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ANCIENT IGBO CIVILIZATION: Pre- Colonial Era.
Insight
5 days ago
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5 days agoAncient Igbo Civilization: Pre-Colonial Era
Long before the creation of Biafra in 1967, the people who would later form Biafra — the Igbo (Ndi Igbo) — had already existed as one of the oldest and most advanced civilizations in West Africa.
Origins and Settlement
Historical and archaeological evidence shows that the Igbo people have lived in southeastern Nigeria for thousands of years.
Their settlements spread across the areas now known as Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, and parts of Delta and Rivers States etc.
Archaeologists believe that the Igbo civilization began to form between 1000 BC and 500 AD, making them contemporaries of other great African societies like Nok, Kush, and Axum.
Cultural and Social Organization
The Igbo were known for their egalitarian (republican) system — unlike many African societies ruled by kings, the Igbo organized their communities through village assemblies, age grades, councils of elders, and priests.
This democratic structure allowed every adult male a voice in decision-making, emphasizing freedom, equality, and mutual respect — values that would later shape Biafra’s philosophy of self-rule.
Religious and Spiritual Life
Before Christianity, the Igbo believed in Chukwu (God Almighty), the creator of all things, and in various minor deities (Alusi) who served as messengers or guardians.
They had deep respect for ancestors (ndiichie), who were seen as mediators between the living and the spiritual world.
This religious structure provided moral guidance and community unity.
Trade and Innovation
The Igbo were skillful farmers, traders, and craftsmen.
They grew yams, cocoyams, and oil palms and traded salt, pottery, and iron tools with neighboring groups.
Their knowledge of metalwork, sculpture, and weaving was highly developed, showing a thriving local economy long before European contact.
Significance
The ancient Igbo civilization laid the foundation for the Biafran identity — a people rooted in independence, communal life, and strong spiritual values.
By the time of British colonization, they already had complex social systems and economic structures, proving that the Biafran people had a distinct and organized existence centuries before the.....
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