Nri-Igbo

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Nri, in Anambra State Nigeria, was a center of learning, religion, and commerce in pre-colonial West Africa and beyond. Historians have compared the significance of Nri, at its peak, to the religious cities of Rome or Mecca: it was the seat of a powerful and imperial state that controlled much of the territories inhabited by the Igbos of Awka and Onitsha to the east; the Ifik, the Ibibios, and the Ijaws to the South; Nsukka and southern Igala to the north; and Onitsha, Asaba, and the Bendel delta to the west. The rulers of Nri used military conquest, imposition of religious authority, and control of commercial routes as tactics in the spread of their city-state. Politically, Nri is known to be the most ancient origins of the Eze kingship in Igbo societies. But Nri and its rulers were also known for their occultic religious Juju, an institution that instilled both awe and fear in those who made pilgrimages to the shrine. Juju gods, through their priests, often demanded that criminals or enemy soldiers be sacrificed. Commercially, Nri was synonymous with slave holding. "Osu" was the name given to persons, often captured in war with neighboring communities, who "volunteer" to serve Nri gods and their priests, sometimes in perpetuity. Some Osu were forced to become eunochs. Eventually, Nri became a hub for transatlantic slave trading. During the colonial period, Nri and the regions under its political, religious, or commercial control became international markets for palm oil.

[edit] History

The origin of Nri people is still a subject of much speculation. What we know for sure is that the Nri clan existed from as far back as the 9th century. Nri (the founder of Nri clan) was the son of Eri and had migrated to the present day Nri from Anambra (Ama-Mbala) river valley. Nri was said to have inherited spiritual powers from his father.

Speculation starts when one starts to trace the origin of Eri, and this attracts different theories. In the Nri mythology, Eri descended from the sky, sent by God to make peace (settle disputes and cleanse abominations) and provide Igbo people food (yam and cocoyam) (10). Some historians speculate that Eri may have migrated to the Anambra area out of the Igala dynasty of central Nigeria. But there is convincing evidence that Onoja Oboli, the founder of the Igala dynasty was actually another son of Eri. Yet, some early western writers believe that Eri was part of the Israelis who left Egypt during the mass exodus, migrating to the Anambra river valley via the Niger river. But, some Igbo historians frown at this assertion because of lack of solid evidence and implying that it is another way of saying that Igbo culture is not capable of evolving into a civilization. Professor A. E. Afigbo condemned the Hamitic origin as “sophisticated racial rubbish,” saying that “…most colonial officials and writers…believed that nothing culturally important could come out of Igbo land. Thus any Igbo-speaking group, be it the Aro or Nri, which would appear to have achieved anything historically significant, was severed from the Igbo stock.”

Accroding to Eze Nri, Nri-Enwelana II, the "Nri Kingdom is the oldest Kingdom in Nigeria. It was founded around 900AD by the progenitor, Eri, the son of Gad. According to biblical accounts, Jacob had Leah as his wife who begot four sons for him. When Leah noticed she had passed child-bearing age, she gave her maid – servant, Zilpah to Jacob to wife, and through Zilpah he had a son named Gad. Gad then bigot Eri, who later formed a clan known as Erites vide Genesis Chapter 30 verse 9; 46 verse 16 and Numbers chapter 26 verses 15-19. Eri was therefore amongst the twelve tribes of Israel via Gad."

"During their stay in Egypt Eri became the high priest and spiritual adviser to Pharaoh Teti, the fifth dynastic king of Egypt around 2400 BC."

"During the Exodus, which marked the beginning of the mass movement of the tribes of Israel, the tribe of Eri was amongst the tribe that left Egypt following the injunction from God to the Israelites (see Deuteronomy chapter 28 verses 58 – 68). Some of these tribes founded settlements in the southern part of Sudan, where they established the “Nok” culture, which is similar to that of other (sun Cult) culture, like Nri, Fiji, Samoa, and Jukun in the Northern part of Nigeria and elsewhere. But others who could not remain in the Southern Sudan traveled further South, some branched off to Jukun, in Northern part of Nigeria, others continued and arrived at the confluence of Rivers Niger and Anambara known as “Ezu-na-Ọmambala” and settled there while some veered off to the Island of Fiji in the South Pacific Ocean. An intelligence report notes that the Fijians have the same sun culture with the people of Nri."

"However, the Israeli/Egyptian origins theory is the official account of the present Eze Nri, Nri-Enwelana II, who went further to trace Eri’s origin to the biblical Eri (the son of Gad, the son of Jacob). "

Sources:

Elizabeth Isichei, African before 1800 (London: Longman, 1984).

Elizabeth Isichei, A History of the Igbo People (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 1976)