₦airaland Forum

Lalasticlala
Mynd44

While you identify with the truths in the information and contents from this Moniker...don't forget the source is Igbobia.com...the Pan-Igbo forum that reveals real facts about and discusses the Igbo people.
A friend of mine introduced me to the site as soon as it was launched a month ago, and ever since, I fell in love with it for the unique knowledge and unknown facts it springs. Of course, anyone can register there...it is fast rising

A much better platform to unite, I believe, is Igbobia.com. Though it is a new platform just over a month, the forum has done pretty well in promoting Igbo culture and people, by reporting solely, news contents about the Igbo people and revealing facts and contents that are beneficial to the Ndi-Igbo.
Any Igbo son and daughter can register and post contents. Check it out!!

Biafran kids held a rally at Igweocha, Rivers state, today for the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

As shared by a Facebook user "Kids of The Lion Zone of the indigenous people of Biafra had a peaceful rally today in igweocha seeking the immediate and unconditional release of our leader mazi NNAMDI KANU.

: http://igbobia.com/?q=little-children-hold-rally-for-the-unconditional-release-of-nnamdi-kanu.html

Should we neglect the truths of our past experience just because we want to heal its wound? Do we not find reason in that the recount of our experience over and again, gives us the privilege of understanding and wisdom to avert future occurrences? We should all tell our history.

Youngadvocate:
“We can’t but tell our stories over and over again, for only when we do, we can appreciate the things that made the stories and have more grasp of how to deal with the realities of today”.

While you identify with the truths in these articles...don't forget the source is Igbobia.com...the Pan-Igbo forum that reveals real facts about and discusses the Igbo people.
A friend of mine introduced me to the site as soon as it was launched and ever since, I fell in love with the it for the unique knowledge and unknown facts it springs. Of course, anyone can register there.

“We can’t but tell our stories over and over again, for only when we do, we can appreciate the things that made the stories and have more grasp of how to deal with the realities of today”.

This is the continuation of the articulation of narrations by survivors of the Asaba massacre of October 4-8, 1967 during the Nigeria-Biafra War. We hear them share with us their direct experiences and of course, reveal the real truth and facts.

If you missed the previous episode, visit:http://igbobia.com/?q=1967-asaba-massacre-by-the-nigerian-army-the-untold-truth-of-the-slaughter-of-innocent-igbo.html

SURVIVOR 3, FEMALE, PATIENCE CHUKWURA: My husband and the brother, and all those about 400 people who were following them...they were shot in front of the Police station at Asaba. I held on to the person I saw, the soldier...I said: "why did you kill my husband?"...(she pauses and continues) I don't want to remember what happened. The man with the button of the gun, hit me on the chest and said: "woman, if you are not careful, you'll get killed as well". At that point, I went home to tell them (the people home) that they (my husband and his brother) had been killed.

Papa, (that's my father-in-law), when he heard that his two sons were killed, he went out and before he could say, "what happened?" they shot him, they killed him.

NARRATOR: On October 6, in an attempt to end the violence, the leaders summoned all the town’s people to a peaceful match, pledging loyalty to Nigeria. On the morning of October 7, thousands of men, women and children from every quarter of Asaba joined the parade singing and dancing.

SURVIVOR 6, PATRICK OKONKWO: They came, in the normal Asaba way, with a gong announcing that the soldiers were already in Asaba, killing people that if we can come to welcome them and declare peace with them, we would be spared.

SURVIVOR 7 (MKPAYAH): We started hearing...you know...dancing group, saying "One Nigeira, One Nigeria..." so along the line, we said "let us go," myself and my cousin. So, as we were coming out towards the road, that time the group, the dancing group, the soldiers were surrounding them, guiding them...i.e. Nigerian soldiers carrying guns...

SURVIVOR 6 continues: ...and they lined up, said "women here men here..."

SURVIVOR 2 (PETER OKONJO): And women who came with their sons were removing their skirts and blouses to disguise (their sons). So when I saw this scenario going on, I felt "something is wrong...if these women can disguise their children and my mother is not here, what do I do?" and I looked at the whole place...there is no avenue for escape.

SURVIVOR 8 (MEDUA URAIH): They took us to a certain quarter and eventually the man who was the captain...he ordered them to start shooting us.

SURVIVOR 2: Gunshots...people were falling. So when people fell, I fell with them.

SURVIVOR 1, IFY URIAH: And they continued shooting, and shooting, and shooting. I lost count of times, I don't know how long....after sometimes, there was silence. And surprisingly, other people stood up from the ground and fled into the bush. I stood up also, but, I saw a cousin of mine who was lying not too far from me. He was shot on the head. My body was covered with blood but I knew that I was safe, nothing had happened (to me).

My cousin said we should wait until it was dark, so we could go together and I agreed. You could hear the sound of the injured, crying...

NARRATOR: That evening, some women went to retrieve the bodies of their children, husbands and other family members. Joseph Nwajei lost two brothers aged 17 and 12.

SURVIVOR 9, JOSEPH NWAJEI: Mum in the evening, was able to identify their (my two brothers’) corpses, took them in a wheelbarrow, pushed them into the family house (he pauses for a while amidst heavy tears and continues)...where they were buried. (He pauses again, wipes tears white a handkerchief and continues). I never saw their corpses, never saw their bodies.

NARRATOR: But most were buried in mass Grave with no opportunity to require ceremony.

SURVIVOR 10, EMEKA OKONKWO: Though I was so small, I remember what I saw-lifeless bodies. My dad was among those people that buried the dead. He left the house with a shovel, and this scented leaf, he put it in his nostril that would enable them to stand the stench there.

SURVIVOR 11, FRANK IJEH: It was after when they have decayed...you know...smelling all over...that the people there gathered and dug a common grave and they started putting them in. There are so many...I cannot remember...so many, so many.

NARRATOR: Many towns’ people ran into the bush all across to the East. The troops remained in Asaba and threat of rape hung on many women and girls.

SURVIVOR 12, FEMALE, NAKANDELIN MADUEMEZIA: (Speaking of the women) they were forcibly married by soldiers. I have an aunt who was forcible married by a soldier. Children were raped, adults, even old women were raped too.

SURVIVOR 13, FEMALE, DELICIOUS NWANDU: And even when they saw that you are a young girl, they would forcibly take you as their wife. That is, if you don't want, they kill (you).

NARRATOR: As people trekked back, they found the once thriving town deserted, houses burned and everything of value stolen.

Later, Quaker Relief Services reported on the appalling situation in Asaba: "about 900 of the 1,186 houses were completely destroyed. Three hundred more are uninhabitable because roofs are missing.

Schools are symbols of self-respect. Their present condition is a constant reminder of the humiliating situation in which the town finds itself. The furniture was used by Nigerian soldiers as firewood."

SURVIVOR 13 continues: We have no home to enter, no house to enter. Our house was burned down, everything. In fact, where we went, we had to be tying; you know the bags they put rice and beans...that's what we tied, because there were no clothes, nothing to hide our unclothedness. A lot of children (suffered) Kwashiokor. You know, people were dying just like that. We ate rats, lizards...in fact, Asaba suffered.

NARRATOR: Exactly how many died on October 7 (only) is not clear. Between 500 and 800 seemed likely. In addition to hundreds killed in the previous day, many families were designated.

SURVIVOR 11 continues: My immediate elder brother, the one following him, and one of my cousins, three of them were killed (though they were harmless civilians).

NARRATOR: Patience Chukwura was a young mother, pregnant with her fourth child. She lost her husband, Eddie, two brothers-in-law, and her father-in-law.

Hwr.mother lost all five brothers.

SURVIVOR 3, PATIENCE CHUKWURA continues: You need to know who my husband was. Harmless, couldn't harm anybody. He liked life, he liked himself, and he was a lovely man.

NARRATOR: Philip Asiodu, an Asaba indigene, was a member of General Gowon’s war cabinet in Lagos. His brother Sydney, was an Olympic athlete, living in Asaba when troops arrived. His diary, found after the war, ends on October 6. His fate is unknown.

SURVIVOR 15, PHILIP ASIODU: He was my favorite brother and he was outstanding as a student. He was captain of cricket, captain of soccer. He was a sprinter, and was in the Nigerian 4x100 meter relay team. So it was a great loss to the family. Of course, one tries to forgive.

SURVIVOR 16, FEMALE, MARTINA OSAI: (Martina was 14 years old when soldiers killed her father, Leo Isichei, on October 7, along with almost 40 men in her extended family). My father’s name is Leo Samuel Isichei. He was a teacher, a darling father. We looked up to him so much, he was everything to us. He wanted to bring his children up, to make sure they had education. I want people to know, because not many people know what happened, even my own children. God knows why I had to survive. For me to have a story to tell, and that’s what I’m telling you now (the narrate).

NARRATOR: For decades, the massacre of Asaba remained almost unknown outside the community. In 1967 the Nigerian Press was tightly controlled and few foreign reporters were not on ground. In the words of Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, the Mid-West Igbo were the most vulnerable Nigerians. The world actually became famous in 1968, after the federal government imposed the blockade starving Biafrans to death and submission in 1970.

Silence (on the massacre) began to lift in the mid 1990. In 2001, some survivors testified in Nigeria Human Rights Violation Investigation Commission known as the Okudo panel which set the stage for more people to speak.

SURVIVOR 17, CHUCK NDUKA-EZE: (speaking about the panel) it was for us, the first opportunity. We were going to have to even air the matter. But the aim was really to begin something by way of a healing process. If you wrong somebody and the person has an opportunity to talk about it, assuming you show some contrition, you apologise, or you go some way to alleviating their pain and suffering, then the healing process can begin.

Complete Reading: http://igbobia.com/?q=we-ate-rats-lizards-during-the-wartruths-of-the-asaba-massacre-of-oct1967-pt-2.html

iamhorny:
https://www.nairaland.com/3050941/documents-igbos-pictures

https://www.nairaland.com/3682044/dna-test-igbos-rival-jewish


http://www.unz.com/pfrost/no-blacks-arent-all-alike-who-said-they-were/


http://www.unz.com/article/the-iq-gap-is-no-longer-a-black-and-white-issue/


https://m.modernghana.com/news/455846/africas-most-entrepreneurial-ethnic-groups.html

http://www.unz.com/pfrost/the-jews-of-west-africa/




in summary, when arent dragging with anybody, we just do our thing and we shine. it is a gift from God. Anyi bu umuchukwu okike abiama

Dear, pls, could you send me the link of the first two posts

While you identify with the truths in these articles...don't forget the source is Igbobia.com...the Pan-Igbo forum that reveals real facts about and discusses the Igbo people.
A friend of mine introduced me to the site as soon as it was launched and ever since, I fell in love with the it for the unique knowledge and unknown facts it springs. Of course, anyone can register there.

While you identify with the truths in these articles...don't forget the source is Igbobia.com...the Pan-Igbo forum that reveals real facts about and discusses the Igbo people.
A friend of mine introduced me to the site as soon as it was launched and ever since, I fell in love with the it for the unique knowledge and unknown facts it springs. Of course, anyone can register there.

While you identify with the truths in these articles...don't forget the source is Igbobia.com...the Pan-Igbo forum that reveals real facts about and discusses the Igbo people.
A friend of mine introduced me to the site as soon as it was launched and ever since, I fell in love with the it for the unique knowledge and unknown facts it springs. Of course, anyone can register there.

Professor Francis W. Prictchett, Professor of Literature at the Columbia University, brings to us a new but, spectacular approach to understanding the Igbo people; their nature, identity and idiosyncrasies. In sheer grasp of the Igbo culture, the Professor of Emeritus draws an analogy between Ndi-igbo and the Ukpaka or Ugba tree to establish that uncommon nature of the Igbo people…which is, the drive for (economic) adventure.

For clarity, I would attempt a brief explanation of the Ukpaka tree, for atleast, the ignorant few. The Ukpaka or Ugba tree is translated into English to mean African Oil Bean, which is botanically known as Pentaclethra macrophylla. Different Nigerian tribes have different names for the tree, for example: the Yorubas call it Apara while the Efik tribe calls it Ukana. The African oil bean tree grows approximately 6 meters in girth and 21 meters height.

Very interesting detail about the tree and one Professor Francis draws the analogy with, is the Seed of the tree. The seeds are usually enclosed in flat pods that tend to burst once matured, thereby, distributing the seeds all over; both far and near areas. That, for Professor Francis, explains the nature of the Igbo seeds (sons and daughters), that once matured to take care of themselves, dispatch to elsewhere, finding greener pastures, and if they find the grounds of the host community fertile, they establish there.

So read with much embrace, the salient points expressed in the letter.

Speech to Annual Seminar, Society for Promoting Igbo Language and Culture, at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, August 25, 1979- Frances W. Pritchett

Ladies and gentlemen: I am so happy that my dream of attending this conference has come true. My presence here is a demonstration of how human lives reach out and touch each other, sometimes in unexpected ways. I learned with interest about your Ukpaka tree, which shoots out its seeds long distances away from the main trunk. Like this tree, the Igbo people have sent out their young men and women to all parts of the world in pursuit of education. Pwrhaps most of these young people will return to settle in the homeland, but some, like the Ukpaka tree seeds, will put down roots in new locations. But they leave their marks on the communities where they live and study and struggle, and I feel fortunate that many of them chose to come to the small city in the Southern United States which is my home. Because I joined a group to offer assistance to the dieting students in little Rock, I was rewarded with new and interesting friends, a wider knowledge of your great continent, and above all the desire to study your delightful language. My life has been enriched beyond all expectations.

Continue Reading: http://igbobia.com/?q=igbo-people-are-like-ukpaka-tree-interesting-facts-american-professor-gives-about-ndi-igbo.html

Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Hameed Ali disregards the Senate by appearing before it again in mufti (without customs uniform).

He came in at about 10.30am in company of the Special Adviser to President Buhari on Senate matters, Ita Enang.

Of course, the senate this week ordered him to appear before the house dressed in his Uniform to explain the controversial motor duty policy.

http://igbobia.com/?q=customs-boss-disobeys-senate-again-appears-without-uniform-see-photo.html

Obdk:
Have you seen this. Barbarians

Oh my goodness...what sort of disfigurement is this? Such an abuse in this age?

The part two of the article will be published tomorrow

Please, the article was written to inform us an possibly spur us to action of giving salient critique to matters arising from our common historical reality. Let us shun insults against one another as that isn't the intent of this write-up.

blessme2019:
Na today? So your family members follow die? Kpele ooo,

Let me remind you again, if you guys take up arms against the Nation Nigeria, it's forces; The Revered Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will crush you all out, and trust me, there will be collateral damage (your family members) as you have rightly pointed up there.

Please, the article was written to inform us an possibly spur us to action of giving salient critique to matters arising from our common historical reality. Let us shun insults against one another as that isn't the intent of this write-up.

This is a text version of the video entitled “Most Vulnerable Nigerians - The Legacy of the Asaba Massacres.” The piece is not intended to incite; far from it. One is perturbed that truth and facts of our common history is distorted by disgruntled elements. The real stories and pictures are scuttled so that our youths and younger generations do not benefit from the powerful tool of authentic historical knowledge.

In this text-transcribed-narrative therefore, an exposition of history is yet again revisited, this time, by survivors of a historical pogrom that even the generation unborn cannot let sleep.

After a historical brief, you will hear the survivors speak with deep pains and some heavy tears raining down their cheek as they narrate the horror they witnessed at younger age, during the massacre of Asaba indigenes by the federal troops. And you will come to understand why they were indeed, part of the most vulnerable Nigerians; the Igbo people.

The chain of events that led to the death of the Asaba indigenes began years before. The British government created Nigeria by cobbling together many once independent territories, each with its own culture. In 1960 when it gained independence, Nigeria was home to over 200 different ethnic groups, the largest being the Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo. Fears that one group would dominate led to ethnic tension and corrupt election which set the stage for the overthrow of the civilian rule by a group of officers in January 1966. Many northerners saw this as the Igbo power play. Already, there had been long resentments against the Igbo who had embraced western education and become leaders in business and civil service across the country.

Attacks on Igbo people erupted in many cities of northern and western Nigeria that May (1966). A counter-coup replaced Igbo head of state with Col. Yakubu Gowon in July. And the killings of the igbo especially in the north, escalated into serious massacre (which many view as Pogroms) and was more intense in September, same year. Thousands of Igbos fled to their ancestral homes in the East and Mid-West including Asaba.

By early 1967, the Governor of the Eastern state, Col Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu saw that the Igbo were no longer safe in Nigeria. After political negotiations failed, he declared the sovereign state of Biafra on May 30th, soon after, civil war broke out.

Located on the west bank of River Niger, Asaba was erroneously assumed not to be part of Biafra; it was including by the Nigerian government as a remaining part of the multi-ethnic mid-western region. It was a quiet town; its population was later swollen by the arrival of igbo people forced home as refugees from the north and west. The war came to Asaba in 1967 when the Biafran troops crossed the mid-west. They quickly spread west, overrunning the Benin City and coming within striking distance to the Lagos. The federal forces quickly secured assistance and regained their initiative; re-took the Benin City in late September and pushed the Biafrans back to Asaba. On October 5, the retrieving Briafran troop crossed back into Biafra, burning the Bridge as they left.

Federal troops under Murtala Muhammed arrived late on October 5 striking fear into the Asaba towns’ people. Soldiers began going from house to house, rounding-up men and boys suspected to be Biafrans, soldiers gathered people (unarmed civilians) together and execution began.

Here are the survivors’ narrations:

Survivor 1(Man): I looked around and I saw machine guns being mounted all around us some of them were also carrying automatic rifles. And my father was lying no too far from me (as a child). His eyes were open, but he was dead. (Survivor wipes tears with his palm as he paused his narration).

Survivor 2 (Man): (When they came to our area) There was silence, and the next thing, they started shooting (describes the manner with his hands).

Survivor 3 (Woman): Somebody came, looking for my brother-in-law and said that federal troops had come into Asaba and they were burning houses. They open the door and you tell them no Biafran troops were there, the house would be burned, everything would be burned.

Survivor 4-Gertrude Ogunkoye (She says she is Igbo from Asaba but married a Yoruba man after the war): A man, a young man, maybe in his late 20s or early 30s came with his wife; the wife just had a new baby. Then sitting where we were with the man with the baby, a soldier came to him and said, (wetin u dey do here, wetin u dey do here. He didn't say anything. So he (the soldier) said "take that baby, give your wife, tell am, tell them bye bye. Move, I say, move, move!" as he was moving, he was turning to look at the soldier telling him to move; like, what do you want me to do?
Continue reading: http://igbobia.com/?q=1967-asaba-massacre-by-the-nigerian-army-the-untold-truth-of-the-slaughter-of-innocent-igbo.html

Part two of the article loading...

Many of Ndi-igbo are aloof of the signifance and essence of some ancient realities and beings that exist in our igbo society. The Igbo person especially, those umunne anyi who have become ndi-oyibo have very unfortunately stiffened their necks, thickened their skins and deafened their ears to whatever that has the mention of Igbo culture. Much more pathetic is that, those of us who hold sway to some dogmatic religious views of the irreconciliable difference and dichotomy between cultural ideals and the religious ones have thrown away the remains of our heritage after the colonial rape.

We need to shake-off our idiocy in order to accept our idiosyncracies; the uniqueness and uncommon cultural ideals,identities and essences that define us as a people. In this thread, we expose the fascinating truths and facts about the CHI-ANYANWU (GOD OF THE SUN) of Igbo.

We shall begin with the Igbo god of the SUN (ANYANWU)

In Igbo land, prior to colonial era, there were common cultural beliefs which, especially now that western education and religion have penetrated virtually all brains and hearts, some still hold as myths. One of those beliefs is that the days of ndi-igbo are governed by the god of the sun (Anyanwụ).

Anyanwụ, literarily translated to mean, ‘Eye of the Sun’, is the Igbo sun deity, arụsi igbo. Some igbo names that take after the sun are Iwuanyanwu & Ekeanyanwu.

Anyanwụ shares similarity with the Roman Sol Invictus, sun deity introduced into Rome through ancient Egypt. A festival called ‘Dies Natalis Solis Invicti’ was held during the last month of the year to mark the birthday of the unconquered Sun.

It was adopted by Germanic tribes colonised by the Romans and referred to as Sonntag. In the language of one Germanic tribe called the Anglo-Saxons (English), the day of the sun god Sonntag is known as Sunday.

Rome and by extension, all its colonies would later adopt Christianity but retained their ancestral heritage including the Sun god and brought to us through British colonisation.

So, Ndi Uka, if you must change your Anyanwu related names, you must also stop worshiping on a Sunday.

The beautiful sculpture (attached) of the Igbo sun god Anyanwu was made by Professor Ben Chukwukadibia Enweonwu and presented to the United Nations on the occasion of Nigeria’s 2nd Independence Day anniversary.

The sun is one of the most universally revered objects in human history. Just about every culture on the planet honors it for all the different gifts that it brings to our planet, bringing both the light and heat that make life on our planet possible.

For one, our method of keeping time is based on it, as for the majority of human history, our clocks were sundials. Most of our modern calendars (including days of the week ala Sun-day), are based off it, and lot of our major holidays originally started as solar equinox or solstice celebrations (such as Easter and Christmas respectively). Even western astrology focuses on a person’s sun signs. Needless to say, our lives revolve around the sun…literally.

Amongst Ndi Igbo, the Sun was referred to as Anyanwu (An-yan-wew). This is a combination of two different words. The first word, anya means eye. The second word, anwu, means light. Together, the phrase reads as “eye of light.”

Metamorphosing the sun as an eye is not an exclusively Igbo concept. Another famous example of this can be found in the ancient Egyptian character of Ra, who was depicted as a Falcon headed man who hand a sun disk on his head.

A modern example of a celestial eye can be found on the left side of a dollar bill. Here are some other examples found throughout different cultures:
Continue Reading: http://igbobia.com/?q=igbo-museum-collectionfacts-you-dont-know-about-anyanwu-igbo-sun-god-pt1.html

IpobExposed:
I hate terrorist so much. Thousands has lost their lives to terrorist groups like Boko Haram and IPOB terrorist groups.

This is because of the intense brain washing.

A Boko haram terrorist believes in virgins.
While the other ones believes USA and Britain will come if they die.

Now Shiite has stopped. The military will continue using hard hands on this people till they are subdued finally.
So peace can reign.

Sai Baba Sai Baba

IpobExposed

I used to doubt there are very dumb brains on Nairaland until I read this post.

Many of Ndi-igbo are aloof of the signifance and essence of some ancient realities and beings that exist in our igbo society. The Igbo person especially, those umunne anyi who have become ndi-oyibo have very unfortunately stiffened their necks, thickened their skins and deafened their ears to whatever that has the mention of Igbo culture. Much more pathetic is that, those of us who hold sway to some dogmatic religious views of the irreconciliable difference and dichotomy between cultural ideals and the religious ones have thrown away the remains of our heritage after the colonial rape.

We need to shake-off our idiocy in order to accept our idiosyncracies; the uniqueness and uncommon cultural ideals,identities and essences that define us as a people. In this thread, we expose the fascinating truths and facts about the CHI-ANYANWU (GOD OF THE SUN) of Igbo.

We shall begin with the Igbo god of the SUN (ANYANWU)

In Igbo land, prior to colonial era, there were common cultural beliefs which, especially now that western education and religion have penetrated virtually all brains and hearts, some still hold as myths. One of those beliefs is that the days of ndi-igbo are governed by the god of the sun (Anyanwụ).

Anyanwụ, literarily translated to mean, ‘Eye of the Sun’, is the Igbo sun deity, arụsi igbo. Some igbo names that take after the sun are Iwuanyanwu & Ekeanyanwu.

Anyanwụ shares similarity with the Roman Sol Invictus, sun deity introduced into Rome through ancient Egypt. A festival called ‘Dies Natalis Solis Invicti’ was held during the last month of the year to mark the birthday of the unconquered Sun.

It was adopted by Germanic tribes colonised by the Romans and referred to as Sonntag. In the language of one Germanic tribe called the Anglo-Saxons (English), the day of the sun god Sonntag is known as Sunday.

Rome and by extension, all its colonies would later adopt Christianity but retained their ancestral heritage including the Sun god and brought to us through British colonisation.

So, Ndi Uka, if you must change your Anyanwu related names, you must also stop worshiping on a Sunday.

The beautiful sculpture (attached) of the Igbo sun god Anyanwu was made by Professor Ben Chukwukadibia Enweonwu and presented to the United Nations on the occasion of Nigeria’s 2nd Independence Day anniversary.

The sun is one of the most universally revered objects in human history. Just about every culture on the planet honors it for all the different gifts that it brings to our planet, bringing both the light and heat that make life on our planet possible.

For one, our method of keeping time is based on it, as for the majority of human history, our clocks were sundials. Most of our modern calendars (including days of the week ala Sun-day), are based off it, and lot of our major holidays originally started as solar equinox or solstice celebrations (such as Easter and Christmas respectively). Even western astrology focuses on a person’s sun signs. Needless to say, our lives revolve around the sun…literally.

Amongst Ndi Igbo, the Sun was referred to as Anyanwu (An-yan-wew). This is a combination of two different words. The first word, anya means eye. The second word, anwu, means light. Together, the phrase reads as “eye of light.”

Metamorphosing the sun as an eye is not an exclusively Igbo concept. Another famous example of this can be found in the ancient Egyptian character of Ra, who was depicted as a Falcon headed man who hand a sun disk on his head.

A modern example of a celestial eye can be found on the left side of a dollar bill. Here are some other examples found throughout different cultures:
Continue Reading: http://igbobia.com/?q=igbo-museum-collectionfacts-you-dont-know-about-anyanwu-igbo-sun-god-pt1.html

kingzizzy:
I have to bow to her. Igbo is a very hard language to learn.

Really?

Dr. Frances W. Pritchett is Professor Emerita of Modern Indic Languages Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies. In this article, she talks about how she learnt Igbo and her experience with umuigbo that changed her life.

HOW I BECAME AN IGBOPHILE

Back in 1976, I was just another "working girl." Fate had brought me to Arkansas via New York and Illinois, my children were out of school and on their own. I had finished a term as secretary with the 1968 Arkansas Constitutional Convention, whose delegates crafted a fine document to replace Arkansas' antiquated Constitution of 1874, only to have it turned down by the voters. I had then settled into a clerical position with an outstanding law firm that represented labor unions in Arkansas and elsewhere.

I was enjoying my work, but feeling the need for some kind of enrichment in my life. I found what I wanted when I joined the Host Family Program at UALR (University of Arkansas in Little Rock). I took a Nigerian student as my "friendship partner" because I was told that it was hard to find families who would accept black students. Over supper at a cafeteria, my student, Richard Chime, told me that his country was in West Africa and contained three large ethnic groups plus many smaller ones. He himself belonged to the Igbo group inhabiting the southeastern part of Nigeria--the same group that had been involved in the Biafran War (1968-70).

Finding the post-war Nigerian educational system unable to accommodate all of themn, many Igbo, especially Biafran War veterans eager to make up for lost time, left for other parts of the world. Hundreds of them landed in Arkansas to enroll at Philander Smith College, which actively recruited them. I was appalled at my ignorance about Nigeria and Africa in general, and shamed by this young man who had traveled thousands of miles from a place that many Americans thought of as one big jungle, or the "dark continent," yet who spoke my language so well.

I had always been a lover of languages, but had been exposed to only European ones, so when I heard the strange-sounding tongue spoken by Richard and his roommate, I longed to be able to converse with them in their own language. I told Richard I wanted to learn Igbo, and he recommended someone who would be willing to start me off. I managed to round up some grammar books, and soon I was making headway in a course of study that continues to this day. In learning about a language one also learns about the culture that produced it--the beliefs, traditions, habits, attitudes, ways of making a living, interpretations of natural surroundings, ideas about marriage, children, etc.

Continue Reading: http://igbobia.com/?q=how-i-learnt-to-speak-igbochinua-achebe-changed-my-view-may-2000-article-of-american-writer-frances

What are the zones? I bet the formula must favour a section of the country since it was split into seven zones instead of six zones.

A WEEK'S ITINERATION IN THE IBO COUNTRY BY MRS. T. J DENNIS 0F ONITSHA

In this epistle of religious adventure, Mrs T.J.Dennis, one of the pioneers of the Christian Missionary work in the Igbo land shares with us the experience she and her team had when they visited the Oka community, now Awka in Anambra State, underscoring in essence, the homely, receptive and independent-communal life of Ndigbo, deeply rooted in their culture and traditions.

By 2.30 a.m. on Monday we were again on our journey. The moon was nearly full and high in the sky. We were carried over the first stream we came to on the shoulders of the young men. The next stream was much more difficult to cross, as it was impossible to be carried, and there was no bridge, so we had to wade through it. The thick foliage of the trees quite shut out the light of the moon an the water looked black and still. It was horrid to feel one’s feet sink into the slippery mud at the bottom of the water. How terrified our mothers would have been had they seen us just then.

Our way now lay through the much dreaded Abam country. “Abam” is the name given to a confederacy of Ibo towns, the leader of which is the King of Aro or Umuchuku. This confederacy is formed for war and raiding purposes. It was plain that the native members of our party were afraid, for when Mr. Smith commenced to whistle they begged him to desist, and we glided along in dead silence. We passed several high trees in the branches of which platforms had been erected for defence purposes againt the Abams.

About 9 a.m. we drew near to Oka, and were cordially greeted by such of the inhabitants as we met on the road. Oka is by far the best and largest town in the Ibo country with the exception, perhaps, of the above-named Aro. The Oka people themselves say that it takes from sunrise to sunset to walk through their town, but this is probably an exaggeration. It is situated about forty to forty-five miles to the East of Onitsha.

The majority of the people are blacksmiths, and in pursuance of their craft travel to every part of the Ibo country, and even beyond its borders. There is scarcely a town or village without its small, primitive smithy, in which the Oka smith not only sharpens and repairs, but also manufactures from the iron and brass imported by traders the various weapons, tools, and ornaments in use amongst the Ibo people.

They never seem to be molested, and contrive to keep the peace with all their neighbours without fighting. They are never accompanied by their wives on their itinerations, and are seldom away longer than three months at a time. Before going to any town they sacrifice to their gods for two or three days that they may be kept safe from all danger, and that they may prosper in their work.

Most of the men we saw in Oka wore some English article of clothing. For instance, one man would wear a sailor-hat, another man a pair of trousers, another a waistcoat. We were surprised to see some of the young men carry whips similar to those used by carters in England. A great man were armed with Snider rifles, and carried themselves with a dignified air, or perhaps, more correctly, a sort of swagger, as though all the world be longed to them.

We were saluted by one young man with a most graceful bow and an English “Good mornin ," as he raised his sailor-hat. The Oka people certainly seem more civilized than their neighbours, probably because they travel about so much. From what I have said it will easily be seen that the Oka men would make excellent evangelists for the Ibo country, if only they could be converted to Christ.

The women dress their hair most elaborately. Some whom we saw had fantastic ornaments on their heads, not unlike the comb of a cock in shape, and reaching about an inch from the forehead right over the head to the neck. This erection was covered with some red material, and on either side were fastened six pearl buttons.

As we passed through the town we were struck with its clean, well-kept houses and roads. The people certainly take a great pride in having their homes nice. Each house stood in a compound surrounded by a high mud wall. There were small loop holes in the walls at equal distances, through which a gun could be fired in the event of an enemy attacking the town. In each compound also there was generally at least one high tree with a platform in its branches, from which a good look out could be obtained. We noticed also two large, square watch-towers, three times the height of ordinary houses.

When we arrived we were at once directed to the house of our host, who seemed proud to entertain us. As he was a chief of very high standing his house was an elaborate one. The walls were beautifully smooth, and painted over with all sorts of queer designs. The door, boxes, and other wooden articles were quaintly carved. Here we rested during the heat of the day, and in the afternoon went into a large open space, where we preached to the huge crowd which soon gathered around us. We did not disperse till dark.

On Tuesday morning we preached in several of the villages, and in the afternoon went to the ka market. This market is a very large one. The women from all the neighbouring towns come here to trade. There must have been 2000 women in the market when we visited it, and as soon as we appeared they left their goods and went to a respectful distance.

We sat down and began to sing some Ibo hymns, and they gradually summoned up courage to come near to us. After we had got them quiet, some of us preached the Gospel to them. How simply we had to speak to these people! They seemed to have no idea of sin. Everything is so new and strange to them, our appearance as well as our message, so it is no wonder they do not unerstand. Our work would be entirely hopeless if we did not believe in the Holy Ghost.

As we were speaking a lot of chiefs came and joined the crowd, and listened attentively. One man, however, with a most diabolical expression of countenance, jumped into the circle and excitedly addressed the people, saying that we came just to disturb their marketing and to spy out the land, and bidding them go back to their buying and selling. Very few obeyed him. The Rev. S. R. Smith said that any who wished were at liberty to go back to their business, but they preferred to remain and listen. A little later on, a chief, who had, I think, been drinking gin, came up and insisted on shaking hands with us, remarking, as he looked into our faces, “Oh, what noses!”

In the evening some of the chiefs began to grumble. It seems that our host had taken upon himself to invite us without consulting the other chiefs. This they, of course, resented. In fact, there was some talk about fining our host a cow, a sheep and a goat, which were to be sacrificed and dragged round the town to rid it from the pollution of our presence. One thing that annoyed them was that we ladies had come into their country wearing clothes, the custom in Oka being for the women to go almost naked.

The Rev. S. R. Smith sent a message to the chiefs saying that we wished to see them. So, early next morning (Wednesday), about twenty of them came. Mr. Smith told them why we had come, and explained that we had been invited, and had come expecting to be welcomed as friends. They gave a very ambiguous reply, and promised to call a meeting of all the chiefs of every village, and afterwards to send to us a deputation consisting of three chiefs from each village. After a little further discussion, however, they changed their minds and said they would go and see the king and bring back word from him. As we intended to start back to Onitsha soon after midnight, we told them to make haste.

Complete the article here: http://igbobia.com/?q=1899-letter-of-mrs-tjdennis-earliest-missionary-in-igbo-land-reveals-some-interesting-facts-about

conductor1:
Why....why? Why did you do that to that cute baby?

You should have designed him like this so he can be like the fallen angel who crushed his oblong skull while crashing from the sky:

Please, are those marks real?

deomelo:
Destiny detailed from birth.

Poor child.

Abi...

Ngokafor:
....This is serious ...cute baby though

And a baby boy at that

soberdrunk:
.................still waiting to see or hear one 'highly' placed or 'respected' individual in our society support this 'dream' openly..........

Same with me...the Leaders are generally mute

The unprecedented happened at Christ Ascension Church, Iva-Pottery, Enugu District, as a new born baby nicknamed "Biafran baby boy",Master Nnamani Elisha Onyedikachi, was Sunday, dedicated  in the church, clothed with Biafran attire.

The father of the innocent kid, Mr. Sunday Nnamani, a member of IPOB in the zone, with his wife, flanked by an army of IPOB members, relatives, guests and well-wishers, was all praises to God for the jewel, the most honoured fruit of the womb in the Igbo society.

Speaking during the ceremony, the Iva-Valley Pottery zonal Coordinator, Mr. Iganga Sunday who offered prayers for the child, urged the Church to fully support the quest for the restoration of Biafra which according to him, “it’s our only hope to secure our future and that of our unborn generation,” adding that it is only Biafra’s freedom that will guarantee the security and protection of lives and properties from the menace of rampaging Fulani herdsmen and other social vices.

The Coordinator who expressed profound happiness on sighting the baby, stressed that for the fact he was dressed-up in a Biafra regalia is evident he was brought to the world to join in the fight for Biafra’s freedom.

He concluded thus, “Nnamdi Kanu is Biafra and Biafra is Nnamdi Kanu, he was sent to liberate his people from slavery and bondage in Nigeria. We pray that he comes out of prison as that place is not his home,” and the congregation echoed ‘Amen.’

On his part, the father and mother of the child who expressed their gratitude, thanked members of the church, friends and families for honouring his invitation as they also joined in the prayer for Kanu’s immediate release.

See more pictures: http://igbobia.com/?q=wowa-new-born-baby-boy-clothed-with-biafra-attire-during-his-dedication-in-the-church.html
CC:
Lalasticlala
Mynd44

otitokoroleti:
The interview has audio version and it's available on the internet.
One of the major problem of Nigerian is that most of them are bad student of history

Honestly dear...it is surprising that I didn't see the text version of it in my search. We are too carefree with the knowledge of our history