DEFINING AN IGBO PERSON

"Defining an Igbo Person

By Mazi Damian Okafor

(National Youth Leader Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide)

Resolving the age-old question of Igbo identity comprises more than just speaking the Igbo language or bearing Igbo names. If that were the case, we could equally label ourselves as British because we speak English and possess English names. An Igbo person is not solely identified by a light skin tone or residing in the Southeast.

An Igbo person is someone whose primary native language is Igbo, who carries Igbo native names, embraces the Igbo culture (Omenala) belief system, embodies Igbo customs, has one or both parents of Igbo descent, shares in the Igbo heritage, and resides within the Igbo cultural areas.

Consider this: a person may bear the name Sampson Peter and come from Abia State, yet they wouldn't be called English simply because they have English names. Most Igbo people have both Igbo and English names. Additionally, speaking English doesn't make someone English; many Igbo people learn Igbo as their first language and complement it with English due to colonial influences.

Native names are distinct to particular tribes, and ethnic groups are often identified by their native names. So, bearing names like Tunde Alabi wouldn't make you an Igbo. When asked about your ethnic group, the expectation is to provide a specific response, not a narrative of migration stories. Your ethnic group is your present reality, not your ancestral history.

The Igbo geographical space is defined as the region where Igbo language and culture are predominantly spoken and practiced. Anyone indigenous to this area is considered Igbo until proven otherwise. It's important to note that intermarriage alone cannot cause a community to lose its language and ancestral names within a short period.

Moving forward, if your name is Emeka Uche, you speak Igbo, live in Sokoto with Igbo migrant parents, you are considered Igbo. However, if you merely bear Igbo names, speak Igbo as a secondary language alongside your primary Hausa language, and your parents are not Igbo, you are more accurately described as 'an Igbo-cultured Hausa person.'

The interview with Rev. T.D. Jakes highlights that being Igbo extends beyond oral history and DNA tests. It encompasses your entire identity, including physical attributes. If your oral history suggests migration from the Benin Kingdom and you identify as Igbo in language, culture, and all aspects, it might be time to reconsider those migration stories or undergo an ancestry DNA test.

Remember, migrating from Benin doesn't diminish your Igbo identity. History shows that indigenous Igbo communities existed within what the Portuguese defined as Benin. Olaudah Equiano, who identified as part of the Benin Kingdom, also included 79 Igbo words in his writings, further emphasizing the diverse nature of Igbo identity."