₦airaland Forum

ChoCho54:
Are we still talking about Amotoekun?

Idii ti jee (punna don swallow am)

Even the proponents are now going about their own activities jareh

Eyah, sorry o.

ChoCho54:
My brother I'm summoning not only amadioha, but Alukwu emeke, Iyiaofor Enyiogugu, Alaogbaga, Uzzi na Abosi to strike the writer of that piece of trash .

Mrvitalis pointzerom adaibeku, izza immotehp claricuzio etc. Pls your contributions are important.

I believe the writer of that trash is long dead but I trust Amadioha and Kamalu Ozuzu to do justice to his grave and as for the poster, he need to repent before Amuma la Egbe agba gbuo ya.

Ojiofor:
I believe the writer of that trash is long dead but I trust Amadioha and Kamalu Ozuzu to do justice to his grave and as for the poster, he need to repent before Amuma la Egbe agba gbuo ya.

Kpomkwem.

Yujin:
It's interesting to read such a description about my people at an early stage. The writer described aptly a lot of observations to the best of his knowledge which in some cases weren't correct. It's well known among Igbo historians that earliest Igbo settlements were around the perimeter of Nsukka-Awka-Owerre-Okigwe. The oldest excavations and artifacts were found within this axis while other areas were recent expansions. Truly, there weren't mass migrations into Igbo areas but the many people who were distressed from their places of origin were easily accommodated among the Igbos. From tiny groups from the cross river areas to more larger groups like the Benin, Igala and Olukumis(Yoruba). Igbos were a very hospitable people. No one mighty King forcing everyone to do things forcefully. People lived almost free in Igboland; this is the reason for our republicanism.
As for the name Igbo being slaves, I disagree with him though I understand the reason why he may have written it so. Lots of our neighbours refers to slaves as 'Ibo' even we (Igbos) call slaves 'Odibo'. Among Igbos, the word 'Igbo' was borne as a name and more like- a living entity. People bear it, communities bear it and a whole lot of other references are made to it. It's meaning to the best of my knowledge is not exact. Note that all Igbos referred to themselves by the name of their sub groups. Only the word Igbo could unite them.
Back to the original write up, Igbos love to be unique as can be seen in our variety of dialects. Even among those dialects, little differences are noted but the crux of the language is the same. Then for the founder of Asaba, it is not 'Nevise' like he wrote. It's Nnebisi. I think his error is due to hearing problem.
Finally, the crazy OP and his likes who think this write up is enough to refer to Igbos as slave are just hallucinating. Igbos have been been great from the earliest of time. The present situation we found ourselves in Nigeria is teaching us the merits and demerits of certain ways of life and we are learning. The Jews learnt the hard way before they could govern themselves again. They don't have Samaritans again. As long as you got Jewish DNA, you're Jewish. We are learning too.
We know our detractors are numerous and we are preparing for them too.

Nice one Eugene! Good job!

The colonial is pretty spot on and dead accurate. Most of his observations are dead ringer to what we discus to date

1. Northern Igbos are superior to southern Igbos. Explains pomposity in Anambra. They conquered the clans and the further you go south the worse the caste
2. Igbo means slave. Self explanatory
3. They didn't expand much westward. Asaba and a few hamlets. So all the claims about Ndoka, Igbos in Edo, Jim Ovia etc are false. They assimilated the language due to trade. History is clear, they aren't Igbo
4. The real Igbos that conquered are of Igala stock
5. Igbo clans are not homogeneous unlike their cousins in the west. Hence, difficulty in urbanization and more dispensation to primitive governance. It still shows today

Shiver99:
Op’s post while somewhat inaccurate and rather speculative, hits home on why Northern igboland, especially Anambra, Enugu should be excavated as a matter of urgency. There is evidence of an ancient civilisation that according to historians that could date back to 3000bc, where the north-south migration would have began.

It speaks to the corruption and lackadaisical attitude of Nigeria, that one of the oldest iron smelting sites in the world was found in south east Nigeria and no intense follow-up archaeology work was done.

Fortunately, In Biafra, more work will be done to uncover Igbo history, but I really wish Igbo development unions take it more seriously.

Why would you want to excavate sites based on a pure speculative write up?

Lolz

And you shall know the truth and it will set you free

kayfra:
Why would you want to excavate sites based on a pure speculative write up?

Lolz

And you shall know the truth and it will set you free

My Igbo brethren can abuse and downgrade anything not knowing that they are the most debased and downgraded among all the ethnic groups in Nigeria.One wouldn't be surprised that they started to learn how to wear clothes in 1921.

Ritchiee:
My Igbo brethren can abuse and downgrade anything not knowing that they are the most debased and downgraded among all the ethnic groups in Nigeria.One wouldn't be surprised that they started to learn how to wear clothes in 1921.

Don't mind them. The funny discovery is they really started becoming an ethic group in the 1920s. It was the Northern folks (Anambra and Enugu) from Igala tribes that were Igbos before assimilating others that still to date are not fully assimilated Igbos.

kayfra:
The colonial is pretty spot on and dead accurate. Most of his observations are dead ringer to what we discus to date

1. Northern Igbos are superior to southern Igbos. Explains pomposity in Anambra. They conquered the clans and the further you go south the worse the caste
2. Igbo means slave. Self explanatory
3. They didn't expand much westward. Asaba and a few hamlets. So all the claims about Ndoka, Igbos in Edo, Jim Ovia etc are false. They assimilated the language due to trade. History is clear, they aren't Igbo
4. The real Igbos that conquered are of Igala stock
5. Igbo clans are not homogeneous unlike their cousins in the west. Hence, difficulty in urbanization and more dispensation to primitive governance. It still shows today

Lol. No Igbo group is superior to another. Our land is the land of free people. Anambra is a recent creation and is subject to any future political change.
Our expansion is clear and we went even to the heart of Benin Empire until the decline of the Empire forced the return of lots of our people back(Ezechima migration). The Ika and Ndokwa areas are all Igbo frontier territories. The Benins and Esan people migrated into Ika while the Urhobos and Isokos migrated into Ndokwa but the aborigines are Igbos. Today, they are all Igbos.
Igbos from the oldest regions didn't conquer other groups. They simply dispersed and attracted other neighbouring groups by the way they lived. The Nri priests were known to move about majority of Igboland cleansing and settling disputes. They constantly reminded the people of not shedding blood. Violent conquest is not an Igbo thing. The Igalas that tried in the Nsukka, Aguleri and Enuani areas failed though won some battles around a tiny Nsukka area but couldn't conquer them. Same happened for the mighty Benin Empire around Agbor but couldn't conquer. Igbos love their freedom and will do anything to enjoy such living.
Finally, you should be ashamed of yourself for trying to belittle such a great people. You can only envy us yet can stop us.

Yujin:
Lol. No Igbo group is superior to another. Our land is the land of free people. Anambra is a recent creation and is subject to any future political change.
Our expansion is clear and we went even to the heart of Benin Empire until the decline of the Empire forced the return of lots of our people back(Ezechima migration). The Ika and Ndokwa areas are all Igbo frontier territories. The Benins and Esan people migrated into Ika while the Urhobos and Isokos migrated into Ndokwa but the aborigines are Igbos. Today, they are all Igbos.
Igbos from the oldest regions didn't conquer other groups. They simply dispersed and attracted other neighbouring groups by the way they lived. The Nri priests were known to move about majority of Igboland cleansing and settling disputes. They constantly reminded the people of not shedding blood. Violent conquest is not an Igbo thing. The Igalas that tried in the Nsukka, Aguleri and Enuani areas failed though won some battles around a tiny Nsukka area but couldn't conquer them. Same happened for the mighty Benin Empire around Agbor but couldn't conquer. Igbos love their freedom and will do anything to enjoy such living.
Finally, you should be ashamed of yourself for trying to belittle such a great people. You can only envy us yet can stop us.

All you typed is typical wishful thinking. I am quoting an authoritative book while you are just writing your opinion.

kayfra:
All you typed is typical wishful thinking. I am quoting an authoritative book while you are just writing your opinion.

You're a clown. How can verifiable things I wrote here be wishful thinking? I'm a well read Igbo man who have researched about my people for about 20yrs now and visited many Igbo areas. Who the hell are you?
The writer you quoted said the founder of Asaba was Nevise. Can you go to Asaba and ask them about anyone called by that name? I know you didn't bring this write up for learning purpose. I'm here to deflate all your balloon of mockery.

LMAO

I just got to bookmark this for reference.

Yujin:
You're a clown. How can verifiable things I wrote here be wishful thinking? I'm a well read Igbo man who have researched about my people for about 20yrs now and visited many Igbo areas. Who the hell are you?
The writer you quoted said the founder of Asaba was Nevise. Can you go to Asaba and ask them about anyone called by that name? I know you didn't bring this write up for learning purpose. I'm here to deflate all your balloon of mockery.

Have you ever questioned Olauda Equiano that was "Eboe"?

U want to latch on oyinbo man's mispronunciation then how about we go all out with it?

His mispronunciation doesn't negate his work. Your own work meanwhile is fiction at best

Funny dude

Op are u also aware of this?

Maadoo:
Op are u also aware of this?

You do realize it reaffirms what I posted that the further south you go the caste becomes weak and the whole Igbo or Eboe thing is just a bunch of escaped slaves from different groups with some indigenous folks that were originally Ibibio?

kayfra:
You do realize it reaffirms what I posted that the further south you go the caste becomes weak and the whole Igbo or Eboe thing is just a bunch of escaped slaves from different groups with some indigenous folks that were originally Ibibio?

Have also read this?

Maadoo:
Have also read this?

Posting tidbits isn't changing your history or the facts

DaBullIT:
True but they are still "RUNAWAY SLAVES"


NOT indigenous and in order to remain free in a slave settlement they must learn the language of the host


Known this, said it many times and I'm reconfirming it, they are the slaves and they know it

Yoruba knows they are slaves but we rarely call them so just not to bruise their ego

Why weren't the Osu free men?

Yujin:
It's interesting to read such a description about my people at an early stage. The writer described aptly a lot of observations to the best of his knowledge which in some cases weren't correct. It's well known among Igbo historians that earliest Igbo settlements were around the perimeter of Nsukka-Awka-Owerre-Okigwe. The oldest excavations and artifacts were found within this axis while other areas were recent expansions. Truly, there weren't mass migrations into Igbo areas but the many people who were distressed from their places of origin were easily accommodated among the Igbos. From tiny groups from the cross river areas to more larger groups like the Benin, Igala and Olukumis(Yoruba). Igbos were a very hospitable people. No one mighty King forcing everyone to do things forcefully. People lived almost free in Igboland; this is the reason for our republicanism.
As for the name Igbo being slaves, I disagree with him though I understand the reason why he may have written it so. Lots of our neighbours refers to slaves as 'Ibo' even we (Igbos) call slaves 'Odibo'. Among Igbos, the word 'Igbo' was borne as a name and more like- a living entity. People bear it, communities bear it and a whole lot of other references are made to it. It's meaning to the best of my knowledge is not exact. Note that all Igbos referred to themselves by the name of their sub groups. Only the word Igbo could unite them.
Back to the original write up, Igbos love to be unique as can be seen in our variety of dialects. Even among those dialects, little differences are noted but the crux of the language is the same. Then for the founder of Asaba, it is not 'Nevise' like he wrote. It's Nnebisi. I think his error is due to hearing problem.
Finally, the crazy OP and his likes who think this write up is enough to refer to Igbos as slave are just hallucinating. Igbos have been been great from the earliest of time. The present situation we found ourselves in Nigeria is teaching us the merits and demerits of certain ways of life and we are learning. The Jews learnt the hard way before they could govern themselves again. They don't have Samaritans again. As long as you got Jewish DNA, you're Jewish. We are learning too.
We know our detractors are numerous and we are preparing for them too.

Odibo in Igbo means servant, not slave. "Igba Odibo" is something we do today in trading without shame, and in that context translates to "apprenticeship".

Igbo folklores will readily talk of Odibo and Nnia Ukwu.
"Odibo" does not mean slavery in any context, talkless of Igbo.

kayfra:
Journal of The Anthropological Institute Of Great Britain And Ireland Vol.47 1917

Some Ibo Burial Customs by N. W. Thomas

The Ibo-speaking peoples, with a portion of whom this paper deals, occupy a small area on the west bank of the lower Niger, and a much larger area on the east bank, extending as far as the Cross River from the Ibibio boundary northwards, and, at their most easterly point, beyond the northernmost point of the bight of the Cross River.

The Ibo speak a great variety of dialects, and the Eastern branches are almost unintelligible to the Western groups.

Even such close neighbours as Asaba and Onitsha, only three miles apart on the banks of the Niger, differed, until recently, somewhat widely in language.

The main Ibo area is, especially on the south and east, more or less surrounded by a fringe of aberrant dialects, which seem to have resulted from an incomplete assimilation of an alien population by Ibo-speaking conquerors, or, at any rate, a very imperfect acquisition of what might be called standard Ibo ; or we may, on the other hand, regard these dialects (e.g., Okugba, Biko, Ezza as allied to the older wave of immigration that resulted in Efik, Ibibio, Kana and Ebiobolo.

Generally speaking the main Ibo dialects east of the Niger seem to run strip-wise from north to south, and this, no less than the aberrant character of the southern or south-eastern dialects, suggests that the Ibo migration came from the north.

In this connection it is noteworthy that Abua and Akunakuna, two closely related dialects, have clearly been cleft asunder by the Ibo stream and now lie, one north-west of Degema, the other east of the Cross River.

It is worthy of notice that the word Ibo (Ibo) means slave ; this suggests that there was no migration in mass, driving alien populations before it ; but that a conquering people imposed its language on subject populations.

This would afford a sufficient explanation of the character of the language of outlying areas, as well as of the great number of dialects which form a strong contrast to the homogeneity of the Yoruba area.

It is not without interest that the town of Nri, or Aguku, which claims the right of inducting Chiefs and doing other ceremonial work as far as Asaba, at least, on the west, and, probably, over an equally wide area in other directions, also speaks of the people of the surrounding area as Ibo, and themselves claim the name of Nri.

This fits in well with the supposition that they are an island of the original Ibo-speaking conquering race, which is now swallowed up in the mass of the population everywhere else.

As regards the areas with which this paper deals, the districts of Awka and Asaba, the former includes the town of Aguku, just mentioned ; generally speaking, there are few traditions of origin among them.

In Asaba, on the other hand, each town has its tradition of a founder or a record of migration, so that the diversity of custom is easier to understand.

Generally speaking, Asaba, Ibuzo and Okpanam form a closely associated group, as far as general customs go.

Some data for the other towns and for the Awka district will be found elsewhere, together with maps showing the localities, which are enumerated below, for each district.

Asaba was founded by Nevise, according to tradition, who came from Nteje on the east of the Niger perhaps some four hundred years ago.


http://jstor.org/stable/2843415

So what does the word ibo mean? If it doesnt mean slave or anything related to slavery in the language of the author of this article or in the languages of negbouring tribes that sorrounds the igbos then this writer has no authority to claim and establish that ibo or igbo means slave. Anyone can wake up any day and write whatever he feels like to distort history or to blackmail and belittle or whole race just because he or she doesnt like them.

kayfra:
Have you ever questioned Olauda Equiano that was "Eboe"?

U want to latch on oyinbo man's mispronunciation then how about we go all out with it?

His mispronunciation doesn't negate his work. Your own work meanwhile is fiction at best

Funny dude

Olaudah Equiano is Igbo and I concur with his submissions. His descriptions were apt and his narrations clear enough to any well read Igbo. He spelt Igbo as 'Eboe' following the English style of spelling. This was as far back as the 18th century when even English alphabets were still changing. Quit the route you're going. You're bound to lose.

kayfra:
Don't mind them. The funny discovery is they really started becoming an ethic group in the 1920s. It was the Northern folks (Anambra and Enugu) from Igala tribes that were Igbos before assimilating others that still to date are not fully assimilated Igbos.

The Igalas who conquered, repressed and colonised them are the owners of the NRI title .They met the real Igbos there but looked down on them and called them Igbos which means slaves.I have read it other than what you posted.

kayfra:
Journal of The Anthropological Institute Of Great Britain And Ireland Vol.47 1917

Some Ibo Burial Customs by N. W. Thomas

The Ibo-speaking peoples, with a portion of whom this paper deals, occupy a small area on the west bank of the lower Niger, and a much larger area on the east bank, extending as far as the Cross River from the Ibibio boundary northwards, and, at their most easterly point, beyond the northernmost point of the bight of the Cross River.

The Ibo speak a great variety of dialects, and the Eastern branches are almost unintelligible to the Western groups.

Even such close neighbours as Asaba and Onitsha, only three miles apart on the banks of the Niger, differed, until recently, somewhat widely in language.

The main Ibo area is, especially on the south and east, more or less surrounded by a fringe of aberrant dialects, which seem to have resulted from an incomplete assimilation of an alien population by Ibo-speaking conquerors, or, at any rate, a very imperfect acquisition of what might be called standard Ibo ; or we may, on the other hand, regard these dialects (e.g., Okugba, Biko, Ezza as allied to the older wave of immigration that resulted in Efik, Ibibio, Kana and Ebiobolo.

Generally speaking the main Ibo dialects east of the Niger seem to run strip-wise from north to south, and this, no less than the aberrant character of the southern or south-eastern dialects, suggests that the Ibo migration came from the north.

In this connection it is noteworthy that Abua and Akunakuna, two closely related dialects, have clearly been cleft asunder by the Ibo stream and now lie, one north-west of Degema, the other east of the Cross River.

It is worthy of notice that the word Ibo (Ibo) means slave ; this suggests that there was no migration in mass, driving alien populations before it ; but that a conquering people imposed its language on subject populations.

This would afford a sufficient explanation of the character of the language of outlying areas, as well as of the great number of dialects which form a strong contrast to the homogeneity of the Yoruba area.

It is not without interest that the town of Nri, or Aguku, which claims the right of inducting Chiefs and doing other ceremonial work as far as Asaba, at least, on the west, and, probably, over an equally wide area in other directions, also speaks of the people of the surrounding area as Ibo, and themselves claim the name of Nri.

This fits in well with the supposition that they are an island of the original Ibo-speaking conquering race, which is now swallowed up in the mass of the population everywhere else.

As regards the areas with which this paper deals, the districts of Awka and Asaba, the former includes the town of Aguku, just mentioned ; generally speaking, there are few traditions of origin among them.

In Asaba, on the other hand, each town has its tradition of a founder or a record of migration, so that the diversity of custom is easier to understand.

Generally speaking, Asaba, Ibuzo and Okpanam form a closely associated group, as far as general customs go.

Some data for the other towns and for the Awka district will be found elsewhere, together with maps showing the localities, which are enumerated below, for each district.

Asaba was founded by Nevise, according to tradition, who came from Nteje on the east of the Niger perhaps some four hundred years ago.


http://jstor.org/stable/2843415

I am an Nri man from Enugwu-Agidi and one thing I know is that IBO does not mean slave. However ODIBO means servant. Slave and servant are two different things. ORU is slave, so this is the case of the white man making inaccurate assumptions. ODIBO is different from IGBO or IBO.

Secondly Nri people did not conquer IGBOS as Nri people are bonafide IGBOS and much of Igbo people are descended from us or from any of the UMU ERI patriarchs.

NRI Ji OFO. and NRI BU ISI IGBO. But Nri did not conquer Igbo as Nri culture frowns on violence. Nri was totally about peaceful neighbourliness.

GerogeI:
Odibo in Igbo means servant, not slave. "Igba Odibo" is something we do today in trading without shame, and in that context translates to "apprenticeship".

Igbo folklores will readily talk of Odibo and Nnia Ukwu.
"Odibo" does not mean slavery in any context, talkless of Igbo.

Were ire gi guo eze gi onu! Odibo means slave. It can contextually mean servant too like you mentioned. What does 'Nnia Ukwu mean? Master? Is that the equivalent of master in Igbo language? Most young Igbos don't even know the right word for master. Mgba diri-anyi ka m na agba!

Yujin:
Olaudah Equiano is Igbo and I concur with his submissions. His descriptions were apt and his narrations clear enough to any well read Igbo. He spelt Igbo as 'Eboe' following the English style of spelling. This was as far back as the 16th century when even English alphabets were still changing. Quit the route you're going. You're bound to lose.

Olaudah or Gustavus was not Igbo but was unfortunate to write what he wrote from hearsay.

Izza reality talk nah ,

not wickedness

Westbestside:
You are wicked, my hand no dey o.

Ritchiee:
Olaudah or Gustavus was not Igbo but was unfortunate to write what he wrote from hearsay.

Says an Igbo hater. Where was he from? So you mean that a black man who suffered slavery will choose to tell another slave's story at the time when slavery was at its peak? You and others who think like that are deluded. He even tried writing Igbo words.

kayfra:
Have you ever questioned Olauda Equiano that was "Eboe"?

U want to latch on oyinbo man's mispronunciation then how about we go all out with it?

His mispronunciation doesn't negate his work. Your own work meanwhile is fiction at best

Funny dude

Yet Olauda Equiano, a foremost 17th century authority on Eboe never referred to himself as a former slave based on the name? At least he would have mentioned he was on a second slavery experience.

Your writer not only could not pronounce Igbo words, even name of towns, but had a literal and peripheral understanding of the culture. He thinks a funeral ceremony is a second burial, that's so pathetic.
He refers to sacrificial animals (chickens and goats) as victims, a hugely controversial level of personification that would set up a conflict even in the western world, in every KFC and McDonald outlet.
Whole heartedly, he was psychologically and intellectually not fit for a study of an African culture. His outputs are most unbecoming.

Before his work of 1917, scholars have spent a lot of effort debating what it meant to be Eboe, following the works of Olaudah Equiano. As his loose reference to nationhood was quite perplexing to people like you who could not understand a society with a very flattened pyramid structure, and multiple focal points.

I have one link for you :
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/3491728&ved=2ahUKEwjT8q2om67nAhXhURUIHascBEo4ChAWMAR6BAgEEAE&usg=AOvVaw3Y4QJXM88vkvyP6pm7eC3

The same reason Olaudah Equiano, called every clan he passed through a nation, is the same reason why Eboe or Igbo has no particular meaning. It is simply a name. The region held a multitude of republican political groupings seldom seen anyway in the world.

In the early centuries of colonization, every Igbo town identified itself uniquely, and refered to every other stranger of similar language as Eboe. This was not perculiar to Nri, as you can read in the write up I gave you. This is why Olaudah, remembered that his elders refered to Stout Mahogany coloured traders as Onye Igbo or Oye Eboe, yet started his book calling himself an Eboe.

As an example of this stepwise identity: Among the Awka area, towns such as Mbaukwu, Nibo, Umuawulu, and even Ugwu-Oba in Enugu state. Refer to themselves a Ebeteteh, yet each retains their unique identity. Ebeteteh identity becomes relevant in the face of larger political groupings.

kayfra:
Why weren't the Osu free men?

I heard Yourba is a fulani name for primitive and slave is that true?

Do you know the igbos have always been a powerful race?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvddViC3IeY

Ritchiee:
Olaudah or Gustavus was not Igbo but was unfortunate to write what he wrote from hearsay.

Lazy man secretly wishing to be an igboman. Just beg God to create you an igboman in your next world. It is best privilege a “Primitive man” can ever have.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc5xL48odCA

DaBullIT:
Izza reality talk nah ,

not wickedness

Primitive man, keep hating while the world keep praising.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmyZNoOF6yk

.