For centuries, many Igbos have asserted that they are descendants of the ancient Israelites, specifically one of the lost tribes of Israel. This claim has sparked considerable debate, with various authors and historians offering insights into its origin and cultural implications.
The first significant mention of the Igbo-Israelite connection came from Olaudah Equiano (1745–1797), an ex-slave from Igboland. In his autobiography, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, published in London in 1789, Equiano claimed that the Igbos were descendants of the Israelites. His assertion was later reinforced by G.T. Basden, an Anglican missionary, who published Among the Ibos of Nigeria around 1900.
Both authors drew on similarities between Igbo and Hebrew traditions, including practices like male circumcision on the eighth day after birth and the New Yam Festival, which they likened to Jewish harvest celebrations. Basden and Equiano also noted the fair complexion of some Igbos and linguistic parallels between Hebrew and the Igbo language.
In subsequent years, other authors have explored this connection. Eric C. N. Okam’s The Igbos as Descendants of Jacob (Israel): The Origin of the Igbos (2004) and Professor Uche Ikeanyibe’s The Biblical Evidence Confirming the Hebrew Origin of the Igbo People (2008) have further popularized the idea that the Igbos share ancestral ties with the Israelites. Numerous articles in newspapers and journals have also addressed this theory, contributing to the growing body of literature on the topic.
The Journey of Eri
According to many of these accounts, Eri, the son of Gad and grandson of Jacob (Israel), is said to have left Egypt with a group seeking freedom. They wandered through present-day Sudan and Kogi State before settling in Igbo-Ukwu. This migration is believed to have taken place between 1900 BC and 1300 BC, during the reign of the Pharaohs in ancient Egypt. Archaeologists have lent some credence to this timeline, citing various discoveries.
An article from The Watchtower describes archaeological evidence from Saleb, Sudan, where a temple built by Pharaoh Amenhotep III in 1370 BC was found. On the temple walls, depictions of wandering Jews and the Hebrew name for God, Yahweh, were discovered. Additionally, Egyptian artifacts from 1500 BC depict commoners making bricks, aligning with biblical accounts of Hebrew enslavement in Egypt. Ancient papyrus documents dated to 2000 BC also reference the servitude of commoners forced to make bricks for the Pharaoh’s use. These findings support the notion that Hebrews were enslaved in Egypt between 1900 BC and 1300 BC.
Archaeological Discoveries in Igboland
In 1939, Chief Isaiah Anozie from Igbo-Ukwu, Anambra State, unearthed a series of ancient artifacts while digging a toilet. In 1959, Professor Thurstan Shaw, a British archaeologist, conducted a formal excavation, revealing Igbo-Ukwu’s royal regalia, refuse pits, and burial chambers. These items were carbon-dated to 800 AD, offering insight into early Igbo civilization.
Further archaeological discoveries in Igboland lend weight to the long history of human settlement in the region. In 1977, Professor D.D. Hartle found ancient clay pots at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, dated to 2555 BC. His excavation in Ugwuele, Uturu, Abia State, in 1978 revealed tools and artifacts dated to over 3000 BC. In Ezira, Awka Division, Anambra State, a chief’s grave containing bronze ceremonial objects was found, with artifacts dated to 1495 AD. Similarly, discoveries from Ukpa rock shelter near Afikpo, Ebonyi State, revealed items dated between 1935 BC and 15 AD.
One notable find from Igbo-Ukwu is a decorated clay pot featuring drawings of a python and a chameleon, dated to 800 AD. This pot is currently housed at the National Museum in Enugu. Additionally, the Kingdom of Nri, believed to be the ancestral home of Eri, was established around 1048 AD.
Timeline Considerations
The timeline of these discoveries challenges the narrative of the Igbo as direct descendants of the ancient Israelites. According to Jewish history, Abraham, the grandfather of Jacob, was born around 1813 BC in Ur, modern-day Iraq. By this timeline, people were already living in Igboland—particularly in Nsukka and Uturu—hundreds of years before Abraham’s birth.
As Abraham had Isaac at 100 years old, and Isaac had Jacob at 60, the birth of Gad, Eri’s father, would have occurred well after the establishment of early Igbo settlements. This suggests that if Eri and his followers arrived in Igboland, they would have encountered an already established population.
Conclusion: A Mixed Heritage
HRH Eze Michael Uchegbu, in his work Igbo and the World from 900,000 BC to Modern Times, asserts that the Hebrews who arrived in Igboland around 1900 BC to 1300 BC likely intermarried with the indigenous black population. He argues that the Igbo people are a mixed race, both biologically and culturally, and that the claim that the Igbos are a “lost tribe of Israel” oversimplifies the rich and complex history of the region.
In conclusion, while there are notable cultural and historical parallels between the Igbos and ancient Israelites, the archaeological evidence suggests that Igboland was inhabited long before the arrival of any migratory groups. The intermingling of different peoples over millennia has contributed to the unique identity of the Igbo people today.
References:
- Uchegbu, HRH Eze Michael. Igbo and the World from 900,000 BC to Modern Times, August 2013.
- The Watchtower, May 1, 2010; January 1, 2012.
- Equiano, Olaudah. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, 1789.
- Basden, G.T. Among the Ibos of Nigeria, 1900.
- Shaw, Thurstan, and Steve Daniels. “Excavation at Iwu-Eleru, Ondo State, Nigeria.” West African Journal of Archaeology, 1984.
- Acholonu, Professor Catherine. They Lived Before Adam: Pre-Historic Origins of the Igbo, 2009.
- Onwuejeogwu, Professor M.A. Ahiajoku Lecture, 1987.
