Igbo people that denied their Igboness and why they acted that way:
When talking about Igbo people, most people often referred to the people of South Eastern Nigeria which includes Abia, Anambara, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states.
But Igbo is like “akwụkwọ ụkpaka” they spread throughout southern Nigeria to the Niger-Delta and northern Nigeria. Experts on the origin and indigenous people from these areas explain that ndị Igbo have a population across the Naija River where more than 25 percent of Delta State’s population is said to be Igbo.
Similarly in Rivers, Cross Riva, Akwa-Ibom and Bayelsa are among where you can find Igbo people, Ndị Igbo in those areas share many things in common with ndi Igbo in south east, these include language, culture and fashion. This simply means that “ọbara anaghị aghụgha”. these show that blood does not lie.
These are people with Igbo identity and beliefs, that include circumcision, reincarnation and celebrating of Kola nut:
In Delta State, ethnic Igbo include:
1.Oshimili
2. Ndokwa
3. Ukwuani
4. Aniocha
5. Ika
6.Ndoni
7. Agbo
8. Asaba
In Rivas state, Igbo people in Rivas include;
1. Ikwerre
2. Opobo
3. Omuma
4. Ndoni
5. Obigbo
6. Egbema
7.Ekpeye
8. Ọmụma
10. Etche
11. Ọgba
In Bayelsa, people with Igbo blood in Bayelsa state mainly Sagbama region include;
1.Osekwenike
2. Eke Okpokri
3. Abuetor
In Edo state
It sounds like a myth, but there are Igbo there
1. Igbanke/Igboakiri
That’s why you can see some people from Edo state bearing Igbo names .
In Akwa-Ibom state
The Igbo people there included people of
1. Ikot Udo Ika is under the Ika local government, in Akwaibom State.
In Cross Rivas
1. Isobo in Abi LGA
2 Umuezekaoha numbering more than 300 village.
In Benue state
Are you among the people that regard all Benue people as “Ndị Ugwu”’? Note that there are ndi Igbo in Benue state. Igbo communities there can be found in these LGA
1. Okpoku
2 .. Obi
3. Oku
4. Adọ
5. Oju
In Kogi State
Igbo-speaking communities in Kogi state especially in Ibaji and Igalamela/Odolu LGAs such as the Eke Avurugo community (which speaks Igbo as first language and Igala as second language).
These are igbo communities in kogi state : Ugwuebonyi, Ebokwe, Ozara, Amaeke, Amankpo, Amauwani camp, Amaokwu, Amadiefioha, Amaufulu, etc. all in Igalamela/Odolu LGA. The Odolu community in Igalamela/Odolu LGA is said to speak Igala as first language and the Nsukka Igbo dialect as second language. In Ibaji LGA, we can see some town names such as Nwajala, Umuoye, Ubulie-Umueze which are, most definitely, Igbo community names. One obvious distinguishing factor between Igbo language and Igala is the lack of ‘z’ in Igala alphabet which is present in Igbo, which possibly rules out an Igala origin for some towns such as Ozara, Umueze etc.
Akpanya is an Igbo-speaking community located deep in the heartland of Igala land. Very little is known about this town. About 95% of the people speak Igbo/are Igbo natives.
Reasons why some Igbo people say they are not Igbo
1. The Biafra war
Some Igbo denied their Igbo root because of loosing of civil war.
We loose the war, despite it was declared no Victor no vanquish.
The war claimed the lives of over three million people. As people who loose the war,is hardly for people to identify with you.
“Onye dara ada enweghị onye na-ekwe na ọ bụ nwanne ya”
“After the war, the Igbo people suffered a lot and contracted a disease that caused them to be ostracized.”
2 The creation of a state
It is during creation of the state that federal government use the opportunity to split Igbos and ceded them in other regions, with these act and removal of history from Nigeria schools,it makes many igbos to denied their origin.
Examples: Some towns like Amaezekwe, Umuoghara, Amaekka, Umuezeokoha, Umuezeoka, Oriuzor, Umuoghara are not eligible to be in Benue state but are assigned to Benue state.
The Ado, Oju, Obi sub-igbo Towns in Benue state is an independent Towns before whites came to Nigeria
Recall that to ensure that Ojukwu was weak at the beginning of the Biafran War, then-Nigerian President Yakubu Gowon created 12 states and three regions in Nigeria, on May 5, 1967.
Through this creation of States.
The way in which the Igbos used to live together as brothers in the “Eastern Region” are divided.
3. Legend Story
Many Igbo people in Rivers do not believe in the sacraments associated with the Igbo people because of their ancient stories.
But some Igbos in the Rivers and some Delta states say that, they migrated from Bini in Edo state to where they now live.
“If your region has nothing, in common,with Igbos,then Igbo people will not say we are brothers.” Remember Igbo have Igala in their State and as their neighbours but they have never claimed that Igala are Ndị Igbo.
“We respect everyone’s choice, regardless of the fact that we have many similarities. However, in some areas, there are conflicting beliefs regarding whether they identify as Igbo or not. Therefore, when I refer to them as Igbo in my posts, I am specifically addressing those who identify themselves as Igbo. If we were to stop referring to our people in that region as Igbo simply because one person claims they are not, what about those who do consider themselves Igbo? What about the Ohaneze secretary general from İkwere or the Ohaneze Igbo youth president in Malaysia, both of whom are from İkwere? And what would happen when a someone from River state becomes the next president of Ohaneze Ndígbo when their turn reach? Would we deny their identity because someone online, says they are not Igbo?
My intention here is not to force anyone to be Igbo or reject anyone who is Igbo. Instead, my purpose is to share and discuss Igbo history and related topics wherever I find the presence of ndígbo in the country.”
About The Author
