"Igbo people don't respect elders. They don't bow to greet their elders— lack of respect".

The topic was raised at NYSC Camp, Nsit Atai Akwa Ibom State by some platoon members comprising of the Yoruba.

An Igbo guy said: "It's true. I'm Igbo but..."

"Shut up my friend", I said.
This statement sparked attention of everyone. I wasn't part of the discussion or the group. I was telling my fellow Igbo to shut up. Yes, he should shut up very well.

I asked a question:

Define a culture?

People's ways of life right? Igbo have their identity so as the Yoruba.
It's the culture of the Yoruba to bow before the elders. They can even lie down. It is culture. It has nothing to do with respect. One can lie down before you and still stab you, spread rumour, conspire against you. This is where individuality comes into play.
A woman in Lagos called me sir this minute, next minute I turned to oloriburuku because I wore my shoe to her shop to buy finger battery. Does it mean she has respect for me? Culture demands she greet me. She even lowered her head. But now, I became a thief for wearing shoes.
It is not in Igbo culture to bow to anyone. It doesn't also show lack of respect. An Igbo might not even greet you at all, but still respect you. An Igbo might greet you, and still deal with you. It's a matter of individuality not collective case.
I once walked into an office with an Igbo man. He is old enough to father me. He was my superior. Bowing to a small northern boy. For what? It's uncultural. How can you be bowing to anyone, not to talk of a small boy? I stood firm and greeted the guy who was curious to know me.
An Igbo child can be walking on the road and greet you. You don't expect him to bow before you, or prostrate, before it shows he's being respectful.

I respect Yoruba culture. Culture is like a firewood of a nation. It cooks their food. Igbo culture too should be respected.
After my sermon, they were quiet. That was how I got many Yoruba friends in the camp. They wanted to know more about the Igbo. The misconception they have had via hearsay and movies went off.

My best friend in the camp—a Yoruba lady became too close to me after this very sermon.

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More from @maazi_ogbonnaya

17 May
I've heard so much about Malaysian guys, I decided to go to Owere that very December just to feed my curiosity.

Adventure is me.

There was nothing serious that took me to Owere except to confirm the truthfulness of Malaysian boys. That's to show you how adventurous I can be.
I had my muffler tied around my neck, but not as Rochas.

I first lodged at Caribbean Hotel, World Bank. It is located at the street opposite Eastern Emirate Hotel. The street before Everyday Supermarket.

In the night, I decided to know what's happening in Concord Hotel area.
My adventurous journey is always one man's squad. I go alone. I stopped at Concord, looking around ...I was like...is this the place I used to hear in music and read in books?

I trekked down, as if I was going to 40:40 area. I saw ụmụnwa highway calling me:
Read 15 tweets
17 May
The is Jaja of Opobo who left Amaigbo to live in Opobo and multiply/rule the place.

He was a powerful man/king. Dealing in Palm oil and slave trade with the Arọ. Inasmuch as history praises him, he committed some atrocity too like killing Ọdụm-Agege of Azụmini in Ndọkị.
I want to talk about the Ọdụm Agege. He was a very powerful man too who was also intelligent. He never allowed the Arọ and Jaja whose major occupations were slave-trade to deceive his people. He was resisting their antics.

The Arọ tried luring him, but he was stubborn.
They told him that Ibini Ụkpaabi was calling him. An instrument they used to annihilate or get people to be sold into slavery. He refused to go. The Arọ told Jaja what transpired.

Being frustrated, Jaja sent his army after him. They came to Azụmini and dragged him to Opobo.
Read 5 tweets
16 May
The Ịgbanke people, now in Edo State still observe the four market days of Igbo: Eke, Orie, Afọ and Nkwọ.

The same with some villages in Ogbadibo, Benue State. I met Mr. Ọnọja from there, he opened my eyes to the real culture and history of those villages.
The proximity with Obolo Afọ and Inyi side of Enugwu-Ezike. They still do business with their kith and kin.

In Oturkpa, I saw a place called Offiong. There must be a tie with the Efik/Ibibio. Migration must have taken place.
Eboyi in Kogi, close to Ejule and Ebọnyị, I heard there is a link which I am yet to investigate properly through linguistic similarities and culture.

My activities, research and traveling are to satisfy my curiosity, hence I sponsored myself round 33 States in Nigeria.
Read 4 tweets
15 May
"Ụnụ"= you

I have seen people questioning others why they write "ụnụ" instead of "unu".

I agree that some dialect of Igbo use "unu". In my dialect for instance, it's pronounced as "ùnú". It differs in the general pronunciation of únū.

Why ụnụ?

Dialect?
If you want to understand why it's used, then say ndeewo in a plural form. You'll land yourself into:

Ndeewo nụ!

Daalụ nụ

Kwenụ

Rie nụ

Ṅụọ nụ

Zụọ nụ

These are shortening of "ụnụ". Have you seen it's generally used even without you knowing about it?
Yes,

You cannot say:

Ndeewo nu
Kwenu
Rie nu
Ṅụọ nu
Zụọ nu

"Unu" cannot be used in the above context.

However, "unu" can be used simply for plural form but not in every context as "ụnụ" which is more universal beyond dialect.

Ụnụ is a generalised version of "you".
Read 4 tweets
15 May
Lexical Correlations Between Igbo Language and Nembe Language of Bayelsa State.

Language is universal. Another interesting characteristics and nature of language is—it does not function or exist in isolation.

We know that borrowing is inevitable in any language of the world.
Any language devoid of borrowing for survival go into extinction or dies. The case of old Latin which has suffered language death and shifted into Romance languages. The today's spoken Latin is not the original Latin. Why did Latin die? Inability to accept loan words like others.
English is able to stand sands of time because of its ability to borrow from other languages and makeup its lexicons.

Some languages also naturally have things in common without any form of borrowing.

With this brief background information to the study—
Read 10 tweets
15 May
A Short Biography of Professor Gordian Ọbụneme Ezekwe, the head of Biafran RAP that produced missiles called ogbunigwe.

B.sc (Hons), Ph.D, Mechanical Engineering. He was born May 10, 1929 in Abagana, Anambra State. He married Ngozi Bernadette Okaru in 1973.
He attended St Mark's School, Abagana, 1938-40; St Bartholomew's School, Nimo, 1940-43; St Patrick's College, Calabar, 1943-47; University College (now University of Ibadan), Ibadan, 1947-50, University College, Swansea, Wales, 1951-54; King's College, London, 1956-59.
Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology, Zaria, 1959-62; Lecturer, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, 1962-63; Visiting Lecturer, University of Sheffield, UK, 1963-64; Senior Lecturer, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, 1964-67;
Read 10 tweets

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