Igbo People Of America
The Igbo were affected heavily by the Atlantic slave trade in the 18th century. Igbo slaves were known for being rebellious and having a high count of suicide in defiance of slavery. In the United States the Igbo were most numerous in the states of Maryland (coincidentally where there is a predominant population of recent Igbo immigrants) and Virginia, so much so that some historians have denominated colonial Virginia as “Igbo land.
With a total of 37,000 Africans that arrived in Virginia from Calabar in the 18th century, 30,000 were Igbo according to Douglas B. Chambers.The Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia estimates around 38% of captives taken to Virginia were from the Bight of Biafra. Igbo peoples constituted the majority of enslaved Africans in Maryland. Chambers has been quoted saying "My research suggests that perhaps 60 percent of black Americans have at least one Igbo ancestor....
Virginia was the colony that took in the largest percentage of Igbo slaves. Researchers such as David Eltis estimate between 30—45% of the 'imported' slaves were from the Bight of Biafra, of these slaves 80% were likely Igbo. A so-called conservative estimate of the amount of Igbo taken into Virginia between 1698 and 1778 is placed at 25,000. The Igbo concentration was especially high in the Tidewater and Piedmont regions of the Virginia interior. One of the reasons for this high number of Igbo slaves in Virginia was the domination of the Bight of Biafra region of Africa by Bristol and Liverpool English merchants who frequently brought Bight of Biafra slaves to British colonies, Virginia being one of these colonies. The high concentration of Igbo slaves in Virginia was contributed to further by neighboring states. Planters in South Carolina and Georgia looked down on Igbo slaves because many were rebellious. Because of this the majority of Igbo slaves were taken and sold to Virginian planters.
Some possible Igbo names were also found among slave records in Virginia. Names found in records such as Anica, or Anakey, Breechy and Juba may originate respectively from the Igbo names Nneka, meaning the mother is superior, and mburichi, male members of the Kingdom of Nri and Jiugba, meaning yam barn. Some had their ethnicity added to their names such as Eboe Sarah and plainEbo.These hints of Igbo influence go along with cultural remnants pointing towards the Igbo presence in Virginia, one of which is the use of the Eboe drum in music. The Igbo presence in Virginia also brought new practices such as the cultivation of Okra, a plant whose name derives from the Igbo language. Slaves in Virginia relied on sweet potato which is argued by Douglas Chambers to be an indication of a substitute for yam, the Igbo staple crop.
Recently
Waves of Black Americans have began to retrace their root back to Igbo land through DNA testing.
Two American top movie actors, Forest Steven Whitaker and Danny Lebern Glover were conferred with Chieftaincy titles by the traditional ruler of Nkwerre town, Imo State, Nigeria, Eze Dr. Chijioke Jeki Okwara on Sunday April 5, 2009.
Forest Whitaker and Danny Glover are African-Americans by race; meaning they are descendants of Africans reportedly sold into slavery during the notorious period of Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade which took place from 1450 to 1900.
By the conferment of chieftaincy titles by the Nigerian authority means, as far as Nigerian social-culture is concerned, the two Americans will from now on be addressed as Chief Forest Steven Whitaker and Chief Danny Lebern Glover and are entitled to all the rights and dignity accorded community chiefs.
According to Africans In America News Watch investigation, this effort was spearheaded by one Chief Nze Chukwuka Anyiam-Osigwe, also a community chief of Nkwerre.
The town reportedly went in wild jubilation when motorcade escorting the two Americans entered the ancient palace of Eshi of Nkwere while the traditional drummers and women dancers welcomed the guests with songs of praises.
In the elaborately planned reception, the world re-known American movie stars were introduced to the people and chiefs of the ancient town by Chief Nze Chukwuka Anyiam-Osigwe, the eldest son of the Anyiam-Osigwe brothers (who also is a title chief of Nkwerre).
The elated Anyiam-Osigwe told the jubilant crowd at the palace of Eze Dr. Chijioke Jeki Okwara IV, that the coming of Danny Glover and Forest Whitaker was the greatest thing to happen to black history as history was made on the day the two men re-establish their connection with their root.
Forest Whitaker has done a DNA which revealed that he has Igbo ancestral root and a link with Nkwerre people.
The eldest Anyiam-Osigwe said, “This is our lost brother. We have found him and brought him home. It is only an Nkwere man that can find his way home after many years. We are a people from unparallel kingdom. We are pride of Igboland. Today our brother Whitaker and his friend Mr. Glover will be made Nkwerre Chiefs and it is not an easy task to be an Nkwerre chief because there are only 30 Nkwerre chiefs in the whole world,’’ he said.
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| Chief Forest Whitaker, Nwannedinamba of Nkwerre land & Chief Danny Glover, Enyioma of Nkwerre land, Imo State, Nigeria after their conferment with chieftaincy titles at the palace of Eshi of Nkwerre on Sunday, April 5, 2009. |
After introducing the Hollywood stars to the people and chiefs, the King ordered they be brought inside the inner chamber for traditional rites preceding their final confirmation as chiefs.
It was an emotional one for Whitaker who has been working all his life to establish direct contact with his ancestral Igboland.
After the traditional rite of hand washing before the breaking of Kolanut which signifies purity and cleansing the Eze Okwara IV, Eshi of Nkwere called on the Eze Anyiam-Osigwe to once again confirm if the guests are worthy to be made Chiefs of Nkwerre. Before the 20 heads of Villages that made up of Nkwerre, Eze Anyiam-Osigwe proclaims the worthiness of Mr. Glover and Mr. Whitaker to be chiefs of Nkwerre.
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