I am studying the Igbo culture, which has been noted to have unique similarities and parallels with the culture and history of ancient Israel. So, I can also say that I am studying ancient Israel. I think that we can never have a surfeit of studies about ancient Israel. My own opinion, formed by my experience is that though much is known about the ancient Israelites, still much is yet to be known.

Many believe that much of my findings which I have documented in 6 books is helping to fill the void. I have been told many times that my presentations of Igbo culture illuminate the Tanakh, that they make clear many of what otherwise would seem of no consequence or importance. On the other hand, Jewish cultural studies have served as an Igbo Studies primer to me. As could be seen Jewish Studies is providing us with help in understanding the history of some of the customs. As well as enabling us to fill gaps in our general history. So it’s a win-win situation for both the Igbos and the Jews.

The Igbo, in older times more commonly referred to as the Ibo, have been referred to as the Jews of Africa for a long time. We have been native to 16000 sq miles in the deep south of Nigeria for estimatedly 1000 years.

The Omenana

The Igbo way of life is called Omenana, which if you translate to English you will get ‘things, laws, customs, traditions that you have to do or observe in or on the land’. This I believe will give you a clear message because the Torah of Israel which is the basic code of the culture of Israel contains essentially what/the laws, customs, etc, that the Israelites are to do/observe on the land..’

300 years or so ago, my family with Udoji my great grandfather, who was an obi, and an nze, at its head brought in, and accommodated Nri from Ohaeri, another Igbo clan, who from all indications; which include evidence that Igbo migrated from the ‘north’, are Levites, and if they are not, we would then be forced to consider the strange possibility that there were two Israelite entities that were not connected in any way in ancient times.

My father who was born in 1920 told me that the family of non Ozubulu ancestry that are our ‘brothers’, because they live on our land, attend family meetings with us, and are our kinsmen presently came the following way to join us: Udoji was sitting on the corridor of his obi one day, around 300 years ago, enjoying the cool breeze, when he espied a family walking towards him. Getting closer, they saluted him, and responding he asked who they were, and they responded that they were Umu Nri; that they were looking for a place to settle and live. Udoji invited them in, gave them hospitality, allocated land to them, and they settled and became members of his family. They still live with us today. The special occupation of this family gives us a hint of who they are. Among the Igbo, like among the Jews, a suicide was not given a regular burial. The Torah said that a hanged person is an abomination. Here the English language I think missed the point of the Torah. Torah must have meant a person that hanged himself. A suicide! Hanging was a very regular means of committing suicide in ancient times. The Igbo believe that one who committed suicide by hanging -committed abomination-soiled the land (society), offended G-d, and that purifications must be performed before his body could be cut down to be thrown away. And he or she must not be mourned. My studies of Jewish traditions show that no Jewish group accords the suicide a normal, and regular mourning and burial.

Back to our Levites. This family that Udoji accommodated came from one of the families/clans that had authority to perform the required purification (cleansing). They had right, and freedom to move around, and to be allocated land by their brother Igbos to settle and practice their profession, exactly as the Lord required the biblical Israelites to do in the case of the Levites, who were also to move around in Israel, practicing their craft. Among the Igbo, the major purifications and cleansings have to be done by the priests of Nri.

Here we have another clincher: the primary family/clan of the Nri; Agukwu, where I conducted much research, and met great Igbo sages has the nickname: ‘Nri enwela ani’: the meaning of this would shock you. It means that the Nri don’t have lands.

Jacob, the Hebrew Patriarch prophesied that Levi would have no land in Israel, but would be scattered in Israel. Moses, the Law-Giver, through whom G-d instructed Israel directly relayed what G-d said about the Levites: they were to be scattered in Israel, as the priests of the Israelites. The Nri are scattered among the Igbo, as the primary priests. Nri have had this nickname ‘Nri do not have lands’ since immemorial times, and most probably most Nri indigenes have forgotten why they acquired the nickname. Tellingly, the family of Nri that settled with the Ilona, named one of their sons Asomba, which means that they can settle anywhere among their brother Igbos.

The Obi

The obi are the persons who traditionally serve as the political leaders of Igbo communities. My family which I have introduced by narrating how it accommodated a family of Igbo Levites, has provided the obi for my community, the Egbema, Ozubulu sub-clan for centuries. The function of an obi includes provision of the meeting place for the community, and maintenance of same. In this structure which is called community obi, the community also gathers for formal religious activities like prayers, which the oldest male member of the community leads. The obi also serves as the ‘court-house’ of the community. Issues are settled inside it, and sittings are only taken to the ilo (stadium) if the proceedings would attract very many people, and its feared that the obi would not be able to accommodate those that would like to attend.

The obi would very likely be the person that would represent the community if there are risky and costly assignments that the community needs to execute. For example, if the community needed to fight a neighboring community, the obi would lead the community. Also the obi is expected to shoulder the responsibility of the community, like accommodating the ‘Levites’ as I have narrated. The obi reminds me of the Hebrew judges, and kings, who led the people from the front; were at the forefront of the fights, and not at the rear. Saul was there at the war front making the arrangements for tackling Goliath, even volunteering his armor for the boy-soldier David. Also the obi who is wrongly misrepresented as ‘king’ today, or traditional ruler, to use what is in the Nigerian lexicon, reminds an observer of the Israelite ‘king’ whom G-d instructed that he is to still remain more less an equal of his brethren. The Igbo obi, unlike the kings (traditional rulers) among the Yoruba, Benin, Hausa/Fulani, Europeans,etc did not receive any special treatment from the Igbo. Like King Ehav, who wanted to buy Naboth’s land, because unlike real kings, he hadn’t control of the land in Israel, the Igbo obi has only his own portion of the ancestral land, and if he needs more, he has to buy.

The obi is empowered so that he can be strong as he performs his functions. An ofo which will help him to live a clean life is given to him. The Igbo have a belief that living sinfully leads to death. To avoid this fate, the obi who as a prominent person could more easily stray, is given an ofo, which one is scared of sinning when one is in possession of it. If the obi is the oldest man from the oldest family in the community, things are very simple in regards to the ofo, because it is the oldest Igbo from the oldest family that possesses the ofo of a particular community, among the Igbo. But if he is not, an ofo which will be subordinate to the main one will be provided for him.

Nze

In the good old days every Igbo goes to be consecrated, to become an ‘nze’. An nze is distinguished by the following: he is very careful about what he eats, and extra careful about what he does, says and hears. Traditionally the Igbo keep kosher. Substantial evidence of this exists in the wise sayings, lore, music of the Igbo, and in the animals that the Igbo consider as suitable for sacrifice. The nze goes an extra mile in observing the laws of kashrut, and general kosher. He can only eat food prepared in his home, by his wife, and this depends on her state. So sometimes he prepares his food himself. He does not say sinful things. And he must not hear sinful things. In my clan the nze has a bell that tingles tied to his bag. The purpose of the bell is to give sufficient warning that a holy man is passing, whenever he is abroad, so that people will be careful, because if someone says an unholy thing to his hearing, he has right to levy a fine, which must be paid without delay. The nze is distinguished by this red fez which must always be on his head.

The nze is the Igbo nazarite. Samson was a biblical model of the nazarite. How many letters are shared by nze and nazarite?

The OSU or Oruma

The osu, in some sections of Igboland and oru-ma in the Nsukka area of Igboland are auxiliary priests in the Igbo religion who lost status, and employment when the colonial authorities replaced Omenana with Christianity as the religion of the Igbos. Having being replaced, and their role and function forgotten and misunderstood, they presently suffer discrimination from other Igbos.

The osu have direct parallels in biblical Judaism. It is completely established and above ambiguity of any kind among the Igbo that the osu were people whose ancestors served in the sanctuaries that the Igbos set up in Igboland.

There were some that were dedicated by other people to serve G-d in Omenana, forever.
Some also elected to serve G-d as auxiliary priests in perpetuity.
In ancient Israel, the Gibeonites were dedicated, to serve in the house of G-d, forever. Samuel was dedicated by his mother to serve in the house of the Lord forever. We have seen two examples that paralleled the Igbo experience. Following is another one: The Gibeonites were not to be harmed. King Saul contravened the solemn vow of Joshua, and killed some of them. Under King David they had their pound of flesh back. Among the Igbo, one must never hurt an osu physically. General Joab who sought to avail himself of this protection and immunity when King Solomon pursued him, went into the House of G-d, caught hold of the horns of the Temple, because ancient Israelite law gave immunity to an Israelite that sought protection from pursuers by taking refuge with G-d Remember, some Igbo became servants/auxiliary priests by running into the sanctuaries for protection.

These people are in trouble presently. They have been replaced by Christian priests, their functions forgotten, misunderstood, scorned as pagan service. Accordingly they are as I said earlier, discriminated against. This has taken its toll on the truth that rests behind the Igbo people’s connection to ancient Israel and the Jewish people. However, it is not over yet. The Igbo are realizing that they are not truly like the rest of the tribes and people that surround them. We are at our core, a mixture of the lost tribes and those Judeans that were exiled at the time of the Roman conquest of the Land of Israel. Josephus recorded that millions of Judeans were in fact sold into slavery to Africa. Thank G-d we are returning.

http://elofusim.com/index.php/2016/02/24/i-am-an-igbo-i-am-a-jew-remy-ilona/

Igbo kwenu! proudly Nwa afor

You are a slave,making sweet love to your chains

*Farts on the thread*....

OP is high on isreali weed

Informative. Especially on the similarities of Levitt and Nri.

You say they (Nri) only came 300 years ago. It's very recent. That is at the height of the European invasion in Africa. Is it possible that they were fleeing persecution?( from another place in Africa.)

Was there an earlier settlement from jews/Israelites before the coming of the Nri?

Udoji was sitting on the corridor of his obi one day, around 300 years ago, enjoying the cool breeze, when he espied a family walking towards him. Getting closer, they saluted him, and responding he asked who they were, and they responded that they were Umu Nri; that they were looking for a place to settle and live. Udoji invited them in, gave them hospitality, allocated land to them, and they settled and became members of his family

What is the relation of the Nri to other tribes. I understand Ibo was a term given to a group of tribes during slavery by European slave exporters who were assumed to be similar. So which of these subgroups adhere to those laws that in my opinion have a Levitical origin?

There are many instances in the old testament of Israelites fleeing into Egypt especially at the fall of the Southern empire of the divided Israel. Abbysinia was Africa in those days (I stand to be corrected)

Finally, what are their haplogroup? And mtdna?

I must say I used to believe that Africans who claim jewish ancestry were crazy. They are several. The moment I first read about the spread of haplogroup E, I became open minded to the idea. Somehow this idea of African descendants of Jews is not favoured. I once watched a tbn televangelist refer to Ethiopia jews as being jewish by "religion". In effect denying their bloodline.

Humblebloke:
OP is high on isreali weed

lol how did you know? All knowing.

I'm curious, it is extremely difficult to enter Judaism if you don't have Jewish heritage, so how long did it take before you were accepted.

Nnukwu ewu

All they have to do is a genetic test to see if their genes match up to those from the middle ease. finish.

IGBO AND NIGER-DELTA PEOPLE'S HISTORICAL, LINGUISTIC, CULTURAL AND DNA EVIDENCES
AUTHOR: NWAOGU, WILLIAM KELECHI
SOURCE: http://ngwaforumabuja.org/index.php/ndi-ngwa
SOURCE: History of Aba in British archives London.
SOURCE: Orally received, but documented history by my dad, my maternal grand father who was a British high chief.
SOURCE: Interesting Narrative of The Life of Olaudah Equiano (Ola-Ude Ikwuano), The African Slave or Gustavus Vassa.
SOURCE: Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia.
SOURCE: Encyclopedia Britannica - https://www.britannica.com.
SOURCE: https://www.rogerblench.info/PubOP.htm.
OVERVIEW:
These is achieved by linguistic anthropology (comparing of languages or dialects, especially origin of root words); cultural anthropology (study of peoples cultural elements like, music and art); historical anthropology (study of peoples origin from their historical events); scientific anthropology (study of peoples DNA to determine their ancestry), and comparing archeological evidences related to the group.
DNA STUDY: These is very accurate, since it is based on matching similar or shared traits in the genetic codes of individuals or groups. This method has been used by many researchers. In fact many African-Americans have traced their ancestral roots and re-united with their clans by this means. The West African choromatins, who are among DNA haplogroups classification covered in human genome projects. You can trace your ancestry some millennia back based on DNA kits with database of many countries, races, tribes, clans or families. You can trace the migration pattern of your ancestors down to your current location with map that give insight into your ancestry. The best for now is the Ancestry DNA kit at www.ancestry.com.
A complete Ancestry DNA result reveals - your relatives worldwide; identifies your paternal and maternal roots, and shows you the peoples of the world from different regions within countries, but not countries. These DNA kits reveal your degree of relationship to individuals and groups in the database. It has over 20 billion records and over 100 million family trees from many races, tribes, clans and families.
STUDY SCOPE: This work is based on linguistic, historical, scientific (DNA) and cultural evidences, with focus on migration and settlement of more recent southern Igbo tribes.
BACKGROUND OF IGBO SETTLEMENT IN SOUTH-EAST NIGERIA:
Igbos followed southward migration pattern, accounting for why most southern Igbo tribes are more recent than northern Igbo tribes.
Oha Igbo settled at different phases and times as can be reckoned from archeological studies, such as the Igbo-Ukwu bronze evidence -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igbo-Ukwu. Igbo Ukwu artifacts discovered in 1939 by Isaiah Anozie in Anambra dated to 9th century C.E. Further excavations between 1959-1964 by Thurstan Shaw revealed more than 700 high quality copper, bronze and iron artifacts with 165000 pieces consisting of - glass, carnelian, stone beads, pottery, textiles and ivory. These are oldest bronze artifacts known in West Africa, and were produced before Ife and Benin artifacts. Igbo Ukwu is trace to 300-900 C.E. Discovery of monoliths at Ugwelle Uturu Okigwe dated 4500 B.C. Nsukka metal cultural site dated 3000 B.C. While another attributed to Ngwa culture is dated 18 C.E.
Most Eri clans can be seen at Anambra and Enugu. Nri kingdom was established at Aguleri. Umuleri is the closest to their Nri brothers in Aguleri. Other Eris migrated into Imo which included today's Abia and possibly Ebonyi.
Some Igbos settled in southeast Nigeria earlier, and others later, due to stop overs during their sojourn and other distractions.
Some aboriginal Benue-Congo language group tribes had settled in the southeast of the Niger before arrival of the Igbos. These include - the Bantus who lived in now Igbo occupied South-East Nigeria and Cameroon at approximately between 1000 BC to 1 BCE according to the map shewing Bantu expansion. map.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantu_expansion
PATERNAL IGBO DNA (Y-DNA ADAM's): Igbo type of Y-DNA is seen in Afro-Caribbeans, African-Americans; some Cameroonian populations, Equitorial Guinea, Liberia. Among Liberians is Edward James Roy – 5th Liberian President.
All Africans carry E1B1A haplogroups, which was found in the second Twentieth Dynasty Pharaoh Ramses III and last powerful ruler of the New Kingdom. This shows that the African Y-DNA is dominant. It has been scientifically proven that all the races of the world share common traits, showing that we all share a common ancestry. The difference is that there exist variations as populations continue to grow.
23&me Igbo DNA sample is here: https://tracingafricanroots./category/igbo/
IGBO HAPLOGROUP (E1B1A): A Wikipedia source “Y-DNA haplogroups in populations of Sub-Sahara Africa” shows Y-DNA results below.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y-DNA_haplogroups_in_populations_of_Sub-Saharan_Africa
Haplogroup A: ‘A’ is human Y-chromosome DNA haplogroup to all known patrilineal lineages. Y-chromosomal Adam is found predominantly in African populations. Haplogroup BT (clade II-IX) participated in out of Africa migrations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haplogroup_A (Y-DNA)
Haplogroup B (B-M60): ‘B ‘is Y-chromosome DNA haplogroup to common patrilineal lineages in Africa.
Haplogroup E1a: E1a is human Y-chromosome DNA haplogroup. E-P177 is joined with it to give two main branches of the older E-P147 paternal clade or men ancestors. These include – Moroccan Berbers, Burkina Faso, Fulbe of Northern Cameroon, Senegal, Fante of Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Hausa and Fulani of Sudan, Egypt, Albanian and Italian Calabria, Canary Islands, Guanche of Tentrino of North-East Italy and Constanta of Romania. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/World_Map_of_Y-DNA_Haplogroups.png
Results are as follows:
Igbo of Nigeria (Volta-Niger and Niger-Congo language) – A=nil B=nil E1a=nil E1b1a= 89.3 E1b1b=nil E2=nil J=nil R1b=nil T=nil
Cross River of Nigeria (Niger-Congo language) - A=0 B=nil E1a=nil E1b1a= 87 E1b1b=nil E2=nil J=0 R1b=0 T=0
Yorubas of Nigeria (Niger-Congo language) - A=0 B=8 E1a=0 E1b1a= 92 E1b1b=0 E2=0 J=0 R1b=0 T=0
Burkina Fasso (Niger-Congo language) - A=0 B=0.9 E1a=3.8 E1b1a= 81.1 E1b1b=2.8 E2=11.3 J=o R1b=0 T=0
Kwa of Ghana (Niger-Congo language) - A=0 B=0 E1a=2.2 E1b1a= 92.3 E1b1b=1.1 E2=0 J=o R1b=1.1 T=0
Fon of Benin (Niger-Congo language) - A=0 B=0 E1a=0 E1b1a= 95 E1b1b=0 E2=5 J=0 R1b=0 T=0
Mandinkan of Guinea Bissau - A=5 B=3 E1a=3 E1b1a=79 E1b1b=nil E2=nil J=nil R1b=nil T=nil
Mossi of Ivory Coast (Niger-Congo language) - A=0 B=2 E1a=nil E1b1a= 90 E1b1b=2 E2=nil J=nil R1b=nil T=nil
Senegalese (Niger-Congo language) - A=0 B=nil E1a=0 E1b1a= 5.1 E1b1b=81.3 E2=6.5 J=2.9 R1b=0 T=0
Hutu Rwanda (Niger-Congo language) - A=0 B=4 E1a=0 E1b1a= 83 E1b1b=3 E2=8 J=0 R1b=1 T=0
Tutsi of Rwanda (Niger-Congo language) - A=0 B=8 E1a=0 E1b1a= 92 E1b1b=0 E2=0 J=0 R1b=0 T=0
Igbos and Efiks have only E1b1a of Niger-Volta or Niger-Congo language groups. There is no E1b1b or other subclades in Y-DNA of Igbo and Efiks, showing that there is no other haplogroup, unlike others that has values in more than one sub-clade.
The haplogroup of Igbo is distributed as E-V38 further classified into E-M329 and E-M2. EM-2 is mainly seen in Ethiopia, while E-M329 subclade is in West Africa, Central Africa, South Africa and around African Great Lakes. It is in North America, Middle-East and the Americas.
Haplogroup E-M2 has E1b1a1, further branch into E1b1a1a1 and further into E1b1a1a1a. That is how we have E1b1a1a1b, E1b1a1a1c, E1b1a1a1d, E1b1a1a1e and E1b1a1a1f (YCC).
E1b1a1a1f further branches into E1b1a1a1f1 and E1b1a1a1f1a.
E1b1a1a1f1a with marker M191/P86 is found in Gur speakers of Burkina Fasso, Annang (38.3%), Ibibio (45.6%), Efik (45%), and Igbo (54.3%). Americans (34.9%) for M191. This shows how close Igbo are related to Efik, Ibibio and Annang by Y-DNA,though they speak different dialects. In genetic anthropology Efiks and Ibibios are classified as close relatives of Igbos (Igboid) by Y-DNA genome project.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haplogroup_E-M2
LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS: To start with, my ancestors are part of those that migrated to Bonny accounting for why we share dialects with - same words, word roots and word variants.
Abala says 'read' as 'gu o, Ndoki says 'gu o' Asa says 'gu o' Ngwa says 'gu o' Igbo izugbe says 'gu o.'
Abala says 'yes' as 'ee', Ndoki says 'ee?' Ngwa says 'ee' Igbo izugbe says 'ee' and Ibani says 'iin.'
Abala says 'fry' as 'kpagharia', Ndoki says 'kpaharia', Ngwa says 'kpagharia' and Igbo izugbe says 'kpagharia' and Ibani says 'kpangiri.'
Abala says 'our place' as 'nka kai or nkai', Ndoki says 'nka anyi', Asa says 'nka anyi', Ngwa says 'obe anyi', Ibani says 'ama ayi', and Igbo izugbe says 'ebe anyi.'
Abala says 'and' as 'li', Ndoki says 'na', Asa says 'na', Ngwa says 'la', Ibani says 'na', and Igbo izugbe says 'na.'
Abala says 'yellow' as 'odo-odo', Ndoki says 'odo-odo', Asa says 'odo', Ngwa says 'odo', Ibani says 'odo-odo', and Igbo izugbe says 'odo.'
Abala says 'my in-law' as 'ogom', Ndoki says 'ogom', Asa says 'ogom', Ngwa says 'ogom', Ibani says 'ogom', and Igbo izugbe says 'ogom.'
Roger Blench with the support of Kay Williamson Educational Foundation, did linguistic, ethno-scientific, archeological, anthropological and genetic studies. His linguistic works to show variants and sameness in root words in Igbo and Ibani. https://www.rogerblench.info/PubOP.htm
Ibani language of today is an Igbo-Ijaw dialect that evolved from Ndoki, Abala (Ibeme), Asa, Ngwa and Ndoni/Ijaw.
IGBO-EFIK LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS:
Judgment - Igbo ‘ikpe’, Efik-Ibibio ‘ikpe’
World - Igbo ‘uwa’, Efik-Ibibio ‘iwa’
Diety – Igbo ‘obasi’, Efik-Ibibio 'abasi’
Vulture – Igbo ‘udele’, Efik ‘utere’
In fact, the people (Abala of Old Ibeme) and other Ukwa-Ngwas in Bonny (Okoloma land) account for majority of migrants and other left over slaves after abolition of trans-Atlantic slave trade remnants that make up Bonny settlers. That is why we have Abalabiama in Bonny (Abala biama). Ibani or Bonny was formed by Igbos from Ngwa-Ukwu clans, Asas, Ndoki and Ibibio (Ikot-Abasi in Akwa Ibom) with Ijo or Ijaw aborigines (Obolo or Andoni). Igbo that is most prominent is Jaja from old Orlu zone (Amaigbo in Nkwerre) due to his success in earning freedom from bonds of slavery. Royal (Amanyanagbo or Okpala Ndoli) of Pepple family are among earliest settlers. My father narrated that the 'Obanis or Ubanis or Ibanis' their brothers used to visit my community for cultural activities (shared cultural heritage e.g Ekpe, Ikoro, Okonko and others), until modernization stopped that some decades ago.
JOURNEY: Songhai empire (14000-15000 C.E.) covered from Niger as far as Timbuktu in today's Mali. Sudanic kingdom gave birth to - Gold Coast (now Ghana), Songhai, Hausa and Kanem Bornu within Sahara Africa, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/western-Africa#ref516319. Later, Songhai broke up after inversion of North African Sonnis or Sunni Muslims of Morocco (Berbers), giving birth to Dahomey (Benin Republic), Sierra Leon, Liberia, Ghana and amalgamated tribes that form Nigeria and then Southern Cameroun, and others. Igbos came southward passing and temporarily settling among Benue Nok cultures (Idomas and Igalas). Later some crossed to Anambra and Enugu, while others moved to join Benin kingdom (when Olaudah Equiano was sold as slave during slave-trade period of 14th - 18th century C.E.). Dispute later erupted prompting some Igbos to go and re-unite with other Igbos in Anambra and Imo settlements. Some Igbos were integrated in to Edo (those around Igbanke, Ikpon, Inyelen, Iru, Owanikeke, Ute Obagie, Owa-Riuzo Idu and Igbogili communities in Edo). The other Ika Igbo subgroup moved to Delta state area (Agbor, Owa, Umunede, Owerre Olubor, Ekuoma, Emuhu, Mbiri, Abavo, Orogodo, Otolokpo, Igbodo, Ute-Okpu, Ute-Ogbeje, Idumuesah, Akumazi). The Aniomas also settled with the Ukwuanis adjacent to Isokos and Urhobos. Other Ika Igbos migrated to Abakaliki area of Ebonyi state and Oguta in Imo state. Asaba is part of Edo returnees who settled before river Niger.
The Igbos that wanted to reunite with their brothers had language metamorphosis due to their stay in Edo and are misrepresented as Edos or Benis or Ijaws by some. The link below shows that Igbo land was called Guinea by slave merchants after disintegration of Songhai.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bight_of_Biafra
The Bight of Biafara as pronounced by Spaniads 'coastal part of Gulf of Guinea.' It has existed before colonization came. This shows why the gulf was also called 'Gulf of Guinea' as can be seen in this link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bight_of_Biafra#/media/File:1710_moll.jpg
https://songhaiempireproject.weebly.com/map.html
Map shewing Sudanic states dating 11th-16th century C.E., Songhai (largest empire of then Sahel West Africa) where the great multi-ethnic empire existed. It gave birth to Dahomey (Benin Republic) and Nigeria after invasion by Sonni dynasty of Morrocan Berbers with capital in Gao then.
IJAWs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ijaw_people Ijaws settled southward along the coastal areas of Niger-Delta swampy and oil rich tributaries down to the Bight of Bonny or part of Atlantic coastal lines. These are where Ijaws live today - Abonnema, Buguma, Bakana, Degema, Kalabari, Andoni, Okrika, Ibani, Bonny, Finima and Opobo and Nkoroo.
ITSEKIRIs https://www.britannica.com/topic/Itsekiri Itsekiris originated from Benin dynasty and settled as neighbor right before the Ijaws from west along the Bight of Benin in the Atlantic coast.
DISTRIBUTION OF IGBO PEOPLE: Igbo people are distributed in these Nigerian states: Abia, Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi, Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross-River, Akwa-Ibom, Benue and Edo. Igbo towns in the heartland are - Aba, Onitsha, Enugu,Abakaliki, Owerri, Orlu, Okigwe, Arochukwu, Port Harcourt, Asaba, Awka,Nnewi, Awka, Nsuka, Afikpo and Agbor.
EFIK-IBIBIO-IGBO LINK: Nsibidi symbolic writing is common in south-east of Nigeria mostly among the Efik, Ekoi, Igbo and Ibibio. It is another shared heritage of Igbos and Calabars. These inscriptions are seen in potteries in Calabar dating 400 – 1400 C.E. Nsibidi is also used as decorative works on walls, tattoos, calabashes and metals. Nsibidi was transferred to Cuba and Haiti by means of the slave trade where it developed to anafuruana or veve symbols. Court cases used Nsibidi in judgments called ikpe in Efik. Nsibidi is used as a design pattern for woven material called ‘ukara ekpe’ clothes in Abakaliki, Abiriba, Arochukwu and Ohafia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nsibidi
Efik oral history narrates that Efiks migrated from Arochukwu now in Abia to their location now in Cross-River. They settled briefly at Uraun in Akwa-Ibom and Eniong areas. The account has it that they settled for about a century at Uruan, then moved to Ikpa Ene and Ndodihi before arriving Esit Edik. The Efik are relatives of Annang, Ibibio, Biase, Eket, Akamkpa, Uruan and Oron people. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efik_people
Connected Efik-Ibibio subgroups (Ibibioids) includes diverse Obolo (Ndoni) languages – Obolo, Efik, Ibibio, Ibino (Ibeno), Oro (Oron), Enwang-Uda, Usaghede, Iko, Ilue and Okobo.
IGBO: Ukwa-Ngwa - Ibeme (focusing on Abala) sojourns to south: Abala Autonomuos Community is in Obingwa local government area of Abia State in Nigeria. Abala consists of 'Abala and Abala Nkamiri.' Ibeme clans consists of: Abala, Abala-Nkamiri, Ibeme and Oberete-Isiala. Abala is sorrounded by Abiaka, Abala-Nkomiri, Ahiaka, Oberete, Obete-Uku, Obete-Umuodo, Obete-Umuoha, Obete-Nchine, Oko-Enyi, Ohanze-Agwo, Akpaa Mbato, Ovom Amasa, Akirika, Urua-Inyang, Ikot-Okpana Nwa, Akirika-Obu and Ntighauzo.
Old Aba gave birth to Aba North, Aba South, Obioma Ngwa (give birth to - Osisioma, Obingwa and Ugwunagbo), Ukwa (give birth to - Ukwa East and Ukwa West).
My paternal ancestors went to Owerri village called Umunaoha (These are the Ozas of Asa origin, among Onyeukwu, Nwoha and Avosi. My paternal ancestors (Umuchukwunna or Umu Chukwu Nna) with their brothers Azu-Ahia and others who are in Abala, part of old Ibeme are from Ezeukwu clan of Asa. Some of Asas of Oza from my community (Azu-Ahia of Abala in then old Ibeme) went back to Obegu to join their brothers due to a dispute of which Anaba family of Obegu (family of former deputy governor of Abia state) is part of them.
Onyeukwu of three Ngwa brothers that left Owerri zone (Umunaoha), crossing Imo river were given lands by Ibibios, mostly of Ika and Annang Ibibioid and Igboid mixed speaking clans who were then in old Aba division, but now they are in Abbak division after constitutional amendment of state boundaries.
NWOHAs (Umuoha in Ibeme, Mbutu, Ovuokwu, Ovungwu and Avosi adopted Ibeme culture and language) forming Mgboko settlement. Ngwas were welcome by Ozas of Asa, where "Ezeukwu of Asa," father of Nnah father of Chukwu father of Nwaogu father of my dad came from with their Asa brothers and Ndoki brothers from near Ohambele (village of former Senate President of Federal Republic of Nigeria Adolphus or Adolf Nwagbara, precisely before Nkpaijekere where we have Abia palm plantation) for hunting expedition in old Ibeme land and finally settled in Abala.
My maternal ancestors and their kins, actually are of near Ohambele origin and settled in Abala after the joint hunting event.
Ngwa-Ukwu united southward with Ozas (Azu Ahia clan of Abala were part of Ozas) that joined to form Obegu.
Ahiaba and Abayi are from Ukwu.
OLD IBEME: It was formed by Ika Igboid mixed Igbo and Ibibio speaking group called Ika na Annang, Mgboko (from Nsulu) and Ntigha (Joined their Ngwa brothers from the hinterland beyond Imo river).
Mgboko Umuanunu consists of Ibemes, Bende, Okpala Ngwa-ukwu, Nsulu and Ntigha.
Ugwunagbo moved from Opobo or Bonny and Akwete (all Ngwa-ukwu with varied dialects due to language metamorphosis as they sojourned).
Uratta, Ntigha, Mbutu, Ovungwu, Amapu Umuoha, Umunka, Nnentu, Umuakwa, Amuhu and Asas are of Ozas and Ozuzu (Owerri migrants).
NDOKI (Anyi na adoke) who left the coastal Opobo-Bonny due to a dispute mistaken as Ijaws due to their initial migration along Ijaw through Rivers state as did the Ikwerres who has link with Owerri and Orlu with the Etches. Ndokis settled in Akasse, then Oguta, later they moved to Umunaoha in Owerri before Mbaitolu local government council in Umuorieubi, then they passed through Ndizuorgu and arrived Azumini (Okolomakiri), then they arrived Umuagbayi and broke into two groups. Some to Okoloma (land of curlew birds) forming Ibani or Bonny. The second group remained at Umuagbayi, Izuorgu, Ayama and Obunku.
Later those in Bonny (the Ibanis) retraced there route and established trade route of which King Jaja of Opobo was one. That was why they fought with Pebbles to monopolize trade with the British then. Jaja used to travel back to Owerri for traditional events then. Talbot dated founding of Bonny to 14000-1480. Most migration of southern Igbo happened in 15th century and matches the Narrative of Olaudah Equiano by reckoning based on events that happened.
Ndokis- Umuihueze, Akwete met at Obunku for Ogu worship, while Obohia of prince Iloko Umu Kwokwoeze worshiped at Azumini.
ASAs MOVEMENT: It happened after break up of a piece of dynasty from disintegrated Songhai empire (Niger to Timbuktu or Mali). Philip Emeagwali the Nigerian supercomputer wizard in his lecture at Indian Institute of Technology confirms Songhai history of Igbo too.
Mkporobo are of same ancestry with Asa Umunka, while Ohuru (in Ndoki) are of same ancestry with Mgboko- Ngwa.
Ukwa is enclave of Asa, Omuma or Etche, Ndoki.
Ubani (Nwaubani) is a common southern Igbo name used in Ndoki, Orlu zone, old Ibeme and rest of Ngwa.

This is very interesting and would explain a whole lot if proven factual.