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Biafra, officially the Republic of Biafra, was a partially recognised state in West Africa that declared independence from Nigeria and existed from 1967 until 1970. Its territory consisted of the former Eastern Region of Nigeria, predominantly inhabited by the Igbo ethnic group. Biafra was established on 30 May 1967 by Igbo military officer and Eastern Region governor C. Odumegwu Ojukwu under his presidency, following a series of ethnic tensions and military coups after Nigerian independence in 1960 that culminated in the 1966 anti-Igbo pogrom. The Nigerian military proceeded in an attempt to reclaim the territory of Biafra, resulting in the start of the Nigerian Civil War. Biafra was formally recognised by Gabon, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Tanzania, and Zambia while receiving de facto recognition and covert military support from France, Portugal, Israel, South Africa and Rhodesia. After nearly three years of war, during which around two million Biafran civilians died, President Ojukwu fled into exile in Ivory Coast as the Nigerian military approached the capital of Biafra. Philip Effiong became the second president of Biafra, and he oversaw the surrender of Biafran forces to Nigeria.
Odinani, also known as Odinala, Omenala, Odinana, and Omenana, is the traditional cultural belief and practice of the Igbo people of south east Nigeria. These terms, as used here in the Igbo language, are synonymous with the traditional Igbo "religious system" which was not considered separate from the social norms of ancient or traditional Igbo societies. Theocratic in nature, spirituality played a huge role in their everyday lives. Although it has largely been synchronized with Catholicism, the indigenous belief system remains in strong effect among the rural, village and diaspora populations of the Igbo. Odinani can be found in Haitian Voodoo, Obeah, Santeria and even Candomblé. Odinani is a pantheistic and polytheistic faith, having a strong central deity at its head. All things spring from this deity. Although a pantheon of other gods and spirits, these being Ala, Amadiọha, Anyanwụ, Ekwensu, Ikenga, exists in the belief system, as it does in many other Traditional African religions, the lesser deities prevalent in Odinani serve as helpers or elements of Chukwu, the central deity.
The Igbo people are an ethnic group in Nigeria. They are primarily found in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States. A sizable Igbo population is also found in Delta and Rivers States. Igbo is also considered a very minority tribe in states such as Benue, Kogi, Akwa Ibom and Edo. Ethnic Igbo populations are found in Cameroon, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea, as migrants as well as outside Africa. There has been much speculation about the origins of the Igbo people, which are largely unknown. Geographically, the Igbo homeland is divided into two unequal sections by the Niger River—an eastern and a western section. The Igbo people are one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa.
Onitsha is a city on the eastern bank of the Niger River, in Anambra State, Nigeria. A metropolitan city, Onitsha is known for its river port and as an economic hub for commerce, industry, and education. It is one of the largest metropolitan area in Nigeria with a fast growing population. It hosts the Onitsha Main Market, the largest market in Africa in terms of geographical size and volume of goods. Onitsha and neighboring Asaba on the western bank of the Niger River form a continuous metropolitan area.
Umuahia is the capital city of Abia State in southeastern Nigeria. Umuahia is located along the rail road that lies between Port Harcourt to its south,and Enugu city to its north. Umuahia has a population of 359,230 according to the 2006 Nigerian census. Umuahia is indigenously Igbo.
The culture of Nigeria is shaped by Nigeria's multiple ethnic groups. The country has 527 languages, seven of which are extinct. Nigeria also has over 1,150 dialects and ethnic groups. The three largest ethnic groups are the Hausas that are predominantly in the north, the Yorubas who predominate in the southwest, and the Igbos in the southeast. There are many other ethnic groups with sizeable populations across the different parts of the country. The Kanuri people are located in the northeast part of Nigeria, the Tiv people of north central and the Efik-Ibibio are in the south South. The Bini people are most frequent in the region between Yorubaland and Igboland.
Arochukwu Local Government Area, sometimes referred to as Arochuku or Aro Oke-Igbo, is the third largest local government area in Abia State in southeastern Nigeria and homeland of the Igbo subgroup, Aro people.
Asaba is the capital of Delta State, Nigeria. A rapidly growing city, it is located at the western bank of the Niger River, in the Oshimili South Local Government Area. Asaba had a population of 149,603 as at the 2006 census, and a fast growing metropolitan population of over half a million people.
Nnewi is a commercial and industrial city in Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria. It is the second largest city in Anambra state after Onitsha. Nnewi as a metropolitan area has two local government area, which are Nnewi North and Nnewi South, all centred around the Nnewi town. Even Ekwusigo local government area is now part of Nnewi urban area, as urbanization continues to spread from Nnewi to neighbouring communities. The Nnewi town which is the only town in Nnewi North comprises four villages: Otolo, Uruagu, Umudim, and Nnewichi. Nnewi had been the centre of economics and commerce, being at a time the fastest growing industrial city east of the Niger, being the home of many industries such as The Ibeto Group, the Chicason Group, Cutix Cables, amongst others. The first indigenous car manufacturing plant in Nigeria is located in the city while the first wholly Made-in-Nigeria motorcycle, the 'NASENI M1' was manufactured in Nnewi.
Awka is the capital city of Anambra State, Nigeria. The city was declared capital on 21 August 1991, after the creation of Anambra and Enugu state, which moved the capital from Enugu to Awka. The city has an estimated population of 301,657 as of the 2006 Nigerian census. The both LGAs of Awka South and North had a estimated population of 430,200 in 2022. The city is located at 199.1 kilometres (123.7 mi), by road, directly north of Port Harcourt in the centre of the densely-populated Igbo heartland in South-East Nigeria.
Orlu is the second-largest city in South East, Imo State, Nigeria, with a population of 420,600. It has a long history as the headquarters for the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and humanitarian relief agencies during the Nigeria-Biafra Civil War. The city houses the Nigerian headquarters of the British Cheshire Home. It is the second most developed city after Owerri in Imo state.
Igboland, also known as Southeastern Nigeria, is the indigenous homeland of the Igbo people. It is a cultural and common linguistic region in southern Nigeria. Geographically, it is divided into two sections by the lower Niger River: an eastern and a western one. Its population is characterised by the diverse Igbo culture and the speakers of equally diverse Igbo languages.
Anioma people are one of the Igbo subgroups in present day Delta State, Nigeria. They encompass the communities which span across the 9 northeastern Local Government Areas of Delta State. They occupy the Delta North Senatorial District, which consists of the Enuani, and Ukwuani/ Ndokwa and Ika geographical and linguistic zones of Delta State.
Ekwulumili is a town in the Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria. It shares boundaries in the north with the town of Igbo-Ukwu, in the south with the towns of Osumenyi and Akwa-Ihedi, in the east with the towns of Unubi and Ezinifite, and in the west with the town of Amichi.
Anti-Igbo sentiment encompasses a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards the Igbo people. The Igbo people make up all of south-eastern Nigeria and a part of South-South and Middle Belt Nigeria's geopolitical zones. Igbophobia is observable in critical and hostile behaviour such as political and religious discrimination and violence towards the Igbo.
Echie administratively known as Etche is an indigenous Igbo group mostly found in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Presently, its people makeup Etche and Omuma, two of the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State the can also been found in Ngor Okpala L.G.A and Omuma town both in Imo state. They are part of the 13 federal constituencies representing River State in Nigeria's National Assembly and part of the Rivers East Senatorial District. Its people are mostly farmers, and they speak the Etche dialect of the Igbo language family.
Nigerian traditional rulers often derive their titles from the rulers of independent states or communities that existed before the formation of modern Nigeria. Although they do not have formal political power, in many cases they continue to command respect from their people and have considerable influence in their community.
Amaifeke is an urban town in Orlu Local Government Area LGA of Imo State in the Niger Delta region of South Eastern Nigeria. The town shares the Orlu Urban metropolis area with Umuna and part of Orlu village. The indigenous population of Amaifeke belong to the Igbo ethnic group and the town is situated within the Igbo cultural area. Amaifeke shares boundaries with the following towns; Ihioma, Okporo, Okwuabala, Umuna, Orlu and Owere Ebeiri. The main language spoken in Amaifeke is the Orsu variant of the Igbo language.
Okwuabala is a semi-urban community in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State, in the Niger Delta region of South Eastern Nigeria. The community shares boundaries with Ogberuru, Mgbe and Amaifeke. The indigenous people of Okwuabala belong to the Igbo ethnic group and the town is situated within the Igbo cultural area. The main language spoken in Okwuabala is the Orsu-Orlu variant of the Igbo language.
Ebenator is a town in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, south-eastern Nigeria, predominantly occupied by Igbo speaking people. Ebenator has good weather and fertile lands, as it is surrounded by natural water. The Igbo people living around there live in families close to each other and are predominantly Christians.
References
- ↑ "RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: A CASE STUDY OF OSUMENYI TOWN" (PDF). QUANTITATIVE ECONOMIC RESEARCH BUREAU. Retrieved 26 March 2011.