Populations: 33,500
Rank: 3rd largest
Related tribes: Igbo People of Nigeria
Notable Personality: William Napoleon Barleycor de Fernando Poo, escribio el primer libro sobre la cultura bubi. Nacio en Santa Isabel (malabo). Murio en Inglaterra.

William Napoleon Barleycorn (1848–1925), born in Santa Isabel, Fernando Po, Spanish Guinea and a Krio Fernandino of Igbo descent,[1] was a Primitive Methodist missionary who went to Fernando Po (now known as Bioko) in Africa in the early 1880s. From there, he traveled to Edinburgh University.
.............................
HISTORY
Equatorial Guinea is located at the Eastern end of the Gulf of Guinea, West coast of Africa, the only African Country situated in the middle of the ocean, outside African map separated by water, the only Spanish speaking. Among the tribes are the Igbo people who also inhabit South Eastern Nigeria, off the Bight of Biafra, the Bubi and Fang ethnic groups and among other tribes.

The Igbo as officially declared by the government of Equatorial Guinea is third largest after Fang and Bubi tribes, and occupies a small area in Bioko, their communities are small compared to Bubi and Fang. Majority of them migrated to Bioko from Arochukwu Abia state.

Check 2012 report in Bioko,

'The Igbo of Equatorial Guinea, numbering 33,500, are No Longer unreached. They are part of the Igbo people cluster within the Sub-Saharan African affinity bloc, this group, though a minority of people rank third largest in Equatorial Guinea, a country with total population of 1.2Million people. Their primary language is Igbo. The primary religion practiced by the Igbo is marginal Christianity, a form of religion with roots in Christianity but not theologically Christian".

BIOKO
Formerly known as Fernando Po, is the largest region in Equatorial Guinea, they speak the Pigin English, Spanish foreign language, and Fang, Igbo and Bubi indigenous languages. The original inhabitants of Bioko are of a group called Bubi, descendants of mainland Bantu tribes, they are warlike, fought and defeated the Fang, and pushed them to inland part while they occupy the coastal areas, the Fang is also an ethnic group in Cameroon. Bioko also is home to descendants of former slaves who were freed in the nineteenth century. Many Bubi have recently immigrated to the continent, and along with other, smaller Bantu-speaking tribes, comprise the remaining 10 percent of the population in Río Muni. Minority tribes include the Kombe, Balengue, Bujebas.

Most people's daily lives are conducted in tribal languages, either Fang, Bubi, or Ibo, all of which are in the Bantu family of languages.
National Identity. Equatorial Guineans identify first with their tribe or ethnic group, second with the nation. The current country was formed during Spanish rule, linking the main island of Bioko with the mainland territory, despite the fact that the two were culturally distinct. Since the unification of the two, there has been some intermingling and migration, particularly of mainland Fang to Bubi-inhabited Bioko. The Fang tribe itself is not limited to the Río Muni area, but extends also north into Cameroon and south into Gabon.
Ethnic Relations. Legally there is no discrimination against ethnic or racial minorities, but in practice this is not the case. The Bubi have experienced persecution under the post-independence government. Prior to independence, the group formed a majority on Bioko. However, since 1968, many Fang migrated to the island, and a small subclan, the Mongomo, has dominated the government. There is resentment and violence not only between the Bubi and the Fang but also between the Mongomo and other Fang subgroups.

INDEPENDENCE OF BIOKO

The Bubi, a warlike tribe are leading the independence struggle, a proposed Country that includes the Igbo minority and Fang, though there is no record of any opposition to the demands for Republic of Bioko by Fang and the Igbo.

As regards the language, Igbo is a recognized official language in Equatorial Guinea and it has been confirmed that the people still speak the Igbo language which has some form of deviation from the modern Igbo spoken in Nigeria. Some people who have seen them say they say, 'bia ikaa' for 'come here'. Anybody who has been in contact with these people as regards the language?

Finally I think that Igbos of Nigeria do need to reach out to our people in Bioko to re-strengthen our ties and the language.

Ojukwu
Administrator
Posts: 5,329
#4 27-08-2017, 08:12 AM
They are tiny.
35, 000 is not that much, however, I have a friend that travels to the area who told me how he heard the Indigenous elderly men of the place speaking what sounds like a very old version of Igbo.

DavidDguru
Junior Member
Posts: 1
#12 27-08-2017, 05:28 PM
there are tiny igbos on the island,i was in the malabo in 2015, these people are tirelessly hardworking,the hustle spirit all shows igbo, i was getting slight knowledge of their igbo but very obsolete ,even in Gabon too,the current president of Gabon didn't deny ibo heritage

http://gobiafra.com/t-bioko-independent-movement-by-igbos


cc Probz Ajaanaoka, Redbonesmith, Pazienza, Ishilove, Ngozi123, Cheruv, Ezeagu, Odumchi

Interesting

abeg forget language what this people need is obviously food and empowerment

give them clothes, scholarships, medical attention etc

Bia lekwa Umunne'm Oo.
So ma people still dey here??
I Neva knew oo.
This interesting.

OP you're a true son of ur father.

I've seen ur numerous efforts in reppin ur land of birth.
We need more of U in Igboland.
U're my role model.
Am looking forward to emulate you.
May you grow from strength to strength.
More grease to ur elbow Boss!

Nawao

bigfrancis21:
As regards the language, Igbo is a recognized official language in Equatorial Guinea and it has been confirmed that the people still speak the Igbo language which has some form of deviation from the modern Igbo spoken in Nigeria. Some people who have seen them say they say, 'bia ikaa' for 'come here'. Anybody who has been in contact with these people as regards the language?

Finally I think that Igbos of Nigeria do need to reach out to our people in Bioko to re-strengthen our ties and the language.





http://gobiafra.com/t-bioko-independent-movement-by-igbos


cc Probz Ajaanaoka, Redbonesmith, Pazienza, Ishilove, Ngozi123, Cheruv, Ezeagu, Odumchi

This is very interesting

Shuo!!!!!?!!!!!!!?

Ishilove:

This is very interesting

I tell you

So them go claim that region?


Igbo kwe nu!!!!!!

According to wiki

The island has a population of 334,463 inhabitants (2015 Census).[4] Its historic indigenous people are the Bubi people who currently constitute 58% of the population. Other ethnicities include the Fang at 16%, Fernandinos at 12%, and the Igbo at 7%, as well as African and European immigrants.

334,463*0.07 = 23,412 Igbos in Bioko Island, circa (2015)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioko

Joshua project on its part says there are 36,000 Igbos in all Equatorial Guinea (Bioko plus the Mainland) in 2017, ranking fourth after Fang (545,000), Bubi/Fernandian (63,000), and Yoruba (72,000)

https://joshuaproject.net/countries/EK

bigfrancis21:
As regards the language, Igbo is a recognized official language in Equatorial Guinea and it has been confirmed that the people still speak the Igbo language which has some form of deviation from the modern Igbo spoken in Nigeria. Some people who have seen them say they say, 'bia ikaa' for 'come here'. Anybody who has been in contact with these people as regards the language?

Finally I think that Igbos of Nigeria do need to reach out to our people in Bioko to re-strengthen our ties and the language.





http://gobiafra.com/t-bioko-independent-movement-by-igbos


cc Probz Ajaanaoka, Redbonesmith, Pazienza, Ishilove, Ngozi123, Cheruv, Ezeagu, Odumchi

Ndu Oka use bia ika a for no. It’s not just an Equatorial Guinea thing.

Interesting.

Probz:


Ndu Oka use bia ika a for no. It’s not just an Equatorial Guinea thing.

Yea, I'm aware. Some places also say bia kaa. Ikwerre would say bia paa.

However, the main point now is strengthening our ties between the homeland and those in Bioko. How can we go about it?

illicit:
give them clothes, scholarships, medical attention etc

Yes, all those can be done. In addition, their language or whatever that is left of it needs to be preserved. I guess we need linguistic study of the language to compare how it is similar to or different from the Igbo dialects spoken in Nigeria.

It is interesting to see how a language or dialect evolves or changes over time when secluded from its main speakers.

bigfrancis21:


Yea, I'm aware. Some places also say bia kaa. Ikwerre would say bia paa.

However, the main point now is strengthening our ties between the homeland and those in Bioko. How can we go about it?

Widespread enlightenment’s always a good place to start. I knew because I’ve read about these things but how many Igbo people in Nigeria know about our population being spread further than Cameroon, hm? It’s nowhere near common knowledge yet.

DozieInc:
ok

Why do people take the time to comment on deep threads to say nonsense?

bigfrancis21:


Yes, all those can be done. In addition, their language or whatever that is left of it needs to be preserved. I guess we need linguistic study of the language to compare how it is similar to or different from the Igbo dialects spoken in Nigeria.

It is interesting to see how a language or dialect evolves or changes over time when secluded from its main speakers.

That’s right Frankie. God knows if it’s still an official Igbo lect or if it’s to us now what Igala is to Yoruba (after centuries of isolation). Even in Nigeria certain dialects have more proto-Igbo features than others.

F*ck knows if Abakaliki’s more proto-Igbo. Their language genuinely sounds like Somali to me.

scholes0:
According to wiki



334,463*0.07 = 23,412 Igbos in Bioko Island, circa (2015)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioko

Joshua project on its part says there are 36,000 Igbos in all Equatorial Guinea (Bioko plus the Mainland) in 2017, ranking fourth after Fang (545,000), Bubi/Fernandian (63,000), and Yoruba (72,000)

https://joshuaproject.net/countries/EK

Of course there are other Nigerians (Yorubas, Igbos, Ibibios etc.) living in Equatorial Guinea who are not really considered indigenous per se, but recent immigrants. The Igbo being talked about in the article above are now considered indigenous/native, who migrated to Bioko (many from Arochukwu) several decades ago, married local wives (they were mostly men) and settled in Bioko. They are considered a native ethnic group together with the Bubi and Fang on the Island of Bioko and their language is recognized officially as a native language of the country.

bigfrancis21:


There are other Nigerians (Yorubas, Igbos, Ibibios etc.) living in Equatorial Guinea who are not really considered indigenous per se, but migrants. The Igbo being talked about in the article above are now considered indigenous/native, who migrated to Bioko (from Arochukwu) several decades ago, and settled and married local wives (they were mostly men) and settled in Bioko. They are considered as a native ethnic group together with the Bubi and Fang on the Island of Bioko.

I heard some igbos migrated to Gabon during the civil war too.
Is it true Omar Bongo is igbo.?

scholes0:


I heard some igbos migrated to Gabon during the civil war too.
Is it true Omar Bongo is igbo.?

The rumors about his Igbo origins are quite strong. It is often said that thousands of Igbo kids were adopted and flown out of Nigeria during the Biafran war and majority of them never came back. Here is what this person had to say about him:

•Reply•Share ›
Avatar
Sitanda • a year ago
Why must Bongo still be denying his Igbo roots? He is an Igbo simple. Those who know will grudgingly agree that he was one of the 30,000 starving Igbo kids - mostly orphans - airlifted to Gabon at the height of the food crisis in Biafra in 1968. The Bongo family adopted him. So were dozens of others adopted by many Gabonese families who had deep sympathies to the Biafra course. That aside, Igbos especially Mbaise Igbos make up over a quarter of the populations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea to three generations now. One of my grand uncles left Ogwashi for Equatorial Guinea in the 30s, raised a family, lived and died there.
He never came home.
I am aware I have Equatorial Guinea relatives. Someday I shall find them. And maybe through them, I will stand for one election over there...lol.
This is the same story across the river in the SE where millions have relatives in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea
My point is that now is the time for the governments in the two aforementioned countries to recognise the Igbo segments of their populations. After all we have similar foreigners : the Fulani who are now our "masters."

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/for-being-born-in-nigeria-bongo-may/

His middle name, ondimba, may have an Igbo meaning if it is truly Igbo, who knows.

Probz:


That’s right Frankie. God knows if it’s still an official Igbo lect or if it’s to us now what Igala is to Yoruba (after centuries of isolation). Even in Nigeria certain dialects have more proto-Igbo features than others.

F*ck knows if Abakaliki’s more proto-Igbo. Their language genuinely sounds like Somali to me.

I'm really serious about this. I would like to fly to Equatorial Guinea in a few years for a personal tour myself to meet this wonderful set of people and raise awareness about their existence to our brothers in Nigeria. They must not be forgotten.

bigfrancis21:


I'm really serious about this. I will fly to Equatorial Guinea in a few years for a personal tour myself to meet this wonderful set of people and raise awareness about their existence to our brothers in Nigeria. They must not be forgotten.

I’ve always admired your passion b. Doesn’t sound like a bad idea at all.

bigfrancis21:


Yes, all those can be done. In addition, their language or whatever that is left of it needs to be preserved. I guess we need linguistic study of the language to compare how it is similar to or different from the Igbo dialects spoken in Nigeria.

It is interesting to see how a language or dialect evolves or changes over time when secluded from its main speakers.

interestingly am a linguist myself and what you said makes perfect sense
but according to research methodology technique your informant must be in a good mood before you can gather good data for your research work from them. So feed and enrich the lives of this people first that's what they need now very important than being underfed lab rats

I also read about them about 1 week ago.

Hmm

When I was on 2go, I met a guy on 2go international bearing Chibuike, but his location was Equatorial Guinea, by then I thought Equatorial Guinea was a very far country/not even African,
I asked the boy where he from and he said "IMO State", I asked where in IMO state and he said he didn't know,
I told him where I'm from in IMO state and asked again thinking he didn't want to tell me but my guy man no know, I became angry and started insulting him, he was 21yr old, I said how can person who is 21yr old not know his local government area talk less of community. He didn't tell me any thing about Igbo people their, he only told me he was born there so l deleted him from my friend list.

Later when I was making use of world fact book app.2011
I discovered that Igbo ethnic group is in Equatorial Guinea.

bigfrancis21:


The rumors about his Igbo origins are quite strong. It is often said that thousands of Igbo kids were adopted and flown out of Nigeria during the Biafran war and majority of them never came back. Here is what this person had to say about him:



https://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/for-being-born-in-nigeria-bongo-may/

His middle name, ondimba, may have an Igbo meaning if it is truly Igbo, who knows.

[/b]Ondimba
Could actually mean "Foreigners" if loosely translated in Igbo (using my Igbo dialect though)

ZaraGift:
When I was on 2go I met a guy on 2go international bearing Chibuike, but his location was Equatorial Guinea, by then I thought Equatorial Guinea was very far country/not even in African,
I asked the boy where he from and he said "IMO State", I asked where in IMO state and he said he didn't know,
I told him where I'm from in IMO state and asked again thinking he didn't want to tell me but my guy man no know, I became agree and started insulting him, he was 21yr old, I said how can person who is 21yr old not know his local government area talk less of community. He didn't tell me any thing about Igbo people their, he only told me he was born there so deleted him from my friend list.

Later when I was making use of world fact book.2011
I discovered that Igbo ethnic group in in Equatorial Guinea.

Same here. I first learned about them back in the late 90s during a Christmas visit to my maternal hometown. My uncle (mother's brother), had a factbook in his room which I was going through and saw 'Ibo' listed as a language in EG. I couldn't believe my eyes. This my uncle also used to lovingly speak of a far-off place called 'panya' which he visited or would visit and even told us then that he would take us to panya. I'm guessing bioko is the very panya he was referring to. Tekno also sang about going to 'panya' in one of his recent songs.

paulbets:


[/b]Ondimba
Could actually mean "Foreigners" if loosely translated in Igbo (using my Igbo dialect though)

Yes I had the same interpretation in mind also.