The Igbo tribe in Nigeria is, no doubt, one of the most dynamic tribes in the African continent. Unfortunately, little is known about this tribe beyond the shores of Nigeria, and one of the reasons is the cultural evolution that has taken place in the last half century in Igboland. At the heart of this trend is the westernization of Igbo ideologies and subsequent Anglicization of Igbo culture without regards to Igbo sensibilities, including the Igbo language. Like other tribes in Nigeria, the most populous black nation, both the language spoken by the people and the people themselves is referred to as “Igbo” which is often anglicised as “Ibo”.
The Igbo’s are geographically found in the South-eastern Nigeria, and through history have dispersed to some areas in the middle belt bordering Enugu State as evident in the linguistic relevance of some of the local dialects to Igbo. The Igbos over time have sustained a culture that could be broadly described as African or Nigerian but uniquely Igbo. This is evident in the language they speak, the way they dress, eat, dance, trade, worship or organise themselves.
There is little research and fragmented documentation of the origin of Igbo people. However, there is an increasing believe that the Igbos were black Jews who prior to the 9th century migrated out of the middle east through Egypt into Sudan and ultimately into Nigeria’s east through the North. The central Igboland is around Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe areas of Imo and Abia States and form the core of Igbo tribe, prior to further migration that saw the Igbos dotted around the coast and hinterland. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to have made contact with the Igbos, then the Dutch and finally the English. Local produce such as palm products, ivory and timber supported the slave trade, and after the abolition of slave trade, the British enhanced their imperialistic ideology by expanding from the coast to the hinterland for whatever resource they could scavenge upon to the detriment of the Igbos. This was not without resistance by Igbo elders and warriors. But eventually, the British prevailed with more sophisticated weaponry, and in 1914, amalgamated the Northern and Southern protectorates of Nigeria, a decision that has already led to a war in Nigeria in 1967 and poised to cause increasing rift between the North and South of Nigeria. This is due to our cultural incompatibility.
Linguistically speaking, the Igbos speak Igbo or Ibo as used by some people. In Igbo discussions, a lot of adages, idiomatic expressions and proverbs are employed to give words the appropriate weight, and to convey the relevance of the spirit of the ancestors as epitomised in the classic works of eminent African author of Igbo extraction, Chinua Achebe in his novels, particularly Things Fall Apart. In Igboland, a single word may have numerous meanings and identifiably, some English words don’t have literal Igbo translations. As Igbos have become increasingly educated both at home and in western countries, the sustainability of the language is increasingly jeopardised by an urge to be viewed as “different” by the amount of Igbo words displaced with English, even in local village meetings.
However, as in many African cultures, daily living in Igboland is communal and every child belongs to the community not just his or her parents, given credence to the widely acclaimed African adage, “It takes a village to raise a child”. The Igbos have historically shared collective hopes, dreams and aspirations. As seen in the demographic enclave called kindreds, Igbos generally lend a helping hand to one another. While there have always been exemptions to this norm, the Igbo culture emphasises community, responsibility, responsiveness and industry.
The Igbos also have strong religious convictions as evident is the number of churches dotted across Igboland. More than three-quarters of Igbo people are Christians with the remaining worshiping God in the traditional/spiritual context with an almost insignificant number practising Islam. The Igbos generally believe in higher powers and though it is believed there is a supreme God, Chukwu, their polytheism is reflected in the dichotomy of how this Chukwu should be worshipped. For traditional Igbo spiritualists/traditional worshippers, there is reincarnation, a position shared by a large number of Christians. Death in the context of reincarnation is seen as a transition that gives rise to a new life when an individual is reborn, an argument that has widespread acceptance.
Prior to the incursion of imperialists in the 16th century, the Igbos were known to have had a strong socio-political and economic structure that focused on Agriculture and enhanced polygamy. Religion dictated politics and the extended family system was well and thrived. Continuity of lineage was and remains along a patrimonial line. Established traditional structures, including Igbo jurisprudence evolved out of Igbo experiences and circumstances. And the traditional head of the village or town, the “Eze” or “Obi’ has to be born into a royal lineage. The traditional ruler with his council of chiefs ruled within Igbo jurisprudence.
Igbos are quite hospitable. Visitors are greeted with Kola-nut, a gesture that is uniquely Igbo and reserved exclusively for men. Women are not formally expected to present kola to visitors. The elder or husband usually presents the kola nut to visitors, and prays to God and the ancestors for blessing. The ancestors, as a matter of tradition, are invited to share in the eating of the nuts. Igbos believe that whoever brings kola-nut brings life.
Igbo men have to pay a bride price or dowry to have a wife. This is a prescriptive process to reward both the parents and kinsmen for the loss of a daughter. Marriage in Igboland, often arranged but not exclusively so, is almost a cultural obligation to those who have reached of age. It follows strong, traditionally prescriptive process that sees the man and woman’s lineage and background investigated for compatibility. Marriage as a social obligation fosters family and tribal continuity through procreation. Having a son seals the marriage as the hope of continuing the family is assured. Marriages used to be exclusively traditional, but today with the incursion of western idiosyncrasies, marriages are today carried out in both civil courts and churches. The need for a traditional marriage, for many Igbo men, is a matter of significance and sometime that has to be done to make a marriage complete. There is also increasing concern that because a man has to pay dowry to marry, it has put women in a position of subservience and essentially objectifies married women.
The Igbos observe a number of rites of passage, all of which I will not delve into here because of time constrain. Iwa akwa or Ima akwa (wearing clothes) is one of the significant rites of passages that parachutes young Igbo boys and girls into adulthood. This is epochal because an Igbo child, growing up, is typically considered naked until a certain age (generally between 12-18years) when he or she is deemed to merit this social transformation into adulthood. Another rite of passage is female circumcision and male circumcision. While male circumcision is generally acceptable (typically 8 days post birth) due to its Biblical relevance, which is generally a part of Jewish tradition; female circumcision is deemed abhorrent and though still practiced in parts of Igboland, is a violation of the Human Rights of the girl child. Many countries and the United Nations have banned female circumcision or female genital mutilation. It has Islamic roots (Sunna) and claimed to help cleanse a girl and make her less promiscuous on attaining adulthood. This claim of sexual restrain has not been scientifically substantiated and the mutilation of girls after few days of birth or pre-teen to remove her labia (minora and majora) by crude butchery is an affront on humanity, and a part of Igbo culture that has garnered support for legislation. Female genital mutilation results in emotional as well as physical scar that intrinsically hinders the girl child from achieving her greatest human potentials.
As the culture has evolved and metamorphosed, many Igbos are speedily loosing their heritage. Many have traveled overseas as economic migrants and had children abroad who understand little or nothing about their roots. The Igbos are known to be the least of all Nigerian tribes to speak their native tongue to their children born overseas. The ones still in Nigeria have migrated en mass to major cities as traders and civil servants. Some of the custodians of the culture, the Eze’s and Igwes are handing the reverenced chieftains titles to dupes and criminals that have amassed wealth through dubious means. With rapid westernization of Igbo culture, there is doubt that though there may still be a lot of people born into the Igbo tribe, in half a century, there may not be much left to be considered uniquely Igbo culture.
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