₦airaland Forum

OdenigboAroli:
INTRODUCTION:

Our history as a people should neither be a mystery nor a guess work. It must be written by us for us based on our knowledge of what was, what is and what will forever be as children of Onicha: a divine town of assured prospects; a town that was oriented and aligned to sacred stars of the immortal galaxies; a town, that was divinely inspired and strategically founded on the sacred banks of God's own river, the Niger. Onicha, the sacred abode, uniquely ordained to soar and tower above all obstacles; a town, where the immortal flame of God's own love will forever glow. Onicha-Ado n' Idu! Atulukpa Ose! Onicha, oke Ebo na eri agu! Eke nwe ovia! (The royal python that reigns in the the sacred forest!) Oke Nnunu Mmuo n' ebe n' oku!(The great mystical bird that perches on deadly flames and yet remains immuned from the inferno!) Onicha; my Onicha, our Onicha, the divine breasts whose nourishing milk has sustained all from the misty dawn of times!

The word "Onitsha" is an alienization of the proper spelling of our correct name "Onicha". From my research, this word was first used by Mungo Park in his reports of his expedition amongst the Niger people and this was continued by other Europeans. The compound term "tsha" is non-existent in any African or Igbo syntax. We should abandon the perpetuation of this anomaly and revert to the correct form of our name: Onicha. The ancestral name of our beloved town is "Onicha-Mmili".This was to distinguish it from our other kinsmen at other Onicha settlements on the West of the Niger, like "Onicha-Ugbo"; "Onicha-Olona"; "Onicha-Ukwu"; and other blood relatives that branched out from the major migrational group to develop those settlements on the West of the Niger or "Enu Ani". It is really sad that these days, our interactions and dynamics with these our blood relatives at Enu Ani have become almost extinct.

My immortalized and legendary kinsman, Chief Philip Okonkwo Anatogu, the Onowu Iyasele of Onitsha, once explained that the word "Onicha-Ado N' Idu" referred to the Nation of all Onicha stock that made the exodus from the Idu land. Idu was one of the names for ancient Egypt. "Idu" or "Edo" was later corrupted to Edo and was usurped by the Benin nation. The Iyasele explained that the towns of Onicha-Mmili, Onicha-Ugbo, Onicha-Olona, Onicha-Ukwu, Issele-Ukwu, Issele Mkpitima, Ezzi, Obamkpa and other towns of Benin migrational orientation were all collectively referred to as "Onicha Ado n' Idu" by the Edos! Over the years when Onicha-Mmili became very accomplished, the usage of the name "Onitsha Ado n' Idu" appeared to have been narrowed down to her. Many of our brethren at Enu Ani had criticized this as what they perceived as an attempt by Onicha-Mmili to solely assume what was a national identity of all Onicha children. Who are Ndi Onicha? Onye ka anyi bu? Ebe ka anyi sii? Anyi abu ndi Edo/Idu/Benin?

BACKGROUND OF OUR ANCIENT ROOTS:

Just like many ancient kingdoms that are now scattered in the Southern part of the Sahara, the Onicha history is rooted in Ancient Egypt. From linguistics, cultural, cosmological, anthropological, pictorial, traditional and spiritual analyses and comparisons, Onicha people and their Yoruba and Edo relatives are from Ancient Egypt, known then to our ancestors as Kemet. The word "Egypt" was a hellenised (from the Greeks) name for Kemet. (I have always wondered the psycho-social motivation for the European's fixation for alteration of names and identities of the indigenous people that they conquer.)

Our confusion and rejection of our Egyptian roots is premised upon years and years of colonial mis-education and doctrine that the Egyptian civilization was attributable to Europeans. The colonial masters never taught our history from its remotest past but taught and narrowed the genesis of African history to the colonial era and advent. Most Europeans who made a good effort to conduct research on African history and anthropology, like Professor Richard Henderson, in his "The King in every man" did excellent works but their works were very prejudicially narrowed in time and scope. None ever attempted to conduct an indepth study to connect our history to the advanced ancient Egyptian roots. This was a deliberate omission, perhaps premised upon the colonial doctrine that "Africa was a race without a past" because it does not take a lot of studies for one to connect Onicha and closely related communities like the Edos and Yorubas to ancient Egypt.

We really need to understand that words like "Yorubas", "Benin", "Igbos", are relatively new terms and were never used by the ancestors of these people to identify them. We should also note that the Igbo, Yoruba, Edo, and many West African languages descended from one parent language and belong to the "KWA" language group. We must endeavor to write our history from its purest and ancient source and not be limiting our studies to events of 700 years ago. This is an insult to our ancestors whose eons and billions of ageless genes exist in us. ONITSHA DID NOT START WITH OUR ANCESTRAL ADVENT TO THE BANKS OF THE NIGER FEW HUNDRED YEARS AGO!

OUR KEMETIC/EGYPTIAN ROOTS

Marcus Aurlielus Garvey once opined that a people without a knowledge of their history is like a tree without roots. We must, for the sake of our children, approach the study of our history with fervency and zeal, otherwise, we deprive them of a foundation upon which they can stand to withstand the fierce battles of man's unkindness to man as history keeps attesting. Just mentioning that we left Benin over a contest for a royal throne is a mockery of historical accuracy and a severe limitation of the true self knowledge of who we are, in terms of scope and time.

Who and what were we before the tiny or microscopic phase of the Benin/Edo experience? How did we get to Benin? And from were did we get to Benin? Why did we migrate from where we were to Benin? Why does Onicha Igbo syllable contain more Yoruba words than Benin words? And why are our kingship and chieftaincy titles and arrangements resemble the Edos/Benin and not like the Yorubas? What was our original language? Do we still have its linguistic remnants in our chants, dirges, eulogies and dances? What is the meaning of the chants that we intone during the sacred Ido Ogbi gba (last funeral phase) of an ascended ancestor? Why did Onicha people readily and without any objection embrace and adopt the mystical rituals of the Igala Immigrants and their Muo via/MmuoOgonogo/Egwugwu, placing the Muo-avia on a powerful position that almost paralleled and usurped the powers of the monarch? Did the Igalas have any Yoruba, Edo or Benin roots? Did Onicha, Edo and Igala have a common roots? Why are the
Ulutus/Mgbelekekes, who are Igala immigrants, the custodian of the most powerful sacred shrine in Onitsha: Ani Onitsha? These and many others are the questions that we need to ask? Onitsha words like "Ogbadu"(corn), "Okwute" (rock/stone), "Ogede" (plaintain), "Ologbo" or Onogbo", (cat), "Okpulukpu" (box or container", "Erulu" (beads), "Ikpulu" (a specie of garden egg), "Inye Ori" by Muo Avia,(Ori means head or chi in Yoruba) and so many others are all Yoruba words, except "Ologbo" which is still used in Benin today. However, many of our traditional titles are the same with the Edos/Binis: Onicha titles like "Iyasele" is "Iyasere" in Bini; "Ogene Onira" is "Oliha" in Benin; "Odu Osodi" is "Osodin" in Benin; "Omodi Daike" in Onitsha is "Edaiken" in Benin; "Esagba" in Onitsha is "Esogban" in Benin; the "Isama" titles are the same in both towns amongst many others.

The land of Kemet or ancient Egypt, also called Idu or Igodomigodo by our ancestors, now sadly inhabited by descendants of Arabic and Turkish (with other European) invaders, was before the invasion, the ancestral land of Onicha people and many other African nations. We were forced to make a southern migrational exodus to avoid annihilation by the constant invasion from foreign forces from Persia, Turkey and other parts of Europe. The land of Egypt was a very sophisticated and super advanced nation of civilized people. The foundation of ancient Egypt was laid by Africans who are now scattered in disorganized groups called tribes and clans; in total ignorance of their identities, contributions to world science, arts and their very advanced civilized roots in ancient Egypt. Now and then, it hurts a lot to see the ways that Arabs have been desecrating the ancient tombs and graves of our African ancestors in Egypt. Our ancestral graves are being excavated on a daily basis in the name of "research". If these were their ancestors would they be allowing these desecrations and digging up of their ancestors for studies and research? In the name of research and studies, they are destroying land marks and coded information left by our ancestors for us and our children. Six years ago, they conducted a melanin pigmentation/skin color test on the skins of 25 Pharoahs and ancient Egyptian mummies that they excavated and found that they were all Africans with very dark skins but this information is yet to be published in the bi-annual Egyptian Historical Society magazines. The Key is to keep the African in stupor and ignorance of his great past.

OUR CONNECTION TO THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN TOWN CALLED "ON"
Everything that the world knows today in terms of religion, science, astrology, astronomy, medicine, laws and other branches of philosophical studies are from ancient Egypt. According to Herodotus, a very travelled Jewish Historian, who kept records of his visit to ancient Egypt, Egypt was peopled by very disciplined and organized citizenry who were "very" black people with "wooly hair". Everything revolved around the Pharoah, who was an incarnate of God on earth. The word "Pharoah" is the Greek translation of the Kemetic term, "Parah" meaning "Great house/home or abode"(compare this to the title of our King, "Obi" which is also a home or abode".) The term alludes to the fact that the King or Pharoah is a great abode or temple that houses many forces, spirits or powers. The Gods and Goddesses dwell in his body making it "a great house or "Obi".

The "Obi" of modern Onitsha today is the continuation of the ancient Pharonic dynasty of ancient Kemet or Egypt. Onitsha must retrace the history of her monarchs from his imperial Majesty Obi Achebe back to the Ogiso Kings of Igodomigodo in Edo, then to Egypt; to Pharoah Tutankhamon, Pharoah Amenemhet, Pharoah Amenemes, Pharoah Amenkhuti Ra; Pharoah Khafara, and back to the first dynasty in Egypt. Enough of this tracing of our kingship to just Obi Oreze or his father Ohime(corrupted to "Chima" by his later descendants. Did they not descend from somebody? We must take back our history to where ti belongs. Do we have to wait for Professor Henderson to come and tell us?

Onicha got its name from the ancient Egyptian city of "ON", unfortunately renamed as "Heliopolis" by the Greeks and now being called "El Minah" by the modern Egyptian government, which has changed the name of this city five times. The City of "On" was the citadel of spiritual excellence and was one of the most sacred cities of ancient Egypt. The priests of On were very mystical and were the repository of the ancient mysteries of Egypt. The priests of On guided their mysteries jealously and were the only priests that crowned the Pharoahs. No king of Egypt could be recognized without being consecrated by the priests of On. They were called the "Priests of the most high". The Pharoh and his family traditionally resided in the city of On. "Onicha" means those that were sacked or cut off from the city of On. The word "cha" in ancient Egypt means to cut, descend or fall from. The Onitsha Igbo dialect term "chapu" like in "chapu ya isi" (cut off his head) still has the same root like the ancient Kemetic Egyptian language: "cha" : to cut off or make to fall.



Some say Onicha is from Bini area,some say Ife but this very author who is a respected Onicha chief and a leader believe the migrated from EGYPT...LOL
See how he tried so hard to disassociate from the Igbo label.

pazienza:
The first day I read that Onicha history posted on this thread by OdenigboAroli, I laughed so hard, people around thought I was going mad.

Imagine the height of historical revisionism and fabrication people would go, just to appear special. All rationality thrown out of the Window.

Onicha is not related to all the Onichas scattered all over Igbo land, from Imo( Onicha uboma) Abia( Onicha Ngwa) Ebonyi ( Onicha in Onicha LGA), but she is magically related to Kemet, and On in ancient Egypt.

Some people are just shameless.

betty202020:
YOU are a superlative FOOL, a born bastard. i dont blame u, u were not fed with human milk, rather cow milk. Cowbell baby. Fool.

inviix:
Shey selling bottle water, egg roll, gala and 80naira pirated cds in Lagos traffic is the wealth and opulence your kinsmen celebrate so much, pls enjoy

#DelusionalTribe

Ilekeh:
Has every Igbo left igboland? Answer that question first.

You're not making sense, boi

Ihuomadinihu:
I expected you to buttress Igbo vs Ibo issue to non Igbos. He is right, outside Ossomari,Arochukwu,Nri and Onitsha,other igbos don't have kings or Igwe or whatever you want to call it.
Communal politics or affairs rests on council of elders- Ndi Okenye or Ichie.
Umunna council.
UmuAda council.
That is as simple as ABC.

Gr8amechi:
let's be objective, did these people tell the queen that England was no man's land?? let us learn to be civil, trust me those guys don't behave the way most of their brothers here in Nigeria do behave, if not they would have deported them , these people profess their love for the queen and England each day not here when we run other tribe down even in there own land

XKZ:
How do you define "tiny variations"?
Some Igbo communities have heriditary kingship (son takes over from father), other have a royal lineage (kingship rotates among certain families), while others practically elect their Igwes or have them appointed by the state governor.
Historically, outside Onitsha, Agbor and Aro, most Igbo communities do not have kings.

Is this a tiny variation?

Vorp:
saa
lol,what's in Igbo,when your mates from other countries are soaring high winning international awards you are here celebrating one mushroom awards that no one recognise.
I never wanted to be tribalistic but you folks always use your hand to bring fire on your head.
Foolish entities.

Gr8amechi:
let's be objective, did these people tell the queen that England was no man's land?? let us learn to be civil, trust me those guys don't behave the way most of their brothers here in Nigeria do behave, if not they would have deported them , these people profess their love for the queen and England each day not here when we run other tribe down even in there own land

hairyanus:
Really...tell us more...in the same UK where you claim to be kings...other tribes are so well known that they are winning election in strange lands.

Save us this your unfounded assertion

Laid2001:
Yoruba is just melodical in nature and linguistics. Hence even normal conversation is easy to turn to Music in Yoruba!
just put drums and guitar.!!

BushidoBlue:
Igbo I am, Igbo I remain, Nigeria is my nation, no hate, just excellence and progress.





Haters over to you, what's the next hate speech against Igbos? Let it out now....

OdenigboAroli:
Igbo Amaka.
Olisa nonyelu yi.

XKZ:
And how would that prove anything?
Those who say it doesn't happen could be arguing out of ignorance.
And those who say it happens could be making it up.

One thing people who are not Igbos fail to realise is that before the coming of the Europeans Igbos were fragmented politically and Igbo communities had little to do with one another besides their immediate neighbours.
Consequently, there is wide variation in Igbo culture.

Young03:
Nwanne, d two marks wey dem dey gv pple near eye na wetin

OdenigboAroli:
People can hate but we must keep a positive mind and achieve our goals.

But I will not be happy until I kick rochas in the scrotum!

Young03:
D gal above me, tell me wat is wickedness dia..

Am igbo, i av a tribal mark bt not dt of igala and hausa pple,
dow, i wunt give my children dt bt d reason 4 dt is because of little sickness dt children do fall ...

hairyanus:
Mazi Victor Eni is a Nigerian from Aro in Abia State. My friend just informed me that this Nigerian won the Borough Council seat in the just concluded UK elections 2015. He won under the conservative party. I just confirmed by Visiting his facebook wall to see his campaign. Search Victor O. Eni.

When i told him that this brings it to total of 5 Nigerians. He argued that they could be more.

Congratulations to Mazi Victor.

Shower him some love. We are proud of him

https://m.facebook.com/pages/Victor-Eni-for-Kenilworth-Borehamwood/1424165357845081

IamOdin:
Proudly Igbo..We're the best,The most influential,The most talented,The most creative,The most Gifted...We simply ROCK!

CaptainOjemba:
Igbo kwenu! Chukwu goziri anyi ofuma.#proudly Igbo
Cc

Tonychristopher, Buddah

cap28:
I am Igbo so this has nothing to do with tribalism or jealousy, I am simply stating the truth, I live in the UK and I know how whites who make up 90% of the population think of black people, Umunna may be half white but in their eyes he is not a son of the soil and therefore will never be accepted by them as a leader. Obama was successful in the US because blacks and Hispanics overwhelmingly voted for him and they constitute a sizeable proportion of the US population, UK blacks (who are likely to vote for Umunna in overwhelming numbers) only make up about 3% of the british population so black people in the UK are insignificant as far as politics is concerned here in the UK.

The british labour party are now so desperate to get back into office that they are now clutching at straws, it doesn't matter how much they compare Umunna to Obama it is not going to convince staunch white English racists to vote in a half black british man as their future PM.

akinegba1:
This is why I keep envying the igbos. Chai

cap28:
The Labour party will never regain power if they put Umunna in charge of their party as the white English electorate will not be able to get beyond the fact that he is half black.
A word is enough for the wise - the UK is not the United States.

hairyanus:
Wise men are from the East. No be me talk am.
Even God chose his dear nation in the middle East.

Instead of hating this people, Integrate them in fully into Nigeria so they can bring their business prowess and ingenuity to bare.

It appears hatred is the fuel for their success.

Mind you, my beautiful wife is Igbo....I dont regret having that blood in my kids.

HopeAlive14:
igbo are Synonymous with Success.

Bowaley17:
am a yoruba guy. I already classified everyone as one,cos we are one. I don't do tribalism.

akinegba1:
how will i change my tribe to igbo?

DickDastardly:
Idle envy talk from a jealous YOLOBER simpleton.

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