnecessary controversy and diverts the debate, I will be surprised that he is actually as ignorant as he is portraying.

In his logic, the Yorubas conquered and ruled over Benin, yet the Yoruba had no Oba in history comparable in military, political strength or otherwise to the Oba of Benin. Can you give what you don't have?

The Yoruba ruled over Benin yet there is hardly any part of Yoruba land from Lagos to eastern Yoruba that didn't feel the impact and influence of Benin.

Like I said before, I think the guy is playing games with the Oba of Benin being Yoruba. He can't be that ignorant. Benin history has been written since the 1400s by early European visitors while Yoruba hinterland wasn't visited till 1824 and there is nothing in the over 600 years Benin history that says the Oba of Benin is Yoruba.

If the guys is really that ignorant to know that Benin history can't to forge, reverse and rewritten like others, then I was mistaken about him and have been wasting my time.

Bini was a mushroom kingdom that Agbor was walloping until you met Portuguese who supplied you with firearms with which you terrorized and brought neighboring Eastern Yoruba and Western Igbo under your control.
There was nothing spectacular about Bini. You just had monopoly of European firearms that your neighbours lacked.

Oba is the Yoruba word for King from Ondo to Ilorin.
Edoid word for King is Ovie/Ogie/Ojie. It doesn't take much for a rational person to see that Oba is a Yoruba imprint on Edo people of Bini.
Amongst the Edoids in Delta, Isoko and Urhobo. Oba makes no meaning, but Ovie is a real cognate for Ogie/Ojie and stands for King.

Early Kings of Igododmigodo before the Yoruba established the Obaship there went by the title of Ogie-so. Proper edoid word for King.

Etinosa1234:


Wrong.... Benin is an alternative name of the Edo people...

In fact, Benin people is different from esan people or other tribe people..

None of the tribes u mentioned, Igbo, ijaw, etc consider themselves as Benin..

Ur post clearly says that Benin kingdom is different from Benin people... this means that the kingdom covers many ethnicities and not just Benin people who are an entire different tribe of its own...

This is akin to saying that the British Empire is not the same as the British people.....

Nigeria was part of the British Empire, but does that make Nigerians British?

Same also with Benin

Igbos, ijaws, Yoruba were part of Benin kingdom but did that make them Benin?

U need to think with ur head.....

We can also conclude with ur logic that Yoruba, Fulani and Igbos are also artificial creation due to the Oyo Empire, Sokoto Caliphate, and nri Kingdom respectively

Bini is an Edoid ethnic group.
Within the Edo are other related groups like the Esan, etc.

Benin empire was multiethnic and had other ethnic groups who considered themselves Benin people even though they were not Edoid. Just because the Oba Bini influence covered their towns and villages.

Exactly my point. All Igbo speaking groups that left Benin empire, including Ezechima were Benin subjects but they were not Edo people. They are Benin by nationality because their hometown was under Benin empire influence, but they were not Edoid.
If we understand the above, we would understand why Ezechima was not an Edo even though he was Benin by the virtue of living under the power of Benin empire.

Tell your brother Samuk that they are no Edoid people in Umuezechima. They were and remain Igboid.

Etinosa1234:
Pazienza... Can u explain to the whole World how Igbo is not artificial when y'all have igalas, idomas, ibibios , ijaws around

What's ur guarantee that the entire Igbo tribe is not also an artificial creation

Like u said in a post that u failed to read, Benin kingdom was multiethnic but not Benin people

Bini expansionists claim that Anioma cannot be Igbo.
Their reason is that Anioma has people who trace their origin to Bini, Igala , Yoruba, and South East. Therefore Anioma in their tiny brain irrespective of the fact that they speak Igbo should not be Igbo but let to be as a distinct entity.


In same manner, I argued that modern Bini has people of Igbo, Ijaw, Yoruba , and Igala origins .

So using same logic, there should be no Bini ethinic group, since they have people of heterogeneous origin.

When people say they migrated from Bini kingdom, you Bini expansionists will see it as the people saying they were ethnic Edos. You will refuse to factor in the possibility of those people migrating from Igbo speaking, Ijaw speaking or Yoruba speaking part of the Bini kingdom.
If you were accepting of the above, there wouldn't be problems.

Etinosa1234:
Samuk , to further prove that pazienza doesn't read what he posts or knows what he's writing,... See the attached below.. from the wise pazienza himself

https://www.nairaland.com/3549333/23-year-old-obi-nduka/65#98320838

We know that Benin empire is different from Bini (Edoid) people.
That's the whole point of this argument.
You obviously don't understand the argument.

The argument is simple. Umuezechima were part of Bini empire, but they were never aboriginal Edo people by ethnicity.

Bini empire was a cosmopolitan centre with different entities holding unto Benin as a nationality. Just as many Igbos consider themselves Lagosians but not Yorubas.
Just because one consider himself and people Bini people, doesn't mean they were ethnically Edo. Bini as an identity was a multiethnic entity and not same as being an Edo person.

Etinosa1234:

So according to ur logic, the palace speaks Yoruba while the populace speaks Benin...

Who makes up the palace if not the people?

Try dey use ur head think logically

What's this one saying... The Yoruba never ruled an inch of Benin land... It was the other way round...

So Benin language started in the 20th century and now has up to a million speakers?

That means in a hundred years time , Benin will soon have 100million speakers..

Igbos better watch out



All the past Obas were Benin and bore Benin names

Pls explain to me who exactly are the Edo Aboriginals

The name Oba is a Yoruba word for king.
Edoid word for King is Ogie/Ovie/Ojie.

This is seen and consistent with all Edoid aboriginals down to Isoko in deep Delta state.

The Oba Bini is a Yoruba man ruling Bini people.
Just as Emir of Ilorin is a Fulani man ruling Yoruba aboriginals there.
It doesn't matter that the Fulani's in Ilorin now speak and bear Yoruba names, just as it doesn't matter that Oba Bini now speak and bear Bini names.
The title of their throne says it all.
And like the aboriginal Yoruba in Ilorin are fighting to free themselves from the Emir, so are the aboriginal Edos spareheaded by the Ogiemein are fighting to free Edo from the Yoruba Oba.

I just took time to narrate Ezechima story from the mouth of Obi of Onicha Igbo who is also a descendant of Ezechima.
Go through the story and see how rational it is. Compare it to the myth and fables Issele uku is propagating.

For who cares to know. Issele uku and Onicha Ugbo are in eternal tussle for who would hold the Offor of umuezechima.

Issele uku is propagating the irrational Benin origin story because he is the last son of Ezechima and by Igbo tradition can not hold the Offor of Umuezechima. But since she wants the Offor so bad, she cannot claim Igbo. The Bini tradition who have absolute monarchy where the king can decide to pass the stool to any of his son of chosen irrespective of the son position in age ranking, appeals more to Issele uku monarchy who wants to wear Ezechima a Bini garment to enable them claim that being the first son is immaterial in who should be head of the clan.

Onicha Ugbo on the other hand being the first son of Ezechima, has to hold unto Igbo tradition of Okpalabisi( eldest son is the head) in other to counter Issele uku plan to overthrow them as the rightful holders of Ezechima Offor according to Okpala bu isi gerontocracy of ancient Igbo clans. Hence while Obi of Onicha Ugbo would not accept the Bini story.

He, however, hinted at the metaphysical presence and significance of the ancient Iroko tree in the palace ground and was quick to recognise the omniscience of the Supreme God in all the activities that guided the festival.

Corroborating the historic significance of the new yam festival to the people of Onicha Ugbo and also lending his voice in support of the peaceful commemoration of the grand festival, the Odogwu of Onicha-Ugbo and Minister of State, Petroleum resources, Dr. Ibe Kachiku, described the festival as a grand carnival which has created a colourful, cultural platform for the sons and daughters of Onicha-Ugbo to unite and re-connect with their roots annually. Dr. Kachiku, who spoke through Chief Felix Onyekamsi Kachiku, the representative of the Odogwu and Diokpa (most senior elder) of the Kachiku family, noted that as the traditional Military General of Onicha-Ugbo kingdom, adequate measures have been put in place to ensure a peaceful celebration and the safety and security of both indigenes and visitors, during the celebration, even as he added that the kingdom enjoyed a warm and very cordial relationship with all her brother neighbouring communities and the festival would be a colouful parade of dances, a panoply of razz-matazz, a kaleidoscope of glorious colours and indeed a bountiful feast of food and drink for one and all.


Highlight of the formal commencement of the Onicha-Ugbo new yam festival, was the 36 kilometres royal procession on foot, accomplished in about two hours, to the various clans that make up the kingdom, including the ancestral spot at Abu- Anor where Onicha-Ugbo, first settled, led by Obi Victor Chukwum-alieze1, accompanied by Chief Festus Mafiana , the Iyase (Prime Minister), Chief Michael Diji, the Isama, Chief Augustine Osodi, the Ozoma, Chief Anwuli, the Omu, Chief Okafor Amafuise, the Odafe, Chief Bazee Nwokolo, the head of Ogbe-obi clan. Others included Chief Ken Iwelumo, the Alibo (Ambassador plenipotentiary), Chief Nwawolo, all the clan heads from Ogbe-kenu, Ishiekpe, Umuolo, Ogbe-obi and Agba clans as well as military war chiefs and other titled chiefs, including Dr. Okwudili Okwechime and Ogbuefi Chuks Egbe, amongst others, all resplendent in their full traditional splendor in Akwa Ocha (white cloth) Okpu (cap) and staff of authority to match.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/excitement-anticipation-onicha-ugbo-gears-historic-ine-new-yam-festival-2/

A fierce skirmish had ensued and while the people defended themselves bravely against the obvious superior firepower of the Benin assailants, many of them escaped in the heat of battle, including Onicha, the first son of Ezechima and his brothers and sister, who scattered across the vast expanse that is Aniocha (new land) and even across the River Niger and into the East,” said Obi Chukwumalieze. Concluding the narrative Agbogidi Chukwumalize1, affirmed that his great forebear, Onicha and those who followed him had then settled in a nearby farm (Ugbo), and in the aftermath of the battle, had named the new settlement Onicha-Ugbo (the farm of Onicha) and thus the folklore of Onicha-Ugbo was born. His brothers who forayed into different parts of the area and settled in the nine communities at close proximity with Onicha-Ugbo, that became known as Umu Ezechima (the children of King Chima), and drawing from the antecedent that Onicha-Ugbo and indeed the new settlements of Umu Ezechima, locate their genesis to the day Ani-Emi was attacked as it was about to celebrate the eating of the new yam. That historical moment was elevated to a grand festival, both in commemoration of an established tradition and in remembrance of a period of rebirth. Obi Chukwumalieze, who then identified some of the major symbols of the festival in his inner Palace, including the Osisi (staff), replicas of the various dane guns, ancestral sword and other weapons used in the Ani-Emi battle and Nzu (white chalk which signified peace), emphasized that the festival was now devoid of all fetish practices.

However, in what I can best be described as the first recorded palace coup in Nigeria’s traditional folklore, Chima’s good fortunes attracted the jealousy of some other powerful interests who protested against his growth as a stranger in their midst and hatched a plot that he was planning to dethrone the Oba, on the pretext that he had challenged the supreme authority of the Oba, over an altercation with royal emissaries who invaded his farm in the name of the king. But Chima, by virtue of his powers as a native doctor, got wind of the plot and promptly gathered his family and some loyalists, absconded from Benin and headed East, ostensibly to his supposed home town in Nri, Arochukwu, where he was said to have originally migrated from,” Obi Chukwumalieze1 said. Continuing the narrative, the Obi of Onicha-Ugbo said that the escaping party, after wandering for a long period, arrived at Ani-Emi, the first original settlement of the Onicha-Ugbo people and Chima was then crowned as the first Eze (King), thus he became known as Eze Chima, (King Chima). But by then a royal decree had been issued from the Palace to seek out Chima and his settlers wherever they were and finish them off. And after having staved off several skirmishes and established themselves in their new home, word had finally reached Benin on their whereabouts and a search party led by Gbumara, the giant had been dispatched to carry out the royal directive. “The people first settled at Ani-Emi, which is close to where St. Pius Secondary school is now located and having crowned Chima as their Eze, quickly settled down and started life anew in the new land. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, the giant Gbumara and his search party, arrived as Eze Chima and his people were preparing for the new yam festival. A princess suddenly noticed strange movements in the bushes and seeing the invaders promptly raised an alarm and everybody scampered helter-skelter for dear life, ‘Oke na ofia, Ngwele na onu’.

All is obviously set for tomorrow’s grand celebration of this year’s historic traditional New Yam Festival (Ine), in the ancient kingdom of Onicha-Ugbo, Aniocha Local government Area of Delta State.



There is also reason to look forward to a peaceful and colourful celebration based on assurances given to that effect by the Obi of Onicha-Ugbo Kingdom, HRM the Obi of Onicha Ugbo, Agbogidi Victor Chukwuma-lieze1 and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachiku, who is also the Odogwu, traditional Defence Minister of the kingdom, respectively. Speaking exclusively in his traditional Ogwa (inner palace), on Tuesday August 30, before the traditional royal procession across the kingdom, to offer prayers to God and the forebears for a peaceful festival, the highly cerebral Obi Chukwumalieze1, who established the historical link between the new yam festival and the emergence of Onicha-Ugbo, said that though the ancestral origin of the founder of the kingdom, Ezechima, is still shrouded in mythical speculations till today, he was generally believed to have migrated from Arochukwu, in present day Eastern region of Nigeria, to the ancient Benin kingdom, where he had found great favour with the then King, Oba Eweka, as a result of his ingenious proficiency, energetic dexterity, excellent craftsmanship and fabled sorcery.

Obi Chukwumalieze1, sitting under the watchful gaze of his grand-father, Obi Okobi, whose majestic influence beamed down from a framed photograph hanging on the wall just above the royal chair, noted that the multiple gifts and talents of Chima, as hunter, blacksmith, brave warrior and sorcerer, had assisted Oba Eweka tremendously in staving off aggressions from neighbours like Dahomey, Songhai and even Ghana and elevated him to the position of a highly respected Chief in the Benin royal palace. “As you know very well, Chima is an Ibo name and the Ibo race is famous for its migratory spirit, especially in search of greener pastures; so there is a connection between him and Arochukwu. He was also a very industrious young man, a farmer, hunter, blacksmith and also a Native Doctor and used his skills to assist Oba Eweka, who in turn appreciated his efforts and elevated him to the position of a very high Palace chief in the kingdom

samuk:


You are wrong again. Ancient Benin encouraged everyone to stick to their identity and dialects. There is a saying in Benin that the Ika, Udo etc speakers should be allowed to speak their dialect to retain their distinctive identity and preserve these dialects within the Edo family. If the ancient Oba of Benin had decreed that every speak Benin, numerous dialects would have long gone into extinction, including those you are now claiming as Igbos against their will.

Ancient Bini was a cosmopolitan society with delicate balance of power. The monarchy was of Yoruba origin and it was indeed said that in time past, Yoruba was the language of Bini royal Court.
The Yoruba rulers were not interested in promoting the Edoid language of the subdued Edoid aboriginals, so every one maintained their own language.
It is only recently that the Anti Yoruba sentiment in Bini is at a crescendo with the Yoruba Obas trying to run away from their Yoruba ancestry like the German ruling royal family of England are trying to run away from their German ancestry post WW1 and WW2, that Bini language promotion throughout the kingdom started. And in deed, Bini people have been squeezing the Igbanke and Olodiama people so hard to drop their Igboid and Izon language and names recently. Likewise Usen people who give their people Yoruba names and speak Yoruba are frowned upon by Bini palace.

Bottomline was that Bini empire had a delicate balance of power between the multiethnic entities there, the Edoid aboriginals were never in position to force their language on others, this is why the likes of Ezechima retained their Igbo language and name and why Igbanke still does same today.

samuk:


You are the one more concerned about Ika, this thread was created because the ISSELE-UKU people and their king are holding strong to their Benin heritage. You are the one trying to be more Ika and Delta than the Obi of ISSELE-UKU.

Issele uku people do not have monopoly to Ezechima story. They are not the only Ezechima town. Their story cannot stand in isolation. We also welcomed umuezechima in Idemili when they crossed the river Niger, and we know they have always been Igbo speaking.

Don't get me wrong. Issele uku and Obi have the right to say they are not Igbo. They have the right to address themselves as whatever they want.
But they don't have the right to change history we shared with them,without us challenging it.

Etinosa1234:


Likewise not all who are igbos are of Igbo ancestry...
Except u want to tell us that ur logic doesn't apply to Igbos

Keep shooting ur self in the leg ...na u go bleed

Nope, not all that were Igbo were of Igbo ancestry. But the catch here is that the migrants in our midst are so insignificant in number that they were quickly assimilated and acculturated by their Igbo hosts.
While in Bini, the non Edoids there numerically superior and their culture so strong, that they all retained their distinct languages and cultures. Yoruba for Usen, Igbo for Igbanke, Izon for Olodiama.

Many of you expansionist Edo claim that because insignificant Edo and Igala refugees were absorbed by Igbo speaking ancestors of Anioma, that Anioma shouldn't be Igbo again, but should rather become a hybrid.
But your Bini not only assimilated Igbo, Ijaw, Yoruba and Igala people as well, many pockets of these groups were not well assimilated as they retained their individual distinct languages within your Edo enclave.
Yet you don't think this is enough reason for Bini to cease being Bini and become a hybrid instead, do you?