KWENU! Our culture, our future

Many scholars have attempted to speculate the origin of the Igbo. Some have argued that the migration of the Igbo was southwards from some assumed center in the north. This is generally termed the northern common center theory. According to this theory, five north-center areas are postulated, namely: the Semitic Center in the near and far East, the Hematic Center around Egypt and Northern Africa, the West Saharan Center, the Chadian Center, and the Nok Center. I argue that the problem is not so simple.

Here I shall pull other ideas together into the North Center theory. In analyzing origins two general theories are usually pursued: the theory of permanentism or creationist theory, and the theory of evolution.

The theory of permanentism or creationist theory is fully demonstrated from two sources: the traditional ethno-metaphysical sources as stored up in oral tradition of African peoples. In the case of the Igbo, such as the Nri, the belief is that Eri came from the sky and sailed down the River Anambra. This is well documented in the creation myth [recorded elsewhere in the lecture]. According to the myth, Eri on arriving Aguleri met an autochthonous group who had no living memory of their origin (Onwuejeogwu, 1979).

Autochthony, which is the claim of origin from the spot of present habitation by maximal lineage generally Umudiani (“Children of the earth”), is found in many ancient Igbo towns such as the Umudiani in Nri town who claim they were there when Nri migrated to the present town called Nri. The Umudiani also claim “amnesia,” which means they recall nothing of their origin. In the Igbo culture area, only new towns like Aro, Onitsha, Ogidi, Ibusa, Asaba, Ogwashi-Uku, etc. claim origin of “certainty” (Onwuejeogwu, 1979).

Recently, between 1960 and 1980, new myths of origin based on creationist came up here and there in the Igbo culture. These are recent fabrications by imaginative and ambitious Igbo elite who wish to legitimize their claim of leadership or chiefship in various Igbo communities. Though this is falsification, it demonstrates the sociological process of the origin of myths-of-origin based only on oral tradition.

The other source of origin is the documented creation theory in the Bible or Koran and other sacred books. Many Igbo scholars who read the Bible have tried to link up Igbo with the lost tribe of Israel. Some argue that Igbo culture has some remarkable similarity with that of ancient Hebrew. On the basis of such similarity, the scholars establish common origin and argue that the Igbo broke away and migrated southwards. This is of course a version of the Semitic theory.

Using the Bible genealogy of Jesus, from Adam to Jesus, Luke, one of the gospel writers, established about 76 generations. Though the genealogies found in Genesis, Ruth, Chronicles, Luke and Matthew diverged in details (Genesis, Ruth. Chronicles 1, 2 and 3, Luke Chapter 3, Matthew Chapter 1) yet a Cambridge scholar, Archbishop Usher, in his Annals of the Ancient and New Testament (1942), computed that man was created in 4004 BC. In 1650, Dr. John Knightfoot, also a Cambridge scholar, said that the event took place on October 23rd, 4004 BC. at 9 AM. The date they gave was indeed when written record began in the Middle East and Egypt. Since few Igbo are Muslims, they have not yet connected Igbo origin with Saudi Arabia or Mecca.

The interesting aspect of both unfabricated and recently fabricated creationist theory is that it fulfills man’s quest for his origin without coming close to the answer. The Igbo scholars who depend on the Bible to determine Igbo origin are yet unaware of the metaphysical language of the Bible and the history of the Hebrew. The creationist theory has to be abandoned for a more empirical enquiry.

The evolutionary theory seems to have a scientific edge over the creationist theory which is based on metaphysical speculation and faith. The logic of evolution is attested through several empirical observations and analyses of fossil and artifacts accidentally found or archaeological excavated, the distribution of such finds, their diffusion and relationship with other finds and the possibility of dating the finds with techniques such as: relative stratigraphy, potassium argon, carbon-14, uranium helium and dendrochronology. Where it is possible these dating systems are correlated with the solar or lunar dating system like the type based on the Christian and Muslim calendar respectively.

As I have said, I wish to emphasize that the evolutionary history of Igbo culture and civilization can only be fully understood in the context of the cultures and civilizations of the African continent. For the early beginnings of man’s existence in the theater of Igboland, we rely on archaeological and anthropological-linguistic evidence of man’s activities in Igboland.

Four of the archaeological finds in Igboland become very relevant: the Ugwuele, Afikpo, Nsukka and Igbo Ukwu. These four sites have produced abundant and irrevocable evidence of the fact that at least between 100,000 BC and 5,000 BC, man started his cultural drama in what I refer to as the theater of Igboland. The problem is: are they Igbo as we know them today? In seeking for a solution, I will apply the anthropological-linguistic evidence based on glottochronology which puts the date of the emergence of Igbo language from the proto-Niger languages at about 6,000 BC and lexicostatistics which suggests the relative degree of differences of varieties of Igbo language spoken today.

Three categories of tradition emerged from my collection of oral history in the oldest settlements like Agbor, Nri, Owerri, etc., and the newer ones of Asaba, Ibusa, Ndikelionwu,, etc. They are autochthony, amnesia, and certainty. “Autochthony” is the claim of origin from the [place] of present habitation by maximal lineage with a name like umudiani or umudim, meaning “sons of the earth,” which today is part of a larger settlement. The Nri Umudiani lineage performs specific ritual functions in the Eze’s coronation, and in cleansing abomination in the town. Their genealogy is as deep as fifteen generations before the present elders.

“Amnesia” claims nothing about ultimate origins, but may recall movements in the area. In tracing the origin of settlement of this type, such as Agbor, Igbo Ukwu and Owere, contrasts of dialect and social structure with their neighbors can give strong negative evidence for homogenous origin.

“Certainty” is common in the newer settlement, founded within the past millennium (Eri, Nri, Aro, Ezechima, etc.). Of course, certainty is not necessarily validity or reality; such traditions may be suspect in light of other evidence. Ezechima clans, for example, claim Benin origin for their eponymous ancestor, but this source must be rejected on grounds to be dealt with later.

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