Which Way Igbos, Judaism Or Christianity? By Meshiyach Yahzitere Okoh

When the British colonists came to Igbo land, they introduced Christianity and indoctrinated the natives with it. They taught that the native cultures and customs of the Igbos were acts of paganism. Presently, there is a strong survey on migration theory of the Igbos and its findings are almost concluding that Igbos were Hebrews. This view has attracted scholarly research and spiritual investigations on Igbo ancient cultures and traditions and have resulted to strong believe that more than 50% of the ancient Igbo cultures are relatives to the Hebrew ancient traditions. These findings attracted even the Israeli archeological agencies to visit Igbo land for investigation and subsequent DNA Test on Igbo/Jewish bloodline relationship. Some of the towns that were visited by the Israelis were Nri, Amaigbo and Arochukwu Although, the result of the DNA Test is inconclusive but Igbo/Hebrew migration theorists are insisting that Igbo tribe is one of the stems of the tribe of Gad (the seventh son or tribe of the scriptural Yacob). The story holds that during one of the dispersal of the children Yacob, one of the sons of Gad name Eri migrated down to Ethiopia and later into the present Igbo territory. Another school of thought on the issue relate that the Igbo society is a stem of Menelik who was the son of Queen of Sheba whom she delivered from her relationship with King Solomon of ancient Hebrew land. With these findings, who is holier than the other? Is it the ancient Igbo culture or Christianity of Europeans that have been proven of differing strongly from ancient Hebrew culture? Who could taught the other on matters relating to holiness? Is it the Igbos or British people? These are questions waiting for answers because they will endeavour us to separate the terms “Colonialism” and “Holiness” in other to discover who is right. The belief of Igbo/Hebrew relationship has gone viral in Igbo land and so many of the natives have left Christianity for either Jewish Orthodox or Messianic Judaism. The Hebrew faith has become the third most organized and popular religious tradition in Igbo society at this moment. Critics conclude this as the Igbo’s lifestyle of religious harlotry and undue attraction to Jews for economic and political support or favour. If they are correct, why are the Igbos trooping out Christianity that has made them famous and strongly rejecting or resisting Islam that tends to pay any price for their conversion?. To Igbo Judaists, the daily conversion of Igbos into Judaism is a hand of nature that tend to expose the true identity of the ethnic nationality. It is very common at this moment to see an Igbo man bearing Jewish name or with a personal name attached with “Yah”. Some adherents go to the extend of replacing their former names that bore or been attached with “Chukwu” or “Chi” with “Yah” or “Yahwah”. The adherents likened the new lifestyle to a reappearance of an old friend. Along the investigation, it is discovered that the divine name Yahweh is cultureized into Igbo language right from its ancient of days. It is cultural to hear of “Ndigbo kwenu, “Yah” or “Yaa”. This exclamation is likened to Hebrew “Halleluyah” because both means “praise or believe in Yahweh”. Again, Igbomen involuntarily pronounces “Yahwu” in event of any frightening and sudden occurance that came upon them. Relating to religious rites on resting days, before coming of European colonialism and Christianity, the Igbos had market weeks that were made up of eight days. There were Eke-nta, Orie-nta, Afor-nta, Nkwo-nta, Eke-ukwu, Orie-ukwu, Afor-ukwu and Nkwo-ukwu. Various subgroups of Igbo society choose one of those days for a weekly resting day as done in Hebrew Sabbath rest. On the date of each group’s choice, no one goes to work or farm area, all wine tapped were not sold but freely shared amongst kinsmen. Certain rituals as burial and marriage activities were forbidden to be done on those days. Regarding ancient administration of Igbo societies, there were three systems that are summarized as Republicanism, Priest Kingship and Monarch. The Igbo subgroup that holds strongly to Hebrew migration is identifiable with Priest Kingship as recorded of the ancient Hebrew administrative system. In the Igbo’s method, the government was shouldered by the holy anointed stock called the “Nze and Ozo” title men. The council of “Ndi-Nze” and “Ndi Ozo” sat at the apex of governance and the most senior at the hierarchy became the natural rule of the people. The sacred staff migrated in succession along his lineage like the Davidic staff that ran in his lineage. Other findings prove that there were numerous cultural issues relating to Igbos that were similar to the ancient Hebrew tradition. With these discoveries, are we expected to honour Christian tradition that is not in any way related to the Hebrew tradition that is widely acclaimed to be a chosen stock? Observation of Hebrew religious system as an organized tradition in Igbo land commenced by formation of Igbo indigenous Sabbath kepping mission by Priest Dee Okeke Lolo of Akwaete in present Abia State. Historic records relate that Priest Okeke Lolo got the glimpse of Sabbath rest from the ministerial activities of Prophet/Healer Garrick Braide of Bakana city of the present Rivers State. Although Prophet Garrick Braide was of Anglican Communion but he established a revival movement that met on Sabbath days. His popularity and exhibition of spiritual power attracted the interest of Priest Dee Okeke Lolo. The story relate that in one of his revivals at Akwuete in about 1911, Prophet Braide encountered the dreaded Nwa-Iyi-Eke goddess, made her impotent, destroyed her shrine and cleared the forest that host her. This great wonders astonished Priest Dee Okeke who was the only survivor of the lineage that held the staff of the goddess. Seeing the powers in the new faith, he embraced the teachings of Prophet Braide. Shortly, Priest Dee Okeke Lolo left the Braide movement and found his Sabbath keeping ministry. The Sabbath ministry of Priest Okeke attracted many followers. Some of his earlier converts later separated and found their own missions. Earlier Sabbatharians that developed distinct assemblies or synagogues include Priest Mike Onuabuchi of Amichi, Priest Samuel Nnabueze of Nnobi, Priest Musa Amakenze of Nnobi, Priest John Agbani of Nnobi, Priest Slyvanous Okeke, Sister Ebere Nebeorisa (Nnewi), Priest Onukwube of Nnewi, Priest Jeremiah Obi of Nanka, Priest Raphael Egbuna, Priest Hilde Onuaguluchi of Oji River, Nabbi Ebubeyah Orajiuba of Nnewi, Nabbi Duru of Owerri. Others include Rev. Slyvester Yahchanan Gogo Udembe of Oguta (based in Port Harcourt), Meshiyach Yahzitere Okoh of Ibele (a disciple of Prophet Yahamarahi Ha Meshiyach), Elder Cyprian Obidire of Ihiala-(a follower of Elder Mark Eliya of Ogbakiri), Arch-Bishop M.M. Ositadimma of Alor, (the President General of Supreme National Council of Judaism of Nigeria. On ecclesiology, the indigenous Sabbath groups were led by Priests (Ndi-Isi-Nchu Aja) and Evangelists (Ndi-Ozi). They kept Sabbath rest and observe Jewish festivals but believed in the names of Jehovah, Chukwu, God and Jesus Christ as obtainable in other Christian denominations. They developed ecclesial garments (Uwe Nwuda) of white cloths or other special colours for elders, leaders and priests. From 1970s, the Sabbath keeping consciousness were already spiral in Igbo land. Faithful began to read scriptures intensively and thereby dropping some of the traditional methods like using of candles, incense and other mystic object in worship. Some of the groups abandoned bathing rituals in the river but upheld emersion baptism of new converts. They began to make away of some of the Igbo pagan rites that associated the early indigenous sabbatharianism. Other pagan rites include cleansing rituals using animals or birds, using of ram as sacrificial lamb during Passover feasts, rubbing of muds and other earth substances on patients and incessant prophecies to clients (see for me) that are known with prayer houses. Some of the financially buoyant Sabbatherians took pilgrimage to Israel and received more trainings on doctrines of Judaism. From that period, the European Messianic bodies began to extend their tentacles in Igbo land and supported the movement with materials such as Sacred Name Bible and other journals. With the American methods of Messianic Judaism at the background of some faithful and their mission, they started to exercise liberal features that are been condemned by the Orthodox groups. Some of the Sabbath missions began to be structured in penticostal methods of Church of God (Seventh Day) and Seventh Day Adventists (SDA) who on their own supported the growth of Sabbath consciousness in igbo communities. Some of the earlier converts to Messianic Judaism were Prophet Yahmarabhi of Abonnema and Elder Mark Eliyah of Ogbakiri, both in Rivers State. While Prophet Yahmarabhi was creating a distinct method of Messianic that he identified as Yahosheanism (a movement that appears to exist in between Judaism and Christianity), Elder Eliyah followed the American model of Messianic Judaism. Some of the Igbos learnt from both leaders and incorporated messianic methods into their Sabbath ministries. One of the earliest convert to messianic Judaism was Dr. Chukwuedozie I. Mba of the Riches of Christ Mission who after his pilgrimage to Israel decided to change his Sunday keeping Christian church to a Sabbath observing messianic mission. The move of Dr Mba helped to popularize the messianic Judaism in Igbo land even when he faced the wildest opposition of his life from members of the board of trustees of his church. Other Igbo Sabbatherians either went to Israel, American or Ethiopia to learn their methodologies. Some splitted from the ones already established in Igbo land that link to the three sources being Prophet Briade, Prophet Yahmarabhi or Elder Mark Eliyah(succeeded by his son named Pastor Imayah Mark Eliyah). These splits made the faith system to grow fast and viral in communities. It is quite difficult as of date to see any town or village in Igbo land that has no Sabbath ministry or faithful either of Orthodox, Messianic or Christian models. The earliest Judaist movement that succeeded the native or indegenous Christian Sabbatharianism was the Messianic Judaism. With passage of time, the Orthodox Judaism began to spread among the Sabbath missions and been fast. Many Messianic Judaists and their missions or synagogues changed to Orthodox Judaism because it is the most popular or national Judaists body in Israel. Although, the sect is fastly gaining ground in Igboland but it has its challenges. These challenges include the non government recognition of the faith system. Many of the government activities like sanitation days, election days, examination days, and distanced learnings are carried out mainly on Sabbath days. This is one of the strong breeze that generates ill-feelings to Sabatharians in Igbo land because they are excluded from participation. Other worries include– non inclusion of Sabbatharians in government posts, appointments and participations. Even when Sabbatharians climbs to good political appointment, the system will never enable them to enforce Sabbath laws and favour the faithful. These challenges have aroused the faithful to convene many associations or unions in order to articulate their interests before men and women that sit in authorities. These movements are yet to achieve much as expected of them because of the selfish interests of the stakeholders and divisive tendencies between the Orthodox and Messianic stocks. Recently, the quest for the actualization of state of Biafra aroused many Igbos to the Igbo/Hebrew migration claim and such development added many converts and popularity to the movement. Although, the much heated efforts of the Biafran agitators are political but agree with the Igbo/Hebrew migration theory. Some the Biafran agitating groups adopted Judaism as their basic religious traditional and started addressing the creator as Yahweh and the son as either Yahshua, Yahoshea or Yahusha as obtainable in their religious understanding. Likewise, the Orthodox groups kept flourishing and having romance to Jewish Rabbis. By these developments, many Igbos started challenging Christians with the conclusion that the ethnic nationality is lost without Judaist system. This conclusion resulted to many Igbos trooping into Judaism and abandoning Christianity that was imposed on the people of the land through British colonialism. Presently, it is common to see Igbos claim Jewish or Hebrew root, learning Jewish language and culture, greeting people of same faith with the Jewish method “Shalom” or “Shabbat Shalom”. These are common amongst Igbos in the Orthodox Judaism both at home and Diaspora. Likewise among the Messianic Judaists, you will commonly see them use the name of Yahweh for the maker of heaven and earth and Yahshua, Yahoshea or Yahusha for the Hebrew messiah. They use these holy names in songs, worship and praises. All of the groups dress variously like Jews with garments, talid, kepar and their men bearded. Other associate terminologies of the groups are Torah, Tannakh, Talmud, Jewish Calendar, New Moon etc. All of the groups encourage observation of Sabbath and Jewish festivals. With this development, Igbo society is beginning to take mixed apparel as against its formal monotonous Christian outlook of yesteryears. Questions are arising on which way for Igboman, is it Christianity or Judaism? The Judaists claim that their new faith had lots of similarities with the ancient cultures and lifestyle of Igbo people, a design that Christianity does not posses.W