Olaudah Equiano (c. 1745 – 31 March 1797), known in his lifetime as Gustavus Vassa, was a prominent African in London, a freed slave who supported the British movement to end the slave trade. His autobiography, published in 1789 and attracting wide attention, was considered highly influential in gaining passage of the Slave Trade Act 1807, which ended the African trade for Britain and its colonies.

According to his own account, Olaudah Equiano was born in 1745 to the Igbo people in the region now known as Nigeria. His name, Olaudah, means "one who has a loud voice and is well spoken", and signifies good fortune. He was the youngest son, with six brothers and sisters. His father was a man of dignity, given the title "Embrenché" (modern Igbo: mgburichi), a man whom he remembers bearing scarifications on his forehead, which signified his father's status. When he was around the age of eleven, he and his sister were left alone to look after their family's compound, as was common when adults went out of the house for work. They were both kidnapped and taken far away from their hometown, separated, and sold to slave traders.

In Virginia he was sold to a Royal Navy officer, Lieutenant Michael Pascal, who renamed him 'Gustavus Vassa' after the 16th-century Swedish king. Equiano travelled the oceans with Pascal for eight years, during which time he was baptised and learned to read and write. Pascal then sold Equiano to a ship captain in London, who took him to Montserrat, where he was sold to the prominent merchant Robert King. While working as a deckhand, valet and barber for King, Equiano earned money by trading on the side. In only three years, he made enough money to buy his own freedom.

In 1786 in London, he became involved in the movement to abolish slavery. He was a prominent member of the 'Sons of Africa', a group of 12 black men who campaigned for abolition. In 1789 he published his autobiography, 'The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, the African'. He travelled widely promoting the book, which became immensely
popular, helped the abolitionist cause, and made Equiano a wealthy man. It is one of the earliest books published by a black African writer.

In 1792, Equiano married an Englishwoman, Susanna Cullen, and they had two daughters. Equiano died on
31 March 1797.


www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/equiano_olaudah.shtml

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olaudah_Equiano

Irrespective of the fact that this happened many years back,some Nigerians do still see themselves as slaves.The worst being mental slavery.
SAY Hello to 1stGenius.

Some people till now never purchase their freedom.

cc: OPCNAIRALAND, Pensniper.

hmm

1stGenius:
Irrespective of the fact that this happened many years back,some Nigerians do still see themselves as slaves.The worst being mental slavery.

equiano was never an Igbo, he never claimed to be one,it was Achebe that started literary fraud that claimed that equiano was Igbo.

Some good ol' history.

blaqoracle:
equiano was never an Igbo, he never claimed to be one,it was Achebe that started literary fraud that claimed that equiano was Igbo.

Stop saying what you don't know. Go and do your research . Equiano wrote a book , in which he stated that he from Igbo. I wonder why you and ur kind are trying hard to reshuffle history.

His name is Olaedo Ekwealuo in modern Igbo . Olaedo meaning Gold bangle. He is from Issaka - modern day Isseke in Ihiala LGA of Anambra state. I have read about him, he was very determined and industrious.

blaqoracle:
equiano was never an Igbo, he never claimed to be one,it was Achebe that started literary fraud that claimed that equiano was Igbo.

No Olaedo Ekwealuo is from your village in Ogun ritual forest.

He is a legend,he was also one of the people who fought to the last to make sure that slave trade was abolished.

This is quite enlightening I just learnt somethin new thank u•

blaqoracle:
equiano was never an Igbo, he never claimed to be one,it was Achebe that started literary fraud that claimed that equiano was Igbo.

Hate can really be blinding.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/equiano_olaudah.shtml

wisdomguy4u:


Stop saying what you don't know. Go and do your research . Equiano wrote a book , in which he stated that he from Igbo. I wonder why you and ur kind are trying hard to reshuffle history.

I was with you until you said your kind, that was out of line. The guy is just ignorant of certain facts.

blaqoracle:
equiano was never an Igbo, he never claimed to be one,it was Achebe that started literary fraud that claimed that equiano was Igbo.

You know, A friend once joked that Oluadah ikwuano had revisionist yorubas in mind, when he wrote "I'm from Eboe" and included many other Igbo words-Ekeh, oye, ah-for(afor), nkwo of Igbo calendar in his autobiography. he even attempted to translate the meaning of his own name-Olaudah( rightfully as "loud voice" depending on the way you tonalize it ). Seems like he probably intended to make it difficult for yorrobbers to revisionize and distort his origin, that's why he painstakingly documented. Go grab the book-The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano (1789), get a rope and walk to a tree after reading.

yorrobers-robbers of truth. you can never be allowed to revisonize this one.

olaudah never claimed never claimed to be Igbo in his narratives. He only Igbo people do come to their market to buy goods. for him to refer Igbo as a third person shows that he is not Igbo.

blaqoracle:
olaudah never claimed never claimed to be Igbo in his narratives. He only Igbo people do come to their market to buy goods. for him to refer Igbo as a third person shows that he is not Igbo.

You got it totally wrong. ANIOMA-IGBO people straddle the Niger River and even though they are Igbo, they still refer to other Igbos as NWA ONYE IGBO.

Go and tell the late Osita Osadebe or Obosi or even Onitsha people that they are not Igbo, and see how their village oracle will wipe out your descendants.

Olu-Uda gave the Igbo names of certain items like cocoayam as EDE and a famous Nri-controlled title of Mgburuichi as Embrenche.

Nri people introduced cultural practices that were also adopted by neighbouring ethnic groups like the four market day and OBA title.
However, MGBURUICHI is specific to Igboland and if Olu-Uda's father was an MGBURUICHI, then I can say without fear, that Olu-Uda was an Igboman through and through

Why wast ur time trying to explain to people who's brain are filled with too much oil.... smh

excel234:
No Olaedo Ekwealuo is from your village in Ogun ritual forest.

Why are you disturbing yourself over the hate from an oil filled brain
Olauda Ekweanuo(though the present family name is now Ekwealuo) was proven beyond doubt by Katerina Acholonu to be from Isieke town in modern Anambra state.
The book was thoroughly investigated by Acholonu..and it was on investigation that it was found that the boy was sold due to his feminist tendencies by his father. Acholonu also found someone who looked exactly like him in his photo..a 15 year boy in the family then(all these happened in 1980).
The boy Olauda Ekweanuo was an Igbo from Anambra state and nothing, not even the hate occasioned by the presence of oil can change that!

We have always tell the suffercated cowards and fetish fuuls that it is engraved in igbos DNA to fight for freedom and justice. ..

Even the whites attest to this in many ways, saying the igbos are best you can get even though they are unrulling and indomitable, the whites go along way to say, igbos are neat, organised and nearly white...

What else do we need as prove, even till date the cowards still fear igbos prowess, unrulling and indomitablity.

.the word IGBO is sacred and means FREEDOM AND JUSTICE. ..

Anybody can equally attest to this by smoking Igbo, you will really feel free and happy...lol...just for fun.... I don't smoke ooo

cheruv:

Why are you disturbing yourself over the hate from an oil filled brain
Olauda Ekweanuo(though the present family name is now Ekwealuo) was proven beyond doubt by Katerina Acholonu to be from Isieke town in modern Anambra state.
The book was thoroughly investigated by Acholonu..and it was on investigation that it was found that the boy was sold due to his feminist tendencies by his father. Acholonu also found someone who looked exactly like him in his photo..a 15 year boy in the family then(all these happened in 1980).
The boy Olauda Ekweanuo was an Igbo from Anambra state and nothing, not even the hate occasioned by the presence of oil can change that!

my statement is an irony. Read it again, and my previous post.

Igbos were the first to revolt during the slave trade and threw them selves in west altlantoc ocean instead of been slaves!! We have Freedom in our DNA

This made my heart soft. Good thing to see.

Eboe/igbo the INDOMITABLE tribe.

He bought his own freedom, IGBOS making good use of money since 176something! Proudly Igbo!

blaqoracle:
equiano was never an Igbo, he never claimed to be one,it was Achebe that started literary fraud that claimed that equiano was Igbo.

Then explain the name Equiano which sounds suspiciously like Ikwuano in Umuahia, Abia state