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.
Israelis Confirm oral Tradition On Igbo Migration
Amidst all the beliefs, claims and counter claims among the Igbo something wonderful happened to change the entire perception of Igbo history; something which could be considered as the handiwork of God and coming at a time the Igbo people were fed-up with speculations and uncertainties surrounding their origin. In fact, the event gave added credence to the oral tradition mentioned by the only Aguleri writer on the origin of the Igbo.
In September 1996, five Israeli Jews who were on a research mission came to Aguleri in search of Eri whom they claimed belonged to the lost tribe of Israel. To substantiate their claim, they quoted Genesis 46: 16 and Numbers 26: 16 of the Bible where it was stated that Eri was one of the sons of Gad who was one of the sons of Jacob. It would be recalled that the sons of Jacob made up the 12 tribes of Israel. They gave account of their visit to Igbo-Ukwu, Oraeri and Agukwu who were strongly identified as the descendants of Eri.
In a reception held in Aguleri, the Israeli Jews told Aguleri people that they were on a mission to trace their relationship with Eri whom they were told is the founder of Igbo race. They told the delighted Aguleri people that some archeologists who guided their tour of the country wanted them to end their search of Igbo Ukwu where the museum gave them some information about Eri, but they insisted that they must be shown the settlement of Eri. After much pressure, they were brought to Aguleri to see things for themselves.
After the grand reception, Aguleri assigned some people who took the visitors to Eri-Aka, where Eri and his followers settled and lived until their death. Aguleri people explained that Eri-Aka was the settlement camp near Odanduli Stream between Ivite and Igboezunu villages in Aguleri. They saw that Eri -Aka still retained the vestiges of the early settlement of Eri. They saw the overgrown
Ogilisi tree marling the burial sites of Eri and Nri. These researchers were also taken round the three villages of Aguleri; namely, Ivite, Igboezunu and Ugwunadegbe (comprising Eziagulu and Enugu Aguleri) where they took video shots of ancient shrines and the sacred temples of Eri Kingdom including “Obu ga” i.e. the home of Gad named after Gad, the father of Eri (Genesis 46: 16). They requested the chief juju priest, some elders, women and children present on the occasion to perform some traditional ceremonies, which were acknowledged to be identical with those of the Hebrew people. The ceremonies included religious child circumcision, the custom of confining their women for a specific period after childbirth and naming of children after specific events and experiences. They filmed these events for study at home.
The only feature of similarity on which a paper was presented was the propensity of the Igbo to trade. The paper described the Jews as being endowed with special qualities and talents for which they are known and secretly admired by their detractors and those who conspired against them. They show such extraordinary intelligence in their approach and attitude to business that they are branded world-class merchants. They are known to have migrated to many parts of the world where most of them rose from grass to grace to become the wealthy class, to the envy of their host nations.
Similarly, the Igbo are adventurers. They are not only merchants and traders but are also capable of transacting business in virgin and dangerous areas. The Igbo have equally not escaped the envy of those around them.
Before their departure, the five researchers signed a relationship pact with the people of Aguleri and agreed on cultural exchange programme between Aguleri community and their counterparts in Israel. They went home satisfied that they found the settlement of their tribes men.
The interesting thing about their visit is that they confirmed the age-long speculation that the Igbo are related to the Jews and gave a credibility stamp to the school of thought that strongly believes that the Igbo have their origin in the Hebrew kingdom of Israel.
During his pilgrimage to the holy land, the author visited Dimona, called the village of Peace, which has a settlement of African Hebrew Israelites. The history of these Israelites reveals that they left Jerusalem during their captivity in Babylon, Assyria and Egypt and from thence migrated to West Africa where they once again were carried away captives, this time, by Europeans on slave ships to the Americas along with other Africans. In 1969, about 400 of them were led by one Ben Ammi back to the holy land, the land of their origin. Dimona is four hours drive from Jerusalem.
The history of the African Hebrew Israelites corroborates the accounts given by historians earlier mentioned in this book. These have proved by biblical evidence that Gad the father of Eri, is from one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Biblical account states that Jacob and his sons migrated to Egypt when his son Joseph the dreamer was a chieftain in Pharaoh’s court. This evidence from the Christian Bible agrees with the archaeological evidence enunciated by Professor Onwuejeogu which revealed that Eri and Oduduwa migrated from south of the Nile to Nigeria. Oduduwa went to Yorubaland while Eri migrated to Igboland, where he established the Igbo race.
Eri of The House of Jacob
We have read from this chapter of how some Israeli Jews who are anthropologist came to Aguleri in search of one of the lost tribes of Israel. We have also read that Eri had the attributes of someone who could belong to the house of the chosen ones of God. For instance, Igbo mythology described Eri as a king from the sky. Coming from the sky means coming from, God because there is the general belief that lives in heaven. Above it is the Sky. Aguleri folklore described Eri as a king who derived his legitimacy from God and who was destined to build the Igbo race. Another relevant pointer to this view is that Eri was deeply religious. He established the Igbo traditional religion and used the doctrines of Igbo religion to enhance the administration of the early settlement. For instance, the sacred temple of Obu-ga presently exposed in Aguleri is regarded by the descendants of Eri as the collective temple, which binds them to their common ancestor, Eri. Further Obu ga is a temple dedicated to the memory of Gad, the father of Eri. It will interest my readers to know that Obu ga means ‘the home of ga’. Obu means home and Ga is the name of the owner of the home. It cannot
