Are there Jews in Nigeria ?

By

Ikechi Udegbunam Chukwunonye

The word Israel is conspicuous in the song. A man wearing a white turban around his head shunts around with his mouth brimming with excitement . On his left hand, he holds a black book. He reaches out and grabs a long white horn from a man nearby. He pauses a bit and concentrates on the musical instrument. Around him, is a man wearing a Jewish skull cap and other people, clapping and dancing with energetic possession. The synagogue in Aba was busy on this day. ‘May Adoni be with you and sun shine upon you and give you peace!’ Sing men, women, children and ladies in another video clip. In another gathering, a man is  holding a book, while his body swerves. His mouth blows out with deep melodious sound. In a separate video clip – still the same gathering -  his voice retains the same poignancy, urgency and religion. These are the Kodesh L’Hashem Nigerian Hebrew communities comprising of Igbos, Annangs, Ogonis and Ibibios .This is the face of modern Nigerian Jewry.

The Judaic religion is well-rooted in Nigeria and recognized by many Jews and observed by the Isreali Governement according to the  leading figure in the Nigerian Judaic explosion – Abuja -based Remy IIona.  IIona sees this trend  as the rebirth of Igbo nationalism or spirituality, whom he says make up the vast majority of Judiac practitioners in Nigeria . ‘The main people behind the Nigerian Jewry are Igbos,they are the only ones taking it up with might and main… doing researches,’ he says. ‘There is no book written by other ethnic groups about their Judaic ancestry, infact it is an  Igbo affair.’

 According to an article The Ibo Benei-Yisrael Jews of Nigeria,  he co-authored with New-York based Ahab Eliyah, Igbos still retain  commands laid out in the Torah i.e. circumcision of sons on the eight day of life, separation of women during the menstrual cycle, not cross breading animals or plants, celebration of Yom Kippur and Sukkoth, immersion for uncleanness and the prohibition of un-kosher animals for consumption.

The Igbo ethnic groups are said to comprise of 3 lineage groups: Benie Gath,Benei Zevulum and Benei Menashsheh.

The Ibo Benei-Yisreali of Nigeria are said to be descendants of southern and westward migrations of both ancient Hebrew and later Isreali peoples from Middle East into Africa .

Early Israeli settlements in Africa are thought to have been in Ethiopia , Egypt and Tunisia .

Different authors and personalities have at sundry times posited or alluded to a Jewish ancestry in Igboland. G.T.Basden in his book, “Among the Ibos of Nigeria’’, p.31 noted: ‘There are certain customs which point to levitic influence at a more or less remote period… The language also bears several interesting parallels with Hebrew idioms.’ Recent Igboukwu discoveries are said to be evidence of ancient relationship between Igbos and Jews.

The decline of Jewish communities in West Africa, is said to most likely be the result of Muslim invasions into North Africa starting from 640 CE and later into West Africa in the 1300’s and 1400’s CE. Various accounts link Jews with resistance struggles against Islamic invasions.

The Ibo Benei-Yisreal and other West African Jewish communities are said to have lost religious documents and other written documents during Islamic repressions and other pressures.

There are thriving Maghrebi Ibo communities in places like Tel Aviv Isreal, south-eastern Nigeria , the United states and other places in the earth. There are synagogues scattered all across Nigeria .

When I speak to Remy IIona on the phone in Nigeria , he seems pensive and concerned. He believes that only a return to the Judiac religion would salvage the Igbo race from headlong perishment. ‘The Igbo society is shattered, there is no unity,’ he says, ‘we have to go back to our old religion that shares similarity with the Jewish religion.’

 As a young child, his father instilled in him, the belief that Igbos are Jews. His life is dedicated to the Judaic religion .He sees the religion as a potent tool for Igbo regeneration.

IIona is the liaison officer in Nigeria responsible for Nigerian Judiasm.He believes passionately in Igbo Hebraic roots. According to him he has long past the stage of doubts: ‘When I wrote my book Jews in Africa 1, the  Jews who read it cried…they cried,’ he says, ‘they were so touched by the book. The book was just so convincing and it is only a draft.’

He blames the moral squalor of the Igbo to ‘colonialism’ and slave trade: ‘Colonialism and slave trade shattered us,’ he says with regret.

He is very positive about the international embrace of  the Igbo by world Jewry: ‘Outward-looking Jews align with us. There have been tremendous interactions.’ He continues: ‘Last Sabbath, 10 Jews visited the major synagogues in Abuja .’

He goes on to weave the nativity of  Judaism in Igboland: ‘MASSOB always makes reference to Zion in their activities,’ he tells me. ‘There is a great connecting to  Judiasm by the Igbos.’

According to IIona, more than sixty Israelis  visited major synagogues in Nigeria last year.He said that the Israeli government is watching the young Judiac movement in Nigeria with interest and care:  ‘The Isreali Government is aware of what is happening and they are keeping a very close eye on developments’ he  says.

‘When you think about Jews, you think about very zealous people, people who never give up under any condition. People destined to only success. The Igbos are just like that,’ he says with great pride.

‘The Igbo society is a picture of disunity - Igbo Catholics do not marry Igbo Anglicans and vice versa.99.9% of Igbos are astray; there is a great moral void in Igboland,’ his voice blares with concern.

He laments the ‘effect’ Christianity ‘has had’ on the Igbo race: ‘The ‘religion’ put a knife between us. Igbos used to be the crème de la crème but now they grapple with festering rot.’

He tells me that people of all ages come to the synagogues in Abuja and leave with a great sense of satisfaction: ‘Whenever they come they bustle with energy. There is always something to hold  their attention.’

'There has been no opposition from other Nigerians, they have welcomed us...the enviroment is safe,' IIona says. 

He prophesies a great return of Igbos to Judiasm: ‘They would come from the North, West, all over…back to Judiasm,our original religion.’

He says that there is a great interest in Isreal by the Igbos in Nigeria : ‘All Igbos are talking about Isreal.’

He emphasizes the Igbo connection with Isreal: ‘There are lots of Igbo migrants in Israel doing well.’

‘Igbos are marginalized in Nigeria . They need to retrace their steps back to our original religion to regain posture,’ he says. ‘I am going to write an article about Igbo Jewish roots, that would shock the world. The book I wrote is outdated. There are much more stronger facts, that clench the Igbo Jewry belief.’

Jews number at least 14 million and are found in more than ten countries in the world, with the largest presence in Israel and America . Isreal has an outreach programme that embraces all Jewish descendants around the world. In the eighties, Ethiopian Jews were airlifted to Israel . Jewish languages include Hebrew, Yiddish and Bukhori.

Sources 

Fifty minutes conversation with Abuja-based Remy IIona,the leading Judiac figure in Nigeria

Robot  Villager

# 1 Are there Jews in Nigeria ...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 27.01.2007 06:06

akuluouno  Villager

# 2 Yes there are Igbo Jews in Nigeria. This has been one of the worst kept secrets. There are also synagogues all over the country. There are also Jews from other tribes in Nigeria. For instance the highly revered Papa Awolowo never missed his annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem until he died. Let me stop here for now because even the write up did not highlight the dept of Judaeo-Nigeria relations. It is deeper than anyone can imagine. It is also very cordial, spiritual and mutually-beneficial to both sides. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :D :D :D :D Posted by akuluouno| 27.01.2007 07:45

nero africanus  Villager

# 3 =akuluouno;151560>Yes there are Igbo Jews in Nigeria. This has been one of the worst kept secrets. There are also synagogues all over the country. There are also Jews from other tribes in Nigeria. For instance the highly revered Papa Awolowo never missed his annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem until he died. Let me stop here for now because even the write up did not highlight the dept of Judaeo-Nigeria relations. It is deeper than anyone can imagine. It is also very cordial, spiritual and mutually-beneficial to both sides. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :D :D :D :D are you sure about this akuluouno, or is this just one of those wishful thinking of our people who wish to associate with jews because of the seeming suffering and economic prosperity of those people. are the circumcision stuff not just cultural similarities and nothing else if there were jews in nigeria how come they could not read and write before the coming of the europeans and islam even the authentic jews found in africa , they practiced and read the torah like those in ethiopia , is it possible that they could completely forget how to read is that really possible ............................... Posted by nero africanus| 27.01.2007 08:44

Kibe  Villager

# 4 I don’t react to every comment, but the fact without sentiments, is that there seems to be a very strong connection between Ndigbo and the Jews. It has been mentioned to me severally, even by my late grandfather but I have not really taken out time to either inquire or research the truth about this Igbo-Jewish blood link. But I remember as a boy that it was reported that the Israeli government was going to resettle some willing Igbos sometime in the past, back to Israel, though, that has not happened yet for reasons I have not bothered to know too. Within the Nigerian state, Igbos are more particularly sympathetic to the Jewish course. I remember, it was Ike Nwachukwu, an Igbo military officer, who quickly restored the Nigerian-Israeli ties as an external affairs minister under IBB then. And in Nigeria today, among those that bear ‘ISREAL’ as names, Igbos are in the majority. Can someone really inform me on westlondoners@yahoo.co.uk of our true link with Israel, please? I need to know the source of my identity as an Igbo man. I work and associate with Jews almost daily in course of my job. I realised that you can not differentiate an average Jew from Judaism, which is their identity, religion and custom. But the author’s position that Ndigbo needs to convert to Judaism from Christianity for any reason whatsoever is a mere dream and fantasy. Posted by Kibe| 27.01.2007 10:32

emj  Villager

# 5 =akuluouno;151560>Yes there are Igbo Jews in Nigeria. This has been one of the worst kept secrets. There are also synagogues all over the country. There are also Jews from other tribes in Nigeria. For instance the highly revered Papa Awolowo never missed his annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem until he died. Let me stop here for now because even the write up did not highlight the dept of Judaeo-Nigeria relations. It is deeper than anyone can imagine. It is also very cordial, spiritual and mutually-beneficial to both sides. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :D :D :D :D (emj in tongue in the cheek comment mode)(very biggie pun intended) If u dey yarn about Igbo jews, na phor where u bin put de Ijebus. There are Ijebu jews in nigeria ojare. And i also know so many Ijebu igbo Jews dem too:eek: :p Posted by emj| 27.01.2007 10:32

akuluouno  Villager

# 6 Dear Nero, Sharing cultural similarities is also one of the attributes. For instance among the circumcission circles in the world, the second language by Rabbis is Igbo. Our ladies about to perform sircumcission on their sons and the Rabbis can talk better in this area. Like I said the article was not very copious but an organisation headed by Dr Dozie Ikedife has gone too far in the reconnection of the historical Judaeo-Igbo missing links. A lot of work is still going on in this area. Please Nero let me stop here for now. :lol: :lol: :lol: Posted by akuluouno| 27.01.2007 12:19

Iphey  Villager

# 7 =nero africanus;151564>are you sure about this akuluouno, or is this just one of those wishful thinking of our people who wish to associate with jews because of the seeming suffering and economic prosperity of those people. are the circumcision stuff not just cultural similarities and nothing else if there were jews in nigeria how come they could not read and write before the coming of the europeans and islam even the authentic jews found in africa , they practiced and read the torah like those in ethiopia , is it possible that they could completely forget how to read is that really possible ............................... Nero, there are really Igbo jews in Nigeria and I have visited with a Jewish family enclave in Enugu. They are presently trying to raise enough capital to move thier place of worship and sabbath house from someone else's house to a proper jewish synagogue. I'll try and get you the information on this if I can... Posted by Iphey| 27.01.2007 13:14

oluye  Villager

# 8 Wonders never end! I guess if there are Igbo jews in Nigeria it probably explains why they think they are better than everybody else. Anyway, geography and history teach us that the world was once one large land mass and the bible also points out that from the tower of Babel, communities of men spread out all over the surface of the earth. Most tribes trace their ancestry to the middle-east but as to who descends from the Iraqis and who descends from the Israelis, only God knows. Then again, on the one hand the Igbos try to claim that all the oil producing delta is inhabited by Igbos, they are now saying some Igbos are Isrealites. If A=B, A=C but B is not =C how does it work? Its either Igbo, all Igbo is of Jewish origin or not! Soon we will hear American Igbos who descend from Bush! Biko, I no blame you, associate with everything good and blessed, but remember that "by their works you shall know them." Posted by oluye| 27.01.2007 15:05

oluye  Villager

# 9 "(emj in tongue in the cheek comment mode)(very biggie pun intended) If u dey yarn about Igbo jews, na phor where u bin put de Ijebus. There are Ijebu jews in nigeria ojare. And i also know so many Ijebu igbo Jews dem too" EMJ, I guess the Ijebus will be the Jebusites who came out against the Igbos(sorry, Jews) on their way to the promised land, Awolowo then, being a Jebusite opposed the Jews (sorry Igbos). I guess in like mode the Jews in Nigeria will also reject the Lordship of Jesus, throw away the New Testament and continue with the Torah. I consider myself to be an ethnic-tolerant person but the Igbo are fond of entertaining ideas that tend to divide socially and spiritually. Posted by oluye| 27.01.2007 15:17

Oguguo Yakere  Villager

# 10 Oluye, Your name or your handle seem to suggest one endowed with the process of understanding. So try to have an open mind in this. My closest encounter with a Jew in Nigeria was in a Nigeria Aiways flight to Port Harcourt years ago. He told me that he had been studying peoples of Nigeria and their culture. He said that he was in Nigeria for manufacturing business and had a Yoruba businessman as his patner with their factory located in an outskirt of Lagos. He was not a religious person by my understanding as such. He had gone on some adventurous tour of the whole the west, north and then the east during when according to him, he interacted with people in those places. It was during such a trip that he singled out the Igbo who he said enticed his curiousity, that caused him to make more visits to the east. He continued, that although he had a lot going for the business in Lagos, that he convinced his partner that they open an outlet further into the eastern heartland in addition to Porthacourt where they already had an outlet. Part of his reason according to him was to enable more interaction with the Igbo people. He finally said that he did not hesitate to conclude the Igbo-Jew connection when he began to hear about it from the people themselves, since he had his own mind fed to that effect. As regards the Ijebu-Igbo connection, some old metal work (alagbede) excavations in Ijebu land area dating way back, tallied with some found in Igbo ukwu . Ask yourself what Ijebu means in Yoruba. Compare it to Ije-Igbo, meaning "Igbo journey" and then check out the Ijebu word "Orombo" and also compare it to Igbo "Oroma" for Orange which Yoruba in general call "Osan". In one of Igbo dialects "fa" means "they", if I am not mistaking the Ijebu uses the same word for the same thing. Among the Yoruba it "used" to be that if your skin was lighter in "those days", that the best guess would be that you are an Ijebu yoruba person. In terms of Entreprenuership, you can bet that both groups have been known in Nigeria to share a similar drive. As for the Awolowo you brought into the picture , it is not necessary, even Stalin who persecuted the Jews in Russia had Jewish blood in him, and that is also said to apply to Hitler himself. All these may not make any sense at all after all but there are schools of thoughts. The Igbo-Jew / Igbo-Ijebu connections happens to be part of them. I have not concluded any. Remember TOS Benson, Adeniran Ogunsanya connection with the Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. Posted by Oguguo Yakere| 27.01.2007 18:12

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