Contesting Igbo vs. Edo-African History (1) By Uwagboe Ogieva 15/ 09/ 2014 The complexity of Benin tradition and spirituality still lives more for researchers and archaeologies. Despite the enormous record and information surrounding African Americans story which began with transatlantic slave trade from West Africa, many are of the delusion that they are from Egypt, Nubian ancestry to escape their inferiority complex, low self esteem and paranoia. Why are they not associating and tracing to the West rather than to the Egyptian, Nubian? Because Ancient Egypt known for world civilization right. How many have taken time to visit Benin and study how Benin came with the pyramid structure and kingship tradition which have a lot in common with ancient Egyptian history an arts? How many African American say Yosef Ben Jochannon, Cress Welsing, Edward Blyton, WEB Du Bois, J A Rodgers, Ivan Van Sertima, John Henrik Clarke, Herodotus, Leo Frobeniuswriting African history have visited Benin for their research and archaeology? If I may ask, how many Igbo scholars writing about Eri or Ehi and Nri Igbo historical brotherhood have also visited Benin to carry out their scientific study? Many now claim it is on record that Igbo preceded the Benin kingdom. If anything, Akwa Blacksmiths helped to make Benin what it became in Brass casting “according to Igbo oral tradition”:.The father of Eri was called GAD, who was the son of JACOB. Jacob was the son of Isaac and Isaac was the son of ABRAHAM. Eri begat Nri. Others say Eri and Nri were brothers. Why would this people Igbos be teaching what they don’t know? Bring biblical names and history to distort authentic information about the Great Benin West African civilization? How come many Ibos and Yoruba claimed they are from Edo, in fact admitted of taken Benin culture, tradition and spirituality with them. Nnamdi Azikiwe: My Odyssey, Chapter I (Spectrum Books, 1970) “My Genealogy and Nativity” p 11 – 12, expressed a clear link of the Igbo from Benin. See extract: Excerpts from Nnamdi Azikiwe: My Odyssey. Nnamdi Azikiwe: My Genealogy and Nativity “Thus, in tracing my paternal lineage, I could say that both parents of my father are direct descendants of Eze Chima. As for me, I can trace my paternal ancestry in this wise: I am the first son of Chukwuemeka, who was the third child and first son of Azikiwe, who was the second son of Molokwu, who was the third son of Ozomaocha, who was the second son of Inosi Onira, who was the fourth son of Dei, the second son of Eze Chima, the founder of Onitsha.” SOURCE – Nnamdi A zikiwe: My Odyssey, Chapter I (Spectrum Books, 1970) “My Genealogy and Nativity” p4 “I can trace my maternal ancestry thus: I am the first son of Nwanonaku Rachel Chinwe Ogbenyeanu (Aghadiuno)Azikiwe, who was third daughter of Aghadiuno Ajie, the fifth son of Onowu Agbani, first daughter of Obi Udokwu, the son who descended from five Kings of Onitsha. Five of these rulers of Onitsha were direct lineal descendants of Eze Chima, who led his warrior adventurers when they left Benin to establish the Onitsha city state in about 1748 AD. ” SOURCE – Nnamdi Azikiwe: My Odyssey, Chapter I (Spectrum Books, 1970) “My Genealogy and Nativity” p5 “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 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 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 penalize them, Chima, the ultimate founder of the Onitsha city-state, a prince of the blood in his own right, led the recalcitrant 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 -Igbo, 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 Benin Culture, tradition and spirituality spread far and wide to togo and in the north with kogi. One of the greatest Empire on the West African axis. Philip Emeagwali also came up with the argument of trying to edúcate the Igbos of their Benin ancestral lineage, many igbo denounce. See extract : “ I am a Yoruba by birth (born in Akure, western region) and Igbo by heritage. As a native Onitsha Igbo, I trace my ancestry to Eze Chima, a prince who rebelled against the Benin royal dynasty and emigrated from the kingdom. Other Igbos that trace their lineage to Eze Chima include Onicha-Ukwu, Onicha-Olona, Onicha-Ugbo, Obior, Issele-Ukwu, Issele-Mkpima, Issele-Azagba, Ezi, Abeh and Obamkpa.Native Onitshans speak a dialect of the Igbo language with several Benin/Yoruba words such as Obi (of Onitsha) and Oba (of Benin). In fact, the word Onitsha (Onicha) is a corruption of the god Orisha. The bini name for River Niger is Ohinmwin. The Onicha Igbo call it Orinmili. In a few years, we will have DNA tests that proves (or disproves) the Onitsha-Benin-Yoruba connection. In fact, a lost dialect of the Yoruba language, called Olukwumu, is spoken in Brazil and in a few Igbo communities named Anioma, Idumu-Ogu, Ubulubu, Ugboba, Ugbodu, and Ukwunzu (M. A. Onwuejeogwu, 1987 Ahiajoku Lecture). The absence Olukwumu in core Yoruba land proves that these communities are the Lost Yoruba Tribe that were fleeing from slave raiders. ” – Source – from his official web 2011 Edo, Benin are the people not writing to overlord other ethnic group but still remain point of reference by scholars and researchers to both Africans and non Africans. Benin has a documented history up to about 900 AD. Many of these ancient writings and art works and paints were destroyed by Britain 1897. The sophistication of their traditional administration with their leadership hierarchy when compared has the best route to restore Africa back to the true africanization and afrocentrism. So many yet to be studied and publish by scholars. How can you teach what you don’t know and give what you don’t have. The present days WAZOBIA Nigeria have failed the Edo people and Nation. Many bias and leftish scholars writing imaginative story of the Great Benin Ancient civilization. Edos know who they are and welcome anybody who wants to learn. So keep it clean because Edos are not confused about their anthropological trace and history. Edo orisiagbon.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 12:24:29 +0000
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