₦airaland Forum

Svlla:
I able to easily trace my ancestry to the 12th generation.
From Inyi (Inyi town) to Umuagu whose first son is Ogbo. Ogbo grandson is Ezechebereaku (my family full surname to this day) who also the great grandfather of my grandfather (Irengeneoka)

It's very easy for me as we are often told in family stories.

Ezechebereaku begat Ezechechike begat Irozuru begat Irengene Matthew (who happens to be the first with a man's name and also a Christian)

I just love this. Just check those names and compare with what we bear these days. My first ancestor with English name also had Igbo name, Ejiemeni. I've not even heard that name any other place in Ala Igbo.

michelz:
If you have traced your ancestry, I have just this advice for you:
Make sure you document it. Write it down somewhere. Histories can be lost if not well documented and can be revised. Document it, so that in future, there would be no ambiguity.

Thanks very much. I actually wrote it down 4 years ago. I think I'll update it after researching and consulting with my elders in the village before they all die. Thanks again.

BKayy:
That brings me to the question one elder asked one man quoting history of others that they come from one place or the other but maintained his own clan didn't come from any place.
It goes this way "onwe onye akọ na ala o puo Ome?" meaning, "is there anybody that was planted on the land and he germinated?"

What you just described is your people's modern history. I won't like to go deeper but one thing you have to keep in mind is that any history of a particular place in Igboland that starts with the man marrying one wife is a lie.

You're actually digressing...Where did I say may ancestors were monogamous. I made a calculation that the earliest ancestor must have lives around 1700s. Would monogamy have spawned 9 villages from one man in 300 years?

BKayy:
No doubt, there is always a first.
But there is a high chance that names we know today are not actually the first or even humans.
Most are a reference, probably to what the place or people are known for (attitude or otherwise) eg Obi Ekwensu, Nkerehi, Ámá enyi, ogbu n'abalị in Ikwerre Rivers state Etc.
All these things you see on Wikipedia or one old man will wake up and start counting imaginary children of one mystical man as the founders of the community is fallacy.

Igboland has been in continuous inhabitation for thousands of years. Carbon dating of things excavated from there confirms it.

The Funniest ones are those that quote 15 century, 16 etc on their town and ascribe it to a mystical founder but can't explain why there are towns with related names in their zone.

When we are ready to be truthful to ourselves, we will come to the understanding that Eri is not the founder of Igbo. He is an Igbo man like everybody else.

Culture, Customs and Language is not something that be formed in an instant but evolves to attain climax after hundreds or thousands or years. That climax is what we call distinct ethnicity. No matter how much you try to erode it, it will still miraculously survive because it took time to be formed.
Igbo is one of it. Probably the oldest in Nigeria.

Ancient Igbo people the whites met placed little importance in it because like they told the whites "Igbo dị omimi" Meaning "Igbo is a mystery"
Then the whites saw it as lack of Knowledge but today they no longer classify towns or ascribe their history to a particular man if it was not recorded and if it is will be noted that it was just the name.

Unless you're claiming that our ancestor lied. Before the whiteman came, Ndigbo or Ndi gboo had clear oral tradition that was passed from generation to generation. Father to children. This is what we are talking about not some research. For instance, if you go to my village, every knowledgeable person will give you the same history. Compare to Konta Kinte of Roots that his American descendants traced their ancestry to the Gambia using exactly the same family tree. If it is not applicable in your part of Igbo, do not think that this oral tradition died off in all Ala Igbo.

SlayerForever:
There's always a forefront founder.

Definitely. In my town one of the communities is named after some group of people that came later. Another one is simply named after the back of the town.



Yes. One's lineage may not necessarily start at the name of the town. I confess that was a bit naive from OP.

You are actually quite correct. Anyway, my definition of a town there isn't like Enugu or Nsukka, but a subset which some call community. I wasn't implying town in a modern sense but the fact the in the olden days, our collection of villages or clans were probably our idea of town. For clarity, let me say that villages in my community (ruled by a traditional ruler) comprise our clans. All these villages can trace their lineage to one man, Dioba. There are 9 villages representing the 9 sons of Dioba. Thia is the Dioba that was the first settler that I reckoned would have been born around 1700s. Of course my calculation is an estimate. Could be earlier.

BKayy:
Mr Scamhunter that is total fallacy. No village/community in Igboland is founded by one person.
In that your community, there are people you can marry and those you cannot.
Ask about your own lineage.

Don't be deceived by what you see on Wikipedia or from ignorant people that make things up just to compensate for their lack of history or knowledge about themselves as Igbo because their parents were busy licking white people's ass in the name of civilization.

We have gotten to the stage that an average Igbo man can recite up to the 10th ancestors of David in the Bible but doesn't know his Grand father's name talkless of great grand Father.

Thank God I am not in that category

Do not generalize. One, I did not learn anything I wrote there from any book, but oral tradition of my village when I was a boy. There was no phone or common internet access then.
Two, I cannot marry anyone from my village or clan because it is seen as incestuous. Everyone in my village, even old people would trace the same ancestry to a man called Dioba.
Three, I can even tell you of some things that some of these my ancestors did. One was jailed by whitemen when my village fought a war with another town and burnt down a house. Another older ancestor was shot with a gun but survived during precolonial days. Another was lost in a jungle and was escorted home by a wild dog. Oral tradition says that is the reason they do not eat that species of dog.
Four, we know those whose forefathers were migrants in my village. In fact, my village head said that even though we do not marry them now, that it is possible that it could happen in future since they are migrant from another Igbo town.

This has nothing to do with the whiteman or research.

nabiz:
I have done my family history genology to my 9th generation(this is both my father's and mother's linage).

I will increase it to 15th this xmas. Because of this I am traveling to my home town this year to get more questions from my elders

Could you mention a rare name that are no longer used these days that any of your ancestors bore.

This isn't politics but I'm curious. Someone made this comment that every Igbo can trace their ancestry to the founder of their town and I was surprised. I can actually trace my ancestry back 10 generations. I thought it is just my village and perhaps a few others that have this history. If you're Igbo, how far can you trace your ancestry? Bear in mind that the founder of the town must be the person that first settled there after deforesting even if it is a small portion in the jungle.

As an epilogue....what I have noticed is that the names precolonial Igbo bore are mostly different from the type of names we bear these days. For instance, one of my forefathers bore the name, Ulu. These days, Ulu would be a female name: the second daughter actually. Could you imagine an Igbo bearing a name like Ogbuinyinya (horse killer) these days? What about Nwanasoegebe? This means that Igbo were making guns before the whiteman came to these shores. Also, the first of my ancestors to have an English name must have been born around 1905 (an estimate). Finally, I think the first of my ancestors that know about must have been born around 1720s.

Tomorrow some nitwit would advocate that this one too just like Orji Uzor Kalu is fit to be president. You cannot pay salaries yet you call yourself a leader. These stupid politicians in Nigeria think politics is all about their lousy selves. No vision. Thieving lot.

A pity, You people still bury your heads in sand.

I like the way Nigerian police seems to have response for every situation. Already on their trail...

Stop posting rubbish. Nigerian tribes are hard wired to unite if the adversary is Ndigbo. Why do you think they were against Jonathan in 2015? They subconsciously linked him to Igbo because he wanted the best hands in his government who were incidentally Igbos. If you think Yoruba will consciously discard their jealousy and envy and desire Igbo progress, you're dreaming. Not even the threat of genocide from Fulani against them will make them do that. A people who denied their own who wanted to set them free for free food in Nigeria will not bat an eyelid to support Fulani against you for the same free food (crude oil).

The consensus for Igbo presidency come 2023 would not be as a result of threat but the fact that most Nigerians, Fulani inclusive are searching for exit valve and they're aware that Igbo is the solution if this country would survive another 5 years. They're all simply in a quandary knowing that it will take the Igbo magic touch to rescue Nigeria from precipice, not that they cannot unite against us. In fact, I see a consensus for all Igbo candidates in 2023, not out of love for Ndigbo but out of fear of living without Nigeria. What we have in Nigeria are mostly deeply insecure tribes who cannot dream independent existence the way NdiIgbo do.

We Igbo do not support bad things....A bad thing is a bad thing whether Orji Uzor Kalu or Tinubu. Say no to evil. The right president in 2023 should be an Igbo but definitely not this man. Peter Obi, Pius Anyim, Moghalu, Ogbonnaya Onu or even Umahi are better deals than these crooked people that have sold their souls to mammon.

Start brother. The genius elicits envy from others. That is the Igbo story

seunmsg:
Absolute rubbish. What would FG benefit from frustrating the Anambra election and blaming it on Kanu?
Some of these clowns really think too much of themselves. Every right thinking Nigerian knows that UGM, ESN and Biafra guard are all foot soldiers of IPOB. We know they are killing and causing violence in the south east to prevent the coming election. So, why blame the FG for what is obvious even to the blind? Delusion or self deceit?

What would Fulani benefit by taking over Kwara the way they have taken over Ilorin?

The fear of UGM

State sponsored terrorism

ThatFairGuy:
I'm cool, patiently waiting for whose Power pass between our gallant officers and Ipob Terrorists during the course of Anambra election

That's great. The military against just the IPOB in the East, while ragtag herdsmen send you on exile. Respect who respect is due na

Moferere:
Na where dem go meet their Waterloo be this

Keep dreaming...


No be only Wotaloo, add loo water

Hezzyluv:
How did we get here

By shouting Sai Baba

Vote Buhari...think Osibanjo

JimiJunji:
Don't we all think so? Op thinks that an Igbo presidency will better his life, you think that Yoruba presidency will do the same, northerners think that presidency is the edge the north has. The funny thing is the major people pushing this regional divides from both sides simply doing it out of their own self interest, they don't really care for any regional interests or any ideology and I know you this.

You are a truthful person. This is Africa and we are tribal. Yet we all should know the meaning of fairness.

All tribes have liars and Ndigbo are no exception. However, as we know, genuine Christians are among the few class of people that do not lie. However, in the traditional Igbo culture, there are people that are known as the custodians of tradition and truth. These are the Nze na Ozo. In the days of yore, the words of a titled man was never doubted. Acculturation has dealt sever blow on the African culture and Igbo is no exception.

An titled man was once called as a witness in court and asked to swear with the Bible. He told the judge that that was not necessary, that his title was enough to ensure the veracity of his words. That is how it was in those days. That is how it should be. So what are the common lies against Ndigbo by our adversaries?

1. Igbo have no word for Love. This is half-truth. In Igbo language, there is no direct word for Love, but an expression because it is foolhardy for anyone to claim that Igbo do not know what Love is because we do not have a single word for it but a phrase used in expressing it. It is equally interesting to note that Igbo language also has no single word for hate. It is also expressed with a phrase.
In Igbo,
love is Ihu na anya
Hate is Ikpo Asi
So if you claim that Ndigbo do not love because we have no single word for love, it should also make sense that you state that Ndigbo do not hate because we do not have a single word for hate.

2. The secession crisis in Ala Igbo is as a result of Illiteracy
Ordinarily, this is nonsense, so I wouldn't waste time on it. Every tribe in Africa knows that Ndigbo are among the brightest minds in the continent. In fact, the genesis of the challenges of the modern-day Igbo stems from the fact that we are clearly the only Nigerian tribe that looked the whiteman in the eye. The colonial bias against Igbo was transmitted to the Nigerian state and tribes. If you say that Igbo are not literate enough or intellectually challenged, why the imbalance between admission score requirement between Igbo children (up to 160) while some tribe are admitted with scores as low as 6? As far as I know, the other tribes that are comparably intellectually smart like Igbo may be Ibibio. This is not surprising since they are ancestral cousins of Igbo.

3. Igbo like money
Really? This one is just an expression of hypocrisy. The Igbo drive that makes the Igbo wake up early and work when other tribes may be sleeping, the Igbo drive and quest for success is what they misrepresent as love for money. Well, the average Igbo is a hard worker because we Igbo love good things. That is why despite being at the periphery politically, there is no single tribe that takes care of their own like Igbo. The spending ability of the average Igbo man is higher than most other tribes. That is why wherever the Igbo lives, business thrives.

4. Fajuyi volunteered to die with Ironsi. Since I have been researching lies against Ndigbo, this is one of the biggest lies perpetuated against an Igbo man. Both Ironsi and Fajuyi were marked for death by the coupist. In fact, Danjuma was not even a core member of the coup planners like Mohammed and Gowon, but circumstances brought him in contact of junior northern soldiers on the night of the coup and he naturally took command being one of the president's security details. Fajuyi actually wanted to negotiate for his own life and abandon Ironsi. That coup has survivors such as Danjuma. Obviously, the traditional hatred for Igbo by the Lagos-Ibadan press is responsible for perpetuating this lie that made Fajuyi a martyr.

5. Ndigbo do not love themselves
Well, it is obvious that between Igbo who have shown that they are loyal to their own (Nnamdi Kanu) and Yoruba who abandoned theirs (Sunday Igboho) that Igbo have traditionally been the loyal and loving tribe.

Ndiigbo Ndewonu....

Just say that it is a sure Fulani strategy to madness. Unfortunately., Ndigbo won't tolerate nonsense interference or imposition again

AntonVince:
@ ScamHunter:

Politically, "South" is nothing but an illusory term. It doesn't exist as proven in 2015 by Tinubu et al.

Very true. How then can a southerner aspire for presidency the only lifeline of the north? The north will continue taking advantage of that lack of unity.

I love the title and the concept of confederacy. That is who we are as Igbo. That is why our spirits cannot be bound. That is why though much hated, we are unstoppable. It is the same spirit that made us one of the two African tribes that it took the whiteman 3 decades to subdue in an age they conquered most in a day or week. All opposition will see what we're made of. Our children shall be proud. That my friends is the never give up spirit of Ndigbo.

Hintona:
Some people argued that he described Dahomey.

Is Dahomey the same as Benin? Benin Republic was unknown to Portuguese explorers as a political entity.

docdes:
Now, let me tell you why the South is not united. It is not because any particular section of the South is greedy. It is because of 2 reasons:

1. All of the South are greedy and stupidly arrogant.
2. Southerners don't respect one another's feelings. For example, look at the way you (I mean YOU the OP) has mentioned Yoruba without caring that you will hurt the feelings of Yorubas. Now, tell me how the average Yoruba would be happy uniting with you.

Southern Nigerian are very stupid. If they knew what is coming to them, they will unite TODAY. Go and listen to the message THE POLITICS OF TERRORISTS AND BANDITS and EVIL STRATEGY IN THE SOUTH on Telegram @ExpoNg and you see how stupid most Southerner like the op are.

Sorry if the truth hurts you. Good ...You should not put yourself in the shoes of Jonathan in 2015 when the same Yoruba blatantly betrayed him for the greed you deny. Or in the shoes of Ndigbo and dozens of other ethnic groups in the south. The truth we all should admit is that there is no south. What we have in Nigeria is Fulani and others. That is why no southerner can become president. So you think greed, avarice and opportunism being expressed by the Yoruba at the detriment of southern Nigeria is some sort of smartness? YOUR tribe has practically destroyed any semblance of unity in the south and the consequence shall be borne by all, even you. Continue in your guile and wiles. It'll soon shock you.

Since 2023 is obviously out of the equation UNLESS there's a consensus for Igbo presidency, do you think that the south has a chance of clinching the presidency by the next 10 years? The fact is that the north is solidly united (even with the so-called middle-belt) unlike the south, due to the traditional greed of a section of the south (Yoruba). It is obvious that all the north needs to clinch the presidency for another 10 years is just the presentation of one candidate, any candidate, even if he is Pantami, Malami or El-Rufai. Now with the northern consolidation, it is possible that southerners would become the minorities.

I never heard the GOAT part. I knew him as BAT.

Proudlyngwa:
So Igbos and ijaws are the only tribes in the south.
Rubbish.

So Youruba are the only tribe in the south?