Afam4eva:
I think the earlier we all accepted that these Igbo denials are issues of political convenience rather than history, the better for us. Any time you have an argument with someone who denies his Igboness from Delta and Rivers state, you can always sense insincerity in their tone. Why don't e all accept that you no longer want to be known as Igbo instead of throwing lies all over the place in the name of history. Some of these fabrications will make satan consider abdicating his throne for these people. I have conversed with them and i know how uninformed a lot of them are.

I served in a village/town of Mmahu in Ohaji/Egbema in Rivers state and just 4 villages away was Okwuzi, a Egbema town in the rivers part of Egbema and because of this Igbo and Igbod argument, i always took a short trip to Egbema in rivers state and try to get a first hand information from the people themselves. Mind you, the Egbema people on the Imo side are unapologetic Igbos. So, i went to Okwizi and started a conversation with a a young lady, wh i think should be in her early twenties and she told me her language is not Igbo but is like Igbo. She didn't sweep me off my feet cos i saw that coming. Now i met several people in the course of my investigation and i got different positions from these people. I met someone who told me that they're not Igbos because in their village they say "kita" as "come" while Igbos say "Ugbua". Ic couldn't believe the level of ignorance. I just felt like slapping someone. Though i met a lot of people who identified themselves as Igbos. Though these people just like those ones you find in Anioma, will not carry the Igbo tag on their head like someone from Anambra for example. I'll call them passive Igbos.

Meanwhile, back in the Imo side of Egbema i asked them why those in rovers state like denying being Igbo and they told me not to mind them. That it's because of oil.

Oil is the number one reason Nigeria is fighting against the unity of Indi'Igbo... Knowing what will befall them, if Indi'Igbo from every nook and crannies of this country unite. I have stayed in PH long enough to know the evil that saturate oil politics.

RedboneSmith:
Probz was talking about 'culturally Igbo'. What is 'culturally Igbo'? I tried to engage him in that conversation, but I didn't get the feeling that he really wanted to have it, so I dropped it.

Fair dos about market days but did I not mention omenala, oji, traditional food system, traditional attire, Iwa Ji, etc.? The whole point of this thread was questioning whether Igboid-speaking clans in Delta and Rivers also share these common aspects of Igbo culture or whether they're just seen as Igbo because they speak Igboid languages. That's why I compared Yoruba vs. Itsekiri and Igala, two Yoruboid-speaking but non-Yoruba ethnic groups that aren't claimed as Yoruba because they happen to speak similar languages, because they have a different culture and different origins.

I'm ready to have this conversation but don't misunderstand what I'm saying.

Cire80:
You don't know the history of Oza. Oza and other parts of Agbor have a shared history. There are some factors that helped Oza and the Olukumis retain there languages. These people are very much on the interior without much trade, interactions or migrations from the latter Easterners that came to Anioma

Do you know that there are some villages in Adamawa, Taraba and even some parts of Abuja that's not been exposed to civilization? Do you ever ask why they remained isolated despite the fact that their neighboring villages are exposed? The answer is isolation. Many factors lead to isolation.

Trash!
Oza is not more interior than Igbanke. You are being outrightly ridiculous at this stage with your constant change of goal Post.
First you lie and claim that Ika people understand Edo languages at the first exposure without learning the language from scratch. I busted your lies using posts from Igbanke people on this forum.
Rather than honourably leave with your tail between your legs, you decided to start the Ika being Igbo superficially and Edo internally, claiming that studies say so.
I again reminded you that all anthropological studies on Ika by the neutral colonials resulted in them classifying Ika as Western Igbo and not Eastern Edo.
Now you are changing the goal Post again, are you not ashamed?

blues2022:

Oil is the number one reason Nigeria is fighting against the unity of Indi'Igbo... Knowing what will befall them, if Indi'Igbo from every nook and crannies of this country unite. I have stayed in PH long enough to know the evil that saturate oil politics.

Nobody is fighting is against Igbo Unity. This mindset is a very bad trait of the Igbo.

Igboid:


Trash!
Oza is not more interior than Igbanke. You are being outrightly ridiculous at this stage with your constant change of goal Post.
First you lie and claim that Ika people understand Edo languages at the first exposure without learning the language from scratch. I busted your lies using posts from Igbanke people on this forum.
Rather than honourable leave with your tail between your legs, you decided to start the Ika being Igbo superficially and Edo internally, claiming that studies say so.
I again reminded you that all anthropological studies on Ika by the neutral colonials resulted in them classifying Ika as Western Igbo and not Eastern Edo.
Now you are changing the goal Post again, are you not ashamed?

The person you're quoting knows all these things that you're saying. Talk from now till next year, these people have made up their mind of what they want to believe. That's why they keep shifting the goal post whenever they're exposed.

Igboid:


Trash!
Oza is not more interior than Igbanke. You are being outrightly ridiculous at this stage with your constant change of goal Post.
First you lie and claim that Ika people understand Edo languages at the first exposure without learning the language from scratch. I busted your lies using posts from Igbanke people on this forum.
Rather than honourable leave with your tail between your legs, you decided to start the Ika being Igbo superficially and Edo internally, claiming that studies say so.
I again reminded you that all anthropological studies on Ika by the neutral colonials resulted in them classifying Ika as Western Igbo and not Eastern Edo.
Now you are changing the goal Post again, are you not ashamed?

You have a psychological problem of trying to attach so much importance to the trashes you call comments. And you obviously lack compression.

Read my comment. I said most Ikas don't understand Edo but I understand Edo from my understanding of Ika language because I know the deep Ika. I never said anything about Academic research. Research must not be academic. I make my research from my experience, observations and interactions. and asking my elders questions. You make your own research mostly with online fabrications and concoctions. Ika is mostly Igbo on the surface, but try to scratch out the surface and it turns mostly Edo

Cire80:
Nobody is fighting is against Igbo Unity. This mindset is a very bad trait of the Igbo.

I saw somewhere that you were saying that Igbos who say they understand Ika or Ukwuani are lying. Who are you tell someone what they can and cannot understand. Are you God? What if i said you're lying that you understand Edo language. I don't know why you can't allow people express themselves without telling them that they're not saying the truth. Is umunede not Ika? In some of my trips with hCisco, there's this restaurant where they stop for people to buy food and the language those people speak, i understand 60%. What's there not to understand. Even the girl that sells bannana there, i spoke Igbo to her and she responsed and you say Ika people don't understand central Igbo. How about saying that not all Ikas understand central Igbo instead of making a gneralized statement that makes you look ignorant. Even in the south east, not everyone can speak central igbo or do you think every Igbo person you see, speak central Igbo?

Cire80:
You have a psychological problem of trying to attach so much importance to the trashes you call comments. And you obviously lack compression.

Read my comment. I said most Ikas don't understand Edo but I understand Edo from my understanding of Ika language because I know the deep Ika. I never said anything about Academic research. Research must not be academic. I make my research from my experience, observations and interactions. and asking my elders questions. You make your own research mostly with online fabrications and concoctions. Ika is mostly Igbo on the surface, but try to scratch out the surface and it turns mostly Edo

Ika is Igbo in all ramifications. Every Edo stain on Ika came through Bini/ Edo imperialistic influence on Ika, and sometimes, outright invasion and assimilation of Edo speaking people in aboriginal Igbo speaking Ika people.

Cire80:
You have a psychological problem of trying to attach so much importance to the trashes you call comments. And you obviously lack compression.

Read my comment. I said most Ikas don't understand Edo but I understand Edo from my understanding of Ika language because I know the deep Ika. I never said anything about Academic research. Research must not be academic. I make my research from my experience, observations and interactions. and asking my elders questions. You make your own research mostly with online fabrications and concoctions. Ika is mostly Igbo on the surface, but try to scratch out the surface and it turns mostly Edo

As we all know, Edo is a state, with various group, so how do you mean....? which group in Edo are you referring to?

Probz:
Fair dos about market days but did I not mention omenala, oji, traditional food system, traditional attire, Iwa Ji, etc.?

But what is Omenala? Is every element of Omenala the same in Awka and Eha Amufu? Do they have exactly the same festivals, dances, masquerades, title and secret societies, marriage, burial and widowhood practices?

Food system. Is it the same in all parts of Igboland? Do they eat ofe achara in Udi? Do they eat ukpo mpoto in Afikpo?

Traditional attire. Does the typical Idemmili man dress like the typical Ohafia man, traditionally?

Iwa ji. ChinenyeN has said here that his Ngwa people do not celebrate the New Yam festival.

This is what I am telling you. Before you can talk about using culture to demarcate who is Igbo and who is merely Igboid-speaking, you have to first of all clearly define what you mean by 'Igbo culture'. Then you have to demonstrate that this culture is common to those you call Igbo, but not known to those you call simply Igboid-speaking

So far, it is very easy to show that 'omenala' (a very wide term, by the way), iwa ji, cuisine, traditional attire, etc are not uniform within the Igbo area, rendering the very notion of 'culturally Igbo, and culturally non-Igbo' based on these factors within the Igbo/Igboid-speaking space rather meaningless.

The whole point of this thread was questioning whether Igboid-speaking clans in Delta and Rivers also share these common aspects of Igbo culture or whether they're just seen as Igbo because they speak Igboid languages.

Boss, if you study the cultures of the Igbos of the southeast, you will find that common aspects are actually few. Ozo title is not a common aspect. Ikenga is not a common aspect. Iwa ji is not a common aspect. Red cap with eagle feather is not a common aspect.

Ofo is probably a common aspect. Oji is probably a common aspect too. And so is Ifejioku or Njoku. Now here is the thing: These common factors are also found in the Igboid-groups outside the southeast whom you will tag 'not culturally Igbo'. I actually challenge anyone to produce a single common cultural aspect in the southeast that is absent in the 'Igboid' area of the south-south.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ltIzwR03ks


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOhVqC1l70c

Igboid, can you honestly tell me that there's not even a touch of foreign or Edo influence in the intonation and dialect/language of the Ika spoken in these videos?

RedboneSmith:


But what is Omenala? Is every element of Omenala the same in Awka and Eha Amufu? Do they have exactly the same festivals, dances, masquerades, title and secret societies, marriage, burial and widowhood practices?

Food system. Is it the same in all parts of Igboland? Do they eat ofe achara in Udi? Do they eat ukpo mpoto in Afikpo?

Traditional attire. Does the typical Idemmili man dress like the typical Ohafia man, traditionally?

Iwa ji. ChinenyeN has said here that his Ngwa people do not celebrate the New Yam festival.

This is what I am telling you. Before you can talk about using culture to demarcate who is Igbo and who is merely Igboid-speaking, you have to first of all clearly define what you mean by 'Igbo culture'. Then you have to demonstrate that this culture is common to those you call Igbo, but not known to those you call simply Igboid-speaking

So far, it is very easy to show that 'omenala' (a very wide term, by the way), iwa ji, cuisine, traditional attire, etc are not uniform within the Igbo area, rendering the very notion of 'culturally Igbo, and culturally non-Igbo' based on these factors within the Igbo/Igboid-speaking space rather meaningless.



Boss, if you study the cultures of the Igbos of the southeast, you will find that common aspects are actually few. Ozo title is not a common aspect. Ikenga is not a common aspect. Iwa ji is not a common aspect. Red cap with eagle feather is not a common aspect.

Ofo is probably a common aspect. Oji is probably a common aspect too. And so is Ifejioku or Njoku. Now here is the thing: These common factors are also found in the Igboid-groups outside the southeast whom you will tag 'not culturally Igbo'. I actually challenge anyone to produce a single common cultural aspect in the southeast that is absent in the 'Igboid' area of the south-south.

All that's fine. The whole point of this thread is trying to understand the traditional culture of the Igboid-speaking clans in the South South. I'm no staunch Igbo divider and I'm happy to reconsider and change my outlook if someone could convince me that it's more than just language similarities they have in common.

Igbo customs and traditions sure do vary from village to village, more so than other ethnic groups. The only thing I'm saying is that a lot of Ika people I know say their people are originally Bini and have pure Bini/Edo tradition and not anything like Igbo. I'm nowhere near knowledgeable enough in this area to take an authoritative position. You've said that common cultural aspects are shared and I accept that. I'm more questioning than taking the upper ground and you've answered my question.

Probz:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ltIzwR03ks


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOhVqC1l70c

Igboid, can you honestly tell me that there's not even a touch of foreign or Edo influence in the intonation and dialect/language of the Ika spoken in these videos?

Did not watch the entire video, but sincerely, this is Igbo with a dialectical tone. Onwe ihe choro....

blues2022:

Did not watch the entire video, but sincerely, this is Igbo with a dialectical tone. Onwe ihe choro....

That I'm not discrediting. I myself actually grabbed more out of that than I ever would Nsukka, Edda-Ohafia dialects. That post was meant for Igboid who seems to think that Ika is pure Igbo and nothing but, without any Bini influence. That's where I can't get with him. Ignoring the heavy Edo influence on Ika is like ignoring the Igala intonation of Nsukka, Ibibio and Aro etc.

I agree w/ RedboneSmith that the Abakaleke dialect is like a foreign language. I was in Naija last Xmas and going by language I could barely tell when we commot Benue and entered Ebonyi. What they were speaking sounded more like Tiv or Idoma than anything Igbo apart from a few words and phrases here and there.

Probz:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ltIzwR03ks


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOhVqC1l70c

Igboid, can you honestly tell me that there's not even a touch of foreign or Edo influence in the intonation and dialect/language of the Ika spoken in these videos?

compare the two videos and notice that the first video talking about new concepts like Education government and offices is easier for any Igbo person to understand. And the first video is the Otolokpo dialect of the Eastern flank of Ika. Going to the second video which is talking about more ancient concept like family (giving some people an expo), it's more difficult for Igbos to understand. And these people are in no way trying to speak undiluted or unadulterated Ika.

Igboid:


Stop talking trash! Unless you are Edoid( Oza nogogo people of Agbor who even unto this day speak an Edoid dialect totally unintelligible to Agbor people), you cannot understand Edo language as an Ika man without learning the language from the scratch.
This is the truth. And we are here to force it down your throat until you either swallow it or choke from it.

That's what I've always suspected about him...that even though he's from ika, the only place he can be from is Oza kos those ones are Edoids in everyway even though they're surrounded by ika-igbos

blues2022:
@Igboid, I met a guy, goes by a nick name "Let Them Say", and I asked him where he comes from during our course of conversation, he said Agbor, and I was wtf. You are my bro then, and he was like, no, I'm not from the Igbo speaking part, I'm from Oza and we speak Edo. That was the first time, I understood that Agbo harbord two linguistic group, Ika and Oza, an Edoid group.
Ika is Igbo, but heavily influenced by Edo. In Rivers State, one group of Ikwerre that is heavily influenced by the Ijaws is Ogbakiri. Ogbakiri dialect is littered with Kalabari words, here and there... this I guess is a result of long time interaction and close proximity.
This is my opinion.

Thanks for that ikwerre example...
I've noticed something about ikwerre...outta the 4LGs making up AliIhuruoha, most or if not all of the Igbo denials tend to be from emuoha. I don't know why but if you see any ikwerre denying Igbo, ask him his part of ikwerre and you'd discover in 8 out of 10 are from Emuoha.
Even the topmost ikwerre denier here on NL is from emuoha...though I don't know if he's from ogbakiri in particular, I mean this guy "hopeathand"
And do you know the most interesting aspect of the whole show is that the man who started the "ikwerre-is-not-Igbo" stuff, Chief Oriji is from Emuoha himself.
I think that kalabari connection is very plausible

Its very evident that most of the Igbo denials we encounter tend to be from descendants of non Igbos who settled in Igboland ages ago from the Edo settlers in Anioma to the kalabari settlers in Ikwerre...and the fact that they're sharing the same state with non Igbos doesn't help issues.
I think what we need to do is focus on separating these Igbo tribes from the non Igbos or should I say give full support for the creation of states for those Igboid groups in Delta and Rivers. Preaching to them that they're Igbo hasn't been useful and I think we should supplement that with steps that'd see the creation of Anioma and Rivers Igbo/Igweocha states respectively.

cheruv:
Its very evident that most of the Igbo denials we encounter tend to be from descendants of non Igbos who settled in Igboland ages ago from the Edo settlers in Anioma to the kalabari settlers in Ikwerre...and the fact that they're sharing the same state with non Igbos doesn't help issues.
I think what we need to do is focus on separating these Igbo tribes from the non Igbos or should I say give full support for the creation of states for those Igboid groups in Delta and Rivers. Preaching to them that they're Igbo hasn't been useful and I think we should supplement that with steps that'd see the creation of Anioma and Rivers Igbo/Igweocha states respectively.

True talk. Lots of work needs to be done on this very important issue. I wish IPOB toed this part before going for outright secession. It would have been a walkover.

cheruv:

Thanks for that ikwerre example...
I've noticed something about ikwerre...outta the 4LGs making up AliIhuruoha, most or if not all of the Igbo denials tend to be from emuoha. I don't know why but if you see any ikwerre denying Igbo, ask him his part of ikwerre and you'd discover in 8 out of 10 are from Emuoha.
Even the topmost ikwerre denier here on NL is from emuoha...though I don't know if he's from ogbakiri in particular, I mean this guy "hopeathand"
And do you know the most interesting aspect of the whole show is that the man who started the "ikwerre-is-not-Igbo" stuff, Chief Oriji is from Emuoha himself.
I think that kalabari connection is very plausible

I think Hopeathand touched on this issue some time ago. He shared a story about an Igbo pastor wh came to preach in Emohua and started preaching in Igbo which was not understood by a lot of people. It's very plausible that Emohua is mixed with some else other than Igbo. But as much as i believe that the Ikwerres from the Emohua axis are more staunch deniers of Igbo, i don't think other parts are necessarily accepting of the Igbo tag. They just seem more subtle about it. I remember when one of my classmate who was from Etche told me that they're not Igbo but and it took me less than 2 hours to convince him and even when he said he wasn't Igbo he was referring to the delineation of boundaries and therefore beleived that he was Rivers. Mind you, this gou always used the term "We Igbos" whenever an argument between Igbos and other tribes come up. He definitely won't go about shouting "Igbo for life" lie an Anambra person but he knows Igbos are his peole. The Aniocha and Oshimili people are also more subtle abut denying Igbo compared to Ika and Ukwuani people. It has a lot to do with group consciousness than anything else. it has happened and it's hard to reverse. Even if Ikwerres agree that they're igbos, don't expect them not to see themselves a bit differen from the rest of Igbo people. Aniocha and Oshimili people don't have that consciiousness like the Ikwerres, Ika and Ukwunais and everything about them points to Igbo. Even there dialect are as central as they come. So, it's really hard for them to go forceful on the whole denial shebang.

Here's an Asaba woman proclaiming her Igboness.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEaX9lVVrCM?t=18m48s

Just to buttress the point i was making about Igboid groups like Etche and Aniocha/Oshimili being more accepting of their Igboness or atleast not violent in their denial compared to Ikwerre, Ika and Ukwuani, i just watched a video on youtube where about 5 girls who live abroad (I think American), did a Nigerian tag and when they were asked their names, judging from their names, i concluded that 4 of them were Igbo except the one that has a Yoruba name. Now when it got to the point where they were asked which tribe they came from. all the 4 Igboid ones said Igbo though one of them had to mention that hers is controversial. let me paraphrase what she said "I'm from Rivers state and where i'm from we speak Igbo, so, i guess i'm Igbo". As soon as i heard that, i ruled out the fact that she could be Ikwerre or Ogba. I knew she either had to be from Etche, Egbema or Ndoki because these people tend to be more relaxing about their anti Igbo rhetorics.

So,scrolling down to the comment section, i saw this convo and that's when i knew she was from Etche.



You see how the etche guy accepted a superior argument. You would never see an Ikwerre, Ika or Ukwuani person do that.

Afam4eva:
Just to buttress the point i was making about Igboid groups like Etche and Aniocha/Oshimili being more accepting of their Igboness or atleast not violent in their denial compared to Ikwerre, Ika and Ukwuani, i just watched a video on youtube where about 5 girls who live abroad (I think American), did a Nigerian tag and when they were asked their names, judging from their names, i concluded that 4 of them were Igbo except the one that has a Yoruba name. Now when it got to the point where they were asked which tribe they came from. all the 4 Igboid ones said Igbo though one of them had to mention that hers is controversial. let me paraphrase what she said "I'm from Rivers state and where i'm from we speak Igbo, so, i guess i'm Igbo". As soon as i heard that, i ruled out the fact that she could be Ikwerre or Ogba. I knew she either had to be from Etche, Egbema or Ndoki because these people tend to be more relaxing about their anti Igbo rhetorics.

So,scrolling down to the comment section, i saw this convo and that's when i knew she was from Etche.



You see how the etche guy accepted a superior argument. You would never see an Ikwerre, Ika or Ukwuani person do that.

What do you mean by superior argument? Ethnic consciousness can't be changed by argument or propaganda. Ethnic switching does occur but It's a gradual process.

Cire80:
What do you mean by superior argument? Ethnic consciousness can't be changed by argument or propaganda. Ethnic switching does occur but It's a gradual process.

I understand what you mean considering that you're Ika. I have already thrashed that when i compred Ika to Aniocha/Oshimili and Etche. You no go gree and i have no problem with it. I'm not trying to change anybody's belief as long as it makes them happy but what i hate is blatant falsehood. Even if all the traditional rulers stand up one day and go on national television to announce their Igboness, you'll probably say they were paid, so all this back and forth is totally unnecessary. I think the best course of action for you anti Igbo elements is to just say that irrespective of your history, your language or culture, you don't want to be called Igbo. That makes more sense than telling us how you use to be Edo and some Igbos you traded with taught you Igbo and that's where the Igbo influence came through.

Afam4eva:

I understand what you mean considering that you're Ika. I have already thrashed that when i compred Ika to Aniocha/Oshimili and Etche. You no go gree and i have no problem with it. I'm not trying to change anybody's belief as long as it makes them happy but what i hate is blatant falsehood. Even if all the traditional rulers stand up one day and go on national television to announce their Igboness, you'll probably say they were paid, so all this back and forth is totally unnecessary. I think the best course of action for you anti Igbo elements is to just say that irrespective of your history, your language or culture, you don't want to be called Igbo. That makes more sense than telling us how you use to be Edo and some Igbos you traded with taught you Igbo and that's where the Igbo influence came through.

unfortunately for you, my history and culture all scream Edo. The falsehood is coming from you guys. We in Anioma cherish our history and culture. The day you guys stop your concoctions, senseless postulations, propaganda and fake theorems is the you see more Aniomas being more comfortable around you guys. You guys are very desperate that's the problem.

Trade is just one of the way Anioma became Igbonized. We've treated this but the problem with you guys is that you're very selective.

And I'm not anti Igbo. I'm highly pro Ika/Anioma but that doesn't make me anti Igbo

Cire80:
unfortunately for you, my history and culture all scream Edo. The falsehood is coming from you guys. We in Anioma cherish our history and culture. The day you guys stop your concoctions, senseless postulations, propaganda and fake theorems is the you see more Aniomas being more comfortable around you guys. You guys are very desperate that's the problem.

Trade is just one of the way Anioma became Igbonized. We've treated this but the problem with you guys is that you're very selective.

And I'm not anti Igbo. I'm highly pro Ika/Anioma but that doesn't make me anti Igbo

Unfortunately, the Edo people you always shamelessly want to associate with along with your fellow Urhobo/Isoko/Itshekiri/Ijaw deltans always call you Igbo. You can't run away fromy our shadow. If you're so interested in dissociatig yourself from anything Igbo so that people don't get you confused, start a revolution that will see Ika parents give their children non Igbo names and trace your language s that you can start speaking it instead of the Igbo decorated one that you're speaking currently.

I also find it pathetic the way you guys interchange Ika and Anioma without also considering the different influences that makeup Anioma. You want to call Anioma an ethnic group without realizing that you're just as different from Aniocha, Oshimili and Ukwuani the same way you think you're different from south east Igbos.

Afam4eva:

Unfortunately, the Edo people you always shamelessly want to associate with along with your fellow Urhobo/Isoko/Itshekiri/Ijaw deltans always call you Igbo. You can't run away fromy our shadow. If you're so interested in dissociatig yourself from anything Igbo so that people don't get you confused, start a revolution that will see Ika parents give their children non Igbo names and trace your language s that you can start speaking it instead of the Igbo decorated one that you're speaking currently.

I also find it pathetic the way you guys interchange Ika and Anioma without also considering the different influences that makeup Anioma. You want to call Anioma an ethnic group without realizing that you're just as different from Aniocha, Oshimili and Ukwuani the same way you think you're different from south east Igbos.

Only ignorant Edos call us Igbo. The more knowledgeable ones know of our relationship. Go to Edo websites and Facebook groups/pages and other cultural Facebook pages where there are knowledgeable Edos and see how they proudly profess our brotherhood. Urhobos call us Igbo for political reasons. That's fact. They're still pained about many things and their grievances keep on increasing day by day. I've been with educated Edo and Urhobo friends and they're all aware of our brotherhood. And as for your suggestion, I think it's a good idea but that can only happen if you guys don't stop your desperation in trying to wipe off our history and culture with your propaganda machine. BTW one doesn't become Igbo because someone else thinks he's Igbo. You are what you are and you are what you believe you are.

And your second point about the differences in Anioma groups is the most ignorant comment I've seen in years.

Afam4eva:
I understand what you mean considering that you're Ika. I have already thrashed that when i compred Ika to Aniocha/Oshimili and Etche. You no go gree and i have no problem with it. I'm not trying to change anybody's belief as long as it makes them happy but what i hate is blatant falsehood. Even if all the traditional rulers stand up one day and go on national television to announce their Igboness, you'll probably say they were paid, so all this back and forth is totally unnecessary. I think the best course of action for you anti Igbo elements is to just say that irrespective of your history, your language or culture, you don't want to be called Igbo. That makes more sense than telling us how you use to be Edo and some Igbos you traded with taught you Igbo and that's where the Igbo influence came through.

You just stated that those who do not want to be called Igbo should say so. And they have done it. So why are you now getting bothered by the fact that they have done as you asked, and are also asserting their Edo origins? Can't they be left alone to decide who or what they want to be?

Afam4eva:

Unfortunately, the Edo people you always shamelessly want to associate with along with your fellow Urhobo/Isoko/Itshekiri/Ijaw deltans always call you Igbo. You can't run away from your shadow. If you're so interested in dissociatig yourself from anything Igbo so that people don't get you confused, start a revolution that will see Ika parents give their children non Igbo names and trace your language s that you can start speaking it instead of the Igbo decorated one that you're speaking currently.

I also find it pathetic the way you guys interchange Ika and Anioma without also considering the different influences that makeup Anioma. You want to call Anioma an ethnic group without realizing that you're just as different from Aniocha, Oshimili and Ukwuani the same way you think you're different from south east Igbos.

laudate:


You just stated that those who do not want to be called Igbo should say so. And they have done it. So why are you now getting bothered by the fact that they have done as you asked, and are also asserting their Edo origins? Can't they be left alone to decide who or what they want to be?

Now, it seems you didn't get the memo. I have always said it that i respect people's wishes about what they want to call themselves as long as it is not predicated on falsehood. I'm saying these because of the reasons these people give as to why they're not Igbo. Imagine someone saying that we're not the same because if i speak you won't hear everything that i'm saying. That's to imply that as an igbo person, i understand every dialect that is spoken in South east nigeria which is false. So, i have to correct those impressions. Recently, i personally don't consider a group like Ikwerre for example to be Igbo not because i don't think they have what it takes to be called Igbo but because i feel they haave gone far along in their self consciousness as Ikwerres and bringing them under the Igbo problem will only bring problems for us.

Btw, i've noticed that you're neither Igbo, Anioma, Edo, Deltan or anywhere around there. I don't ven think you're a southerner. It just makes your day to see this people dissociate themselves froma people you hate so much.

Afam4eva:

Now, it seems you didn't get the memo. I have always said it that i respect people's wishes about what they want to call themselves as long as it is not predicated on falsehood. I'm saying these because of the reasons these people give as to why they're not Igbo. Imagine someone saying that we're not the same because if i speak you won't hear everything that i'm saying. That's to imply that as an igbo person, i understand every dialect that is spoken in South east nigeria which is false. So, i have to correct those impressions. Recently, i personally don't consider a group like Ikwerre for example to be Igbo not because i don't think they have what it takes to be called Igbo but because i feel they haave gone far along in their self consciousness as Ikwerres and bringing them under the Igbo problem will only bring problems for us.

Btw, i've noticed that you're neither Igbo, Anioma, Edo, Deltan or anywhere around there[b]. I don't ven think you're a southerner. It just makes your day to see this people dissociate themselves froma people you hate so much.[/b]

The Cire80 guy you are aguring with might not even be from Ika... Leave these guys alone...They ain't worth your time. Situation on ground is what matter.

blues2022:
The Cire80 guy you are aguring with might not even be from Ika..

Nigerians are unnecessarily fond of making statements like this.

Afam4eva:
Now, it seems you didn't get the memo. I have always said it that i respect people's wishes about what they want to call themselves as long as it is not predicated on falsehood. I'm saying these because of the reasons these people give as to why they're not Igbo. Imagine someone saying that we're not the same because if i speak you won't hear everything that i'm saying. That's to imply that as an igbo person, i understand every dialect that is spoken in South east nigeria which is false. So, i have to correct those impressions. Recently, i personally don't consider a group like Ikwerre for example to be Igbo not because i don't think they have what it takes to be called Igbo but because i feel they haave gone far along in their self consciousness as Ikwerres and bringing them under the Igbo problem will only bring problems for us.

Btw, i've noticed that you're neither Igbo, Anioma, Edo, Deltan or anywhere around there. I don't ven think you're a southerner. It just makes your day to see this people dissociate themselves froma people you hate so much.

First, you say that you 'respect people's wishes about what they want to call themselves as long as it is not predicated on falsehood.' Good! And the Ika, Ukwuani etc., people on this thread have repeatedly affirmed their desire to be identified by their own ethnic groups, and not to be lumped with another, because of the distinctive features & the consciousness they possess. As far as I can see, their request is hinged on the fact that their origins are diverse, and not just hinged on one source (i.e. Igbo), like others are trying to make them believe. I see nothing wrong with that. So why are other respondents trying to foist an Igbo identity on them, simply because their language is similar?

As far as my own ethnic origins are concerned, I fail to see its' relevance to this thread. I am a Nigerian. Where I come from, is not the subject under discussion. And unless you want others to believe that you have psychic powers, I don't know where you got the impression that it "makes your day (sic) to see this people dissociate themselves from a people you hate so much." I do not hate anyone, I only hate the IPOB ideology and acolytes, because of their propaganda that fosters ethnic hate, and their propensity to dish out venom against other ethnic groups.

Cire80:
Only ignorant Edos call us Igbo. The more knowledgeable ones know of our relationship. Go to Edo websites and Facebook groups/pages and other cultural Facebook pages where there are knowledgeable Edos and see how they proudly profess our brotherhood. Urhobos call us Igbo for political reasons. That's fact. They're still pained about many things and their grievances keep on increasing day by day. I've been with educated Edo and Urhobo friends and they're all aware of our brotherhood. And as for your suggestion, I think it's a good idea but that can only happen if you guys don't stop your desperation in trying to wipe off our history and culture with your propaganda machine. BTW one doesn't become Igbo because someone else thinks he's Igbo. You are what you are and you are what you believe you are.

And your second point about the differences in Anioma groups is the most ignorant comment I've seen in years.

Its very funny seeing descendants of Bini settlers trying to set the direction for our people.
Even the OmoNoba himself recognizes everyone East of Abuzu as Igbo... Which Edo websites also reflect.
Guy...keep deceiving yourself and attaching to people who didn't waste time in massacring your kinsmen in 1967...well what'd I say kos I've seen you to ignorant fellow.
You're not ika...its very glaring you're an Edo