Maazị Ogbonnaya Okoro Profile picture
First Physics in Igbo/African Language Author, Igbo teacher/Author/Storyteller/ Blogger/Historian/ Researcher/ Translator/ Sign Language interpreter/
Oct 12 41 tweets 7 min read
WHY YORUBA AND HAUSA ARE TAUGHT IN US SCHOOLS BUT NO IGBO

For many years in the past, I had been writing that Fulbright scholarship— US Government funded Yoruba and Hausa language teachers to teach Yoruba& Hausa language and culture in many US universities annually, but no Igbo. Few years ago, the call for Yoruba and Hausa language teachers to go teach in the United States was up. I saw so many ndị Ìgbo crying of marginalization. Why only Yoruba and Hausa when Igbo is one of the major languages and culture?
Aug 29, 2023 11 tweets 3 min read
You remember Chief Stephen Osita Ọsadebe's Song— Ọnụigbo? Now, let's discuss what led to that song. It's the kîlling of the coal miners by the British colonial government in Enugwu. The Iva Valley history.

Read in details 👇
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It was on the 18th of November, 1949, about 21 coal miners were shot dead during the protest against the British colonial regime and the poor welfare and slavery of the coal miners.

Iva Valley mines were built to replace the Udi Coal Mines.
Aug 19, 2023 6 tweets 2 min read
In 2018, I applied to @Harvard University for the position of Preceptor in African Languages in order to teach Igbo Language there, and I got denied.

I posted this and little minds laughed at me. "Who are you to teach in Harvard?"

For them, I am a loser. For me, this is a win. Image For me to position Igbo language and expressed to the Harvard University what I had to offer and methods I would use to teach it, is something I will tell my children.

I will laminate this rejection email and keep.

Yes, rejection is something beautiful. It's part of winning.
Jun 20, 2023 12 tweets 2 min read
Ezenwaanyị in Igbo History is not Igbo Female Native Doctor.

Ezenwaanyị is not a human being. Ezenwaanyị is not a female priest. A priest is dibịa.

It depends on the kind of dibịa.

There are dibịa afa, dibịa aja, dibịa anwansi, dibịa mgbọrọgwụ na mkpakwụkwọ. Ezenwaanyị is not queen as Igbo enweghị eze (igbo don't have king) not to talk of female king. We have titles as Lọlọ, inyom, Iyom, unyom, for women, depending on the part of Igbo land.
Mar 21, 2023 16 tweets 3 min read
Tribal politics was introduced into the Nigerian political space by Obafemi Awolowo.

Since the First Republic, it is a weapon they use to win election in the west. It's working till now. It will keep working.

Tinubu is playing with the templates of Awolowo. Ìn Tinubu, I see Awolowo.

For some of us who have read deeply, into Nigerian history as well as political history, I wasn't surprised on why they called Gbadebo ọmọ ale just because his mother is Igbo and his wife is Igbo.
Mar 21, 2023 16 tweets 3 min read
Nigeria knew what she did, that's why they scrapped history from school curriculum.

Let's talk about what happened during Op Wet ẹ , years before first coup took place in January 15th, 1966.

Chief Obafemi Awolowo and S.L Akintola were political rivals. During and after the regional parliament election, there was high rate of crisis, violence, lawlessness and combats fight in the Western Regional Parliament. The Igbo of course felt the burnt. Some Igbo people lost their properties and lives in that crisis.
Mar 20, 2023 21 tweets 4 min read
Before I go to bed, I want to remind Nigerians, especially, ndị Igbo, something. It is history. At this point in my life, I ain't scared of stating the obvious.

The January 15th 1966 coup was championed by junior officers, across Nigeria. But they called it Igbo coup. Adewale Ademoyega was part of the 5 majors in that coup. He's Yoruba. He wrote the book: "Why We Struck"

He wasn't biased to say the truth. In the 60s, the whole quarters of Nigeria were scared of Igbo. They said that Igbo were dormineering.
Mar 19, 2023 5 tweets 1 min read
Even if the Igbo should leave Computer Village, Alaba International Market, CMS, Idumota, Suru Alaba, Trade Fair, Oyigbo, etc, they still cannot and can never run the business.

Ingenuity of a people is something you cannot do anything about. No amount of hate can stop a moving train. If you like, go and burn the market as you often do, they will feel the pains and bounce back. It's in their blood.

Until Nigeria decides to be a country, open other seaports, Igbo man will never leave.
Jun 11, 2022 4 tweets 1 min read
If you think those Igbo siding Peter Obi are doing so because he's an Igbo man, let Okezie Ikpeazụ present himself. But he is Igbo too. You will know that the Igbo go for competence and not tribe man. They will choose a more competent northerner or Westerner over an incompetent Igbo brother.

They see this from afar. That's why an Igbo adage says: Anya ka e ji ama ọka chara acha.

Buubu never for one day had Igbo support.
Feb 8, 2022 4 tweets 1 min read
Daniel Okeke wrote:

"The Kolanut is to the Igbo people, what the Holy Eucharist is to Roman Catholics. Breaking it is a sacred duty.

Many people wonder why Roman Catholic Priests still read from the book during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, even when they have celebrated 50years in priesthood.

It's very simple. You don't appropriate the wordings to suit you. You say them exactly as they appear. Any person who has been close to the Altar would know that these words are written in CAPITAL LETTERS.
Feb 8, 2022 10 tweets 2 min read
Many elders and the so called traditional rulers we have today do not know how to gọọ ọjị.

I don't take any so called elder, who after offering kola nut, ends it with n'aha Jizọs, seriously.

This is where I have issues with Papa Pete Edochie. After offering a beautiful utterance and prayer over ọjị, he ends it with n'ava Jizọs.

E nwere usoro e si agọ ọjị. The Igbo kola nut and its prayer has a procedure.

If you are praying normally as a Christian, of course you end the prayer in Jesus name.
Feb 7, 2022 4 tweets 1 min read
Nze Nwata Chiri Adịghị Ibe Ya Mma is now approved BECE Text in Anambra State this year. They are now reading it throughout the schools in Anambra State. They will use it for Junior WAEC. Image I was inspired to write this book via my interaction, meeting of people and understanding the family value system of many.

Siblings can envy one another. Twins can envy one another. It is a story of ụmụ ejima.
Jan 18, 2022 4 tweets 1 min read
"To make money no hard, na you want live long"

Quotes of our young boys in their teens and early 20s. Na why dem dey cut breasts, pluck eyes, steal pants of their girlfriends, make some girls run mad; they also run mad, die early... Because everyone wants to make money.... Onye ọbụla chọrọ ibute ike, gbaa Benz, chụọ nwaanyị.

Unfortunately, we see it as nothing. Anyone who speaks up is an enemy of progress, who is jealous of small boys. Onye anyaụfụ.
Jan 17, 2022 9 tweets 2 min read
He was paying N9,000,000 (Nine Million naira) yearly for 3 bedroom flat in Maitama, Abuja. It was later increased to 10M and he was paying. No savings. No investment. He's working. He believed and depended on his salary. It will surely be coming. His argument:

"When you live in the neighborhood of big men, you will behave like big men. You roll with big men. Packaging. You network".

His junior colleagues went to the developing areas like Lugbe, FO1 Kubwa, Ushafa and bought lands in the selling estates there.
Jan 17, 2022 12 tweets 2 min read
On Saturday evening I just saw my friends off along New Haven Bus Stop, Enugwu. I decided to trek, do some exercise before I enter Keke, mini bus or even taxi back to my hotel. I was going towards Chime Avenue, from the former place Ntachi Ọsa Restaurant was located. I decided to be silly. Yes, I can be stupid at times, I know; but that makes life fun. Something got me fascinated. I saw this lady, tall and well gathered. She's very beautiful, I can't lie. Her ikebe bụ egwu e ji. Her frontal package bụ ebelebe. Iruka na Azụka.
Dec 26, 2021 50 tweets 9 min read
Ikwere: Igbo or Edo; An Insight into the History of Ikwere People.

The issue of identity is personal. Devoid of political sentiments, this article is an academic research conducted and carried out for the purpose of knowledge and preservation of historical information. Interviews in form of participant observation, were conducted. Different opinions were put into consideration. So, by no means, anyone's throat is forced with an identity neither this research is recruiting people to join any tribe or group.

Now let us make the move...
Dec 19, 2021 8 tweets 2 min read
I have been trying to know why someone from Ọkpankụ in Aninri Local Government of Enugwu State and someone from Oshiri in Ọnịcha Local Government Area of Ebọnyị State cannot harm anybody from Ọkpọsị; someone from Ọkpọsị too cannot dare harm anyone from these places. Bloodline.

Migration.

At some point in life, these were brothers. Some of their kinsmen migrated to settle at a place.

In Ọkpọsị for instance, people migrated from different places and settled where they are today. Ụmụakụma migrated from Uturu, now in Abịa State.
Dec 19, 2021 22 tweets 4 min read
ỌKPỌSỊ: A HOME OF MUSIC AND ORAL CONSTRUCT—AN ETHNOGRAPHIC OVERVIEW

Ọkpọsị is a subgroup of the Igbo of south-eastern Nigeria. It is located under Ọhaọzara L.G.A. Ebọnyị State. Just as other communities in Igbo land, Ọkpọsị is a typical of societies were literacy are nascent and so have to store the social memory of the nonliterate days in diverse oral media with which music is one of. It should be known that oral literary performance of a group might contain some insight on their culture.
Dec 17, 2021 12 tweets 2 min read
Answering your husband's name after marriage is not an Igbo culture but a borrowed one. Igbo women retain their maiden names. Some are addressed by using their children's names. Like "Mama Ifeanyị. Mama Nneka. Or Nne Ifeanyị. Nne Nneka". Some are addressed as "nwunye Obi, nwunye Okonkwọ".

If the name of the wife is Ngọzi and that of her husband is Okonkwọ, she cannot be addressed as Ngọzi Okonkwọ in original Igbo culture. Instead, she could be called Ngọzi Obi, assuming Obi was her father's name.
Dec 4, 2021 15 tweets 4 min read
Dear @abovejordan Oludare Ogunlana,

I wanted to be sure of the person I am tagging before I make a mistake by tagging a wrong person, hence my restrain on calling you out since. Glad to see your handle.

You see, where I come from, we have a wellarism which goes this way: "A sheep says she does not know how to dance, but when you beat drums passing her father's house, if she cannot dance, she will jump up".

I don't look for trouble but if one looks for my trouble, I am not a coward. I give it back to the person taatị folds.
Dec 4, 2021 6 tweets 1 min read
A certain academically poor Professor Oludare Ogunlana stole my writeup about Yahoo boys in different campuses, he removed my name and added his. He changed the names of the cities I mentioned and add Abeokuta, Ibadan, etc... Every other things I wrote, he copied all verbatim, word to word. Even my signature: "I paused, she paused; both of us paused". His stupidity didn't even tell him that he's a dullard person to copy everything. An empty vessel disguising as an intellectual.