The Idea of Igbo are lost tribe of Jews originated by Olaudah Equiano.

The Idea of Igbo are lost tribe of Jews originated by Olaudah Equiano.

First published April 2021

Over the years, many indigenous Igbos have claimed that the Igbo People are the lost tribe of Isreal and thus the direct descendants of the ancient Israelites.

This idea was perhaps influenced through Olaudah Eguiano (1745 AD to 1797 AD) in his auto-biography titled; INTERESTING NARRATIVES OF OLAUDAH EQUIANO OR GUSTAVUS VASSA THE AFRICAN”, published in London in 1789. Olaudah Eguiano was an ex-slave and became the first person to claim that Igbos are the descendants of the ancient Israelites. This was followed by the Anglican Archbishop G.T. Basden who about 1900AD published a book which he titled; “AMONG THE IBOS OF NIGERIA”.

“These two authors based their theories on the fair complexion of the Igbos, the customs such as circumcision of the male child on the eight day after birth. many other books like; Eric C. N Okam’s “THE IGBOS AS DESCENDANTS OF JACOB (ISRAEL): THE ORIGIN OF THE IGBOS” 2004, Professor Uche Ikeanyibe’s “etc including hundreds of articles written and published in various Newspapers and journal by many Igbo writers, all centred on the relationship between the Igbos and the Jews. But the fact is that Igbos are not Hebrew as Igbos are not from one father.

According to their belief, Eri, the Son of Gad and grandson of Jacob (Israel) left Egypt with his group in quest of freedom and new abode. They got themselves into a movement that had no predetermined destination. They passed through Sudan, passed through the present day Kogi State to settled in Igbo-ukwu and subsequently became the present day Igbo People. This according to ur idea and various authors, happened in about 1900BC to 1300 BC; at the time Pharaohs rule in ancient Egypt. Here’s is many proof that many Igbo communities are older than Abraham the acclaimed father of Israel.

In 1939, according a record from HRH Eze Michael Uchegbu, one Chief Isaiah Anozie from Igbo Ukwu – Anambra State was digging a toilet when many ancient artifacts were discovered. In 1959, Professor Thurstan Shaw, a Professor of Archeology at the University of lbadan excavated the sites. The compound of Chief Isaiah Anozie was found to be a storehouse of Igbo Ukwu royal regalia. He also excavated the compound of one Chief Jonah Anozie which was also found to be the Igbo Ukwu ancient refuse disposal pit and the compound of Chief Richard Anozie – a royal burial chamber. The items recovered were all radio carbon dated to 800AD.

The ancient clay pots Professor D.D Hartle recovered during his archaeological excavation at the Agricultural farm site of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1977, were all dated 2555BC.

The stone tools, hand axes, macrolites and quartz flakes the same Prof. D.D Hartle recovered in Ugwuele Cave in Uturu, Abia State in 1978 were all dated more than 3000BC

In Ezira in Awka Division of Anambra State the grave of a chief was excavated and items which the chief was buried with were recovered. The items include bronze anklets, rings, bells and other wel-manufactured ceremonial objects. The radiocarbon date on the Ezira Awka artifacts is 1495 AD.

In Ukpa rock shelter or cave near Afikpo, Ebonyi State, the items recovered from the site, were mostly clay pots radio carbon dated between 1935 BC and 15AD.

A decorated clay pot with drawings of python and chameleon dated 800AD was also recovered in 1974 from Igbo-Ukwu and kept at the National Museum, Enugu.

The Kingdom of Nri (the presumed home of Eri, the son of Gad) was founded in about 1048 CE.

NOTE: According to the Jewish history, “Abraham- the grandfather of Jacob, was born in about 1813BC at UR in the present day Iraq”. Therefore, it means that people were already in Igboland for more than 700 years, particularly in Nsukka and Uturu areas before Abraham was born in about 1813BC.

Re-call that Abraham was 100 years when he gave birth to Isaac and Isaac, according to the Holy Bible, was 60 years when he gave birth to Jacob; who begot Gad(his 5th and the father of Eri, who left Egypt to settle in Igboland in about 1048CE.) according to you, Mathematically, this was more than 700 years after the birth of Abraham. Going by archeological evidence, it means that people were already leaving in Ezira in Anambra State and Ukpa in Ebonyi State including that of Nsukka in Enugu State and Uturu in Abia State.

Considering this, Eze Michael Uchegbu wrote; “The Hebrews who left Egypt around 1900BC to 1300BC and arrived Igboland through Sudan must have met some people on ground. The arriving Hebrews interacted and intermarried with the aboriginal black peoples on ground. The product of this
intermarriage and interaction is Igbo which is biologically and genetically a mixed race, partly white and partly black”. Therefore saying that the Igbo People are the lost tribe of Isreal is an understatement that needs to be corrected. It is against ‘Omenala’ the custom and tradition of an African man for a visitor to take over his Host’s land.

We are Ndi Igbo
The ancient People