2roll:


U speak beta igbo than others because u were given the opportunity to learn by ur parents. If in d house u don`t communicate in igbo i dont see hw u will learn. I was born and brought up in cameroon. In d house my parents communicate to us in igbo and dat was d only way i got a rudimentary knwoledge of the language. At a time, bc of my poor knwoledge of d language, if my father talks 2 me in igbo i reply in english. He told me he will never take dat from me any longer dat i shld always talk 2 him in igbo. I made efforts to learn how 2 speak igbo.
So i think its more about parental influence than where u were born.

afam4eva:

In the first place someone cannot claim to be Igbo if the person does not possess attributes of an igbo person. Instead you can say u were born of igbo parents than saying you're igbo when u can't speak the language.

stillwater:

You must be kidding me. Language is not the only factor to determine where one comes from. A baby born of Igbo parents cannot speak the language yet, would you say he's not fit to be Igbo? It's this kind of attitude that discourages people from actually learning.

stillwater:

You must be kidding me. Language is not the only factor to determine where one comes from. A baby born of Igbo parents cannot speak the language yet, would you say he's not fit to be Igbo? It's this kind of attitude that discourages people from actually learning.

blackspade:

I'm sort of in your situation, except I can understand Igbo verbally (and I'm not fully Igbo).

afam4eva:

Here comes an excuse.

ibkaye:

@afam, I get what you mean in the sense that are are some Igbos who were born and bred in Nigeria and who were probably urged by parents to learn the language but 'refused', but what of those born in foreign countries who possibly even have parents that don't even speak the language etc and therfore are unable to learn, I don't understand you, sometimes it REALLY isn't the person's fault and you saying that they are not real igbos because of that?

afam4eva:

You're even far from being Igbo when your parents can't even speak the language. Is it only nigerians that grow up abroad? We always use this as an excuse to cover up for our inability to learn our language. Most Indian children that live outside india speak hindi,the same goes for Italians,germans, latinos,chinese,japanese etc.

ibkaye:

Just a question here, I know many indian, chinese etc speak their language when living abroad, but how do you know MOST do?

afam4eva:

That's why i said most and not all. But i know that not less than 50% of this groups that i've named understand their language. But Nigerians abroad that understand their language are less than 5%.

afam4eva:

Why do u think people like Emeka okafor, Ikechukwu Diogu, Chiwetel Ejiofor, caroline chikezie are not refered to as Nigerians by the foreign media. Instead they tell you they are Americans or british with Nigerian Ancestry(Nigerian parents).

afam4eva:

No i'm not kidding.Language is not the only factor, but it's a very important factor.Now tell me what other attributes could a person possibly have when the person can't speak Igbo.

stillwater:

They do so because the likes of Chiwetel have chosen to be identified as either Americans or British and not because they can't speak the language. The media hardly go against what you choose to be recognised as.

stillwater:

Language is an important factor, yes. But there are certain physical characterics and mannerisms that are particular to groups of people. The fact that one has Igbo genes, makes one Igbo. Nevertheless, whatever an individual chooses to identify him/herself with--genetics or not-- is practically none of my business. If I can inherit my father's lastname, and my first name is Igbo, why can't I claim to be Igbo? Besides, it's not a matter of claiming, it's a matter of birthright. Should I as well renounce my father's name because I can't speak Igbo?

stillwater:

[. . .]
Language is an important factor, yes. But there are certain physical characterics and mannerisms that are particular to groups of people. The fact that one has Igbo genes, makes one Igbo. Nevertheless, whatever an individual chooses to identify him/herself with--genetics or not-- is practically none of my business. If I can inherit my father's lastname, and my first name is Igbo, why can't I claim to be Igbo? Besides, it's not a matter of claiming, it's a matter of birthright. Should I as well renounce my father's name because I can't speak Igbo?

ChinenyeN:

Gross misunderstanding. There is no such thing as "Igbo Genes" or "Igbo Blood". There may be genetic character traits that might seem exclusive to Igbo people, but in reality, those traits are most likely also shared by some other remote group.

ChinenyeN:

Gross misunderstanding. There is no such thing as "Igbo Genes" or "Igbo Blood". There may be genetic character traits that might seem exclusive to Igbo people, but in reality, those traits are most likely also shared by some other remote group.

afam4eva:

I've never seen chiwetel claiming to be british, he claims his nigerian heritage, but the media sees him as british with Nigerian parents.

afam4eva:

Even some non-igbos bear igbo names, so how can u say because someone has an igbo name, then it makes him igbo.

asha 80:

@stillwater

Where your parents speaking igbo to you when you where growing up?

stillwater:

ChinenyeN, I have my reasons for saying that. Bishop TD Jakes (an African American) DNA test results revealed he's of Igbo descent. Which asserts that there are genes peculiar to particular groups of people.

ChinenyeN:



The question i want answered is; what does it mean to be Igbo? What is ones Igbo-ness?
These questions have answers that people can't agree on.

In terms of understanding the language, talk less of speaking it, I do not hold the parents completely at fault. I mean, they are primarily to blame, but that does not mean that the children themselves are not at fault in any way.

stillwater:

The fact that my parents are Igbo makes me Igbo, period! [. . .]