UNFOLDING THE LIES IN BENIN HISTORY

UNFOLDING THE LIES IN BENIN HISTORY

UNFOLDING THE LIES IN BENIN HISTORY

The question of ethnic identity and the true origins of certain communities remains a hot topic, especially when examining claims of Benin ancestry. Many districts and groups who claim to have roots in Benin speak Igbo dialects and share Igbo customs and traditions. Let’s examine some of these groups:

Onicha-Olona: Speaks Igbo dialect and practices the same customs and traditions.

Ukwuani: Speaks Igbo dialect and shares the same cultural practices.

Ika: Speaks Igbo dialect, preserving the same customs and traditions.

Ikwerre: Speaks Igbo dialect with shared cultural norms and practices.

Etche: Speaks Igbo dialect, with strong ties to Igbo customs, especially as the headquarters of Amadioha, the Igbo god of thunder.

Ogba: Speaks Igbo dialect and observes similar traditions.

Ekpeye: Speaks Igbo dialect with identical customs and traditions.

Egbema: Speaks Igbo dialect and follows the same cultural patterns.

Opobo: Speaks Igbo dialect, aligned with the customs of the Igbo people.

Ndoki: Speaks Igbo dialect and maintains the same cultural practices.

Anioma: Speaks Igbo dialect with shared customs and traditions.

If all these groups speak Igbo, practice the same four market days, and follow the Igbo age-grade system, yet claim to have originated from Benin, where is the resemblance in culture or language with the Benin people?

In reality, the cultural and linguistic differences between these groups and Benin people are vast. These communities call God “Chukwu Okike” or “Chineke”—distinctively Igbo names. How, then, did they lose all traces of their supposed Benin language and traditions?

Even the Isoko, Itsekiri, and Urhobo—groups with undeniable links to Benin—retained their languages and customs, which still bear striking similarities to Benin culture. Yet, it is only the Igbo-speaking groups who seem to have “lost” their original Benin language, customs, and traditions, which makes their claim to Benin ancestry questi