RE: ANIOMA AND AROCHUKWU AND OSU CAST DESTROYED IGBO COHESIVENESS

[Dr. Valentine Ojo]

A very interesting and very educating read!

Good job, Chukwuma Agwunobi and "motherland" - whoever you are.

What the two of you wrote here would tend to buttress a pet hypothesis that I have always nursed:

The fundamental PROBLEM with Nigeria is NOT ethnic jingoism a.k.a. "tribalism" as such, as often trumpeted by our pundits - a strategy to divert us from our "real problem" I suspect.

On the contrary, the fundamental PROBLEM is the INTERNAL DIVISIVENESS or Lack of Internal Cohesiveness within the various Nigerian ethnic groups, and NOT just that within the ranks of the Igbo!

The Yoruba are just as DIVIDED within the Yoruba if not more so, for similar historical reasons - fights and wars amongst themselves in order to catch slaves for the white man, raid the next village or Yoruba sub-group!

The Edo DID NOT fare much better either.

How can a DIVIDED IGBO then "unite" with a DIVIDED EDO, a DIVIDED YORUBA, etc., to form a viable union - when they are themselves not united within themselves, they can NEVER have the same purpose or expectation of a union with other peoples.

These internal divisions are then further complicated by divisions of access to Western education or lack thereof, religion, wealth, etc.

It's also possibly ONE of the main reasons the Hausa have been able to hold on to power at the center better than the other Nigerian ethnicities - they are possibly the only Nigerian ethnic group with the most internal cohesion, unity of purpose and direction, and a single unifying religion.

This is worth thinking about I believe.

But we would rather not visit our often not so pretty past. If this ugly past is NOT visited however, and cleared, it would be very difficult to have a "cleared ground" on which to build a brighter and more hopeful future. The old suspicions will forever continue to linger.

We have a need to know our own history. We can not continue to live the 'History of Europeans' by proxy and continue pretending it is also our history.

Thank you both for this interesting piece of historical revelations.


Dr.Valentine Ojo
Tall Timbers, MD



On Fri 04/03/09 8:01 PM , mother...@yahoo.com sent:

ANIOMA AND AROCHUKWU PEOPLE DESTROYED IGBO COHESIVENESS.   AROCHUKWU PEOPLE USED SLAVERY TO INVENT OSU CAST SYSTEM TO MAKE MONEY OUT OF SLAVERY AND IT DESTROYED THE CONFIDENCE AMONG THE IGBOS AND OSU CAST SYTEM NEEDS TO BE ABOLISHED AND ANIOMA IGBOS DESPITE DENYING IT CAUSED THE FINAL TRAUMA  IGBOS ARE FACING BY THEIR COUP OF 1966 AND THE TRUTH MUST BE TOLD.     Chukwuma Agwunobi,   Thank you for your insightful analogy and precise factual analysis( below) which you have been known in this forums and discussion rooms, because it take a man with a special soul and mindset to always say the hard truth and Chukwuma Agwunobi will carry the day any day on thoughful and intelligent discusion.   READON:    THIS IS WHEN WE SHOULD TAKE REPONSIBILITY OF OUR ACTIONS IN IGBO HISTROY AS IGBOS, AND NOT BLAMING OTHER NIGERIANS OR THE WHITEMAN. I AM TALKING OF IGBO ACTION THAT HAS BEEN OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM IN BUILDING A COHESIVE IGBO AND WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT AND HEAL FROM THAT DISCUSSION. THERE ARE MANY OTHER INTERNAL ISSUES WORKING AGAINST IGBO COHESIVENESS  BUT THESE TWO ARE THE MAJOR ONCE AND ONCE WE TALK ABOUT IT AND HEAL FROM IT, THEN THE OTHER ONCE WILL BE EASY.       ANIOMA AND AROCHUKWU PEOPLE DESTROYED IGBO COHESIVENESS  AND THEY HAVE TO OPEN UP AND WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT SO THAT OUR CHILDREN WILL KNOW THE FACTS AND OUR HISTROY TO HEAL ONCE AND FOR ALL.     My brother I thank you very much for your explanation (below) for what is really happening among Igbos because the facts and truth has been hiden because others are benefiting on the suffering and division among the Igbos. We the younger generation have to open up the truth for historical reasons and it does not deminish the persons or people involved. We have to let our children know the truth and one of the reasons the minorities in Nigeria are suffering today is because the truth is hidden in Niger Delta and in Nigeria from their children.   YOU SEE THE BIGGEST PROBLEM for IGBO COHESIVENESS IS BECAUSE OF TWO THINGS AND TWO ACTIONS THAT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED SINCERELY.   NUMBER ONE IS: (1) ARO PEOPLE SLAVERY AND THEIR ARO MERCHANTS WHO ENSLAVED AND SOLD OTHER IGBOS BY THAT INVENTED THE OSU CAST SYSTEM TO SELL THEIR BROTHERS TO EUROPEANS AND AMERICAN FOR MORE THAN THREE HUNDRED YEARS BY BUILDING SETTLEMENTS AND CAMPS FOR SLAVE DEALERSHIP THROUGHOUT IGBOLAND, CALABAR LAND, RIVER STATE, BAYELSA STATE THROUGH THE SEA PORT AT PORTHARCOURT, OPOBO, CALABAR, AKWA IBOM ETC. AND BY THIS ACTION DESTROYED IGBOS CULTURE AND CROSS MIGRATED AND DISPLACED MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AND INVOLVED THEM INTO THE NEVER ENDING INTERNAL TRIBAL WARS AND KIDNAPPING IN IGBOLAND IN 1700 TO 1900 AND WHICH BENEFITED AROS BUT NO ONE IS TAKING RESPONSIBILITY OR TO APOLOGIZSE FOR THESE ACTIONS. THIS IS  ONE OF THE DIVISIONS THAT STARTED HUNDRED AND HUNDRED YEARS AGO AND WE REFUSED TO TALK ABOUT IT AS IF EVERYTHING IS OK AND YET IT IS A TRAUMA IN OUR MENTAL HEALTH AS IGBOS JUST LIKE AN ALCOHOLIC WHO WANTS  TO QUITE BUT DOES NOT WANT TO GO TO THERAPY WERE HE WILL TALK ABOUT IT WITH OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBELM.     NUMBER TWO IS: (2) THE FIRST MILITARY COUP LEAD BY MAJOR CHUKWUMA NZEOGWU AND OTHER IGBOS ALL OF THEM ANIOMA IGBOS AND THIS TWO ACTIONS DIVIDED AND DESTROYED IGBOS COHESIVENESS  AND WE ARE NOW TRYING TO HEAL FROM THEM AND WE MUST TALK ABOUT IT WITH FACTS TO BE ABLE TO HEAL FROM IT.    I love all Igbos and I love my Anioma Igbo very much, but I must tell some of  them the truth, because some ANIOMA IGBOS feels too BIG and too pompous when dealing with their Igbo brothers and I have tried to find out the reason and I cannot YET THEY CANNOT MEASURE OR COMPETE with THE IGBOS IN ANY HUMAN ENDEAVOUR. THEY EVEN CALL IGBOS MISERS, CHEATS, DIRTY, IGNORANT, BUSH PEOPLE IN MY FACE AND CAN'T FIND THE REASON AND THEY ARE THE FIRST TO JUMP AND SAY WE ARE IGBOS WHEN IT IS CONVENIENT.      Some Aniomas always blame IGBOS for their problem especially since the civil war, and being a person with ANIOMA IGBO BLOOD and IGBO BLOOD I decided to do some research on all these issue which I will publish my research, and I found out that the ANIOMAS have been telling lies about their IGBO brothers. I WILL SAY IT AGAIN THE IGBOS FROM THE EAST DID NO CAUSE OR START THE CIVIL WAR. WHAT ACTUALLY STARTED THE CIVIL WAR WAS THE COUNTER COUP STAGE BY THE NORTHERNERN HAUSAS AND THE WESTERNERNERN YORUBAS TO COUNTER  THE FIRST COUP STAGE BY IGBOS LED BY MAJOR CHUKWUMA NZEOGWU AND ALL THE COUP PLANNERS AND EXECUTIONERS ABOUT 20 OFFICERS WERE ALL FROM ANIOMA IGBO AND THAT WAS MY POINT.     The reason, I decided to hide my indentity is because If I should say my identity my family back home in Nigeria will be in danger and my village/town will be in danger, because what has been festering here for many year in Nigeria and among Igbos is the lies and real cause of the civil war and the slave trade that invented the osu cast system in Igboland, and Igbos have suffered enough and been derided enough by others, but the one that bothered me more is when our brothers from ANIOMA and IKWERRE and others from Cross River State, Akwa Ibom State and Benue State will deny us when we are down, because of the war or for just material gain but remember any nation or group of people that lost war are always denied by their own people example are the Germans and the Japanes.   Many Germans after the world war took names and other identity to deny their German heritage and the same with Japanes who denied being from Japan after their defeat from the War and some took the names and identity of Korea and Chineses. But as soon as for about 20 years later when Germany and Japan bounced back to become the second and third richest countries in the world - All those Germans and Japanes who denied their people ran back to claim their heritage and so with Igbos- Igbos are coming back forcefully and in time I have no doubt that Igbos will fullfil and manifest their God given potential to make Alaigbo and all IGBOS including all ANIOMA and All IKWERRE TO BE PROUD OF THEIR HERITAGE and MAKE IGBOLAND A  better place FOR IGBOS, NIGERIANS and Africa in General.      Even Some African Americans back in the days like ten years ago will tell you that they are not Africans by heritage and you will see them look and feel like an African, and they will tell you that they ARE indeans, Italians or spanish, but today in the Obama world every African America is now proud of their African heritage, and so when you are down your brothers and sister will deny you and of course you know that peter denied Jesus when he was about to be killed   Thanks for your write        Chukwuma S. Agwunobi agwu22@yahoo. com Na wa O!O!O!O   I have been reading all the responses from many people because of the article written by one Motherland50. All the responses are negative full of condemnations. It appears everybody want to out do each other to showcase their love for the Anioma people by condemning the article. Is there element of truth in what he wrote? The answer is YES   It is totally sad and shameful that since the war ended, many Igbos have been trying more than their best to prove that they love everybody and want to be one Nigeria at all cost. For avoidance of doubt on who I am. Well I am partly Igbo, partly ANIOMA too through mother. I don’t write with fake names or hide who I am.   Having said that Umu-Igbo, I  am telling you all that I agreed 100% with what the guy called Motherland50 wrote.   How many of you condemning him lived or have lived in Mid-West area called ANIOMA? How many of you have wife or husband, mother or father from there? How many of you can speak their languages? Aniomas are Mid-West Igbos. They are mainly people from Ndokwa, Aniocha, Oshumili and Ika Local Government of Delta State. Some of them speak what we call corrupt Igbo.   The Igbos of SE are acting like people looking for love after the war. Motherland50 is right. Many of us who live and still lives among these Anioma people support what he wrote about the January 1966 coup. It is not a lie. If you listen to some of these people from Anioma talking about Igbos especially about the war you will easily agree with Motherland50.   As a student at Asaba in the early 70’s, I am always arguing with them even my own maternal people about the war. They will claim that they fought the war for Igbos. And when you asked them to tell you what Plateau, Company, Battalion, Brigade or Division of Biafran Army dominated by the Mid-West Igbos, they will collapse like packs of cards. They blame Igbos for the massacre of their people when Murtala entered Mid-West. They arrogantly boasts that Igbos need them more than they need Igbos. It is like a child telling his/her parents that they need him/her more than they need him/her.   When they say things like this, you will be forced to say what Motherland50 said.   Yes, Murtala entered Mid-West in September 1967 with Ibadan Garrison Organization Army dominated by the Ngbati Soldiers among them is Alani Akinrinade, Adomokai, Adekunle, Jemibewon, Ike Nwachukwu and Abisoye. They changed IGO and christened it 2nd Division. They met many Mid-Western leaders. It was the Urohobo leaders, especially Jereton Marirere out of anger for the death of Okotie-Eboh that told Murtala that every town from Agbor up to Asaba are Igbos who helped Ojukwu to come to Mid-West in August 1967.   When Murtala asked them about Nzeogwu town of Okpanam , the Urohobos told him that Okpanam is at Asaba instead of near Asaba because Mariere dislike Osadabay when he was a Governor under him. That was what triggered the bloody massacre of Asaba people because they thought it was Nzeogwu town who killed Saduana. Again, the battle to take Asaba was very bloody. The Biafran Soldiers refused to give up Asaba.   Cable Point, Asaba, became RED POINT. Osadebay Grammar School and Asaba Technical College was made a battle ground. All these fueled the anger of Murtala and his boys to line up young Asaba men and shot them. It will be worth noting here that Obasanjo heard it and rushed to Asaba to save the Okpanam people because of his friendship with Nzeogwu. But it was too late before he got to Asaba.      The three people that planned the January 1966 coup as stated by Ademoyega was Ifeajuna, Ademoyega and Nzeogwu. Onwuatuegwu, Okafor, Anuforo and all others were just included because of their positions in the Army. Asoya, Azubogu and Oji are from Okpanam. I met them when I was a student at Asaba.   The Anioma people fought more in the Nigeria side than they did on the Biafran side. Retired Brigadier General Alabi Isama is my mother first cousin from Ukwuani in Delta State . He was the commander of 17 Brigade Nigerian Army that fought and captured Obollo-Affor/ Eke, Afikpo, Obubura, Ogoja, Itigide and he finally cruised into Umuahia the last capital of Igbos. According to him, IBB and Vatsa fought under him at Uzuakoli until they got wounded. Uncle Alabi is still alive today. I don’t get along with him about the war at all.   Igbos should stop trying to prove that they love and get along with tribe A or B in Nigeria . You don’t buy love. Anybody who will love, will do so not because you give him/her $20 million dollars. He will take the money and use it to give to the person that he/she love and care for.   My mother is from ANIOMA and my dad Igbo. Nobody here will tell me about my mother people..   These Aniomas are becoming too arrogant these days. It was them that thwarted the creation of Anioma State because they don’t want Onitsha , Oko, Idoni and Obosi included into it. They are the ones who wrote the book of Mid-West Igbo origins presented it to Oba of Benin that they are from BINI without asking any Igbo for input.     Ask them to tell you how people from BINI have 95% Igbo names instead of BINI they get angry. Those who care to talk will tell you that because of trade. So the business is so sweet that Igbos buy up their identity and culture too. You will hardly hear these Aniomas speak come and chop in BINI and yet they claim that they came from BINI.   It was Igbos that made them who they are. It was Igbos that made Osadebay of Asaba Premier of Mid-Western Region. It was Igbos that made Oputa Otutu and Idafe of Ukwuani Ministers in the first Republic. It was Igbos that made Idafe of Ukwuani the General Manager of Nigeria Airways. It was Igbos that taught them how to do business of buying and selling very well.   My people the Igbos have done a lot to teach and develop any strange land they entered. Young Igbos were the gravel miners for houses and roads. Rubber tappers for Michelin. Farmers that plough and harvest crops in Mid-West. Igbo are proud people in what they do to earn a living. They are teachers in almost every schools in Mid-West rural areas where others wouldn’t go. Yorubas taught in Mid-West schools even when they are under West.   Igbos have been wrongly accused in very thing and we Igbos always try so much to prove ourselves by accusing ourselves. We quickly condemn ourselves to be seen as very gentle and honest.   Umu-Igbo, you cannot buy love. You people are trying to buy love from other tribes since after the war. I am Igbo by name but I lived all my life outside Igbo land.   The ANIOMAS cannot boast of doing more for Igbos what the Igbos can do or will do for them. I  challenge any of them or any Igbo person that will say so to come out for a debate with me.   Igbos are their tap root. We buy their foodstuffs, Rubbers, Ukazis, Ogwus, Palm Oils, Yams, Akpu, Fish and Garri products. Without Igbos they will not sell their product. Hausa and Yorubas don’t do food business. Even in the North, PH and Lagos many of the Garri business from ANIOMAS are bought by Igbos. Most of the Stalls are own by Igbos there.   Back to my beginning questions how many of you have vast knowledge of the ANIOMAS to condemn Motherland50?   I supported all he wrote there but one thing I will not do is to ever fought a war against my maternal people because of the love for mother.   And with this, I rest my case. Chukwuma Vicious Animal Agwunobi Seattle, Washington U. S. A.

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