Are the Igbo Related to the Israelites?

[Alice C. Linsley]

Alice C. Linsley

 

Are the Igbo related to the Israelites? This is the question Salamatou Naino Idi has asked and I will do my best to answer her question.

 

The Igbo are not directly related to the Israelites. They are not descendents of Jacob who is the founder of the Israelites. Igbo history is traced back to a time before there were a people called Israelites.

 

The Igbo are likely a Nokite clan. Nok in the Hebrew Bible is called “Enoch” and Cain and his brother Seth married royal daughters of the Chief of Nok. These daughters named their first-born sons Nok, after their father. These sons would have been regarded as the Chief’s sons. The line of royal descent was apparently traced through the royal brides. However, only one could rule after the king’s death. Apparently Cain’s son was preferred to rule because settlements were built in his name Kano. Likely Seth, Cain’s brother, moved to the east to establish his own territory closer to Lake Chad, in Borno. The types of musical instruments and the tradition of horsemanship suggest that the people of Kano, Borno and Nok are related culturally. And the genealogies of Genesis trace Abraham's ancestors to these places.

 

The ancestors of the Igbo who settled in the Jos Plateau came from the east according to mitochondrial studies. The Igbo of Nigeria belong to haplogroup L1, believed to have first appeared approximately 150,000 to 170,000 years ago in East Africa.

 

Apparently the Igbo ancestors intermarried with the people of Nok to whom they were probably related by blood (as the peoples of this region of Africa are all of the L1 haplotype). This was before the time when we can speak of Arabs and Jews. Nokite dominance existed for at least 1,000 years before the establishment of the royal city of Daura.

 

According to David Levinson and Timothy O'Leary (1995. Encyclopedia of World Cultures. G.K. Hall. p. 120. ISBN 0-816-11815-9), the Igbo came from Sudan to southeastern Nigeria. Before the time of the Pharaohs in Egypt, there were rulers in Sudan. Some of these became rulers over both Sudan (ancient Nubia) and Egypt. We must not think in terms of today’s national boundaries as these did not exist then. Most boundaries were marked by rivers which were controlled by local chiefs who paid part of their tribute to the King. This means that Sudan probably included at least part of what is today Ethiopia.

 

The principal historian of Kano, Maitama Sule, believes the Hausa are related to the people of Ethiopia. As evidence, he cites linguistic similarities, a shared veneration of the sun, and a common cosmology. He sees evidence for a tradition that spans the continent from the Atlantic coast of Nigeria to the Nile, and extending into Palestine. I believe that this is true based on my 32 years of research.

 

One term that suggests a tradition covering a vast territory (which I’ve termed the “Afro-Asiatic Dominion”) is the word “sarki.”  In Africa this word is used to speak of a ruler, the snake killed by Bayajida, and the new moon harvest festival (Falasha). As we move into Pakistan and southern India we find the word “sakti” which refers to wine in Tantric use at the harvest moon celebration. This is the linguistic equivalent of the Falasha word ‘sarki’, meaning harvest moon festival. Sarki are also a people group who live in the Orissa Province of India and Sarki live as ‘Haruwa’ in the Tarai region of Nepal. The word "Haruwa" is equivalent to the ancient Egyptian word ‘Harwa”, meaning priest.

 

Salamatou Naino Idi also asked, "If Cain is Kano, what about the other Hausas: Daura, Katsina, Zazzau, Gobir, Rano, and Biram?"

 

I will have to do more research, especially on the relationship of the Zazzau, Gobir, Rano, and Biram. However, there is a relationship between the Daura and Katsina. Their origins are traced to the oldest known kingdom in Africa, said to have lasted for over 1,500 years. It was centered about 10 miles from the city of Daura in what is called Tsohon Birni (old city). This kingdom was ruled by a King who had no sons so his daughter, Kufuru, came to the throne about 1,500 years ago. She was followed by eight queens: Gino, Yakumo, Yakunya, Wanzamu, Yanbamu, Gizir-gizir, Innagari and Daurama.

 

Daurama became the ninth queen of Daura. During her time, her people found a great spring of water in the forest. I suspect that this is the place called Eredu, the wall of which still stands. It is 70 feet high and runs for about 100 miles. The wall marks out the believed boundary of the original Ijebu kingdom. (You can read about that here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/353462.stm) 

 

The Ijebu are called Jebu or Jebusites in the Bible. Abraham's Horite people were related to the Jebusites whose principal city in Canaan was Salem (now called Jerusalem). So here again is a connection between the Igbo ancestors and the ancestors of the Israelites.

 

After Daurama, eight more queens ruled in Daura. They were Gamete, Shata, Batatima, Saidamata, Jamata, Hamata, Zama, and Shawata. Daurama Shawata was queen number 17 in the town's history. She was the one Bayajida met when he came to Daura where he defeated the serpent called Sarki about 1,000 years ago.  For this Bayajida was given the title “Makas-sarki” which means snake killer.

 

[Alice C. Linsley]

That is true. Some are L1b, but given the tendency to marry within (rather than to marry non-Igbo), there is a preponderance of this type. I didn't mean to suggest all Igbo are identical. There are other types in this ethnically complex region of Africa.

Ms. Ezi said:

Where are the studies that say all of us Igbo are L1? We have not all been tested...

http://migrationstoriesofnigerianigbo.wordpress.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haplogroup_L1_(mtDNA)

[Miss]

Where can one read up on Igbo ancestral history? I am desperately trying to find out as much as I can about my roots.

[Alice C. Linsley]

I recommend that you begin with a map. You will note that the Igbo appear to have an ancestral territory at teh south turn of the confluence of the Benue and Niger rivers. This suggests that the ancient Igbo rulers were related to the other Afro-Asiatic rulers who controlled the ancient water ways in the Afrro-Asiatic Dominion about 10,000 years ago. This would indicate a relation to the people of Nok and to the people of Bor-Nu. The name "Igbo" is not the original name of your people, unless I'm mistaken. I would explore the other names for your people, such as Heebo and Ebo.

Igbo style pottery dated at around 4500 BCE has been found at Nsukka, and both pottery and tools were found at nearby Ibagwa. You can be sure that that your people have been in this region for a long time.

The traditional marriage practices of the Igbo resemble those described (in the fist book of the Bible) among Abraham's ancestors who originated in the area of Nok and Born-nu.

Here are two sites where you will find more information, but read critically. Many things written by non-Africans about African tribal groups misrepresent the facts.

http://ibopeople.com/igbo-tradition/igbo-culture-and-socialization

http://www.ndigboswitzerland.org/Docs/ArticlebyMaziNwekeonoriginoft...

Let me know what you find out. I'm working on this research as well, tracing the ancestors of Abraham back to the great lakes and industries of south central Africa.

Miss said:

Where can one read up on Igbo ancestral history? I am desperately trying to find out as much as I can about my roots.

[Miss]

Ezi,
You have a phenomenal blog. Brilliantly written, and well executed. Thank you for the additional resources as well.
I will be passing along word of both you and Ms. Linsley's work.

[Miss]

Alice,
Thank you so much for these resources. They should certainly be an immense help.

[Alice C. Linsley]

Ezi, thanks for the links. I look forward to reading your blog and those of your fellow Igbo.

Alice

Ms. Ezi said:

Miss,

You can check out my blog. I'm Igbo. I will be posting a lot more frequently.

http://migrationstoriesofnigerianigbo.wordpress.com

Some blogs written by fellow Igbos:

http://www.kwenu.com/

http://www.igboisrael.com/remy-ilona.shtml

http://igbo-blog.igbonet.com/

http://www.uwandiigbo.com/

Feel free to drop me a line on my blog, and we can talk some more.

Best,

Ezi

Miss said:

Where can one read up on Igbo ancestral history? I am desperately trying to find out as much as I can about my roots.

[Alice C. Linsley]

Yemi,  You might find this helpful:

http://jandyongenesis.blogspot.com/2009/03/afro-asiatic-dominion.html

 

 

[george kaffi]

Alice C. Linsley.

Just became a memeber of this site today.

I actually want to let you understand that the Igbos are pure isrealite. The Igbos are sephardic jews. The same culture you have in Isreal is the same the Igbos have been practicing up till today.

Will be happy if you could make your research properly.

 

[Alice C. Linsley]

George,

Welcome to Open Anthropology Cooperative!

If what you are saying is true, the Igbo and their religious practices are less than 3000 year old.  I doubt that this is true. DNA studies also indicate that Igbo have older antecedents than 3000 years.  Before 3000 years, there appears to be a Volta-Niger linkage between the Igbo and the Akan.  

The similarities between the religion of the Israelites and the Igbo can be explained by the fact that Abraham's ancestors came out of Africa.  His Nilo-Chadic ancestors moved both east into Arabia and Mesopotamia and west in Niger, Nigeria and Ghana. This is why many words in Hausa and Yoruba are almost identical to ancient Kushite and Egyptian words. 

I look forward to hearing from you again.

Best wishes,

Alice C. Linsley

george kaffi said:

Alice C. Linsley.

Just became a memeber of this site today.

I actually want to let you understand that the Igbos are pure isrealite. The Igbos are sephardic jews. The same culture you have in Isreal is the same the Igbos have been practicing up till today.

Will be happy if you could make your research properly.