This year, a documentary came out, entitled: “Re-Emerging: The Jews of Nigeria”, which claims that Igbo people are one of the “Lost Tribes of Israel.” Its a very interesting and entertaining documentary. However, its one that is very much misnamed. What the documentary should be called is “Re-Emerging: The Failed Oriental Hypothesis.” What the filmmaker, Jeff L. Lieberman forgot to inform the audience of was that the propaganda he is trying to push has been debunked for nearly 100 years. Before we even get to review the film, let’s first go through history so we can figure out how this documentary came to be:
The first person to posit any relationship between Igbos and Jews was Oladuah Equianio. In his autobiography he states:
“Such is the imperfect sketch my memory has furnished me with of the manners and customs of a people among whom I first drew my breath. And here I cannot forbear suggesting what has long struck me very forcibly, namely, the strong analogy which even by this sketch, imperfect as it is, appears to prevail in the manners and customs of my countrymen and those of the Jews, before they reached the Land of Promise, and particularly the patriarchs while they were yet in that pastoral state which is described in Genesis–an analogy, which alone would induce me to think that the one people had sprung from the other.”
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano Or Gustavus Vassa, The African (Chapter 1)
This statement compares the two groups, but doesn’t actually say which one he believe came from the other. In recent years, evidence has emerged that Equianio (whose legal name was Gustavus Vassa) was actually born and raised in South Carolina, and only wrote about Igboland from the stories he heard others who were born there tell. Furthermore, one can argue that even if he were born in Igboland as he claimed, Vassa admits that not only is his memory very imperfect (having been removed from his people at such a young age), but that he is now looking at it from a Christian point of view, which would biased him to arguing for a Biblical connection to his people.
Professor Adele Afigbo, one of the prominent Igbo historians writes about other people who speculated on Igbo origins in the Middle Eastern area:
“(George) Basden (1912) pointing to certain constructions found in the Igbo language and what he considered the deep religious feeling of the people, propagated the view that Igbo culture probably evolved under the impact of the Levitical Code.
Impressed by what he considered the superior intelligence of the Aro Igbo and by their religious systems and rituals, (Sir Herbert Richmond ) Palmer contended that they carried Hamitic blood in their veins and that it was under their leadership that the “higher” aspects of Igbo culture had evolved.
Similarly, impressed by Igbo sun-worship and by the feature of dual organization in their social structure, (M.D.W) Jeffreys held that that the Igbo at some stage in the past had come under Egyptian influence, the carriers of this influence probably being the Nri of Akwa in northern Igboland.
The pseudo-scientific racial theories prominent in the colonial period made their impact on the Igbo in two ways. In the first place, colonialism was a severe humiliation for the Igbo. It also gave them Western education, which made them capable of accepting the myths about the cultural similarities between them and the peoples of the Near East. To show that they had not always been as “despicable” as the colonialists found them, they started laying claim to an Eastern origin on the basis of such cultural similarities.
In the same manner, the application of the Oriental hypothesis to Igbo cultural history by colonial officials had a propagandistic side to it. These men refused to concede that the Igbo cultural traits which they traced to the East could indicate that the Igbo came from there. To do so would, in the intellectual climate of the time, have been to assign this despised colonial people a higher place on the world tree of culture than the colonial masters would have found convenient. Instead, the colonial theorists claimed that these traits showed that he Igbo had once been under Egyptian or Jewish cultural dominance. Implicit in this claim was the idea, not hitherto emphasize by anyone, that British colonialism was not a radical departure from the past, but in some sense a continuation of the cultural education of the Igbo which had been started long ago by the Egyptians. In this regard it is revealing that the Oriental hypothesis was imported as an explanation of Igbo history in the 1920s, when the colonial government was experiencing great difficulty in the administration of the Igbo. It was in this situation that it came to be argued first that Igboland had once been under Egyptian influence, second that the spread of Egyptian culture in Igboland was the work of a small elite, who after interbreeding with the people, became the Nri and Aro of today, and third that if the British really wanted to rule the Igbo “indirectly”, then they had to do so through the Nri and the Aro (Afigbo 1965)
By the late 1930s, the Oriental hypothesis had been argued out ad nauseam and abandoned, since no amount of research, not even (Herbert Frank) Matthew’s at Arochukwu and Jeffrey’s at Awka could uncover solid historical or anthropological evidence in its support. C.K Meek, the government anthropologist who had coordinate the research into this and related issues in Igboland, closed the debate as far as the government was concerned when he warned that: “no purpose would be served by engaging in speculations about ancient cultural contacts, such as that the prevalence of sun-worship, of forms of mummification, and of dual organization points to some distance connection with Ancient Egypt. As far back as we can see within historic times, the bulk of the Igbo peoples appear to have lived an isolated existence.”
By 1940 then, the Oriental hypothesis was to all intents and purposes dead as a serious explanation of Igbo culture history.”
“The Culture History of the Igbo Speaking Peoples of Nigeria” by Adiele Afigbo, West African Culture Dynamics: Archaeological and Historical Perspectives pages 307 to 309
This dead in the water theory was resurrected for a brief period of time during the Nigerian-Biafran War, when the Biafran Republic received support in the form of arms from Israel, among other nations. Apartheid South Africa and Rhodesia also supported Biafra, but nobody uses that as proof as any ancestral connection that Igbos have to any of those white settler regimes.
Over the years, other Igbo historical heavy weights through the years have also weighed in:
“It may well be that the proponents of this oriental hypothesis base their argument on circumstantial evidence. Non-Igbos who believe in this theory drew their conclusion on the strength of some similarities between Igbo sharp practices in trade and moneymaking ventures with that of the Jews. Still other people who buy this theory do so because the Igboman’s resentments in Nigeria resemble those of the Jews. The wide dispersion of the Igbo just like the Jews is also one of the reasons advanced to support this thesis. Today, however, the concept of the oriental or eastern origins is in danger. The idea has been impugned vehemently and is fast losing its credulity. The tradition is considered to be more of a fable than reality. No wonder the theory has been opposed and even rejected by some indigenous writers. Afigbo has written of its proponents as victims of the ‘oriental mirage’ and warned that the oriental extraction should not be taken seriously. Similarly (Professor. Elizabeth) Isichei has dismissed the theory as a ‘mistaken stereotype.’ To (M.A) Onwuejeogwu, the argument is ‘unscientific and only fulfills man’s quests for its origin without coming close to the answer.’ Because of the caliber of these critics, the first Hermetic hypothesis of the Igbo origins as obsolete and untenable. This is because it has neither established convincingly the circumstances surrounding the original home of the Igbo nor trace chronologically how the Igbo came to live whre they are today. But put more succinctly, contemporary studies on Igbo origin are contending that earliest Igbo first emerged in Nigeria and not from the near or far East.”
Migration and the Economy: Igbo Migrants and the Nigerian Economy 1900 to 1975 By Mathias Chinonyere Mgbeafulu, page 8
More:
“Some elders still claim that the Igbo are the original inhabitants of their present place of abode. Some late theories of Hebrew link are yet to be confirmed with authentic ethnographic data.”
A Handbook of African Religion and Culture by Professor Udobata R Onunwa, Page xxi
More:
“Some Igbo writers have since then followed him (Dr. George Basden) and written in the same vein saying that the Igbos are of Jewish origin. Some of the undisputed similarities in some Jewish practice and those of the Igbos are stated in support of their claims. One has to observe however that some of the examples given appear too far-fetched…This account of the origin of the Igbo is immediately knocked out out by archaeological evidence that Igbos have been in their present settlement from well over 3000 B.C.”
Igbo People: Their Origin and Culture Area by Dibia John Umeh (Traditional Priest), Pages 32-33
So by 2012, when this documentary was made, the Oriental hypothesis, that Igbo culture and/or people is derived from Israel or Egypt had been abandoned by the very people that promoted it in the first place (Basden, Jeffreys, Palmer, Matthews, Meek etc) had been dismissed by serious indigenous and non-indigenous academics (Afigbo, Isichei, Onwuejeogwu, Mgbeafulu, Onunwa) and had never been taken seriously by traditional priests (Umeh) in the first place. You will not find arguments for the Oriental hypothesis in any recent academic journal, any recent dissertation or thesis, or any books written by traditional Igbo priests or practitioners. So how in the world did this movie actually get made?
There are two sources for the re-emergence of this failed hypothesis. As the film rightly pointed out, the Pentacostal Christian movement began to spread like wildfire in Nigeria in the 1970s and 80s. Unlike its predecessors, the Pentecostal churches did not put an emphasis on education for either its clergy or its congregation. Compared to the highly educated Anglican and Catholic Priests, Pentecostal ministers could literally be anyone off the street who received a “calling.” Furthermore, the Pentecostal churches did not open up schools at the same rate or at the same caliber as the Anglican and Catholics did, and also appealed to many of the unemployed, hopeless masses.
The mid-1980s also saw Nigeria’s once strong economy start to decline due to a poor decisions from the military leadership, as well as Structural Adjustment Programs by the World Bank. By the 1990s, Nigeria’s economic situation was extremely bleak. Many people looked for ways to escape. In 1993, an Igbo migrant worker in Israel named Chima Onyeulo went to the Interior Ministry to claim Israeli citizenship as a “returning” Jew. Onyeulo claimed that although most Igbos were now Christians, they were once Israelites, and on that basis, he should be allowed the “right of return” afforded to Jewish people. Furthermore, he insisted that Igbo was simply a corruption of the word “Hebrew.” His application was rejected.
African Refugees from the Sudan in Israel
His failure did not deter others from also trying to trying to be recognized as a Jew and escape out of Nigeria. In 1999, after one Igbo man traveled to Israel, he came back and told the rest of his Pentecostal church that they were from Israel , and convinced them embrace Judaism. Members of that church became practicing Messianic Judaism, which is nothing but Christianity that also keeps some of the Old Testament law. Messianic Judaism constitutes the overwhelming majority of self purported Igbo Jews today. That same year, the Association of Jewish Faith in Nigeria was founded.
Is it a coincidence that the Oriental Hypothesis began to re-emerge when Nigeria’s economic and political situation worsened? Does anyone else find it interesting that there is almost no record of any of these Igbo Jewish groups before the 1990s? Why did it take for them to get internet access before learning that they were Jews? Why were no practitioners of Odinani, Igbo traditional priests or Dibias interviewed in the film? Why were the academics in Igboland not interviewed either? How it is that in 2012, Jeff Lieberman has been able to find evidence for this supposed Hebrew lineage that Basden, Jeffreys, Palmer, Meek and Matthews could not find nearly 100 years ago before people had embraced Christianity as much as they do now? Isn’t it pretty clear what is going on here?
The Igbo Jews are trying to escape Nigeria by any means. They want Israel to airlift them out of Nigeria as they did to the Ethiopian Jews (Beta Israel) in the 1991 during Operation Solomon. They have even gone so far as to fabricate physical evidence and create traditions out of thin air that never existed in Igboland. While other Nigerians have used “green card marriages” or fake visas as a way to illegally immigrate out of the nation, these people have decided to pursue the religious route, and imitate foreign Ashkenazi traditions like donning the yarmulke caps, which is a tradition from Poland. They have even gone so far as to wave the flag as Israel as much as possible, despite the fact that the state of Israel as a secular nation and Judaism are not synonymous, and there are many Jews that do not identify with that state. Other commentators on various websites have pointed out the scam as well:
“Fraudsters! If I was an African living in squalor I would also claim to be Jewish to get a free ticket to Israel. The more we indulge these so called ‘Jews’ the more they will continue appearing”
“If Nigeria was a British colony, why couldn’t they find out about Judaism prior to the internet? The same Christian missionaries who converted many Nigerians to Christianity could have given them access to knowledge of Judaism. Were there no Jews in Nigeria during the British era? Wouldn’t the Christians have used the Old Testament which talks about the Jews?”
“The men are all circumcised as babies 8 days old??? I’m sure NOT. This is just a scam to get into Israel.”
“The Igbo people are not from Isreal. They do not have anything in common that one would even guess that they are from Isreal. Igbo people do not have any culture that relates to that of the Isrealis. The Ibos are Roman Catholics. The Igbo people should plan how to better their lives and that of their communities, and stop thinking negatives.”
This comment hit the nail right on the head:
“Well, looking at the situation i Nigeria where there is no social security, no light, no water, no good roads, no affordable health care system coupled with bad governance, one cannot but seek affiliation with another good country that may be willing to accept him. If Nigeria were to be a good country where the welfare of its citizen is well attended to, the Igbos would have denied that they are Jews even if Israel request for them.”
This documentary reminds me of another one that came out this year. Anyone remember Kony 2012??
Once the Ugandans got wind of it, they were able to help end Invisible Children’s party and expose them for the fraud they were perpetuating on people. Perhaps Jeff L. Lieberman knows this, and is choosing to avoid showing this film to Nigerian audiences as shown from the screening schedule on the website.
In conclusion, the only thing that has been re-emerging, is a racist scam that perpetuates the notion that African people are only intelligent enough to create their own traditions. This failed hypothesis, which says that Igbos in particular, could not have derived their culture by themselves, and must have been influenced by Jews or some other foreign group is being used as a means of escape from a failing state by some very desperate people. In the second part of the review, we will point out every single false or half-true statement in this documentary, and start the process of finally killing the debunked Oriental hypothesis once and for all. Please spread the word and don’t allow others get caught up in this latest Nigerian scam.
Odinani: The Sacred Arts & Sciences of the Igbo People 
Absolutely! Many salient points being made here. Thank you!
The one fact that I find that truly debunks this myth, and fabrication that we are of Jewish extraction… is the fact that we have documented Igbo presence to a time so far in past that the Jews as a religious group and ethnicity did not even exist! This is simply beyond discussion.
By the time we had culture, tradition and civilization, they did not even have a word their chief deity – Yahweh. Something as menial as a Wikipedia search will tell you that we have clay works dating back to 4000 BC that shows a link to Igbo’s. Let the money-migrants and expatriates do their work and go to Israel, hopefully they have Western Union and Forex there so they can send some money homeward to their family. Becoz, kudi no be dey for Naija non-government people, so I salute anyone who is thinking of way to survive without killing.
There is only 2 ways to determine the House of Israel and the 12 Tribes, according to the Bible. 1. The people must have been slaves and mistreated for 400 years, exactly. and 2. The people left the West coast of Africa as slaves…
Jeff’s film is part of Jewish gospel that aids and abets the continuation of the demonization of indigenous African cosmology, however this is not his motive or intent. As a Jewish documentarian and film maker it would be in his field of interest to make such a documentary. This whole African Jewish identity began on American soil in the form of “Black Judaism.” We African Americans have already seen that movie. If Igbo are Jews and the majority of African slaves imported from Africa are Igbo, then this supports “Black Judaism” (see James E. Landing) in all its variants. African Americans have read themselves into the Biblical narrative since slavery.
I have made the point to Remy Ilona, Habakkuk Nwafor, Dr.Michael Caliben and others that Equianio’s testimony could be applied either way as there is more empirical evidence to show Jews come from Igbos rather than the other way around. This is proven by Professor Catherine Acholonu’s forthcoming book “Eden in Sumer on the Niger” and Hermel Hermestein’s book, “Black Sumer: The African Origins of Civilisation.”
Kudos to Omenka Egwuatu Nwa-Ikenga for the sobering review. I make much of the same case in my paper AFRICAN ORIGINS OF JUDAISM. http://africaisrael.wordpress.com/2012/07/16/african-origins-of-judaism/
excellent. Completely agree with your response and the film crit.
the idiot who coplied this must be very jobless.Did you have to lambast the Igbos to prove your point?If the Igbos claim to be from isreal, it is up to them to prove it.But if the say they came from the middle east somewhere then dont blame them because the whole world migrated from the middle east. make your research.i watched a documantary were Jews came to nigeria acknowledging a relationship with the igbo.the two sides should resolve themselves.I take exceptions to the strong language used against the Igbo’s
The whole world DID not migrate from the Middle East. Humanity began in Africa. Get your facts right my friend.
The whole world came from where? Nwoke m jee guo akwukwo before you insult somebody, biko.
Lack of appropriate information is killing my brothers, who in world said that humanity came from the middle east? do you read at all? if you cannot get hold of credible research works that are everywhere, why not go to the internet and google the cradle of human civilization? why do you want to come online to make fun of yourself my brother.. dont you know that credible researchers and historians go through all these comments on a daily basis? na wah oh!
“…evidence has emerged that Equianio (whose legal name was Gustavus Vassa) was actually born and raised in South Carolina, and only wrote about Igboland from the stories he heard others who were born there tell. Furthermore, one can argue that even if he were born in Igboland as he claimed, Vassa admits that not only is his memory very imperfect (having been removed from his people at such a young age)”
The above statement is debatable, and I am inclined to believe that he was of Igbo extraction for many reasons, of which I would limit myself to two. First, I do not think that a slave, like Equiano (probably pronounce Ikwuano in Igbo) would have spend his time and energy writing about one ethnic group that meant nothing to him, considering the nostalgia and pain of being uprooted from his country of origin. Second, remember that Igbos practiced oral history. No matter his age, and time lapse since he left the shore of Africa his childhood memories and those transmitted to him from his parents remained etched in memory and could not have faded with the passage of time.
Bishop Ajayi Crowther was only 12 when he was captured by slave raiders. Later in life, he remembered his Yoruba origin. However, it must be mentioned that there exist people who would hijack a controversial topic and distort it to suit their fancy or give credit to their reservoir of prejudice – “can anything good come out of Nazereth?”. I have encountered people with intent to distort the profile of the famous Russian poet, Alexander Pushkin. His grandfather was African slave who rose to higher pedestal in Russia. Because of Pushkin’s fame, some lecturers have attempted to sever his connection from Africa. While guillibles could easily be fooled, well educated Russians and others cannot succumb to the level of mugus on Pushkin.s profile. It cannot therefore be ruled out that the Equiano.s Igbo connection is being mutilated.
Professor Catherine Acholonu put to rest speculations about Equianio’s birth place and origins in her well researched book “The Igbo Roots of Olaudah Equiano – A Linguistic and Anthropological Search.”
@ Sidney Davis
Regrettably, I have not been able to read Prof. Acholonu’s book and her factual assertion on Equiano’s birth controversy. I would definitely purchase a copy of the book soon. However, you could have shed some light on the issue, using her research findings to enlighten me
Just a note of correction. Not sure when Pushkin’s grandfather was indicted into slavery. However, Alexander Puskin’s mother was born of African royalty.
When was Alexander Pushkin mentioned?
Some of you assertions here are wrong! Igbos are not all catholics!
I was not the one who said it. I was just restating other peoples opinions of the so called Igbo jews
Igbos are hebrew Israelites dear,before the advent of christianity Igbos have always had Igbo hebrew spirituality..There is a difference from being a Hebrew-Israelite and being a Jew.Even though you might find it hard to belive Igbos are Hebrews.shalom
My brother, you sound very confused. If you want to know some details of Igbo spirituality, just take a look at the content of this site.
Ajufo, stop playing yourself. If what you are saying is true, why not go to the DIbia and worship with him at his shrine since according to you it is a Hebrew spiritual practice?
my brother you dont know who a dibia is,DIBIANIA BU OBI UNO DI MEANS MASTER WHO COMES FROM ANIA, WHO IS THE HEART OF THE HOME.ANI IS THE SHORTENED FORM OF ANIA WHICH IS THE SAME AS YHWH.NO Wonder Igbos say ANIKAMGBOLU,ANICHBE,ANIZOBA,ANI REPREZENTS THE SUPER/SUPRA NATURAL BEING.THE DIBIA IS A REPRESENTATIVE OF ANIA/ANI WHICH IS MMUO THE SPIRIT BEING
If i understand your point so well then i will say clearly the igbo-jewish wishful affiliation is just for economic and social reasons, to better their lives from a bad and corrupt economy.Clearly not the case here.I live in nigeria and i’m contented with life here,and if it is wealth we have it,yet i yearn to be jewish and identified with israel and never for economic or any social reasons.where is that wealth that israel possesses that the igbos will want to be taken to israel like the ethopians:is it from the aid and grants from the USA and other jews around thd world,or the peace from every day conflicts with the arabs.if it’s just for the reasons you pointed out then i think the igbos would have claimed to be arabs from the middle easten saudi arabia or any oil wealthy arab nation.please get your facts straight and stop presenting faulse hypothesis from inconclusive points of other uncertain and unproven write ups.And on Jeff lieberman’s film i will say kudos to him cos he did his job and he did it well.I tell you clearly your fact sare illogical to any rational mind.
My brother. It seems as though your language has given you away. You stated that you “yearn to be jewish and identified with israel”, which clearly means that you are not already Jewish. I don’t yearn to be Igbo, its something I already am. Just be yourself and your life will get better. I promise. Secondly, it would actually make even less sense for Igbos to try to claim affinity with Arabs, especially seeing how most Igbos are Christians and most Arabs are Muslims. I’m pretty sure that they would claim Arabian origin if they practiced Islam, as some of their Muslim Yoruba neighbors have done.
The author of this article must be very careful not to have legal charges set against you. This is a very distasteful writing and it does not matter if the Igbo are Jews are not Jews but what matters is that no one has the right to claim fraud against a man for doing a job. There are interesting references added to this column but the intentions of the article diminishes even the work of good authors. This article belittles the Igbo and I do not believe an Igbo from Igboland would ever stoop so low to write this kind of article. Furthermore, why would someone write this kind of slanderous material and hide behind a fictitious name unless he knows its but tainted and irresponsible and as the previously stated, irrational allegations. I hope to see a written retraction and apology in the near future because this site has before this article, had better quality material.
V.O. Akoko, you are not Igbo but I am. I see nowhere in the article where the belittling of Igbo takes into play. Or are you saying that by the author distancing Igbo people from the Jews and promoting our own history and culture it makes us worth less? I am proud of the article any Igbo proud of who he is would be.
As Igbo traditional beleif would have it,the writer of this article would never be an Igbo in his next world.Thank you nwanne m for your comment!
No need rehashing the historical facts about the Hebrew Israelite of Ala-Igbo because the article and subsequent postings have articulated precisely the historical and fraudulent nature of the claims. I am from Nkporo in Abia State Nigeria, and all the historical information about my people does not in anyway include any such cultural affinity with Israel, so I shall not argue over the inconsequential trivia.
More poignant however, is the clear indication that inherent in these claims is cognitive dissonance masquerading as historical particulars. Fraud is a consequence of being aware that you are perpetrating a lie. I dare say that these people have to experience the appropriate level of cognitive aptitude to realize the fraud they are perpetrating. I am speaking of awareness as a prerequisite to understanding the consequences of one’s actions. At the root of their assertions is a clear misunderstanding of human nature. People who do things that reflect sameness with other cultures do not automatically become kin. Culture is dynamic and many world cultures mirror each other in areas that are basic tenets of human nature. The notion that we are analogous to Israel as a consequence of some mundane similarity is insane if not laughable.
How does their argument manifest cognitive dissonance? Igbos consistently claim to be one of the most educated and proud people, yet this claim of other, the assigning of our heritage to a people with a tenuous past in Hitler’s Germany, is dissonance. For clarification, I am not anti Jews nor do I agree with Hitler’s German bigotry. My point however, is that these so called Igbo Jews are ceding Igbo historical greatness to a people still recovering from the trials and tribulation of racial inequity and whose original claim to fame is in the religious texts that have relevance only in the minds of people who have embraced its legitimacy as imposed by European colonialists, and religious business postulates. Granted, I believe that the Jews have every right to feel proud of their heritage and their claim to whatever they deem effectual and appropriate to their world view and existential mandates. However, it is cognitive dissonance when the so called Igbo Jew’s actions are at variance with beliefs and original cultural expressions that are integral to their self-identity.
This argument by the so called Igbo Israelite is sucking precious time and energy necessary to rally around our own cultural tenets that will direct economic, educational, spiritual, and political resources to Ala-Igbo. They are sabotaging Igbo nation building.
To diminish this disagreement between belief and behavior, the so called Igbo Jews can either stop making these counterfeit claims or wholly relinquish Igbo heritage. Lets leave Ala-Igbo for the true sons and daughters whose objectives is to accentuate the affirmative character of Igbo significance rather than focusing on the abdication of our birthright to the cultural vineyards of Israel.
“A State in the grip of neo-colonialism is not master of its own destiny. It is this factor which makes neo-colonialism such a serious threat to world peace”…KWAME NKURUMA
Nail in the coffin!
Anybody may be right here,but we should note,if we are educated enough,that a given poeple must not come from one place.I hereby suggest that,if every other Igbo clan is not from Israel,Aguleri people who hold this claim for two centuries now can be right.My fathers told me that I am a jew.
There is no documentation and no evidence outside of “hearsay” that says or makes a Igbo claim of Jew/Hebrew/Israel identity. Any such identity is owed soley to the colonial discourse and the religious indoctrination ensuing from it.. http://africaisrael.wordpress.com/2012/06/23/expolding-the-jewish-israel-hebrew-myth-of-igbo-origins-6/
When too long grammar takes away every substance in the argument it makes the one making such argument look as stupid as his argument.
Please, don’t get online displaying such ignorance and by affixing ‘Dr’, you believe that you have won the argument when in fact you simply displayed a wholesome level of ignorance an´d emptiness about the topic/subject.
Go and research about what makes the Igbo different and what they’re like before the inversion of the whiteman!
Even the unsubstantiated argument of the fellow writing this whole piece is just like reading a Yoruba doing what they know best, ‘destroying and abusing’ anything about Igbo people in other to make them feel good! He could not even do a simple research to now that true Igbos actually circumcised their boys on the eight day. That was not learn from the whiteman, but a covenant that has been their for ages.
Unfortunately, so Igbo people that read too much propaganda and racist books written by their white teachers often jump around with some useless titles to argue about things they knew nothing about!
Well Concerned,
You make a very valid point when you declare that we, “should go and research about what makes the Igbo different and what they were like before the inversion White man ” First, to be clear, let us clarify part of the basis of the argument you are alluding to. The word “Semetic” was originally a linguistic term and pertained to certain people in Africa and Western Asia who SPOKE what is referred to as a Semetic language. Originally, it did not refer to race at all. So we will eliminate any validity to your accusing the Yoruba people or anyone else of being anti-semetic.
Second, we are appraised–by very credible sources–that the “people who would later be called Jews entered into Africa around 1680 B.C. And according to legend, they lived in this African land with Africans, prospered and grew until their claimed Exodus.They adopted almost all elements of their religion, tradition, and culture, including monotheism.” This means that they didn’t bring anything appreciable into the African cultural and religious landscape because it was there before they got there! We have documentation present in the libraries of Africa and the Diaspora that attest to the presence of an ancient hieratic Igbo script and structures pre and post occurrant to those of Ancient African Nile Valley Kingdoms. We have documentation of the West African contribution to these Nile Valley Kingdoms because they are present in the statuary, carvings, art work and records left on site. Religion is one of the most tenacious aspects of any group of people, especially one as ancient as the Igbo. It is absurd to think that an ancient people would have no memory of their ancient religion to this present day. We have the documentation of the original 143 Declarations of Innocence–from which the “Jews” and Christians co-opted their Ten Commandments–being in existence some 3000 (plus) years before the so-called Jews or Hebrews ever entered Africa. And you will not find it written anywhere in the ancient African spiritual documentation where God told Africans to go into other lands, steal; rape their women, and slaughter men and babies for some “supernatural personal bloodlust!”
Third, rulers of the Nile Valley Kingdoms were very astute recorders of their own history. Anyone familiar or with a knowledge of the Hieratic records and/or literature of Egypt and Nubia know that these Africans where prolific record keepers. There are no records to be found anywhere in Nile Valley literature or ancient Igbo sources that confirm a mass migration of 600,000 people out of Egypt other than those who control of their own history for geopolitical purposes. I have access to some of the recorded military literature of that period and it is phenomenal in it’s detail. Calvary and chariots were the most prized and elite military assets of that period. Any such loss on the scale claimed by those who wrote biblical history would have been recorded by the scribes and record keepers of that period. There are none!
Lastly, there is no way to reconcile the moral imperatives that Israel claims relative to their relations with other African and non-European nations; their association in support of the apartheid regime of South Africa; and the shameful manner in which non-Europeans who practice the Jewish religion are treated in Israel.
Yes, you are correct and have every right to be concerned. Igbo people that read too much propaganda and racist books written by their white teachers often jump around with some useless titles to argue about things they know nothing about! They call themselves everything but what they are, Africans! And they spend too much effort pumping the propaganda of other people who don’t give a damn about them, and whether they live or die!
Reasercher, ur thesis are not substanciated, rooted. Who told u or how did u bomp into conclution that Igbos are Roman catholic worshipers. Besides, r u analizing belief system, tradition or origination. Plz peganisim as belief system is different from history of a particular group. Humans migerated from east, even plants germinate out of dispersal or cultivation. Circumsition alone proves where IGBOS drifted form.
My brother. First you should learn to spell check before you post. Second of all, humans did migrate from the East…that is, East Africa. Do your research.
Ihere anaghi eme onye ara, kama obu ummunna ya ka ihere na eme! If you know that your father migrated from middle east to igboland, better start parking your load and better go back home. A man who knows not the door post of his father, is a total bastard!. Lack of cultural education and appropriate information is killing our igbo youths. I am a proud igbo son! a son of the sacred aborigines of the earth. I have communication with my forefathers, and they have never told me of any isreali origin. instead, Jesus schooled in Africa, Mary magdalene is an African (Mauritania). The 3 wise men went from Africa, Even earlier maps did refere to parts of Arabia as africa until recently. and ethiopian ancient map went almost through half of the present day Africa! the whole world that we know today had migrated from Africa, so how can an African be a descendant of his own grandchild? if you want to comment here based on here say, then just read and ask questions, but if you spend time and money to embark on research regarding the origin of ndigbo, and find time to ask the aged ones in your village questions, or maybe a custodian of tradition, then you maybe share your views!.
We have been misdirected for many years and the seeds of misinformation must be uprooted among us. We Africans are the parents of humanity, so there is not a single jew or isrealite among us. rather in all migrated from here bringing with them traces of languages and culture, even the first Chinese dynasties where founded by Africans. The chinese has this info in their records. so tell me why you still want to show the world that you are ignorant of your origin? Are you an Israelite, did Israelites not become a recognized nation after they left Egypt? but all the igbo bronze discoveries and the NRI discoveries and the ugwu ele records shows that we have been here from the beginning of time! Please spend time on research before passing shameful information on the net. most of the people writing here are not just school leavers, some are authorities in the field of Anthropology. i have identified a few of them here already Udo!!!
Gbam!
When’s part 2 coming?
Before the end of the month. We have been reviewing every single point made in the film and measuring how true each of them are.
My name is Tochukwu ThankGOD BIN IFEDUBA. I’m an igbo And a descendant of Yisrael. This article was written by an uncircumsied philistian. I’m a Jew! May Hashem be praise and may the enemy of yisrael; amalek perish!
To say that the ‘reviewer’ Egwuatu whose real identity/name is Nwa mazi Dexter Anyiwo is a joker and a fraud is an understatement. Knowing that many people would not go to verify his spurious claims vis a vis the fact which is that Igbo traditions mirror Jewish traditions exactly he concocted this. He should not be taken serious. The film has saved a vital part of Igbo history.
Dude stop deceiving yourself. Stop trying to feel “belonged”. Igbo tradition mirrors jewish tradition in no way whatsoever. If it did, we wouldn’t be having this discussion as we speak. Stop mclowning yourself.
Its funny that none of the so called Igbo Jew scammers have been able to refute anything I’ve said thus far. All they have done is put out some of my other names, as if its a big secret. Anyone can check the comments section and see others using it. Give it up, your time is up. You are being exposed as the frauds you are.
Maybe because you make no sense that requires response. Go learn your history, not according to the while man books!!!
I doubt if you guys that claims to be ‘Igbo’ are actually circumcised since you are clapping at an uncircumcised write that does not even know about Igbo circumcision.
Sidney Davis, a lapsed African American convert to Judaism who travels around Africa as a homeless ghost quickly jumped in to condemn his estranged and former co-religionists.
You can sample this man’s bitterness with the Jews from the coaching letter that he sent to an Igbo dignitary coaching him about how to change his history.
> Your Imminence,
> Thank you for your call yesterday. I was attending a banquets when you
> called. There was a lot of people talking around me so I did not hear
> everything that you said. The list of people coming to Anambra continues to
> grow. We are all excited about seeing and hearing with our own eyes and ears
> about the research of Queen Mother Professor Catherine Acholonu and others
> about the ancient African history of Obu Uga and the throne of Eri, the holy
> land or Aguleri and the sacred river of Omambala. We are so excited about
> being a part of history in the making and the beginning of the New African
> Renaissance that will begin from your throne to the whole continent of
> Africa and the world. Outsiders want to convince us to believe that we come
> from them, that our culture, civilization and history comes from them. The
> Niger River Valley is the source, origin, mother of all world civilizations,
> cultures and people. History begins at Obu Uga. May the Spirit of
> our Ancestors be pleased in your restoring their proper place in our
> culture, history and tradition. The Igbo have never been slaves to any man,
> nation or people, neither are they the sons and daughters of slaves. The
> Igbo are not the descendant of slaves. Eri was not a slave or a descendant
> of slaves. The Ezeora son of Eri is not a slave or the descendant of slaves.
> Slavery is an abomination to the Igbo. We the children of captive Africans
> throughout the diaspora will come to the holy land of Aguleri to be cleansed
> from the abomination of slavery, not to become descendants of slaves again.
> It is important that you understand why we are coming and why the world
> will be coming to the land of Eri. We are not coming because of what
> outsiders have told us about who we are. We do not believe that. We totally
> reject the foreign imposition of someone else’s culture, religion and
> history on us. We want everyone to know this. We want all our friends and
> enemies to know that the day of religious imperialism on Igbo culture is
> over. We had enough of that as slaves in America. We are very excited about
> coming home.
>
> Warm regards,
> Prince Eluemuno of Iduu Eri Kingdom
> Sidney Davis
> The Ebo (Igbo) Landing Project
>
>
Mazi Mba What do you mean by a homeless ghost? desist from such derogatory term, while trying to communicate a more decent manner is required. There is not world war 3 going on among sons of Igboland. Sydney has had his DNA test done and confirmed his Igbo roots, we all know this. but using such a term as the one above is absolutely rude my brother. many more will recorgnise their roots and change course. please we are all kinsmen!
We are the originals, the ancient ones … Enough said. Courageous writing. Keep up.
Omenka Egwuatu Nwa-Ikenga. Hello I am a journalist doing research on this exact topic. Please contact me at chika.oduah@gmail.com
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Yes,a a part of the Igbo came from are of Israeli origin, researches have shown. It is the religion of the Nri. Nri history is not Igno history. Igbo are older than the Nri. the Nri influence in Igboland and beyond makes it easy for people to think that Igbos are from Israel. No, Igboland is a ix of migrations or diverse origins including Igala, Benin, Yoruba, Ibibio, etc. Nri’s jewsih orgin is only a part of it. Evidence shows it is the Nri only, not all Igbo. On Equiano and the South Carolina origin, that too has been debunked. He wrote and spoke Igbo. Could he have done that if he was born in USA? Omenka did not use other data that show identical the Nri religion and Judaism is. The film is not a fraud. t’s a quest, a finding,a discovery. There are more to show of this similarity even in Mali. A book called, Africa: Biography of a continent by John Reader can help to understand the Igbo and the Jewish origin.
Uduma Kalu
Hmm..interesting thread. I Think Prof Catherine.A is on course of stopping this kind of tussle on the true Igbo Origin.. May the true God of the Igbos help us to stop this!
yes true not all igbo are yasrael,only specific igbos who know of the migrations into nigeria,secondly the ashkenazi jews are not the bloodline israelites,but are converts,thirdly the true israelites are originally from northeast africa,but migrated to west africa,,and became among the rest of the igbo who had been there,this is why the difference in the igbo history between those who say they are yisrael and those who say they are not,each knows where they are from,,if you noticed ,compared to other african people the igbo on a great level are of many many shades of color, its a trait,,the reason is because of the migartions of african israeilte who were known to be of many many shades,,they mixed in with the igbo ,,before that ,the igbo did not have as many shades to them ,its ahistorical fact that african israelites migrated into west africa,,,see the book ,,from babaylon to timbuktu by rudolph r. windsor,,this book is about the history of african peoples in different pats of the world and thr tracing of the african israelites into west africa from north east africa,,,,,,,,so I dont think one type of igbo should try to discredit the yisrael igbo,or vice versa both histories are correct
If we Africans are the parents of humanity, it is pointless debating origin of igbos or igbos saying Israel are their brothers because igbos are africans
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I strongly did not belive with the writter that Igbo claim of jews is a scam, actually am an Igbo by Origin and from a town called Ozalla in Nkanu west local government of Enugu state. I grew up partly in d village before moveing to City for greener pastuture, am not writting so as to get assylum from Isreal, but I want to share my view for record purpose, after reading the Bible especially the Old testament I found a lot of similarities between the jews tradition and that of my tradition,which I will like to share some for investigation purpose;
1] Passover: I remenber that every year my people paticipate in celebration of passover the same way its written in the old testament, as that is done either before the cultivation of crops every year.
2] Circumcision of every male Child: we does it same way its done in the old testament.
3] Naming of male Child: before every male Child is name, the parents must bring a big stone to the village shrine and the chief priest will celebrate the name, there by making it tradition that every malle Child from our ancestor till date has a stone in his name and its still there till date, and subjeect to verification. And so many other cultural similarities like that, that I can not mention all. I therefore. Sugest. That the writter should please carry out hiss research very well before he attract the Wrath of God against himself for denying his people there Right.. Please go to Ozalla in Nkanu west local government and research about their Accenstral Heritage and culture, thanks and may God help us
The points you raised have already been addressed in Parts 2 & 3.
i would also want to add that banishing and throwing of defaulters into the evil forest as well as caste and killing of twins are also traditions by the igbos which are similar to that of the jews…is that obute patrick?
Since when have Jews ever had an evil forest and a restriction on twins?
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If any one of you are totally in doubt about the jewish ancestral roots of the igbos, consider yourselves being intellectually inept absolutely, what was nigeria called in ancient times, if you have reason it was nok, i laugh, what brought igbos here, ebony and ivory read your bible about the ships of tarshish and ophir and the ivory trade, ebony wood and other hardwoods were highly priced for making a variety of durable implements including weapons, and nigerian forest teemed with elephants the source of ivory and ebony (dyospyros crassiflora for your stupid ass biology or botany), iroko, obeche, teak are you blind, it brought us to nok to trade, then we taught you nigerian fools how to work copper and bronze and brass, which was an occupation in israel punked asses, still in doubt research aba ben ibo and the babylonian talmud, also research on unu-nile or heliopolis the head start of the hebrew nation in egypt when they became a nation from seventy souls to see if you can match facts with reason, research the betu or beta or carved out israel or misra israelis of egypt to see if you have senses you idiot nigerian doubting thomases, because we are way ahead of all of you fucking fools who do not know your right from your left. ibo is the ancestral name of israelis check eber son of shem in genesis account who beget abraham i laugh, it is pronounced ebru, ibeh, ebo, ikpo depending on dialectal shift, let me teach you all a thing or two about phonology and language, in case you want to learn hebrew consider the word for god in hebrew it is nyahweh-uwa he owns all the universe the same yahweh jews call today fools.
And besides, king david conquered syria and incorporated the whole of the region including aleppo, which the hebrews call alebbo anyways into israeli territory, hence the word alebbo, which we use today in iboland, incase you do not have sense, you Nigerians who know nothing other than 419 and corruption nothing, go and do your research very well about the hebrew nation and learnt how hebrews considered Nok land conducive for conducting their hunting forays into the forest to trap down elephants more important than the east african terrain because it was far easier to trap west african elephants that their east african larger counterparts, due to the inclement weather in the east.
Let me stop this jarry shit about the ibos being hoax jews, see go and do your research on Nok kingdom and the trade in ivory and ebony and come up with hard core facts, understand, the first settlers were trader-settlers who came here to trade, then took african wives for themselves then took them to their lands of origin, brought them back with their camel caravans and finally settled down to community life with their black wives and the cush and the Nok, in Nigeria, ce finir, stop deceiving yourselves, their children became mulattoed, then their foreign wives came in with their funny accents and started mispronouncing the hebrew words in a creolised form giving rise to the nonsense you hear today as fake ibo, its hebrew, orashi for roshi, elu for eli, ulli, orna nma, ornamare hebrew-latin word for jewelry, chi-chukwu instead of nyahnweh (nyaweh), okijah instead of kir-yahu, land of the most high god yahweh, even alibbo is al-ibo taken from the root word descended from hebrews, from where they invented the use of the word ala for land and ibo for hebrews, thus ala-ibo or alibbo, knuckle heads who do not know the bible nor jewish history, sorry for your inept intellects and thats where you stand, i’m a prouid iboman, a skeptic initially till i found the truth in babylonian jews and yemenis who speak something similar to our languages and betu hebrews of mizraim or egypt.
Even aguleri is taken from the root words har ull-eri or children of eri in their ancestral land, har for territory, ulli for descendants eri for the family they came from.Har-Ulli-Eri became Aguleri due to the funny foreign accents of these illiterate bush animals they call nubians and cush or galla.
I like dissing stupid asses of black people who can not read, they have never read before and they will never research, because they are averse to it, they love hearsays. They talk say, who talk am na?
I will soon write a book about it titled “Betunya-the other half of the hebrew nation, half-way around the world”, if you know history, where did the arabs get hard wood which they used in making war implements, Onager, shields, chariot wheels etc? you might say from asia or india right, but it was easily acquired from tropical and equatorial african rain forest no long story.
Urrrgh so much noise in here.The propability of West Africans having a Semitic origin is very LOW.
However i think Igbos accepted Judaism due to their history of persecution & a spiritual yearning.
We live in a Free World and THEY have every right to RE-SHAPE their own destinies & consider themselves CONVERTS.
However they dont need to make-up Origin stories.The Anglo-Saxons were Pagans before they accepted Christianity and Created their own “European Christian Culture” separate from others.
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There is now DNA evidence that links these people and some others as far as south africa with the middle east and has proven their DNA is semetic. Blacks in the west in the Americas have been found to have the same semetic DNA link. I know this will be met with much opposition, so I will post links to the information if requested.
Knock yourself out.
aaron b says: “There is now DNA evidence that links these people…” “these people”? Are you referring to the Igbo as “these people”? You should have posted links to that information already instead of begging the question!
Igbos who believe they are Hebrew are brainwashed igbo culture,language, traditions, spiritual sciences are older then the Hebrew period smh… the igbo ancestors it gets no more historic who in they right mind would trade that for Neo Hebrew history … colonialism is one hell of drug… igbos who claim to be Hebrew return to your ancient origins its much purier and closer to your first ancestor Chukwu … isé
What you wrote about Chima Onyeulo shown that you don’t know him and his reasons to come to Israel and you don’t know anything regarding the Israel politics for why they rejected the application.
Chima is an authorized surveyor that came to Israel to request confirming the Igbos are Jews. He is absolutely not a “work migrant” as you wrote about him.
Confirming it to who? And secondly, I was going by what was written in the newspapers.
all this claim that igbos are not jews doesn’t make sense.is just a matter of time that it will be proven that they are real jews.just a matter of time
I believe that the Igbo are of the Egyptian families but that is another story for another time (Check Eden in Sumer). Igbo’s claim to Hebrews does not stand. Anyone can be a jew or jewish but not everyone is a Hebrew. These lies are what is brainwashing all black people across the Americas and Caribbean. Ibo is not and never was a “prototype” or designation of Hebrew ancestry. Nor does the atrocious word “Heebo” have anything to do with the word Hebrew because, the former word was created by the slave masters lacking pronunciation of the tribal name. “Hebrew” is a result of a double translation from Hebraicus (Latin) and ultimately “proto-hebrew” word IVRI or EVER.
It doesn’t take much research to realize that this claim by Igbo being “Hebrew” does not stand. Even archaeology and ancient customs/traditions of Igbos does not match the Hebrews of the bible. For instance, Many modern Igbo historians are covering the fact that Igbo tribal people used to partake in human sacrifice, scarification, and Twin-killing (infanticide). The Igbo believed that Humans should not be born in pairs and regarded this to the level of animality; The then Nri priests were to kill the twins to fulfill taboos. Odinani is just a set of taboos that Igbo had but ALL tribes in western africa have sets of Taboos as well, its nothing out of the ordinary.
I find it surprising that Remy Ilona mentioned Edmund Ilogu in his book but COMPLETELY leaves out the references to Edmunds book.
Edmund Ilogu “IBO AND CHRISTIANITY RELIGION”
Victor Uchendu “The Ibo of southeast Nigeria”
Elizabeth Isichei “The history of the Igbo”
Please seek out these works and learn your true history. The Igbos were highly influenced by christianity when the Europeans brought it to their coasts. My upcoming video is going to shut down this lie once and for all.
Thank you for this enlightenment.
Well, my DNA 🧬 says I’m both Jewish and Nigerian, from the same parent. It just so happens that my maiden name is Lieberman. There’s a lot of connection here for me. Just sayin’….
Predictablle – pro Naija piss taking rant against the Igbo identity