AfriPulse
December 7, 2025 December 7, 2025
From left : Prof. Amucheazi, Prof. Ezeh, Prince Onyesoh, among other Igbo leaders at the lecture
From Maurice Okafor, Enugu
The Igbos are a section of the human race that domicile in the South Eastern part of Nigeria, but by their arts and enterprise reside in every part of the world.
To trace where they originated or migrated into Southern Nigeria has continued to be a herculean research and task for historians, archivists, anthropologists and many other professionals tracing the origin of human existence.
A professor of Anthropology at University of Nigeria Nsukka, UNN, Prof.Peter Jazzy Ezeh (Rtd) concurs to the view of uncertainties still trailing the origin of the Igbo race, but expressed the fact that the search and research of Igbo Origin should continue.
Professor Ezeh bared his mind on this important issue in a lecture he delivered at the maiden annual lecture series of ‘CHESS CONCLAVE SECTION’ of Enugu Sports Club, held on Thursday, December 4,in Enugu.
Delving on the theme, ‘Igbo Origin, “Facts and Fiction”, Prof. Ezeh stressed that stories on Igbo origin are mired in hypothesis stating that some of the things said and written about how Ndigbo originated are false.
According to him, some of the assertions are that Igbos migrated from Israel and are part of the Jewish race. He said there are also claims in some quarters that Igbos came from Egypt .While many claim that Igbos have always been in Igboland and soil, that is the autochthonous prism.
His words: ” It would be difficult to say where Ndigbo originated from without a literate past, adding that the Fulani and the Yoruba cannot even say exactly how they came about in Nigeria.
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“No group without a literate past can say that this is where we came from. Even the Fulani and Yoruba cannot say where they came from,” he said.
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He noted that there are similarities in names like Ada that has the same meaning in many ethnic groups like Benue State and some parts of Niger Delta.
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He maintained it would be a herculean task to trace a peoples origin without a literate past.
He stated further, “The Igbos are one entity although they have their various towns. If you don’t have literate past, to trace the past will be a difficult task,” he reiterated.
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He urged that the search to trace Igbo Origin should continue but not limited to the mere myth on migration and autochthonous hypothesis.
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The anthropologist revealed that no tribe or race in the world can state exactly where and how they originated.
Earlier in a keynote address, Leader/Captain Chess Conclave Section of the Enugu Sports Club, Prince Chukwuemeka Onyeso, Oba Agbalanze Na Nri, said that there was need to trace Igbo origin because a people without a history will be floundering.
Onyeso noted that what Igbo ancestors bequeathed to them should not be wasted or misunderstood.
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“Everyone of us here has a duty to further insist on who we are, to our own people, other Nigerians and the world at large, by continuing to write and more urgently, publicise the proud past of our dear Igbo nation without apology to any; insisting however that we must not continue to shoot ourselves in the feet.
“We need to be celebrating our past as a way of continuing to be who we were. We need to do some work in order to add to what our ancestors left for us,” he stated.
Rt. Hon. Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, Ph.D, Chairman of the Organising Committee in his appreciation on behalf of the organisers, expressed gratitude to all that have strived to the lecture.
“Evidently, Nigeria is defined in terms of its socio-cultural corporate group formations and identities. The unique world view of the Igbo amongst other ethnic groups in Africa is a common knowledge across the world. It is the most enviable race. Igbo attributes have set scholars of diverse backgrounds on curious rigorous researches about the Igbo origin.”
Source: Authorityngr.com | Read the Full Story…
