Читать книгу Igbo History Hebrew Exiles of Eri - Omabala Aguleri - Страница 19

Idigo (1955) made a unique contribution to the history of the origin and migration of the Igbo based on time honoured oral tradition. “One school of thought traces the origin of the Igbo from the Jews who migrated from Egypt centuries ago. The word Igbo is assumed to be a corruption of the name Hebrew. When the Hebrews left Egypt after over four hundred years of servitude, they crossed the Red Sea and wondered about in the Arabian Desert for forty years. Some of them who did not reach the Promised Land found their way to Africa south of the River Nile and then in Nigeria”

Idigo goes further to say that “according to a popular oral tradition Aguleri, a warrior and hunter called Eri migrated near the bank of River Anambra (called Omabala by the indigenes and corruptly named Anambra by the European settlers). He built his camp at Eri-Aka, near Odanduli Stream, a place which lies between Ivite and Igboezunu, Aguleri”

Other writers of Igbo history, who engaged in debates bothering on the uncertainty about the origin of the Igbo, may have done so owing to their source of information. In spite of the different contentions, however, most of them indicate that Eri came from areas further north, possibly from the Niger Confluence. This area has been the settlement of the Igala people. Isichei (1976) makes the following assertions “The first human inhabitants of Igboland must have come from areas further north, possibly from the Niger confluence. But men have been living in Igboland for at least five thousand years since the dawn of human history. One of the most notable facts of Igbo history is its length and continuity. Igbo began to diverge from other related languages such as Edo and Yoruba, perhaps four thousand years ago. Four thousand five hundred years ago, people in Nsukka were making pottery, which was similar in style to that still made in the area today”

Omoregie (1989) makes the following revelation about the first settlement of the Igbo in Anambra river basin. “A site was excavated in Aguleri and radio carbon dates showed that it had been continuously inhabited for about 5, 000 years. These were no spectacular finds but it revealed ancient pottery, human bones and tools of stone”

Some Christian Missionaries in Nigeria made relevant references to our strong relationship with the Jews. An example is that made by a German Missionary Aboh in 1841. He described the Igbo attitude to religion thus,

Like the Jews of the Old Testament, they expected in return for

Their prayers and sacrifices blessings such as health, longevity

And prosperity and especially children – the greatest blessing”

This kind of allusion is not confined to the early missionaries. As

Soon as the Igbo started interacting with the Europeans, stories of

Relationship of the Igbo with the Jews of Israel were widely speculated

And are still being discussed up till this day. This speculation has triggered

Off researches even by the Israelis.