The Diobu were originally linked to the Okrikans by trade and intermarriage and the anglicization of both Okrika abc and Diobu furthered the bond between the two communities.
As a result of the Anglican Church's earlier penetration into the Ijaw country, Ijaw missionaries and educators (some of Okrikan origin) became the Diobu's first ministers and teachers.
The…
Left: George Agbo and Obi Victor Nwokobia talking about nzu during fieldwork in Okpanam. Right: A close-up of the molded chalk. Photos by Glory Chika-Kanu.
Ima Nzu is the heart of Item, a village Situated within the Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria. Ima Nzu is a cultural heritage that revolves around nzu…
Sketch of Igbo Cosmology / Unknown source.
Many have misunderstood the concept of "Chukwu" in Igbo culture. That confusion arose partly due to colonialism and missionization that sought to reform Igbo understandings of deity to better fit Judeo-Christian beliefs about one all-powerful God . However, Igbo worship was historically a belief in many gods, each…
Lejja, the World's Oldest Iron-Smelting Site in Nigeria / Things Nigeria
Igbo people, also known as "Ndi Igbo," have a history rooted deeply in West Africa, with both archaeological and genetic studies offering clear views into their most ancient origins. For instance, evidence from Lejja in Nsukka reveals that over 4,000 years ago, long before the…
Mgbedike Masquerade of Nri-Oka, Seen in Okitipupa, Ondo State 1940s
Igbo people, from ancient times have been proven to be travelers and sojourners, their exploration spirit has most times led them to settle in distant areas s including parts of Ile Ife down to benin areas.
However, certain misconceptions for long time has clouded the history of…
Igbo market women
Before European invaders came to change how buying and selling worked in Igbo land, women, particularly Ndi-Ahia in places like Aboh, Ahaba, Onicha has prepared well for both far and near business.
They know more about trade, and they are much in the market, they sell crop harvests, hand-made clothes, and many more things…
Igbo masquerade ©Lasttribe
The Igbo people are a brilliant definition of how variety can foster cultural harmony. The Igbo did not stop being one of Nigeria's most cohesive ethnic groupings, by a common language that brings communities across geographical areas. The Igbo language remains the primary identity marker, signifying the tenacity and continuity of pan-Igbo culture,…
Anioma Carnival ©OFAAC
Anioma Carnival
©OFAAC
Ndi Anioma is predominantly the Igbo-speaking group of present-day Delta state, politically, they are grouped to Delta North senatorial district, although, some parts of Edo state like Igbanke and its environs that speak Ika are politically carved into Edo state today but they are part of Anioma, the boundaries of Anioma spans…
Obi of Oligbo
Oligbo ancient Kingdom of Issele-Uku crowned, Obi Nduka Ezeagwuna II, on December 21, 2016
The coronation of Oligbo kingdom, deeply rooted in Igbo sacred rites and customs , showcased the people's dedication towards the preservation of their rich Igbo cultural heritage and it also highlighted the symbol of continuing the authority passed down via…
Left: George Agbo and Obi Victor Nwokobia discussing nzu during fieldwork in Okpanam; Right: close-up of the molded chalk. / Glory Chika-Kanu.
Ọdinala, also known as Ọdinani, translates to "as it is in the Earth/land"; it is the ancestral spiritual science of the Igbo people. This represents traditional Igbo beliefs that Ani/Ala, the Divine Earth Mother,…