The Legendary History of Igbo People
Scholars dismiss earlier claims completely of Jewish or Egyptian origin-that is "Hamitic hypothesis"- as " the oriental mirage." instead , there are two current opinions as a result of evidence derived from several sources that take into account oral history, archaeology, linguistics, and art history. One suggest the Awka-Orlu uplands as the center of Igbo origins, from which dispersla took place. The second more recent opinion suggest the region of the Niger-Benue confluence as the area of descent some five thousand years ago, and the plateau region, that is, the Nsukka, Okigwe cues-ta, as the area of Igbo settlement.
Igbo is the language in Ala Igbo (Igbo land) by the people who are referred to as "Ndi Igbo", their community is also known as "Olu no Igbo". Before European Colonialism, the Igbo speaking people, who shared almost the same culture, lived in localized communities were not unified under a single cultural identity, although unifying processes were present through village expansion, ritual subordination, inter marriage, trade, cultural exchange, war, conquest and migration. Villages and groups were generally identified by different names of their ancestral founders such as Umuleri, Nri, Ogidi, Nnobi, Orlu, Ngwa, Ezza, and Ohaffia.
There are different theories concerning the etymology of the word "Igbo" (spelled wrongly "Ibo" by the British Colonialists). Eighteenth Century text had the word as "Ebo or Heebo" which was thought to be the corruption of "Hebrew". Igbo is presumed to "mean the people". The root-bo is judge to be of sudanic origin. Some scholars think that the words is derived from the verb gboo and therefore has connotations of "to protect", "to prevent","to shelter". Hence the notion of a protected people or community of peace. According to other theorists,it may also be traced to the Igala, among whom Onigbo is the word for "slave", Oni meaning "people".
Igbo-speaking people can be divided into five geographically based on sub-cultures, Northern Igbo, Southern Igbo, Western Igbo, Eastern Igbo, and the Northeastern Igbo. Each of this five can be further divided into sub-groups based on specific locations and names. The Northern or Onitsha Igbo are divided into the Nri-Awka of Onitsha and Awka; the Enugu of Nsukka, Udi, Awgu, and Okigwe; and those of the Onitsha town. The Owerri or Southern Igbo are divided into the Isu_Ama of Okigwe, Orlu, and Owerri; the Oratta-Ikwerri of Owerri and Ahoada; the Ohuhu-Ngwa of Aba and Bende; and the Isu-Item of Bende and Okigwe. The western Igbo (Ndi Anioma, as they called themselves) are divided into the northern Ika of Ogwashi-Uku and Agbor ; the Kwale or Ika of Kwale; and the Riverrain of Ogwashi Uku, Onitsha, Owerri, and Ahoada. The Eastern or Cross River Igbo are divided into the Ada or Edda of Afikpo, the Abam-Ohaffia of Bende and Okigwe, and the Aro of Aro. The Northeastern Igbo include the Ogu Uku of Abakaliki and Afikpo.
Today Igbo-speaking individual live all over Nigeria and in diverse countries of the world. As a people , however, the Igbo are located on both side of the River Niger and occupy most of Southeastern Nigeria. The area measuring over 41,000 square kilometers, includes the old province of Onitsha, Owerri, East Rivers, Southeast Benin, West Ogoja, and North-East Warri. Thus, there presently constitute the entire Enugu state, Abia state, Anambra state, Imo state, Ebonyi state, and the Ahoada area of Rivers state; Igbo-speaking people are also located in the West of the Niger which are inhabited by the Asaba, Ika and Agbor areas of Delta state.
Igbo is the language in Ala Igbo (Igbo land) by the people who are referred to as "Ndi Igbo", their community is also known as "Olu no Igbo". Before European Colonialism, the Igbo speaking people, who shared almost the same culture, lived in localized communities were not unified under a single cultural identity, although unifying processes were present through village expansion, ritual subordination, inter marriage, trade, cultural exchange, war, conquest and migration. Villages and groups were generally identified by different names of their ancestral founders such as Umuleri, Nri, Ogidi, Nnobi, Orlu, Ngwa, Ezza, and Ohaffia.
There are different theories concerning the etymology of the word "Igbo" (spelled wrongly "Ibo" by the British Colonialists). Eighteenth Century text had the word as "Ebo or Heebo" which was thought to be the corruption of "Hebrew". Igbo is presumed to "mean the people". The root-bo is judge to be of sudanic origin. Some scholars think that the words is derived from the verb gboo and therefore has connotations of "to protect", "to prevent","to shelter". Hence the notion of a protected people or community of peace. According to other theorists,it may also be traced to the Igala, among whom Onigbo is the word for "slave", Oni meaning "people".
Igbo-speaking people can be divided into five geographically based on sub-cultures, Northern Igbo, Southern Igbo, Western Igbo, Eastern Igbo, and the Northeastern Igbo. Each of this five can be further divided into sub-groups based on specific locations and names. The Northern or Onitsha Igbo are divided into the Nri-Awka of Onitsha and Awka; the Enugu of Nsukka, Udi, Awgu, and Okigwe; and those of the Onitsha town. The Owerri or Southern Igbo are divided into the Isu_Ama of Okigwe, Orlu, and Owerri; the Oratta-Ikwerri of Owerri and Ahoada; the Ohuhu-Ngwa of Aba and Bende; and the Isu-Item of Bende and Okigwe. The western Igbo (Ndi Anioma, as they called themselves) are divided into the northern Ika of Ogwashi-Uku and Agbor ; the Kwale or Ika of Kwale; and the Riverrain of Ogwashi Uku, Onitsha, Owerri, and Ahoada. The Eastern or Cross River Igbo are divided into the Ada or Edda of Afikpo, the Abam-Ohaffia of Bende and Okigwe, and the Aro of Aro. The Northeastern Igbo include the Ogu Uku of Abakaliki and Afikpo.
Today Igbo-speaking individual live all over Nigeria and in diverse countries of the world. As a people , however, the Igbo are located on both side of the River Niger and occupy most of Southeastern Nigeria. The area measuring over 41,000 square kilometers, includes the old province of Onitsha, Owerri, East Rivers, Southeast Benin, West Ogoja, and North-East Warri. Thus, there presently constitute the entire Enugu state, Abia state, Anambra state, Imo state, Ebonyi state, and the Ahoada area of Rivers state; Igbo-speaking people are also located in the West of the Niger which are inhabited by the Asaba, Ika and Agbor areas of Delta state.
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