₦airaland Forum

Bkayyy:
You mean Old Eastern region that was created by the white man?
My brother wake up and smell the coffee. Don't carry this brotherly attitude with you when dealing with an Ikwerre or Ika person, because they will kill you without hesitation. They hate Ndigbo more than the uneducated Fulani

Force marriages hardly last long, it's better people willingly buy into group classifications than being forced. Today, most people from different nations wants to move to America or western europe to become their citizens compared to moving to any other nation. These people often celebrate their citizenships in these abducted nations with prides.

It's not every tribes that are happy to be identified as Yoruba today were once classified as Yorubas but these tribes such as the Ijebus are very happy to be part of the larger Yoruba conglomerate. On the other hand, the Yorubas will want to have the Benins as part of the Yoruba nation but the Benin/Edo are too well established in history and sees itself as the father of all to want to be a part of any tribe.

Igbo should rather deploy their energy and talent towards building a nation everyone will be proud to be part of rather than this force marriages of claiming tribes that are not interested in being Igbo.

Igbos help to build others cities such as Lagos and Abuja that everyone wants to run to and associate with but you can not find any city in the east comparable to PH and you want the indigines of PH to be proud to be Igbo. You have to be a great nation to claim others or for others to claim you. The Igbo should first work on her greatness.

Whilst Igbo/Biafra is fixated on claiming Ikwerre by fire by force, there are still Igbos in the east that claims Benin, Igala, Idoma and other ancestry.

Afam4eva:
The difference is that unlike the Itsekiri, the Ikwerre and other Igboid groups vehemently and forcefuly reject any link with the larger Igbo group. This even makes Igbos push harder and harder. That's not to say that all Itsekiris claim Yoruba. Infact, most of them do not but even those that do, do it in a subtle manner.

Force marriages hardly last long, it's better people buy into group classifications than being forced. Today, most people from different nations wants to move to America or western europe to become their citizens compared to moving to any other nation. These people often celebrate their citizenships in these abducted nations with prides.

It's not every tribes that are happy to be identified as Yoruba today were once classified as Yorubas but these tribes such as the Ijebus are very happy to be part of the larger Yoruba conglomerate. On the other hand, the Yorubas will want to have the Benins as part of the Yoruba nation but the Benin/Edo are too well established in history and sees itself as the father of all to want to be a part of any tribe.

Igbo should rather deploy their energy and talent towards building a nation everyone will be proud to be part of rather than this force marriages of claiming tribes that are not interested in being Igbo.

Igbos help to build others cities such as Lagos and Abuja that everyone wants to run to and associate with but you can not find any city in the east comparable to PH and you want the indigines of PH to be proud to be Igbo. You have to be a great nation to claim others or for others to claim you. The Igbo should first work on her greatness.

Whilst Igbo/Biafra is fixated on claiming Ikwerre by fire by force, there are still Igbos in the east that claims Benin, Igala, Idoma and other ancestry.

South East Governors reject Kanu and his IPOB.

"IPOB Trying To Cause Another Civil War..." - Southeast Govs.

Governors from the Southeast rose from a crucial meeting with their Rivers counterparts, Nyesom Wike on Sunday night with a warning to Igbo people, especially owners of businesses to beware of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The Governors were led to the meeting, which held in Government House, Port Harcourt by the Chairman of the Southeast Governors’ Forum David Umahi of Ebonyi.

The President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, led other prominent members of the socio-cultural group to the meeting convened following the bloodletting allegedly committed by IPOB members under the guise of #EndSARS protests.

Umahi warned Igbos to be wary of IPOB, saying the outlawed group was trying to instigate another civil war.

He said they were in Rivers to ascertain the veracity of the reports circulating in the social media over alleged killing of Igbo people in the state.

He, however, said they found out the the claims Igbos were being killed in Rivers were false.

Umahi said after listening to Wike’s narration of the atrocious activities of IPOB in Oyigbo that culminated in the imposition of curfew in the entire Local Government, it became imperative for Igbos to distance themselves from IPOB.

The Governor said he found it nauseating that IPOB could go to Benue and Rivers State to hoist its flag and claim the territories belong to the Igbo people.

He said Igbo leadership were opposed to the stance by IPOB.

Umahi, who revealed that he had huge investment in Rivers, urged Igbos living in the State to respect the Government and people of Rivers to continue living and doing business peacefully.

Nwodo said the meeting reinforced the existing affinity between Igbos and the people of Niger Delta.

He described Wike as a champion of restructuring of Nigeria and a man who loved justice.

He explained the leadership of Igbos could not remain aloof while some misguided few, who did not experience the brutal reality of the last civil war continue to fan the ember of disunity.

Nwodo said he was elated to hear from Igbo leaders that under the leadership of Wike Igbo businesses had continued to thrive.

Former Rivers Governor, Dr Peter Odili, lauded the Igbo leaders for the peace initiative and decision to visit Wike.

He stated that every Governor desires peace to govern adding that Wike was not an exception.

He stressed that Rivers residents endorsed every measure taken by Governor Wike to ensure lasting peace in the state.

Wike declared the state would continue to be home to people of the Igbo Ethnic Nationality.

The Governor said in the wake of the Oyigbo crisis, people peddled the rumour that he was chasing Igbos out of Rivers, saying it was not true because the state had an enduring relationship with the Igbos.

He said: “Tell your people, Rivers people will continue to live together with Igbos. Don’t allow your sons to tell you lies. Igbos are innovative and hardworking. There can’t be Nigeria without Igbos. Nobody should take them for granted. But that doesn’t mean you must allow criminals to spoil your name.

“If I hate Igbos, I won’t appoint your son into my state cabinet two times. But you have to obey rules. Don’t allow criminals to dictate to you”.

Present at the meeting were Abia Governor Okezie Ikpeazu; Deputy Anambra Governor Nkem Okeke, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.

Other dignitaries are: Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Mrs. Ipalibo Harry Banigo; former Governor of Rivers State, Sir Celestine Omehia; the chairman of Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and Amanayanabo of Opobo, King Dandeson Douglas Jaja and National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus, among others.

...BEFORE THE FIRST GUN SHUT...
The Hike in the Prices of Food Items in the Eastern Markets is another Call for The Easterners to look downwards. It is rather disheartening that after 50 Years of Civil War, the Igbos are yet to learn the Bitter Lesson of Food Scarcity. It is foolishness to brag that Igbos own half of Lagos, and developed the Whole of Abuja; while the shocking reality is that on the first gun shut, you would see that Igbos are empty and destitute.

How can you brag of welfare with an empty stomach? How can you count your three storey buildings with out a yam barn? How can you boast of international markets without a Plantain Plantation? Igbos are once again doomed! It is not enough to know China and Malaysia; would you also import ginger, garlic, tomatoes, cocoyam, "Cocaine " onions, to mention but a few- yet our lands are arable and richly fertile. Yet we are blessed with rainfall; in and out of seasons our lands produce water!

Starvation, yes, starvation would always conquer us. Which ever war we decide to embark on, be it in the battle field or on the negotiations tables Starvation would always crumble our Storey Buildings and Loot our International Markets, if we don't look downwards now. How many billions does the CBN release each year as agricultural grants? How many of the billions come down to the East? Why because they know we have no farms. Such money in the hands of a supposed Easterner Farmer finds its way to China the next Moment and finds its way back in 40feet Container as Processed Artificial Tin Tomatoes and Plastic Rice.

Igbos, how could you leave your kitchen affairs in the hands of your rivals? How do you wear fine clothes; live in Fine Houses; drive beautiful cars; speak good English and yet BEG for FOOD? Yet you all claim to Be Jews. Jews Don't Eat from Gentiles, Jews Grow their Foods. Jews are not Just Military Super Power; Jews Are Food Sufficient- Agro-Gaints.

I call on every Igbo Man to look downwards. I call on our Igbo Governors: both drunken ones and Onugbo Soup loving ones, to the Lover Zaddies ones, to look downwards. I call on Ohaneze Ndi Igbo to truly reflect on Igbos interests and incite that.

I call on Mazi Nnamdi KANU to encourage every IPOB member to own a Farm Land, it is not enough to call for the boycott of Fulani cows; you can't survive without their beans, funny enough even your Akidi comes plenty from them.

I call on our various Market Unions in Igbo Land to Own A Farm. Invest in Agro Power. Invest in Being Food Sufficient. Otherwise, We All Lose the War Before the First Gun Shut; even while still at Peace We Would Surrender Again to Starvation!

Eziafa Charisma #DikeNaAfaYa

Copie

davidnazee:
You forget that no Yoruba tales by moonlight is complete or sweet without the mighty Benin Kingdom included in it.
Truth is Ogedengbe was actually a bandit and he did venture into Benin territory but he fled when he heard the a small contingent of Benin soldiers were marching towards him to capture him.

He was never appeased. It was even his fighters that advised him to flee or be killed. They reminded him that Benin have never been and cannot be defeated in battle.
Yes Benin trained Yoruba fighters during the kiriji wars and also fought for them against Ibadan.

You should know by now that must of these posts by our Yoruba brothers/sisters wouldn't go behold one page without they looking for ways to smuggle Benin into their stories. Infusing Benin into their tales excites and give them erections. Watch and see how this post grows into several pages in no time. It's an art the Igbos have not quite mastered, that is why you hardly see much about Igbo history being debated like Yoruba on nairaland.

Ossiomo Power Plant 24-hour electricity supply to Ogbemudia stadium’ll extend to neighbouring homes, businesses, others

The 55MW CCETC-Ossiomo Independent Power Plant in Edo State, which commenced power supply on Wednesday with the lighting up of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, will have its services extended to supply 24-hour electricity to residential homes, offices and businesses within the stadium vicinity.

Managing Director of the plant, Dr. Uwa Igiehon, gave the assurance while test running the lighting of facilities within the perimeters and inside the main bowl of the newly reconstructed Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City.

Igiehon disclosed that the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium would henceforth enjoy 24-hour power supply, which will be extended to all homes and businesses around the facility.

According to him, “We have the 33KV line running from Ologbo to Palm House. That is about 33 kilometers of distance from Palm House to the stadium. It is a complete circuit and everything has been designed to run for 24/7.

“The state government has done a fantastic job by installing a 2.5KVA transformer in the stadium and I expect that this power will be extended to all the residential homes and commercial offices around the stadium.”

“The same should apply to the 11KV line by the state secretariat; all the houses and commercial entities around the roads should be powered up; we are connecting some new locations already,” he added.

Commending the Obaseki-led state government for the feat, Igiehon noted: "One of the things that Governor Godwin Obaseki has done continuously is to put everything on an economic path. Economics is a science and having power is critical to having industries. I am sure that with the 24/7 power at the main bowl, it's going to attract a lot of socio-economic activities that will boost the economy of the state.

“My primary objective is to make sure that we do not only provide power but provide it on a sustainable and affordable basis. The difference between the tariff that we are supplying our power and the cost of using a generator is vast. So, it's important, particularly for industries that power is supplied at a rate that is affordable.”

The Managing Director described the relationship between the firm and the state government, which led to the execution of the ongoing project, as a fantastic model, adding "there has never been a time when we needed the input of the state government and were denied such support.”

IDENNAA:
You guys make a lot of noise forgetting you have no political might. Just a fetish short man you fear. Comparing Igbo to Bini is an insult and you know it. Only Agbor can run over you guys not even all Anioma.

Again ,stay in your lane! If you Bini cockroaches keep trying to disrespect your fathers we will brutalize you. Stay in your little village and worship your king. Don't come to Igbo thread and show your insolence.

We Igbos are not scared of any humans that's why we don't practice monarchy...we are Republicans by structure and nature. Every man is a king in our land. We are travellers and businessmen. We are the only ones fighting for secession and restructuring and you call us cowards....lmao

Abeg, run

When will the Igbos stop trying to deceive people with the we are Republicans and every man is a king nonsense. Are the OSU in Igbo land historically kings or descendants of slaves? You claim to be Republicans that respect the rights of all, yet you practice a repugnant caste system that denigrate your fellow Igbos. You already practice segregation within Igbo land now that you are part of Nigeria, what will happen to your lower castes when you get your Biafra.

The truth is the Igbos were not civilised enough in the past to evolve a centralised system of governance. They killed and sold themselves into slavery with no law and order system or structure in place. It was foreign monarchs such as the Obi of Onitsha from more civilised lands that brought civilisation and sense of order to Igbo land.

There was a story here on nairaland on how two Igbo lovers took sniper and killed themselves because one of the families wouldn't allow their child to marry the other who was an OSU. The division within Igbo is more than the one within Nigeria, give them their Biafra tomorrow and see how they will start killing each others.

Below is the link to the Igbo lovers that killed themselves due to Igbo OSU slave system.

https://www.nairaland.com/6097467/2-lovers-okija-anambra-commit#93563370

Dartilo:
Don't mind d above guy,if he claim oranmiyan started d benin ruling house,den ask him where is oduduwa from the father of oranmiyan is from Benin,so how did den started d ruling house since oranmiyan is indigenous

Even if the Yoruba refuses to accept Oduduwa being Benin originally, that is if he existed in the first place. They accept that Oduduwa is a foreigner from Saudi Arabia which will then make the Oba of Benin ancestry Saudi Arabian because according to Yoruba history, Oduduwa wasn't a Yoruba man, so either way you look at it, the Oba of Benin can't be said to be a Yoruba man. The word Yoruba didn't even exist then.

IDENNAA:
No peace for the wicked...Igbo must drive some people crazy. Come and practice Bini culture in Onicha and change the nomenclature including Ogwugwu Udo , the most revered shrine in Onicha.

Come and celebrate Igue festival in Onicha.
Come and speak Bini in Onicha
Change all the names of Onicha ancestor that migrated from the so called Bini including Ezechima, Chimaevi, Chimedie , Oreze etc..

Start with changing these ancient Igbo names to Bini names......rubbish

It may interest you to know that the Onitsha people left Udo town in old Benin empire during the reign of Oba Esigie. Udo used to be a powerful and a rival town to the capital of the empire, Benin City, the Onitsha people took along with them the ugwugwu Udo shrine to their present location. Benin/Onicha connection is irrefutable. Udo lost her relevance and power to Benin City when prince Aruan lost the battle to succeed his father to his younger brother whose birth was announced first to the Palace. His younger brother became Oba Esigie. It was during the war between Benin city and Udo, the Onitsha people left Benin. Udo town is one of the oldest town in Edo state.

Prince Aruan is also known as Aruan N' Okemezi because of his great physical strength.

The Benin, Idah war which the Portuguese witnessed and documented happened during the reign of Oba Esigie.

The Nigeria FESTAC mask which the Attah of Igala wears around his neck is a commemorative pendant to honour queen Idia, mother of Oba Esigie for the role she played to ensure Benin victory over Idah. She is remembered as the first Benin female military general to lead a troop into the battlefields. She also played a great role to ensure her son, though junior to Aruan by few hours was crowned the Oba.

The traditional title, Agboghidi of Obi of Onitsha is synonymous with another old Benin town Ugo.
Agboghidi was a great Duke that reigned in Ugo. The word Eze is also not synonymous with Igbo alone. There is a family in Benin who goes by the morning greetings Lavi-Eze, meaning greetings to the children of Eze.

The names Udo, Ugo, Agboghidi and Eze are all ancient Benin names. Igbo itself is a relatively new word or name.

Your reverse migration theory is also untrue because the people that left Benin are those that named their current location Onitcha and according to Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe's grandmother the word Onitcha means those that despise others because of their Benin royal blood. If they had simply returned back home there would have been no need to despise their Igbo people they left behind.

A variant of Benin culture is already being practiced by the Obi of Onitcha. The Obi's traditional title/name, traditional insignia or staff of office, some of his chiefs titles and name of their most revered shrine are all of Benin origin.

Igbo four market days was also copied from old Benin empire.

bigfrancis21:
Totally untrue. Are you aware that just 100 years ago, the Irish, French, Jews etc were not considered ‘white’ in America but only the English people? But today they are all classified as white people? Even North Africans from Egypt, Morocco etc are considered white in America? Irish and French descendants in America know that they are migrants to the land and do not drag the entire America along in some division tirade as some of these migrants in Igboland do. An Ika person of Bini ancestry should not drag the entire Ika along in his division charade. Similar to an Igala migrant in Anambra.

My point is, cherish your history but your identity today matters.

Who amongst those that initially considered themselves whites in America are native Americans? None. Apart from the native red Indians, everyone else is an immigrant in America. The English are not natives to America, so they can't claim to be more Americans than others, the only reason they appropriated America to themselves in the past was due to the power and influence they had as British empire. Today, the empire is no more and all America immigrants of European descent are considered equal. When the blacks come of age, they will enjoy the same rights and privileges as white Americans.

Today, America is a melting pot of all nationalities and only the minority native Americans can claim to be aborigines, no one else. Those that believe that their ancestors are aborigines in Igbo land can stake their claims in their respective villages and towns and also respect the rights of those towns and villages which have different histories of origin.

The guy Michlin has simply tell the history of his Nssuka subgroup the way he knows it and none of you that have disagreed with his history have stated that you are from the same town or village, some of you are even from a different state and arguing with the guy about his history. He even challenged you guys to come to the Palace of his traditional ruler for verification.

I believe your last point is exactly what these guys tracing their historical pasts are doing, I haven't heard any of them denied being Igbo or their Igbo identity.

The Yoruba have increasingly been disrespecting their monarchs of late. The stories and accusations of how a popular Yoruba musician slept and impregnated one of Alaafin younger wife is all over social media. The Ooni have been severally disrespected in public by the Yorubas, the recent being Tinubu's failure to stand up from his chair to greet the Ooni properly and respectfully, a culture the Yorubas are known for.

Now the desecration of the Palace of Oba of Lagos.

bigfrancis21:
@bold...yes of course I agree and I have never ever doubted that some Nsukkas have Igala ancestry. I spent 6 years in Nsukka land and once in a while you'll come across some Nsukka people that physically look just different from the typical range of Igbo physical looks. Yes, some Igala people settled in Nsukka land, just as some Bini people settled around the fringes of Western Igboland, however, this does not change the narrative and history of the host town. We all come from somewhere but your identity today is what identifies you, not what you were 300 years ago.

Igboland in the past seemed to have accommodated substantial migrants and runaways from other tribes versus the opposite and what has not been studied yet is why was this so? What seemed attractive about the Igbo-speaking area that many fleeing members from other tribes headed east whenever they were escaping danger or persecution? Descendants of Igala, Yoruba (Odiani in Delta state), Bini/Esan etc. can all be found in Igboland and one thing is generally common among these migrants - they were fleeing the anger or persecution of a certain ruling king. Did the migrating forefathers find the Igbo republican system of government (plus the greater freedom that comes with it) more attractive vs the more restrictive system of a central ruler-ship that they were fleeing from? Or were there more arable soil and agricultural opportunities in this area (which would make them economic migrants, no different from Nigerians migrating to the west for better economic opportunities) that they were hoping to benefit from? Whatever the reason for migration was, these migrants were most often welcome, given lands to settle in, the male migrants most likely married females from their host community and their next generation were definitely native or bilingual speakers of the language of their host community. With time, these first and second generation migrants sought to blend in socially and culturally into their host community and having a strong grasp of the language of their host community was key to getting recognized as members of 'son of the soil' (this can be likened to how most migrants applying for citizenship in several foreign countries - Germany, US, France, Spain etc., have to demonstrate fluency in the country's language to be accorded citizenship, but being able to speak the country's official language should never stop the migrant from speaking their own native language or passing it on to their children). It is clear to us all that ancient Igboland never participated in land or language expansionist regimes, thus anyone who adopted Igbo as their native language did so willingly or out of social adaptation. Igbo was hardly ever forced down on others to be spoken. With time, the migrant population grew to be recognized as a village of theirs, often taking on the 'umuxyz' prefix in harmony with their host community. Whenever a few migrants or in the hundreds migrated across linguistic borders, they always had to blend into the language and culture of their host community, and never the reverse.

I came across an article on the Nsukka Asadu history and how the Igala influence in Nsukka may have been blown out of proportion than necessary.

Speaking of cultural exchange, there's actually more Igbo influence on the Igala than there is Igala on the Igbo but the former is hardly ever spoken about.

You stated that there are people who migrated into Igbo land from other places for various reasons in the past, why then the hostility towards their descendants whenever they tell the history of their forefathers. These people are not saying they are not Igbos but the mere fact that they mention that their forebears originally came from somewhere else elicits resentment and hate from those who want to create the falsehood and fallacy of pure Igbo race akin to Nazi aryan race.

USA is celebrated as a nation of migrants who came together to build the world's greatest nation. America celebrates the history of their diverse people, the fact that the Irish Americans identify with their Irish root and celebrate st. Patrick's day doesn't make them less Americans, same as Jewish and other Americans.

The history of a place is greatly enhanced and more exciting by the history of her various constituencies. Benin history is greatly enhanced and exciting because of the various branches that cut across Nigeria and beyond. The interaction with various ethnic groups over centuries greatly enhanced Benin history. The Benin people don't suffer inferiority complex or become uncomfortable when a fellow Benin person traces the origin of their forefathers to Akure or Anioma like the Obasekis.

Igbo people must acknowledge, embrace and celebrate your diverse history and stop calling fellow Igbos like yourselves settlers. This is one reason people are not too comfortable with the Biafra agitation.

The Benin, Igala and other ethnic branches of Igbo history should be celebrated and shouldn't be seen as a threat to the Biafra master Igbo race project.

https://www.facebook.com/672482079562653/posts/2309754085835436/?sfnsn=scwspwa


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0yN22ZExDI

Four confederation units, North (Arewa), South South (Braced), South West (Oduduwa) and South East (Biafra) are gradually emerging.

RedboneSmith:
Why must you guys always interject Biafra into every discussion?

Here I was, thinking we were discussing claims of ancestry, and how some (not all) who claim Benin ancestry manufactured that claim in relatively recent times, and next thing you're talking Biafra and all this verbosity that has nothing to do with what I was saying.

Maybe you should tell us why some people that claim Benin ancestry today should manufacture such claim.

Juliusmalema:
Mr stay and manage your Bini in Edo state.

You never even get Esan, Ijaws there or even far auchi come dey throw leg outside.

nawa ooo

You seems not to fully understand what the debate is about, otherwise you would have realised that it is not Benin that is making the claims but others are the ones claiming Benin ancestry.

Zik's book was not written by a Benin man or historian but Zik himself. Benin didn't claim Zik and others, it's the other way round, what we are doing is simply acknowledging their claims which they are perfectly entitled to, none of us were around when the said migrations out of Benin took place.

Those currently living in Benin doesn't have the right to deny others claim of Benin ancestry. Those that are claiming Benin ancestry are all welcome because they are not forced to do so.

RedboneSmith:
I have said this before, and I will keep saying it. Not every community that claims Benin origin today was making that claim 70 years ago or more. People don't understand that oral tradition is for ever changing in response to the changing political atmosphere.

Benin people on this forum never get tired of quoting Zik's autobiography (written in the 1970s) where he talks about his link to Eze Chima and Eze Chima's blood relationship to the Benin Royal House. I have shown several times that this same Zik wrote a paper about Onitsha in the 1930s (40 years earlier) where he said that Chima came from a kindgom which was a neighboring kingdom to Benin, and not from Benin itself. Of course, I was ignored on the occasions where I raised this point, and Benin people have continued to quote Zik's latter autobiography, as if it was the Holy Scriptures.

As with Onitsha as with Ekpeye. The earlier collected traditions of the Ekpeye people did not reference Benin as a point of origin. I won't say further, but will rather share a screenshot from a book on the peoples of Rivers State written and edited by scholars of Rivers State. Note what one of the writers of the book has to say about what an Ogba historian wrote about Akalaka, the reputed ancestor of the Ekpeye and the Ogba (called Kraka by the Ogba people) in the 1940s or so.

How many of the tribes and communities the Igbos are trying to annexed as part of their new Biafra see themselves as Igbo 70 years ago or even today, 70 years ago, the Igbos would have see these people as best as efulefu or second class Igbos. You can not divorce history from the politics of the time. History or historical accounts could be used to unite, elevate or subjugate people.

How much of what you are made to believe today as the truth is actually true. In case you are not aware, there is actually a school of thought that argues that the story of the virgin birth of Jesus christ was fabricated by those that gave us christianity and the bible, today, Rome and Israel are reaping the benefits from tourism. These scholars pointed as evidence to the similarities and almost replica stories of the virgin birth of other religions prophets (Egyptian Horus and Indian Buddha) before christ.

Zik had his reasons for making revision to his earlier writeup about the history of Onitsha. Zik is not the first to do so, most later days Yoruba historians hardly agree with Johnson and Law earlier history of the Yoruba nation.

Benin classical historical past has made Benin a historical reference point in Nigeria and this is so because it was documented for hundreds of years by various Europeans that visited Benin.

What Zik did by writing his Onitsha people and by extension the Obi of Onitsha into the heart of Benin history is no different from what the Yoruba did with the Benin/Ife connection history. Benin allow people to date what would have merely be ora history. The Obi of Onitsha can date when the Onitsha throne started by referencing the history of Benin, this gives him authenticity, legitimacy and supremacy amongst his peers in the south east.

Similarly, Ife written history without Benin is less than 150 years old, the rest of her history is shrouded in unsubstantiated ora history, by cleverly connecting it with Benin, the Yorubas can use Benin to date Oduduwa and Ife to atleast the 1100s AD. As more and more communities realise the importance of history, more connections will be made and there is nothing wrong with this if it leads to unity.

The Ife cradle of Yoruba nation history or myth have now united the various tribes of Yoruba that use to kill themselves in past as one people from one ancestor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDYNOtk3xqg

Igboid:
Benin was like Roman empire. It was never an ethnicity. It was a nationality.
Bini was just one of the many ethnic groups in Benin and on whose land the capital city was built.
For example, Apostle Paul was a Roman citizen, but he was Jewish by ethnicity.

The distinction line between Benin as a nationality made up Bini, Ijaw, Igbo, Yoruba components, and Bini as just a small ethnic group on his land Benin was built on, has been blurred by you Bini revisionists in your land grab and have subsequently made migration stories of Igbo, Yoruba , Ijaw, etc speaking groups in Igbo land (Enuani), Yorubaland(Owo, Oba Lagos), Ijaw(Nembe) appear irrational when it is actually rational once one separate Benin from Bini and establish the existence of Igboid, Ijawoid and Yoruboid people as integral components of Benin empire.

And that it is from these components that reverse migration back to their aboriginal lands happened on a latter date when Benin was no longer safe for them.

There is clear distinction between story telling and history. In story telling, you are not required to provide any evidence, but for history, some level of evidence is required for any serious minded person to take you serious.

What evidence do you have to back up your claim that these various tribes that claim Benin ancestry reversed migrated out of Benin and they were not original inhabitants and indigines who mixed and acquired new culture and languages as they left Benin for whatever reasons. You have no evidence other than the idea appeal to you and makes you feel good. Neither you or I was there when these migrations took place and with nothing written or documented, we should allow the people themselves to tell their history.

Benin history acknowledges those that came from far and near to help build the empire, the Obaseki family is one of such families. Unless the people and tribes across Nigeria that claim Benin ancestry themselves say they reverse migrated out of Benin, it's not in your place to force such story on them.

In Africa, we generally agree that our monarchs are the custodians of the history of their various tribes and people. So the monarchs are in better positions to state were their people come from, if the Obi of Onitsha says his people reverse migrated from Benin (not that I have heard him say so), we should respect his version of his people's history because people have the right to determine who they are or wish to be.

Such respect must also be extended to other monarchs such as the Benin monarch and his version of the Benin/Ife connection that says that Oduduwa was a Benin prince and the son of the last Ogiso of the first Benin monarchical dynasty. The Benin version of Oduduwa says, he was a Benin prince that was banished and took with him to Ife, Benin civilisation.

The Yoruba version of Oduduwa says he came from Mecca in Saudi Arabia just the way some Igbos believe they are Jews.

Benin is the only place in Nigeria that links histories of various people of the south and north of this country, it's the most important ancient city that most monarchs traces their history to.

Those monarchs such as the Oba of Lagos, Olu of Warri, Obi of iselu-uku etc that claims Benin ancestry and not the revisionist reverse migration story you are telling must be allowed to tell their history in peace.

Unfortunately for most of you guys, Benin history is too well established and too well documented by the various Europeans that visited for over 600 years for it to be replaced with your wishful thinking and revisionist story telling. Your story telling can only make you and others like you feel a bit better but will not change Benin history.

Those that believe that they reverse migrated back home, good for them, but those such as the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, the first president of Nigeria, the Owelle of Onitsha and Zik of Africa that believe that their ancestors were of the Benin royal household should also be respected, even your leader, Nnamdi Kanu's Jewish ancestry claim should also be respected.

On a final note, the Europeans who documented Benin history as independent eyewitnesses wrote nothing about the Benin/Ife connection for the first 400 years of documenting Benin history.

In contemporary Nigeria the Benin/Ife connection history or story is of mutual political benefit to both the Oba of Benin and all the Yoruba Obas that cherished such a connection.

Today, Benin history is tied to the west, east, south and northern Nigeria. Even you have to concede that there was once a Benin empire. Some of your likes can't even swallow this basic fact of history.

RedboneSmith:
Igboid has a point.

Calling Ekpeye Edoid is as irrational as calling the Isoko clan of Igbide Igboid. Or the Delta town of Oko Yoruboid.

Scholars use terms like Edoid, Yoruboid, Igboid in a linguistic sense.

Using Edoid for a group whose connection to Benin is oral tradition and not linguistics is not scholarly. No scholar who knows what he's doing will use a term that is linguistic in that sense.

Ekpeye is Igboid.

Igboid and Yoruboid are all new terminology linguistically speaking. The people grouped together under a political umbrella called Yoruba are actually of different tribes and languages. Yoruba is a recent name for group of different tribes that speak the Oyo dialect.

Similarly America people of today are people of different European tribes, English, French, German, Greek etc that speak the English language.

The Igbo experiment was also supposed to bring together different tribes and make them speak a common central Igbo language but the civil war dealt a very serious blow to the Igbo project. If the Igbos had worn the war or if the war was avoided, perhaps the Igbo project would have extended behold the present landlocked south east which is about the same size of Edo and Delta.

The people themselves are those that should determine if they want to be Igboid or not. Very few in the south south region see themselves as Igboid. The Americans (new people formed from different tribes) see themselves as Americans because they are comfortable with it, it wasn't foisted on them.

As for now, those that are comfortable to be regarded as Yoruba are found in the south west of Nigeria and the Igbos are confined to the South east, the south south should be left out of the Igbo Biafra project. The people of south south are not comfortable with the Igbo project.

Igboid:
What are you talking about? Why are you Bini people this dubious.
USA is a land of migrants that was once under British colonialism.
How can you compare it to aboriginal community in Nigeria like Ekpeye?

SMH!

What is wrong with you guys?

You present day Igbos are very funny, so Ekpeye are now also returnee Igbos from Benin like you spin the Onitsha people's history.

You forget that the Igbos as we know them today, didn't exist in the 1400s to 1500s when these people were said to have migrated from Benin.

The word Igbo didn't even exit in the late 1700s, otherwise Oluadah Equiano would of mentioned it in his book.

baby124:
Oba Akiolu’s ancestor is from Ile Ife! A chief priest. The families who had a Benin ancestral link are still fighting to be recognized.

Oba Akiolu's ancestor was from Benin. Hear it directly from him below.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvaiC_djW8o

Another great piece from Ugo Egbujo. Corruption by nigerian leaders has been at the centre of Nigeria's inability to make any meaningful progress.

It started from the beginning. Our corruption.

By 1956 Zik was already manipulating ACB for private gains.

The Sutton inquiry indicted him. ACB ran aground. He was let off because the colonialists liked the idea of NCNC, the only national party at the time.

And Zik was its backbone.

By 1962, Awolowo had been indicted for corruption by the Coker commission.

In 1954 the western regional marketing board was rich. Had 6.5 million pounds in its kitty. By 1962, Awolowo had run it aground and it was living on over drafts.

By 1965 , Tafawa Balewa was superintending a looting of the treasury at an industrial scale. His ministers lived flambouyantly. Politics was for personal profit. Tafawa Balewa was comfortable with grotesque corruption.

And I guess the press didnt care so much about the North. So Sarduana's hidden personal sins could only be seen in the relative manifest backwardness of his people.

By 1965, Chinua Achebe had already branded Nigerian politics a huge joke. His book - A Man of the People - captured the comedy , and prophesied a coup.

By 1976, Murtala had dislodged Gowon.

Gowon's government had needed 3 million tons of cement but it imported 16 million tons. And clogged the country with useless cement.
The nation bled billions of dollars in today's money.

Gowon had 12 military governors . 10 of them were found guilty of corruption!

Our past was bad. The founding fathers were not free of corruption.

Ghana, Zaire, Kenya, all same experience.

Africa must rethink their democracy.

We must find a hybrid that will work for us. Western democracy is not a good fit for Africa

Ugo Egbujo.

THIS IS A PROPHESY ALMOST FULFILLED! THE DIVISION HAS BECOME MORE AND MORE PRONOUNCED WITH NO SOLUTION IN SIGHT.

*����FLASHBACK: Dead On Arrival����*
.
.
*Editorial on Nigeria*
*(62 years ago)*

*The Time Magazine 10th November 1958*

*INDEPENDENCE WITHOUT DIFFICULTIES IS A DREAM OF UTOPIA.*

*For one month, delighted Londoners watched the 80 ceremonially dressed Nigerians—some with necklaces of animal teeth, others with feathered straw hats, at least one with a jeweled crown—parade into Lancaster House for their historic conference.*

*Everything possible had been done to make them feel at home.*

*For the Colonial Office's big reception at the Tate Gallery, all nude statues were carefully screened so as not to offend Moslems. The Lord Mayor served up a banquet of stewed peanuts, and one paramount Chief—His Highness James Okosi II of the Onitsha —fulfilled a lifelong ambition: to ride the escalator at the Charing Cross underground station.[?]*

*In the end, the Nigerians got what they had come for: on Oct. 1, 1960, the largest (373,250 sq. mi.) of Britain's remaining colonial territories would get its independence (TIME. Nov. 3). But behind the scenes the conference had revealed ominous signs of trouble to come.*

*From the start there was a clash between the personalities of the Premiers of the three regions —each obviously more important than the scholarly Federal Prime Minister, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.*

*In Western eyes, Obafemi Awolowo of the Western Region seemed the most statesmanlike: as the conference began, the London Times carried a full-page ad proclaiming his declaration for freedom under the title "This I Believe," prepared with the help of an American public relations man.*

*In contrast, U.S.-educated Premier Nnamdi ("Zik" Azikiwe of the Eastern Region seemed to have learned more in the U.S. about Tammany tactics than Thomas Jefferson, and was somewhat under a cloud as a result of a British tribunal's 1956 investigation into corruption in his administration.*

*The North's Premier, the Sardauna of Sokoto, a haughty Moslem of noble birth, could barely conceal his contempt for his less aristocratic colleagues.*

*Insults & Accusations. Under the great chandeliers of the Lancaster House music room, where Chopin once played for Queen Victoria, the Premiers bickered, shot insults back and forth like poisoned darts.*

*When the conference took up the ticklish problem of how to protect the rights of minorities among Nigeria's 250 tribes, Awolowo suggested creating three new states. The North's Sardauna, not wishing to relinquish any of his own territory, vetoed the idea. Nor did he like the plan for a centralized police force under the federal government: he much preferred to use his own force, which, answerable only to him, can pop a man in jail with no questions asked.*

*At one point, the Sardauna accused Awolowo of sending his supporters to Israel to be trained as saboteurs in the North —a charge fabricated out of the fact that Western Nigeria has imported agricultural experts from Israel to advise its farmers. Awolowo countercharged that the Sardauna flogs his prisoners.*

*At receptions the delegates sipped their orange juice, icily aloof from one another. In elevators conversation would suddenly stop if a delegate from another region got on.*

*Compromises & Contests. But as the weeks passed, the Sardauna grudgingly consented to let the constitution carry a bill of rights, though he was so thoroughly opposed to giving the vote to women that the conference decided that this was, after all, not necessarily a "fundamental" right.*

*The delegates then agreed on a centralized police force, but one that would be administered by a council of representatives from each region. Finally, with their own independence from Britain assured (as well as that of the adjacent British Cameroons, should they choose to become a part of Nigeria), the delegates started for home.*

*Until Nigeria's federal election takes place next year, the three Premiers will continue jockeying for power, and the fate of Nigeria could well hinge on who comes out on top. Last week, even as the National Planning Committee of Independence opened its contest for the design of a national flag (first prize: $300), many Nigerians had grave reservations about what lay ahead.*

*For all its jubilation, Nigeria's West African Pilot felt obliged to warn: "Independence without difficulties is a dream of Utopia."*

*-Time Magazine - Monday, Nov. 10, 1958*
.

IDENNAA:
Bini is relatively young and really didn't venture eastward for any war. You bought guns from Portuguese sailors and grew balls

Posted from Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe's Autobiography "My Odyssey"

Excerpt:
“One day I asked her (grandmother) the meaning of the word ‘Onitsha’. She explained that it had historical significance. The terminology meant one who despised another. It is a contraction of two words, Onini to despise, and Ncha meaning others. So that the two words when joined together mean one who despises others. Then I asked her why we despised others. She patted me on the back and told me that it was due to our aristocratic background and tradition. I insisted that she should explain to me the basis of this supercilious social attitude. She told me that we despised others because we descended from the Royal House of Benin and so regarded ourselves as the superiors of other tribes who had no royal blood in their veins, “

“I continued to belabor my grandmother to tell me more of the history and origins of the Onitsha people. She narrated that many many years ago, there lived at Idu (Benin) a great Oba who had many children. Due to a power struggle regarding the right of precedence among princes of the blood and other altercations, there was a civil war in Benin. One day, the supporters of one of the princes insulted and assaulted Queen Asije, the mother of of the Oba of Benin, who was accused of having trespassed on their farmland. Enraged at this evidence of indiscipline and lawlessness, the Oba ordered his war chief and brother, Gbunwala Asije to apprehend and punish the insurgents. In the attempt to penalise them, Chima, the ultimate founder of the Onitsha city-state, a prince of the blood in his own right, led the recalcitrants against his Uncle, Gbunwala. This intensified the civil war which rent the kingdom of Benin in two and led to the founding of Onitsha Ado N’Idu, , ” “As the great trek from Benin progressed, some did not have the stout heart of the pioneer-warrior, and decided to settle at different places, known today as Onitsha -Ugbo, Onitsha-Olona, Onitsha-Mili, Obior, Issele Ukwu, Ossomari, Aboh, etc.

” SOURCE – Nnamdi Azikiwe: My Odyssey, Chapter I (Spectrum Books, 1970) “My
Genealogy and Nativity” p 11 – 12

OfoIgbo:
The first picture is the current Attah of Igala. The second pic is an Eze Nri of Oraeri.

That image is not a Benin thing. It was issued by the ancient Eze Nris to kings within the Nri cultural sphere. Attahs of Igala received it from Eze Nri in Agukwu. Oba of Benin received it from the Eze Nri in Agukwu. The Eze Nri in Oraeri also received one, on their coronation.

According to archaeological finds, Oraeri is far older than Benin. Oraeri is perhaps the same age as (or possibly older than) Igodomigodo

Even your Igbo people will fall off their chairs with laughter if they are not careful after reading the gibberish you wrote.

The simple truth is that beyond fabricated stories, none of you (Yoruba and Igbo) can provide any evidence or cite any written historical documents of 150 years old that mentioned Nri, Ife, Yoruba and Igbo. These names and the stories attached to them as history can't be backed up by concrete evidence.

Benin has it's history documented for over 600 years.

Ancient maps show the area now referred to as Yoruba and Igbo land were under the old Benin kingdom not the other way round like you later day revisionist would want the world to believe. Unfortunately for you guys Benin history is too well documented for you to be able to change it.

Today's Igbo and Yoruba land were all under Benin kingdom, that is the simple truth, the truth can't be changed, history has documented it so. Learn to live with it.

davidnazee:
since you are so obsessed with ranking of kings, can you rank your Yoruba Oba with Obi of Onitsha, Sultan of Sokoto?

Such ranking will be interesting, what position will they place the Obi of Onitsha and Sultan of Sokoto? They will probably rang the Obi of Onitsha below some baale and Ewis.

AreaFada2:
You just summed up the politics of East & West attachment stories to Benin. Trying to use Benin to legitimise and boost their own history.

But unfortunately for them Benin history is so stubbornly unique, ancient, locally artistically documented and so early documented by Europeans. Long before others even saw a white man.

That is their eternal dilemma.

I hope Yoruba and Igbo will not one day fight over Benin City as the capital of their new empires like Italy has taken over what remained of the ancient Roman empire.

Both sides have been laying the foundations for decades. The latest claim by Nnamdi Kanu that the Benin throne is a product of an Igbo princess anda Yoruba prince is another stone being added to the foundation.

At the rate the Edo people are migrating to foreign countries, the Igbos and Yorubas that are filling these void may decides to take over the city in the future and claim her history for themselves.

The only luck is that ancient Benin history was well documented by early Europeans.

MelesZenawi:
I don't dabble in petty claims and kanu claims I term it petty but at same time binis should contain their histories in Edo state...that's all.


Anything outside that is full of lies.

The Benin is not the ones claiming Igbo but it's your present and future leader of Biafra Nnamdi Kanu that is claiming Edo for Igbo, he even claimed that the Oba of Benin is a product of a Yoruba prince and an Igbo princess.

MelesZenawi:
I don't listen to Nnamdi kanu neither am I in any of his social media pages.


But one thing is certain and clear, Igbos have no connective history with binis. Igodomigodo is a moonlight tale...and weak one at that.

History can't be erased in few years just as the case of Bini. I have in time past and now see binis answering Tunde, Olusegun, Akerele, Rotimi, Esan, Yemi same as Yorubas...this is history not tales. Bini has their king as oba likewise many Yoruba territories..the reason Bini is seen as yorubas...this is history not tales...Igbos has her kings as Obi/Igwe/Eze/Okpala-ukwu , names like Ifeanyi, obi, Ada, Ossai, osadebe and none of these are been answered by binis let alone Yorubas....then tell me where is the history or even the slightest rooted connectivity...


We should always say the truth at all times. Moreover from what I gathered the said kanu referred to esans and not binis...

Binis are Yorubas but Igbos history to Bini remains a made up story with no link but simply business trips and the rest.

There few points you don't get and I will explain.

1. How can Benin be part of Yoruba empire when Benin predates the word Yoruba. Yoruba like Igbo are names that are not up to 150 years old, whilst Benin has been recorded in history for over 600 years. If your argument is that Yoruba was part of the old Benin empire, you would have made a point. A son can not be older than his father. Historically, the name Benin is hundreds of year older than Igbo and Yoruba.

2. Nnamdi Kanu recognises the role ancient history or historical links play in the life of a nation. There is no great nation on earth today without a celebrated ancient historical link. America celebrates her link with Europe and modern China, Japan etc have ancient histories to celebrate. Even modern European countries celebrate their links with ancient Greek and Rome.

3. When the Yoruba elites decided to create a unified Yoruba race after centuries of different tribes killing each other, they created Ife as the cradle of their civilisation, they tried to link her to Saudi Arabia, when that failed, they tried Egypt, when there were no historical records to back it up, they came closer home to Benin, Ife history without Benin to support it is less than 150 years, this is why the link with Benin is very important to the Yoruba irrespective of what they say here on Nairaland.

4. The Igbos had the same problem of historical linkage to ancient civilisations, Zik understood this and came up with the Onitsha Benin historical link but modern Igbos like yourself who doesn't understand the significance of such links where upset with Zik. The Igbo try to link themselves to Israel but suffered the same faith as the Yoruba Saudi Arabia link because of lack of supporting historical documents. Nnamdi Kanu understand that a new Biafra needs such a link with a credible ancient civilisation and he is now following Zik's example of claiming Benin as an Igbo land. Igbo/Biafra without link to such ancient civilisations as Benin will be an historical paperweight.

4. Other developed nations make money from their ancient histories and historical sites, plus the prestige such history brings to the nation.

5. You said Nnamdi Kanu was referring to Esan and not Benin, you are naive if you think Esan and Benin are not the same people. There is no Esan town that was not founded by the Benins. The Esan are more closer to Benin than an Imo man to Anambra man yet you all refer to yourselves as Igbos while trying to make a distinction between Benin and Esan.