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From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
The Igbo nation has been urged to remain steadfast to her language and culture and to toe the line of their progenitors by pushing the frontiers in science and technology, despite external influence.
The clarion call was made during the launch a book titled, “Centuries of Igbo Civilisation: Origin, Cosmology and Epistemology of the Igbo People,” written by Chief Obi Barth Oyibo Thompson, who also used the occasion to mark his 80th birthday celebration.
Chief Thompson noted that Igbo civilisation had emerged in South-Eastern Nigeria by 3,000 BCE, adding that, “evidence derived from archeology (iron artefacts) shows that by 2,000 – 1,500 BCE (before the Sumerians), Igbo people had developed iron working skills.”
He stressed the need for the Igbo people to know and appreciate their true history instead of relying on “the musings of colonial elites” that promoted white civilisation and obliterated black civilisation that existed earlier.
To ensure that the authentic Igbo history as supported by anthropological and archaeological evidence was made available to every Igbo person, Oyibo declared that his book on Igbo civilisation would be distributed free.
“The greatest profit I want to make from the book (Centuries of Igbo Civilisation) is for a child to read the book and make something out of it, by knowing Igbo history and culture,” he said.
He lamented that centuries of distorted history, hidden truth and facts engendered by colonialism had combined to impoverish the minds of the black race, hence the need for mind liberation.
Oyibo stated that Nigerians love and appreciate one another but with colonialism, which he described as a very unfortunate historical event, suspicion and antagonism had set in. He further lamented that colonialism destroyed every facet of life and identity of the aboriginal Igbo, regretting that he could not even use Igbo language to write the book on Igbo civilisation.
He was of the view that whoever stumbles on the truth and refuses to reveal it was as guilty as those working day and night to ensure that truth doesn’t see the light of the day.
“The greatest wealth is the human mind,” Oyibo said, adding that “the challenge before us is to encourage every child to become what he wants to be. He stressed that a society is impoverished whenever it fails to give each person the opportunity to excel.
Others who spoke at the event extolled the celebrant for building several internal roads in Olokoro, giving out scholarships, jobs and empowerment opportunities to his kith and kin.
