IGBO TRIBE

The
origin of the Igbo people has been the subject of
much speculation, and it is only in the last fifty
years that any real work has been carried out in
this subject. Like any group of people, they are
anxious to discover their origin and reconstruct
how they came to be how they are, their
experiences under colonialism and Nigeria
independence have emphasized for them the
reality of their group identity which they want to
anchor into authenticated.
Many of these people still show case
different characteristics from that of the
traditional Igbo. For example,
· Geographical marginality
· The institution of kingship
· A hierarchical title system
· And the Amosu tradition (witchcraft)
For some time, some Igbo speaking people
claimed that they were not Igbos,
the word was used as a term of abuse for “less
cultured” neighbors. The word is now used in
three senses, to describe Igbo territory, domestic
speakers of the language and the language
spoken by them.

There is no doubt that Southeast Nigeria is the
home of the Igbo people. This area is divided by the
Nigeria River into two unequal sections.

1. The eastern Region (which is the largest)
2.  The south south (which is the minority)

         Oji kolanut

Oji is the first thing served to any visitor in an
Igbo home. Oji is served before an important
function begins, to it marriage ceremony,
settlement of family disputes or entering into any
type of agreement. Oji is traditionally broken into
pieces by hand, and if the kola nut breaks into
three  pieces, a special celebration is
arranged. More so, it is believed that if a kola
breaks into four  pieces that it signifies the
four days in the week of Igbo people which
means Eke, Orie, Afo and Nkwo as the case may
be as one week (Otu Izu). In a case where the
kola breaks into five  pieces, the people of
Igbo attribute it to as a sign of good Omen to the
people who partake in the breaking of the kola
nut.. it is meant to be believed that within that
period, the people receive good things all around.
It is also very significant to note that if a kola nut
breaks into seven  pieces, that it is a sign that
there will be an increment in birth rate of the
people.

           Killing of twins

Before the rise of Christianity
in the Igbo land, the Igbo's considered the birth of
twins (and other multiple births), like neighboring
groups such as the Ibibio, as against nature and
inherently evil. Multiple births were believed to be
only what animals should produce, and humans
were believed to be meant for single births. The
reason behind this belief may have been that,
because it was a rare occurrence, it was
considered wrong. The community generally
killed twins by abandonment in the community’s
evil forest or by direct attack, after the birth, the
mother of the twins went through cleansing
rituals to purify her from the birth. This practice
has ended.

      Traditional attire

Modern Igbo traditional attire is generally
made up of men, of the isiagu top which
resembles the heads embroidered over the
clothing, it can also be plain, (usually black). It is
worn with trousers and can be worn with either a
traditional title holders hat (a fez named okpu) or
with the traditional Igbo stripped men’s hat
(which resembles the bobble hat).for women, an
embodied puffed sleeve blouse (influenced by
European attire) along with two wrappers
(usually modern Hollandis material) and head
scarf are worn.
Women carried their babies on their
backs with a strip of clothing binding the two
with a knot at her chest. This baby carrying
technique was and still is practiced by many
people groups across Africa along with the Igbo
who still carry their babies this way. This method
has been modernized in the form of the child
carrier. In most cases, Igbo women did not cover
their chest areas. Maidens usually wore a short
wrapper with beads around their waist with other
ornaments such as necklaces and beads. Both
men and women wore wrappers. Highly
accomplished men and women are admitted into
orders for people of title such as Ndi Ozo or Ndi
Nze. Such individuals receive certain insignia to
show their stature.
Membership in these orders is highly
exclusive, and to qualify and individual needs
more than mere material accomplishment or
gallantry. They need to be highly regarded and
well-spoken of in the community, and most
importantly, they must be a person of the
greatest integrity, truthfulness and sanity. The
slightest impeachment of character is enough to
disqualify and individual from becoming a person
of title and once admitted into the other, a person
of title is forbidden to lie, cheat, climb a tree,
covet or strip their neighbor of their belonging or
commit an abomination of crime.