₦airaland Forum

autoKay:
You did not add Edo, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States for Igbo.

Ndoki people are igbos found in Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Abia.

The Legbo igbos where Gov Imoke comes from are igbos found in Ebonyi and Cross River.

Igbanke are igbos found in Edo State.

Nice work though.

Legbo has nothing to do with Igbo.

bigfrancis21:
Going to the gym.

Seriously, this is probably the only major way I’ve been affected by this lockdown.

You don’t barb on a regular?

IDENNAA:
No, why dont you try Proudly Igbo Proudly Anioma group on Facebook then come back and talk to us. You think your wish has been fulfilled which was to disintegrate Igbo tribes but sorry it wont work. 90% of Ukwuani towns were founded by south eastern Igbo and western Igbo settlements.....You wicked and hateful Bini will never see success. Your evil wish for us will return to you ten folds

I’m from Anambra.

RedboneSmith:
Lol. Are you serious?

There are many people in Aniocha/Oshimili who claim Igbo and claim it very vociferously. This is the axis that produced:

Ambassador Ralph Uwechue - former president-general Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

Achuzia - Former Biafran soldier and Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Stalwart.

Slyvan Ebigwei

Don Ohadike

Professor Nolue Emenanjo

Professor Onwuejeogwu

Dr Nwankwo Nwaezeigwe

Ndudi Elumelu.

And many more who are proud self-identifying Igbo.

Igbo denial is stronger in Ika and Ukwuani. But even among those groups there are still men and women who identify as Igbo.

That’s because Enuani people are the only indisputably Igbo clan in Anioma. You have to distinguish between Ika-Ukwuani (‘Bendel’) and Enuani (Igbo proper).

bigfrancis21:
Just passing by. From my experience, the most homophobic ones are often internally gay themselves, projecting an inner self hatred onto the outside world. There’s a saying here in the US that one easy way to spot an undercover gay person especially one full of self hatred is via the loudest homophobic ones themselves. The op perfectly fits this description.

This is just my experience.

My 2 cents.

That’s right.

nony43:
Op it depends Umuahians are more of Methodist, Bendes are more of Presbyterians and SDA, Ngwa are more of Catholics, Qua ibo SDA and other Orthodox churches, Mbaise in Imo are more of Catholics and Anambras are more of Catholics and Anglicans

Catholics in Ngwa? You sure about that?

The tendencies of non-Abia Igbos to align with the Anglican/Catholic church particularly are well-known but it’d be interesting to see what people’s thoughts are on to what extent the mainline Pentecostal domain has become significant in ala Igbo. Especially with people over a certain age.

Bump.

bigfrancis21:
The latter.

And why’s that?

Which movie did you prefer?

Eke40seven:
This is a very interesting thread, I have read through the comments and I will make random comments based on all the assertions I have observed.
Personally, I have limited knowledge of the different Igbo dialects and wouldn't say am too vast in the culture or history. The knowledge of the dialects I have are based on my experience in Lagos, the occasional travels to my hometown in Bende L.G.A in Abia state and holidays in Aba and Umuahia, then recently, travels to Asaba and Owerri. and some history based on books and literature. I was born and raised in Lagos.
This background I highlighted above have influenced how I speak and relate to other Igbos and generally affects the dialect am comfortable with.
I'm from what we like to refer to as Umunnato, comprising of Alayi, Igbere and Item, our dialect is quite different but very very closely related to Abariba and nporo (an outsider may not notice the differences). People say that our accent has the same tone with 'calabar' (used in the general sense to represent cross river and Akwa-ibom languages). The language is intelligible to other Igbo speakers but that is when is toned and slowed down though for easily assimilation and communication. However, the influence of this language on the wider Abian dialect is not that great, one, there are no major towns in this area conglomerating other Igbos and the number of speakers and the geographic stretch is limited, although the people themselves are everywhere.
This language is what my parents brought me up with in Lagos and that is what is spoken at home and the use of CL was only used in "The Lords prayer", "Bible reading" and hymns. Now when communicating with other Igbos, I had to mix and pick up their accents and dialects here and there to construct mine to get a version to ease communication.. So if I meet many Anambarans and am compelled to speak Igbo, I tend to pick up and will generally flow with their tune and use some of their accent to tone down mine for easy communication. My parents were surprised when I started using 'ga' like 'mega', 'kwuga', 'gaga', after Two weeks in Owerri. However, I must admit that all the igbos are special in their own way.
Obviously, some are harder and hardly intelligible for a non native speaker. For instance, there was a large Ebonyi (Ezza ngbo, Ngbo and other neighbouring communities) in my former neighbourhood and more in one particular neighbourhood around. Initially, their accent was so weird that we hardly understood it was Igbo apart from some occasional words although they did ours perfectly, with time, we began coding some of their words through constant familiarly with their words, although constructing the simplest of sentence with them is another matter.
What I understand is this, one, when two dialects meet, the one that is more easily comprehensible dominate. Now, a lot of things influence both the 'comprehensibility' and 'domination' of a dialect. It could be history, the location where the dialect is spoken, language policies and standardization, size of population of the native speakers, migration, economic influence, commerce, etc.
Generally, I like the dialect used in Aba urban area, it sounds more 'centralised' to my ear, which could be due to the fact that it is a melting point of the Igbo. Again, what I notice in the Igbo situation is that, the more urban (I dont mean underdeveloped or backward), the more comprehensible the dialect used in the area than neighbouring communities around there.
All Igbo accent are special and their continued used only preserves our diversity and culture. I personally like the flow of the Onitsha and Enugu (city) Igbo, the complexity, structure and lexis of the Owerri Igbo, the smoothness and clarity of the one spoken in Aba and the extreme weirdness and exoticness of many parts of Ebonyi (Ezza, Izzi), Nsukka. In the long run, whether a dialect is much preferred or hated, easily understood or notoriously indecipherable or unintelligible, it does not AUTOMATICALLY make the speakers more or less 'pure' ethnically or humanly.
To ME (without a strict, structurally defined base) , if I were to give an equivalent or draw a parallel between English and Igbo accents not out of originality but out of the personal perception of the flows; British (London, Cockney) accent will be Enugu (city), Onitsha and Asaba, American (North) and Canadian- Aba, Australia and NZ - Owerri; Irish and Scottish- Abakiliki; Liverpudlian or Scouse- IKwerre; Caribean- non Asaban Delta Igbo, Singaporean (Singlish) some parts of Ebonyi and Enugu (Ezza, Izzi, Ngbo, Nssuka and environs)
I shall continue soon to refute or buttress some points I had earlier read.....

Parralels between English and Igbo dialects: Estuary/Cockney English - Enuani/Asaba, Onitsha and Enugu township Igbo; North American English - Aba Igbo; Australian and New Zealand English - Owerri Igbo; Irish and Scottish English - Abakaliki/northeastern Igbo; Liverpudlian (Scouse English) - Ikwerre language; Caribbean English - Ika and Ukwuani (“Bendel Igbo”) lects; Singaporean English - the northern and Cross River periphery of asusu Igbo (Abiriba-Ohafia-Arochukwu-Afikpo, the Waawa clan of Enugu State and Nsukka).

Edited for smoother reading. How did you draw these parallels?

kayfra:
The Northern Igbos (Igalas, Yorubas and Edo royalty) are superior to the lower caste Igbos like Abia, Ebonyi. Imo is rescued by the Yoruba population that migrated there ages ago or else it would have been in Abia and Ebonyi status.

And what Yoruba population are you talking about they migrated to Imo?

coolitempa:
The Ibos should be very grateful for the British intervention because had they not come in,....it is possible that most of them would have by now been speaking Yoruba and Igalla. I mean the IMO are from Yoruba, northern ibos were slaves of Igallas and southern ibos were sold by the Ijaws...also onisha and agbor were under the Benin kingdom. No group of people can be more thankful to Nigeria coming together than the ibos.

What?

Armaggedon:
so if there isn't evidence it means they are shared Igbo's and Yoruba's ONLY. Why don't you also acknowledge the "tribal" similarity among Nigerians since every Nigerian is familiar with these food instead of your obsession with Igbo.

Other tribes are familiar with ogiri. That doesn’t mean it’s natively used or at least called that name by anyone other than Igbos and Yorubas. Broad familiarity because of one Nigeria doesn’t mean just any tribe can lay claim to certain foods.

RedboneSmith:
Jolof rice is from Senegal, originated by the ethnic group that has given its name to the dish (the Wolof/Jolof people).


You people can keep fighting over the rest. It's fun to watch these fights.

And anyone who puts the rest up for debate is too detribalised or not patriotic enough clearly. According to some people.

Armaggedon:
Yea. however "widely contested" they are doesn't take away their origin. After all you can't take away people's right to lay claim to anything they admire, even when they know the true origin.

Thanks for admitting you're not as patriotic as an Igbo should be. That ends it.

We don’t all have to be blindly loyal and as myopic as the typical Yoruba person is when it comes to acknowledging tribal similarities.

Where’s the unassailable evidence that akara and moi-moi are either Igbo or Yoruba? There aren’t any. That’s why it’s up for debate whether you choose to be nothing other than fervently patriotic or not.

Armaggedon:
Jollof rice is not of Nigerian origin. It is also doubtful whether the delicacy moi moi his Nigerian origin. But the name moyin moyin is Yoruba just the way some Igbo's call it elele.

Egusi soup is Igbo not Yoruba or any other origin for that matter. Its originally pronounced egwusi but egusi is the anglicized version of the name. Ironically while some Yoruba people reject the foreign egusi name some claim the name and the delicacy, even attempting to yorubanize the name to elegunsi.

Akara name is Igbo but I doubt the origin of the delicacy. Beans cake is known world over.

puff puff, chin chin fried rice etc are foreign delicacies. I doubt you are Igbo and wonder whether you want to know the origins of the delicacies or want to make two people one with a shared history myth.

You doubting whether I’m igbo or not doesn’t make a difference to me. Especially not when the origins of these foods are widely contested across the board. I’m just not as biased and fervently patriotic as some Igbos are.

Armaggedon:
Learn when to say "I" instead of "we"

No one gave you the mandate to make statements on behalf of Igbos.

I’m Igbo myself.

NNEWIsuper:
I visited that northern Nsukka only to find out that the people are not actually igbos, more than half speak igala and the few that also speak Igbo learnt Igbo from neighboring town....this is the secret no one wants you to know unless you're there yourself


Also, they have a very huge Muslim population which no one will tell u, check Enugu-ezike, ibagwa...most are muslims

come to Uzo-uwani and see a huge and thick Fulani settlement far growing more than the natives..fact is this, if Fulani herdsmen want to overrun Nsukka in a week is 100% possible with the number of Fulanis in Uzo-uwani alone...those who know what I'm saying can collaborate

There’s a smattering of Muslim communities in the indisputably non-igbo parts of Enugu and Ebonyi states but that’s probably about it.

RedboneSmith:
Short answer, no. Beyond Northern Enugu State, and some of the communities that line both sides of the River Niger there are little or no Igala "cultural markers" to speak of in Igboland.

And what cultural markers are shared with Enugu north (not just Nsukka) and Igala in particular?

Is there any evidence that Igala cultural marks really are that heavily infiltrated through Igboland save for certain parts of the Enugu north zone (Nsukka in particular) and some Awka villages?

cc. RedboneSmith, Abakalikipress

MelesZenawi:
Not only root but taproot.


There is no need replying an empty statement that has no substance....The phrase is so empty. Igbos and Yorubas has nothing in common.


Any one writing such is a fairly and at same time bloody lie.

There’s no need making empty statements when you ain’t got nothing to back it up with.

Igbo and Yoruba share a distant relation. Fact. End.

Osikapa jellof.

My invention. Akara puffs.

gregyboy:
Nigga please am offended

You’re offended that hinterland southwesterners cook with ogiri?

Out of interest, why are some people from either side so bothered about whether we share certain words and foods in common? Will the earth come to a standstill if Igbos and Yorubas share ogiri?

Antivirus92:
good for u

Okay.

Antivirus92:
you're free to believe anything u want

And so are you but at least I know the truth.

We share ogiri with Yorubas. And what of it?

Antivirus92:
if there is, it means they borrowed it from the east

Only they didn’t. We simply share ogiri in common because we share the same ancestral root. Simple as that. People who aren’t well-versed enough on either side shouldn’t be on this thread.

Antivirus92:
if there is, it means they borrowed it from the east

They didn’t. We share the thing in common.

agadez007:
Oga
Stop arguing what you know nothing about

How about you stop saying what you don’t know? Ogiri’s used in certain parts of Yorubaland as well as in northern igboland and that’s a hard fact. Either prove me wrong or shut up.