₦airaland Forum

NDIGBO AND THE GROWING CONTROVERSY OVER TERRITORIAL CLAIMS: WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING ON?

From Rivers to Bayelsa, from Delta to Benue, and even as far as Lagos, a troubling controversy continues to emerge over claims of Igbo ancestry, identity and territorial belonging.

What exactly is going on?

Why has the question of who is Igbo, who was formerly Igbo, and whose ancestral land belongs to Igboland become such a contentious issue?

Across parts of the South-South and Middle Belt, communities are increasingly being drawn into arguments about their origins and identities. Some commentators and separatist movements insist that certain communities and territories historically belong to Igboland, even where sections of the populations concerned reject that classification.

But since when did historical or linguistic similarities automatically confer ownership of another people's ancestral land?

Let us be clear. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Igbo people researching their history, tracing their ancestry or celebrating their cultural connections with neighbouring communities. Every ethnic nationality has that right.

However, there is a fundamental difference between establishing historical relationships and asserting territorial ownership.

The people of Anioma, for instance, have cultural and linguistic connections with communities east of the River Niger. That is a historical reality worthy of recognition. But does that automatically mean that Anioma must belong politically to the South-East? Certainly not.

The same question arises in Rivers, Bayelsa and other neighbouring states where communities possess their own histories, identities and traditions.

Even Lagos has not escaped the controversy, with occasional claims about Igbo ancestral settlement and ownership. Yet the historical foundations of Lagos are well documented, particularly the role of the Awori and the subsequent influence of the Benin Kingdom. The contributions of later settlers, including the Igbo, deserve recognition, but contribution and ancestral ownership are not interchangeable concepts.

This brings me to a more fundamental question:

What is the ultimate objective of those promoting these expansive territorial narratives?

Is it simply a genuine search for lost ancestral connections? Is it an attempt to consolidate cultural identity? Is it connected to the agitation for Biafra? Or is there a broader political ambition to redraw the ethnic and geopolitical map of Nigeria?

These are legitimate questions that deserve thoughtful and honest answers.

We must also recognise that the Igbo people are not a monolithic group. The opinions of individual activists, commentators or separatist organisations should not automatically be presented as the collective position of millions of Igbo people.

Nevertheless, those advancing territorial claims must understand that such declarations can generate suspicion, resentment and unnecessary tension among neighbouring communities.

Nigeria already has more than enough ethnic and political difficulties. We do not need another source of conflict arising from competing claims of ancestral ownership.

No ethnic nationality has the right to impose an identity on another community simply because of similarities in language, customs, names or historical relationships.

The right of a people to determine their identity and political aspirations must be respected.

If a community identifies with Igbo heritage, that choice deserves respect. If another community acknowledges cultural connections but prefers a distinct political identity, that position equally deserves respect.

Ancestry is not a certificate of territorial ownership. Cultural affinity is not political annexation. Historical migration does not automatically confer sovereignty.

Above all, no community should be treated as a lost possession waiting to be reclaimed by another ethnic nationality.

The South-East and South-South have lived as neighbours for generations. Their relationships should be strengthened through cooperation, commerce, cultural exchange and mutual understanding, not weakened by disputes over who owns whom.

My final question remains: Are we witnessing a genuine search for historical identity, or are some political movements attempting to turn cultural kinship into territorial ambition?

The distinction matters, and those making these claims owe the affected communities an explanation.

History should help us understand where we came from. It should never become a weapon for claiming ownership of people who have not consented to be claimed.

If this boring essay is because of Lagos, then forget it: Lagos is a No man's land.

Please, South South snd South East are mere geographical expressions that arecnot even recognised by the constitution of Nigeria

The constitution does not recognise anything called South South or South East

You see people who speak Igbo as their ancestral language and practice Igbo culture, what are they?

The people you call Anioma, what are they? Anioma is not an ethnic group, its a word created by Osadabay in the 50's. Can an ethnic group start in the 50's?

Anyone is free to claim to be whatever, they can even claim to be Japanese. But when you speak Igbo as your ancestral language, practice Igbo culture, but you claim to be Japanese, we can only but laugh

gidgiddy:
Please, South South snd South East are mere geographical expressions that arecnot even recognised by the constitution of Nigeria

The constitution does not recognise anything called South South or South East

You see people who speak Igbo as their ancestral language and practice Igbo culture, what are they?

The people you call Anioma, what are they? Anioma is not an ethnic group, its a word created by Osadabay in the 50's. Can an ethnic group start in the 50's?

Anyone is free to claim to be whatever, they can even claim to be Japanese. But when you speak Igbo as your ancestral language, practice Igbo culture, but you claim to be Japanese, we can only but laugh

South south and south east are not geographical expressions but geopolitical expressions.

The next question is, what are Igbo ancestral language, cultures and their origins and histories?

Ypu know, i know you..

Anyway..

The killing in Oyo State wont go unpaid for. When the bell rings..everyone of you go collect allover the SE.

Peppermaster:
NDIGBO AND THE GROWING CONTROVERSY OVER TERRITORIAL CLAIMS: WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING ON?

From Rivers to Bayelsa, from Delta to Benue, and even as far as Lagos, a troubling controversy continues to emerge over claims of Igbo ancestry, identity and territorial belonging.

What exactly is going on?

Why has the question of who is Igbo, who was formerly Igbo, and whose ancestral land belongs to Igboland become such a contentious issue?

Across parts of the South-South and Middle Belt, communities are increasingly being drawn into arguments about their origins and identities. Some commentators and separatist movements insist that certain communities and territories historically belong to Igboland, even where sections of the populations concerned reject that classification.

But since when did historical or linguistic similarities automatically confer ownership of another people's ancestral land?

Let us be clear. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Igbo people researching their history, tracing their ancestry or celebrating their cultural connections with neighbouring communities. Every ethnic nationality has that right.

However, there is a fundamental difference between establishing historical relationships and asserting territorial ownership.

The people of Anioma, for instance, have cultural and linguistic connections with communities east of the River Niger. That is a historical reality worthy of recognition. But does that automatically mean that Anioma must belong politically to the South-East? Certainly not.

The same question arises in Rivers, Bayelsa and other neighbouring states where communities possess their own histories, identities and traditions.

Even Lagos has not escaped the controversy, with occasional claims about Igbo ancestral settlement and ownership. Yet the historical foundations of Lagos are well documented, particularly the role of the Awori and the subsequent influence of the Benin Kingdom. The contributions of later settlers, including the Igbo, deserve recognition, but contribution and ancestral ownership are not interchangeable concepts.

This brings me to a more fundamental question:

What is the ultimate objective of those promoting these expansive territorial narratives?

Is it simply a genuine search for lost ancestral connections? Is it an attempt to consolidate cultural identity? Is it connected to the agitation for Biafra? Or is there a broader political ambition to redraw the ethnic and geopolitical map of Nigeria?

These are legitimate questions that deserve thoughtful and honest answers.

We must also recognise that the Igbo people are not a monolithic group. The opinions of individual activists, commentators or separatist organisations should not automatically be presented as the collective position of millions of Igbo people.

Nevertheless, those advancing territorial claims must understand that such declarations can generate suspicion, resentment and unnecessary tension among neighbouring communities.

Nigeria already has more than enough ethnic and political difficulties. We do not need another source of conflict arising from competing claims of ancestral ownership.

No ethnic nationality has the right to impose an identity on another community simply because of similarities in language, customs, names or historical relationships.

The right of a people to determine their identity and political aspirations must be respected.

If a community identifies with Igbo heritage, that choice deserves respect. If another community acknowledges cultural connections but prefers a distinct political identity, that position equally deserves respect.

Ancestry is not a certificate of territorial ownership. Cultural affinity is not political annexation. Historical migration does not automatically confer sovereignty.

Above all, no community should be treated as a lost possession waiting to be reclaimed by another ethnic nationality.

The South-East and South-South have lived as neighbours for generations. Their relationships should be strengthened through cooperation, commerce, cultural exchange and mutual understanding, not weakened by disputes over who owns whom.

My final question remains: Are we witnessing a genuine search for historical identity, or are some political movements attempting to turn cultural kinship into territorial ambition?

The distinction matters, and those making these claims owe the affected communities an explanation.

History should help us understand where we came from. It should never become a weapon for claiming ownership of people who have not consented to be claimed.

Kalashnikov49:
Ypu know, i know you..

Anyway..

The killing in Oyo State wont go unpaid for. When the bell rings..everyone of you go collect allover the SE.

Hpw many of us dey una 5 state dey play, lets see who will loose more

The controversy you talk about is a product of mischief by the busy bodies. Igbos are not dragging their territories with anyone. We certainly know our territories and we will always defend those. Igbo territories in the South-East and the South South are enough for the igbos. The South West is going into Kogi and Kwara to entice their socalled siblings there, and no one is raising hell from the South East. But once the igbos try the same script on the igbos intentionally balkanised across the South South states, all hell is let loose..
Whatever happens, the boundaries drawn by the military, or the ones about to be drawn by the APC won't hold.

The Federal government was the one who initiated the "divide and rule" policies to alienate the igbos of the South East from the Igbos of the South South. They are the ones who empowered the ijaws to start turning igbo communities in the peripheries into "ijaw towns". That was after conducting a genocide on the igbos. The historical owners of these communities are not in doubt, and will never be. The historical ancestors and inhabitants were never in doubt. Read independent encounters that preceeded the amalgamation of Nigeria.


Again, most of the agitation to have igbo communities in the South South to join the South East , were initiated by igbos of the South South. These were done openly and legally. Why some of you prefer to run with the warped narratives that suggest it was the South Easterners that introduced that agenda, beats me. The facts are in the open. Ned Nwoko is from Delta state. The Ohanaeze Chairman is feom Rivers State. The gentleman that led Ohanaeze during the national conference talks few weeks ago ,is from Rivers! Allow them to be heard too..

That said, anyone can initiate such wholesome moves. It is very much welcome! Igbo territories of the South South are part of igbo land before Nigeria came along, and would be so after Nigeria. If some parts of Nigeria do not like living with their brothers "togetherly", we do over here..
It is very irritating to note that the Southwest that has swallowed the Eguns, the Aworis and even the Ijaws of Ondo, who produce all their oil, are the ones pontificating on matters way above their pay grade in the east.

Things will soon change shaa...

gidgiddy:
Please, South South snd South East are mere geographical expressions that arecnot even recognised by the constitution of Nigeria

The constitution does not recognise anything called South South or South East

You see people who speak Igbo as their ancestral language and practice Igbo culture, what are they?

The people you call Anioma, what are they? Anioma is not an ethnic group, its a word created by Osadabay in the 50's. Can an ethnic group start in the 50's?

Anyone is free to claim to be whatever, they can even claim to be Japanese. But when you speak Igbo as your ancestral language, practice Igbo culture, but you claim to be Japanese, we can only but laugh

But then all those people are even saying they are not igbo.

Amotolongbo:
South south and south east are not geographical expressions but geopolitical expressions.

The next question is, what are Igbo ancestral language, cultures and their origins and histories?

No one is going to answer your puerile questions because we owe you no explanations. We will def3nd our territories as we always do..

You swallowed the Eguns, the Aworis and even the ijaws in your rudderless quest to create a uniformed ethnic identity for the South West, and you didnt explain that to us. So stay in your Southwest and let us do our things here.

You can't be reaching for the Okuns of Kogi and the "fulanised Yorubas" of Kwara to join your ubiquitous South West while wagging your fingers as you pontificate on how the igbos should go about their businesses..
The South West should learn to mind their businesses on this one..

duro4chang:
But then all those people are even saying they are not igbo.

In Yoruba newspaper, of course..

Na wetin i eant mame e happen.

Una go test that una strength against IGBOs.

DEROX:
Hpw many of us dey una 5 state dey play, lets see who will loose more

owobokiri:
No one is going to answer your puerile questions because we owe you no explanations. We will def3nd our territories as we always do..

You swallowed the Eguns, the Aworis and even the ijaws in your rudderless quest to create a uniformed ethnic identity for the South West, and you didnt explain that to us. So stay in your Southwest and let us do our things here.

You can't be reaching for the Okuns of Kogi and the "fulanised Yorubas" of Kwara to join your ubiquitous South West while wagging your fingers as you pontificate on how the igbos should go about their businesses..
The South West should learn to mind their businesses on this one..

Please who are the “we”?

Yoruba don’t force a marriage, na dem dey rush us. I understand you are so jealous of that 😂

If the swallowing is that easy, you too swallow the jaws, ikwere and ibibio if e no go hook you for neck 😂😂😂

Amotolongbo:
Please who are the “we”?

Yoruba don’t force a marriage, na dem dey rush us. I understand you are so jealous of that 😂

If the swallowing is that easy, you too swallow the jaws, ikwere and ibibio if e no go hook you for neck 😂😂😂

The Eguns are rushing you? Really?
The Ijaws of Ondo that are kicking their legs and stumping their feet as you try desperately to swallow them with their oil at Ondo, are also rushing you
Tell me something..
The one that will surely hook una for throat na that Ilorin.
Fulani no dey play with that one.
There will always be a Gambari Emir at Ilorin..
You already know..

owobokiri:
The Eguns are rushing you? Really?
The Ijaws of Ondo that are kicking their legs and stumping their feet as you try desperately to swallow them with their oil at Ondo, are also rushing you
Tell me something..
The one that will surely hook una for throat na that Ilorin.
Fulani no dey play with that one.
There will always be a Gambari Emir at Ilorin..
You already know..

Yes they are rushing us.
Marriage is not by force.

Peppermaster:
NDIGBO AND THE GROWING CONTROVERSY OVER TERRITORIAL CLAIMS: WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING ON?

From Rivers to Bayelsa, from Delta to Benue, and even as far as Lagos, a troubling controversy continues to emerge over claims of Igbo ancestry, identity and territorial belonging.

What exactly is going on?

Why has the question of who is Igbo, who was formerly Igbo, and whose ancestral land belongs to Igboland become such a contentious issue?

Across parts of the South-South and Middle Belt, communities are increasingly being drawn into arguments about their origins and identities. Some commentators and separatist movements insist that certain communities and territories historically belong to Igboland, even where sections of the populations concerned reject that classification.

But since when did historical or linguistic similarities automatically confer ownership of another people's ancestral land?

Let us be clear. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Igbo people researching their history, tracing their ancestry or celebrating their cultural connections with neighbouring communities. Every ethnic nationality has that right.

However, there is a fundamental difference between establishing historical relationships and asserting territorial ownership.

The people of Anioma, for instance, have cultural and linguistic connections with communities east of the River Niger. That is a historical reality worthy of recognition. But does that automatically mean that Anioma must belong politically to the South-East? Certainly not.

The same question arises in Rivers, Bayelsa and other neighbouring states where communities possess their own histories, identities and traditions.

Even Lagos has not escaped the controversy, with occasional claims about Igbo ancestral settlement and ownership. Yet the historical foundations of Lagos are well documented, particularly the role of the Awori and the subsequent influence of the Benin Kingdom. The contributions of later settlers, including the Igbo, deserve recognition, but contribution and ancestral ownership are not interchangeable concepts.

This brings me to a more fundamental question:

What is the ultimate objective of those promoting these expansive territorial narratives?

Is it simply a genuine search for lost ancestral connections? Is it an attempt to consolidate cultural identity? Is it connected to the agitation for Biafra? Or is there a broader political ambition to redraw the ethnic and geopolitical map of Nigeria?

These are legitimate questions that deserve thoughtful and honest answers.

We must also recognise that the Igbo people are not a monolithic group. The opinions of individual activists, commentators or separatist organisations should not automatically be presented as the collective position of millions of Igbo people.

Nevertheless, those advancing territorial claims must understand that such declarations can generate suspicion, resentment and unnecessary tension among neighbouring communities.

Nigeria already has more than enough ethnic and political difficulties. We do not need another source of conflict arising from competing claims of ancestral ownership.

No ethnic nationality has the right to impose an identity on another community simply because of similarities in language, customs, names or historical relationships.

The right of a people to determine their identity and political aspirations must be respected.

If a community identifies with Igbo heritage, that choice deserves respect. If another community acknowledges cultural connections but prefers a distinct political identity, that position equally deserves respect.

Ancestry is not a certificate of territorial ownership. Cultural affinity is not political annexation. Historical migration does not automatically confer sovereignty.

Above all, no community should be treated as a lost possession waiting to be reclaimed by another ethnic nationality.

The South-East and South-South have lived as neighbours for generations. Their relationships should be strengthened through cooperation, commerce, cultural exchange and mutual understanding, not weakened by disputes over who owns whom.

My final question remains: Are we witnessing a genuine search for historical identity, or are some political movements attempting to turn cultural kinship into territorial ambition?

The distinction matters, and those making these claims owe the affected communities an explanation.

History should help us understand where we came from. It should never become a weapon for claiming ownership of people who have not consented to be claimed.

So Igbos are also claiming that Lagos is their ancestral land abi are they also claiming that Lagos people are Igbo people; I dont get this early morning abi afternoon rant?


Now to your disjointed writeup, there are Igbo communities in these states outside Southeast:

- Rivers state
- Delta state
- Benue state
- Edo State (Igbanke community) who must have migrated to Edo hundreds or thousands of years ago for trade or whatsoever reason and refused to return. They are the ones that reached out to Ohanaeze Ndigbo and identified themselves as Igbo ancestry community, that was how we got to know about them and if you visit that community in Edo, you will realize that they are truly of Igbo origin from their tradition, culture, names, dialect, etc. That doesn't mean Igbos have ancestral land in Edo State, nope, but there is an Igbo community in Edo called Igbanke community and I think popular music artists Rema or so came from that community, instead of attacking people you should make research by visiting that community to talk to their elders.



I also heard that there are some Igbo communities that spread into Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Kogi, I am not too sure about this.


Popular Nigerian Senator from Anioma in Delta state, Senator Ned Nwoko have come out to explain that they are Igbos who started denying their Igbo ancestry or heritage to evade Hausa-Fulani/Yoruba controlled federal government of Nigeria's clampdown on Igbos after the end of the Nigeria-Biafra civil war.


He said some of their people even started changing their names as they were enrolling their children in Nigerian schools and to avoid them having issue in the Nigerian civil service if they are identified as Igbos. This same thing happened to several Igbo communities outside today's Southeast; in an effort to avoid being tagged Igbo and being sidelined from Nigerian civil service opportunities, military recruitment and politics, they started remixing their names to change it from being core Igbo and they started denying their Igbo ancestry to avoid persecution and marginalization by Hausa-Fulani and Yorubas controlling the Nigerian government after the Civil War.



So Igbos in Southeast reaching out to people they believe are their brothers to enlighten them that they are brothers is not a crime. It will only become a crime if they forcefully attack them and try to take over their communities in the name of forcing them to identify as Igbos.


But funny enough, if you have ever attended an Igbo exclusive festival outside Nigeria, like in any country in Europe or America or Canada, etc, you will be shocked to see the same people from Rivers state, Delta state, Benue, etc attend the Igbo people festival or ceremony in their full Igbo regalia and attire, speaking fluent Igbo and professing to be full Igbos. I have attended such events and I was shocked and glad to witness that, which usually gets me confused to see some of the people from those Igbo communities in states outside Southeast come online to claim that they are not Igbo that Igbos should leave them alone 😀



Abeg make una leave us Igbos alone, we no de force anybody to become or identify as Igbo, we are plenty enough to make a bubbling nation, Igbos are not lacking in population or personalities all over the world, we are great and amazing people that only want to progress and live our life as God planned for us and devoid of anybody's intimidation or harassment or bullying. Thank you for your attention to this matter

owobokiri:
In Yoruba newspaper, of course..

Not at all. Probably you are referring to news from Upper Iweka. That's where fake and adulterated news is baked. Hahahaha!

Kalashnikov49:
Na wetin i eant mame e happen.

Una go test that una strength against IGBOs.

Na when we revoke all una lands and shops, then u do same in ur villages and lets see who will cry pass, u sef know, who cried more in the SA xneophobia mtchew, una elders go beg tire

franchasng:
So Igbos are also claiming that Lagos is their ancestral land abi are they also claiming that Lagos people are Igbo people; I dont get this early morning abi afternoon rant?


Now to your disjointed writeup, there are Igbo communities in these states outside Southeast:

- Rivers state
- Delta state
- Benue state
- Edo State (Igbanke community) who must have migrated to Edo hundreds or thousands of years ago for trade or whatsoever reason and refused to return. They are the ones that reached out to Ohanaeze Ndigbo and identified themselves as Igbo ancestry community, that was how we got to know about them and if you visit that community in Edo, you will realize that they are truly of Igbo origin from their tradition, culture, names, dialect, etc. That doesn't mean Igbos have ancestral land in Edo State, nope, but there is an Igbo community in Edo called Igbanke community and I think popular music artists Rema or so came from that community, instead of attacking people you should make research by visiting that community to talk to their elders.



I also heard that there are some Igbo communities that spread into Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Kogi, I am not too sure about this.


Popular Nigerian Senator from Anioma in Delta state, Senator Ned Nwoko have come out to explain that they are Igbos who started denying their Igbo ancestry or heritage to evade Hausa-Fulani/Yoruba controlled federal government of Nigeria's clampdown on Igbos after the end of the Nigeria-Biafra civil war.


He said some of their people even started changing their names as they were enrolling their children in Nigerian schools and to avoid them having issue in the Nigerian civil service if they are identified as Igbos. This same thing happened to several Igbo communities outside today's Southeast; in an effort to avoid being tagged Igbo and being sidelined from Nigerian civil service opportunities, military recruitment and politics, they started remixing their names to change it from being core Igbo and they started denying their Igbo ancestry to avoid persecution and marginalization by Hausa-Fulani and Yorubas controlling the Nigerian government after the Civil War.



So Igbos in Southeast reaching out to people they believe are their brothers to enlighten them that they are brothers is not a crime. It will only become a crime if they forcefully attack them and try to take over their communities in the name of forcing them to identify as Igbos.


But funny enough, if you have ever attended an Igbo exclusive festival outside Nigeria, like in any country in Europe or America or Canada, etc, you will be shocked to see the same people from Rivers state, Delta state, Benue, etc attend the Igbo people festival or ceremony in their full Igbo regalia and attire, speaking fluent Igbo and professing to be full Igbos. I have attended such events and I was shocked and glad to witness that, which usually gets me confused to see some of the people from those Igbo communities in states outside Southeast come online to claim that they are not Igbo that Igbos should leave them alone 😀


Abeg make una leave us Igbos alone, we no de force anybody to become or identify as Igbo, we are plenty enough to make a bubbling nation, Igbos are not lacking in population or personalities all over the world, we are great and amazing people that only want to progress and live our life as God planned for us and devoid of anybody's intimidation or harassment or bullying. Thank you for your attention to this matter

First bold: there are Igbo communities in Cross River and Akwa Ibom states. I don't know about Kogi. There is a claim about Igbo communities/LGAs in Benue, but I'm not sure.

Second bold: I am an example of such a person and I have "represented" the state in the breaking of kola nuts.

The argument that Igbos from non-southeast states aren't Igbos is typical Nigerian ignorant ethnicized politics. Today, we will hear Okowa and Chukwuma Nzeogwu are Igbos, but Emefiele, Uti Nwachukwu, JayJay Okocha and Elumelu aren't Igbos, but Deltan. The question: Is "Deltan" an ethnic group?

ResidentSnitch:
If this boring essay is because of Lagos, then forget it: Lagos is a No man's land.

y is it that only u ibos say this?

owobokiri:
No one is going to answer your puerile questions because we owe you no explanations. We will def3nd our territories as we always do..

You swallowed the Eguns, the Aworis and even the ijaws in your rudderless quest to create a uniformed ethnic identity for the South West, and you didnt explain that to us. So stay in your Southwest and let us do our things here.

You can't be reaching for the Okuns of Kogi and the "fulanised Yorubas" of Kwara to join your ubiquitous South West while wagging your fingers as you pontificate on how the igbos should go about their businesses..
The South West should learn to mind their businesses on this one..

u don't have to force yourself on people

South south people have said it a million times that they ain't ibo

I think that should b clear enough

owobokiri:
The Eguns are rushing you? Really?
The Ijaws of Ondo that are kicking their legs and stumping their feet as you try desperately to swallow them with their oil at Ondo, are also rushing you
Tell me something..
The one that will surely hook una for throat na that Ilorin.
Fulani no dey play with that one.
There will always be a Gambari Emir at Ilorin..
You already know..

is kwara part of Yoruba land?

Have u seen us claiming kwara?

Gerrard59:
First bold: there are Igbo communities in Cross River and Akwa Ibom states. I don't know about Kogi. There is a claim about Igbo communities/LGAs in Benue, but I'm not sure.

Second bold: I am an example of such a person and I have "represented" the state in the breaking of kola nuts.

The argument that Igbos from non-southeast states aren't Igbos is typical Nigerian ignorant ethnicized politics. Today, we will hear Okowa and Chukwuma Nzeogwu are Igbos, but Emefiele, Uti Nwachukwu, JayJay Okocha and Elumelu aren't Igbos, but Deltan. The question: Is "Deltan" an ethnic group?

Its laughable honestly.


I am very much aware of Igbo indigenes in Benue. I did NYSC with one of them and that was when I got to know about this and started researching about it to my amazement that there are truly many Igbo indigenous communities in today Benue state.


They are mostly found in Ado, Obi, Oju, and Okpokwu LGAs plus the Ezza-Idelle area.


Some of the prominent Igbo indigenous communities & villages in Benue are - Umuezeokoha, Oriuzor, Umuezeoka, Amaeka, Umuoghara, Amaezekwe.

Some parts are also linked to the Ezza, Izzi, Ezzamgbo, and Effium clans found in today Ebonyi state.


The 1967 to 1970 civil war did Igbos plenty bad things honestly. That war forced many Igbo communities at the boundary areas bordering Niger Delta and Northcentral to deny their Igbo heritage in an effort to avoid being marginalized or persecuted by the Hausa-Fulani and Yoruba controlled federal government of Nigeria after the civil war ended in 1970.

BATified2023:
u don't have to force yourself on people

South south people have said it a million times that they ain't igbo

I think that should b clear enough

I think it is you Southwesterners that are forcing them and gaslighting them to believe they are not Igbos for selfish political gains.


If prominent people from these communities like Senator Ned Nwoko, Asagba of Asaba and many more that you can even see them make viral videos on social media declare their Igbo ancestry, who then are you an outsider to tell them who they are and where they came from?

owobokiri:
The controversy you talk about is a product of mischief by the busy bodies. Igbos are not dragging their territories with anyone. We certainly know our territories and we will always defend those. Igbo territories in the South-East and the South South are enough for the igbos. The South West is going into Kogi and Kwara to entice their socalled siblings there, and no one is raising hell from the South East. But once the igbos try the same script on the igbos intentionally balkanised across the South South states, all hell is let loose..
Whatever happens, the boundaries drawn by the military, or the ones about to be drawn by the APC won't hold.

The Federal government was the one who initiated the "divide and rule" policies to alienate the igbos of the South East from the Igbos of the South South. They are the ones who empowered the ijaws to start turning igbo communities in the peripheries into "ijaw towns". That was after conducting a genocide on the igbos. The historical owners of these communities are not in doubt, and will never be. The historical ancestors and inhabitants were never in doubt. Read independent encounters that preceeded the amalgamation of Nigeria.


Again, most of the agitation to have igbo communities in the South South to join the South East , were initiated by igbos of the South South. These were done openly and legally. Why some of you prefer to run with the warped narratives that suggest it was the South Easterners that introduced that agenda, beats me. The facts are in the open. Ned Nwoko is from Delta state. The Ohanaeze Chairman is feom Rivers State. The gentleman that led Ohanaeze during the national conference talks few weeks ago ,is from Rivers! Allow them to be heard too..

That said, anyone can initiate such wholesome moves. It is very much welcome! Igbo territories of the South South are part of igbo land before Nigeria came along, and would be so after Nigeria. If some parts of Nigeria do not like living with their brothers "togetherly", we do over here..
It is very irritating to note that the Southwest that has swallowed the Eguns, the Aworis and even the Ijaws of Ondo, who produce all their oil, are the ones pontificating on matters way above their pay grade in the east.

Things will soon change shaa...

Have you noticed how these sort of topics always appear on this forum from time to time? It's driven by the same evil, obsessed and insecure anti-Igbo forces responsible for mass murder and leading the federal war effort in late 60s, and who took hegemonic control of the country after the uncivil war....ndi-liberators dem! Taking control of the Nigerian political-economy wasn't enough for them....they also had to ensure the Igbo, who they consider as the 'hated competition' and major stumbling block to their total domination of Nigeria, are emasculated, with their economic, political and territorial interests sabotaged and limited at every and any turn and opportunity! It's this diabolical anti-Igbo agenda of theirs that saw the Ijaw being supported and empowered in the east and Niger-Delta to claim Igbo territory, steal as much hydrocarbon-rich Igbo territory as possible, and help them ensure Ndigbo are denied direct access to the sea! The fall-out of this is what we see with the Ijaw now being emboldened to go on to claim the territories of other ethnicities from as far as Akwa-Ibom, to Edo, to Delta, to Rivers, and finally to Ondo......basically claiming almost the entire Nigerian coast from west to east!

The joke is on the non-Igbo in the areas formerly known as Mid-Western and Eastern Regions who either were complicit in this anti-Igbo agenda or were comfortable with it thinking their own interests were safe! The joke is on them as well as on daft and naive 'one Nigerianist' Igbo who feel safe sharing the same country with very xenophobic, wicked, jealous and greedy groups!

No shaking...no ne person wey dey alive dey revoke?

Start am abeg...

DEROX:
Na when we revoke all una lands and shops, then u do same in ur villages and lets see who will cry pass, u sef know, who cried more in the SA xneophobia mtchew, una elders go beg tire

Kalashnikov49:
No shaking...no ne person wey dey alive dey revoke?

Start am abeg...

i dare u, lets see who will loose more