I had first heard this years ago from a young Igbo man. I always thought it was too preposterous to be true and I honestly had not thought of it again until I read this article this morning. I did not realise, until now, that there was actually a serious school of that that believed in this. I remember the young, Igboman years ago telling me that the name "Igbo" was a b**tardization of the word"Hebrew". Could there be any truth in this?

Judge for yourslf....


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Igbos: Are they Jews?
Sat. 19th May, 2007

Odumegwu Ojukwu
AN Eastern Nigerian tribe with more than 40 million members scattered throughout
the world – is seeking to forge a unique friendship with the Boston Jewish
community. After making a pilgrimage to the Hub for their 12th World Igbo
Congress Annual Convention at the Copley Marriott, a handful of Igbo leaders
also met with officials at the American Jewish Committee recently to discuss
forming an alliance. Igbos are not recognised as Jews within the Jewish
community.


Many Igbos, who dub themselves as the “Jews of Africa,� feel a spiritual bond
with the Jewish population, as legends passed down by their ancient ancestors
claim that they are one of the lost tribes of Israel. “The Igbos have not been
able to trace their origin back to anywhere else other than Israel,� said Peter
Opara, a Boston Igbo and communications consultant. “We want to join and walk
together with the Jews. Whenever Israel suffers in any possible way, the Igbos
feel it.�


Within Igbo lore is a prominent figure named Eri, a man with supernatural powers
whose beginnings cannot be traced, said Plantation, Fla., Rabbi Gavriel Ogugua,
who is Igbo and traveled to Boston for the conference. Eri was able to conquer
and develop a lot of lands, one of which became the place where this Nigerian
ethnic group still thrives today. Chapter 46, verse 16 in Beresh*t of the Torah
states that Gad – the sixth child of Jacob and one of the leaders of the lost
tribes of Israel – had a son named Eri, who Igbos have come to believe is the
man mentioned in their legends, Ogugua said. “Many Igbos know that we are
related to Jews but have not come to accept the heritage for which they are,�
Ogugua added, noting that scores of the tribes’ members are Christian because of
colonialism.


Igbos believe that they not only share Biblical ties with Jews, but also feel
they have also been prime targets of hatred. More than a million Igbos were
starved to death or killed by the Nigerian state authorities between 1966 and
1970 during a civil war, according to world reports and data from the Centre for
World Indigenous Studies in Washington. Now, members from the African tribe from
all over the world are looking to share their resources – such as oil, gas and
fertile lands – and to also support each other in the face of danger, Opara
added.


“The Jews have a lot to offer Igbos, and Igbos have a lot to offer Jews,� he
said. “I hope we can share resources, economics, political security and trade.
The Igboland is open to Israelis to come and invest.�
Larry Lowenthal, executive director of the American Jewish Committee in Boston,
said even though he “has never heard of (Igbo Jews) before,� Israel needs “all
of the friends it can get.�
“This is amazing,� Lowenthal said. “I am just beginning to explore this. The
question is: how can we unite Israel and the Jewish community to help the
wellbeing of Igbos, who in turn want to support Israel? This has to be a healthy
relationship.�
Lowenthal said he now plans to speak further with the executive director of the
World Igbo Congress and to also reach out to Rabbi Mark Sokoll, the president
and chief executive officer of the Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston.
Sokoll, who spoke about the Jewish experience at the Igbos’ conference, said he
was excited about this new friendship endeavor.
“Part of our mission as Jews is to heal and help fix the world,� Sokoll said. “I
am open to kind of relationships that will develop in the future.�
Courtesy: http://www.thejewishadvocate.com


The Igbo today
AFTER the Nigerian Civil War, Igboland had been severely devastated. Many
hospitals, schools, and homes had been completely destroyed in the brutal war.
The Federal Government of Nigeria denied the Igbo people access to all the hard
currencies, such as pound sterling they had saved in Nigerian banks before the
civil war, and only allowed them a minuscule compensation of £20 per adult bank
account holder. For example, a man who had over £450,000.00 savings in one or
several bank accounts could only receive £20.00 following this policy.


In addition to the loss of their savings, many Igbo people found themselves
discriminated against by other ethnic groups and the new non-Igbo Federal
Government. Due to the discrimination of employers, many Igbo had trouble
finding employment and the Igbo became one of the poorest ethnic groups in
Nigeria during the early 1970s. Igboland was gradually rebuilt over a period of
20 years and the economy was again prospering due to the rise of the petroleum
industry in the adjacent Niger Delta, which led to new factories being set up in
Southern Nigeria. Many Igbo eventually regained government positions.


The Igbo, however, continue to face many problems and challenges. Even today,
Igbo people have sometimes continued to face discrimination from other ethnic
groups. Also, because the traditional Igbo homeland was becoming too small for
its growing population, many Igbo have emigrated out of Igboland.


God in Igbo mythology
IN the mythology of the Igbo, which is part of their ancient religion, the
supreme god is called Chukwu ("great spirit"); he created the world and
everything good in it and is especially associated with rain, trees and other
plants. He is also a solar deity. Ala or Ani is sometimes considered to be his
wife and sometimes his daughter.


There is no concept of a gender type such as “man� or “woman� associated to the
Igbo supreme deity Chukwu, therefore, the Igbo people have no words in Igbo
categorising Chukwu as either man or woman. Colonialism introduced Christianity
to the Igbo people but the Igbo view of their creator Chukwu remains unmodified.


The Igbos believe in the concept of Ofo and Ogu, which is more like the law of
retributive justice. It is believed that Ofo and Ogu will vindicate anyone that
is wrongly accused of a crime as long as "his hands are clean". It is only the
one who is on the side of Ogu-na-Ofo that can call its name in prayer.


Otherwise, such a person will face the wrath of Amadioha (the god of thunder and
lightning). Particularly in Nigeria, the Igbos believe that each person has
their own personal god called Chi. A Chi is the personification of an
individual's fate, which is credited for an individual's luck and misfortune.


Other deities include Ahia Njoku, the goddess of yams, and Amadioha (or
Amadiora) the god of thunder and lightning. Also, there is Igwekaala: sky god,
Ikenga: god of fortune and industry, Anyamwu: sun god, Agwunsi: god of
divination and healing, Idemmili: mother goddess of Idemmili village, Agwu: god
of medicine men, Ahobinagu: forest god.
There is also minor spirits (different regions have other versions) but some
are: Mbatuku: spirit of wealth Ikoro: drum spirit Ekwu: hearth spirit or spirit
of the home Imo miri: river spirit Ogbunabali (literally he who kills by/at
night)an Igbo god of death.


Igbos as Jews
THE Igbo Jews of Nigeria are said to be descended from North African or Egyptian
Hebraic and later Israelite migrations into West Africa. Oral legends amongst
the Igbo state that this migration started around 1,500 years ago.


Members of the Igbo believe that they are descendants of Jews who had migrated
to Western Africa over many centuries via migrations south into sub-Saharan
Africa, as well as west across North Africa, possibly following the path of the
Arab conquests. Some Nigerian Jews hold that families among the community are
descendants of Kohanim and Levites, the Jewish priests and their assistants who
functioned in the Temple of Jerusalem.


Several Israelite/Jewish tribes settled in Western Africa during the glorious
days of the Songhai, Mali and Ghana empires. Some sources have explained that a
Jewish presence was present in Nigeria as early as 638 B.C.E. The Igbos are not
the only group that claims such a heritage; the Sefwi people of Ghana too,
believe they are descendants of Jews that made their way to West Africa.


Perhaps the Jews of Nigeria suffered the same fate and with the arrival of Islam
were either forced to leave the territory or submit to the Islamic domination.
The Igbo Jews traditionally claim descent from three particular Israelite
tribes: Gad, Zevulun, and Manaseh. The Jews of Manipur and Mizoram, the Bnei
Manaseh, also claim descent from the tribe of Manaseh. It is thought that these
Jews fled to Africa after the destruction of the biblical temples in Jerusalem
and established communities all across the African continent. Israel has, to
date, not recognised the Igbo as one of the Lost Tribes of Israel.

Courtesy: http://www.wiki-pedia.org

http://www.tribune.com.ng/19052007/igbo_feat.html

Very interesting read. However what some of these tribes do not realise is the tie which lies between the traditional Hebraic belief system and christian beliefs as it was delivered through from Christ to his apostles and then to us.

They do not understand that the work of the holy ghost, which Jesus called the comforter, which also would lead us into all truth. Is starting to show the people a truth and yet still they see through a glass as it were dimly. The bible says Israel is blind in part. I believe Israel does not know itself yet but is beginning to wake up to the realization of who they are. What people do not realise also is that the work of the Spirit is to gather the lost house of Israel, and also the gentile nations. Yet still God said he would no more call Israel out of Egypt but from out of the North he would gather them and from amongst the nations.

I wrote on this site a while back and aluded to a vision which God gave me regarding identity. Its strange this posting as confirmed a quite a bit of what I had recieved in the vision and even the tribe is mentioned which God had told me about in this posting.

Israel oh Israel how often have I gathered you ? .. Author of those words (GOD)

[align=center]The 12 Tribes of the Nation of Israel - According to the King James Bible

1. Judah............. The Negroes/African-Americans
2. Benjamin......... West Indians
3. Levi............... Haitians
4. Simeon.......... Dominicans
5. Zebulon......... Guatemala to Panama
6. Ephraim......... Puerto Ricans
7. Manasseh..... Cubans
8. Gad.............. North American Indians
9. Reuben........ Seminole Indians
10. Naphtali....... Argentina and Chile
11. Asher........... Colombia to Uruguay
12. Issachar........ Mexicans

As well as the scattered (DISPERSED) Israelites in all nations throughout the FOUR CORNERS of the Earth. In places like EUROPE, ASIA, THE MIDDLE EAST, EGYPT & AFRICA, INDIA, THE FAR EAST AND WORLD WIDE!
[/align]
To answer the thread question, yes, the so-called Igbo tribe are Israelites/Jews. Recommended books on the subject are:

From Babylon to Timbuktu, by Rudolph R. Windsor
Hebrewisms of West Africa, by Joseph J. Williams

Happiness

An interesting article. As some one of Yoruba descent, even more interesting to spot the similarities in the two tribes. But distrubing in that as the Rev S Johnson wrote in his epic "History of the Yoruba" at the start of the 20th Century, claims of a similar nature were being made of the Yoruba back then.

Personally, I feel that during the colonial period, the devicivness of the British, by making the Christian faith an essential pre-requiste of a "modern education" has encouraged many Nigerians and also other Africans to "claim" associations with the Christian faith.

Although the Igbo are cliaming Jewish heritage, still springs from the Bible. It's a great shame as many of our Religions and Cultures stand alone without dilution to appease Westerners.

I remember reading something about this. Apparently there is a histocial basis for this claim.

Expect loads of nigerians to turn up in Israel. Lol

Dada wrote: Well said clp)

Dada wrote: @ Dada -with all due respect, I think that looking at this from the perspective of "appeasing westerners" loses the whole purpose of this discussion.

for one thing,this is not about Judaism as amodern, WESTERN RELIGION - this is about the Hebrew PEOPLE. .Jesus was Black remember! So if you agree that the Biblical Jews were Black people, this cannot be a discussion about appeasing Westerners. If anything Judaism, like many ancient cultures, has been hijacked by modern day Westerners.

Also, let me just add that it is not ALL Igbo's claiming Jewish heritage.

Recently I have been reading alot on the migration on peoples so this is why this was an interesting topic for me.

so let's not get caught up in all this colonial mentality/sell-out stuff. Life is more and greater than the white man/westerner and I personally refused to make him my reference point for all I do, say or think. We keeping saying we were first on this earth - so let's act like it and stop making everything about appeasing the Oyinbo people. If we were here first then it stands to reason that there is probably many things today that refers to that time. Just because in the interim things changed, it doesnt mean that it was not that way from the begining.

....With all due respect.

Justavoice wrote: @ Modern Marvel - thank you for those book references. I am reading them online.

Correction on my last post.

Yoruba claim Muslim descent rather than Christian as earlier mentioned.

@ Happiness....yes, I was also told the same growing up, but I dont think many Igbos are that fussed about it.

jews...most are found in ISRAEL, but what what was that land called before the STATE OF ISRAEL was invented?

So now IGBOS are JEWS of Africa well, let these people check.....well,