13 Interesting Facts About the People of Igbo Ethnic Group in Nigeria

You probably might have heard of the Igbo-speaking population in Nigeria. You also might know a thing or two about these people. If you are reading this, then you wish to know more and this post will be of help to you. Today’s article will be teaching you 13 Interesting Facts About the People of Igbo Ethnic Group in Nigeria.

13 Interesting Facts About the People of Igbo Ethnic Group in Nigeria

The Igbo people form one of the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria. They have unique cultures, beliefs as well as systems. You can gain more knowledge about the Igbo people by continue reading this post.

13 Interesting Facts About the People of Igbo Ethnic Group in Nigeria

You can learn facts that are interesting about the people of Igbo ethnic groups in Nigeria from the following factors.

1. Resident State

The Igbos are large in number and so they occupy different states in Nigeria. The states are, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu as well as Imo states. These states are known as their primary states. Igbos can also be found in Delta as well as Rivers states.

The groupings of the Igbo are in the following divisions, northern, southern, western, eastern as well as northeastern.

2. Language

The Igbo language is also spelt as Ibo. The language is part of the Niger-Congo language family. It is further divided into the Benue-Congo branch. Each state has their regional dialects which makes the language differ amongst them.

3. One of the Interesting Facts About the People of Igbo Ethnic Group is Food

The Igbo have various indigenous foods which are made from their crops. Some of their popular soups are Ofe Oha, Onugbu as well as Nsala. These soups are made from their vegetables and seeds which are grown locally. They are very famous for their Abacha which is primarily made from cassava.

4. Festivals

The Igbo people celebrate different festivals. One very famous of these festivals is the New Yam Festival. It is an annual festival which the Igbos celebrate at the end of the rainy season in the month of August.

The festival is to commemorate the prominence of yam in the socio-cultural life of the Igbos. The Iwa-ji ceremony is also a part of the new yam festival.

5. Occupation

The major occupation of the Igbos is agriculture. They are very famous for their active involvement in the planting and harvesting of crops. Some of the crops they plant are, yams, cassava as well as taro. They also plant melons, okra, pumpkins and beans. They also rear livestock. There are also those who are involved in crafts making and other arts. The Igbos engage in trade and also politics.

6. Education is Another Interesting Facts About the People of Igbo Ethnic Group

Records show that the Igbos are one of the most educated ethnic groups in Nigeria. They have a very high literacy rate. The different states in which they reside record large numbers of federal as well as state institutions.

7. Religion

The traditional Igbo religion believes in a supreme being they call Chukwu or Chineke whom they believe is the creator god. Also, they believe in an earth goddess called Ala as well as numerous gods and deities.

The will of the different deities is sought by oracles and also divination. many Igbos in modern times now practice Christianity.   divination. In modern times, many Igbos now practice Christianity.

8. Political System

The traditional Igbo kingdom before the colonial administration had a political unit. The largest political unit was the village group and it was made up of a federation of villages. The smallest unit was the ummuna and it was made up of clans. Also, the Igbos had age grades and other units for the administration of justice.

Also, the Igbos confer traditional titles to deserving citizens. Some of the titles are Ozo tile which is held by the men. There is also the Ichie as well as Aruma. Women are also given titles in the community such as the Iyom title.

9. Settlement is Among the Interesting Facts About the People of Igbo Ethnic Group

The Igbo people live in the rainforest part of Nigeria. It is only the northeastern Igbo group that does not live in the rainforest side of the country. They occupy villages and these villages are dispersed compounds. The compound is a cluster of huts and each hut defines a person’s house.

10. Clothes

The Igbo people wear a traditional attire known as Isiagu. The Isiagu is worn by the people during their notable ceremonies like a chieftaincy occasion or marriage. The attire is very vibrant and colourful.

11. Cultural Influence

The Igbos have served as an influence on many cultures in Nigeria. An example is the Omugwo tradition which is now practised in many parts of the country. Also, their foods are now served in almost all parts of the country such as Abacha.

12. Another Interesting Facts About the People of Igbo Ethnic Group is Music

The Igbo people have interesting music. Their music ranges from highlife, Igbo bongo as well as Odumodu. They have traditional instruments which they use and some of them are, Ekwe as well as Udu.

13. Development

The Igbos have records of amazing developments in their ethnicity. They are known to be the principal exports of palm oil and also palm kernels. There are also many Igbos who are involved in the politics of the nation. There are notable Igbo civil servants as well as business entrepreneurs.

Conclusion

Learning about an ethnic group will help you to understand them better as well as appreciate them. You will find useful facts about the Igbo people in this article.

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