Okpanam, Delta State — August 29, 2025
A thought‑provoking paper presented at the Igbo Unification Conference in Okpanam, Delta State, has reignited debate about the historic role of the Igbo in Africa and their contested place within Nigeria. Dr. Ezedibia Chidi G. Osuagwu, a respected scholar and public intellectual, delivered the paper titled “Igbo Preeminence Among Africans and Diminution Within Nigeria: Identity Perturbations, Designated Archetype and African Civilizational Renascence.”
Dr. Osuagwu’s central argument is that the Igbo are not merely an ethnic group within Nigeria but an autochthonous African civilization with deep antiquity, stretching back to the African Humid Period around the Niger–Benue confluence. He described the Igbo as custodians of a democratic and truth‑based civic order (Erima) and as a people whose resilience has withstood slavery, colonialism, and postcolonial exclusion.
Key Themes from the Paper
- Civilizational Roots: The Igbo were presented as one of the principal heirs of the Green Sahara civilisations, with cultural continuity preserved through centuries of upheaval.
- Systematic Marginalisation: Dr Osuagwu highlighted what he termed “extra‑chaining” mechanisms — policies and practices that marginalise the Igbo politically, economically, and culturally within Nigeria.
- Diaspora Memory: The enduring presence of the “Gran Ibo” spirit in Haitian and Caribbean traditions was cited as evidence of Igbo influence in global Black liberation struggles.
- Pan‑African Role: From Olaudah Equiano to Nnamdi Azikiwe, the Igbo contribution to Pan‑Africanism was emphasised as central to Africa’s broader renaissance.
Strategic Path Forward
The paper did not stop at diagnosis but proposed a series of strategic responses. Among these are regional economic autonomy through dedicated banks and trade corridors; the revival of Igbo civic ethics rooted in truth (Ogu); stronger links with diaspora communities; and positioning Igbo survival within a continental Pan-African framework rather than a purely Nigerian context.
Dr Osuagwu further invoked cosmological narratives, including the Tehuti/Agwu prophecy, framing the Igbo renaissance as part of a wider African rebirth he termed Ugaanyanwu — the “Age of the Sun.”
Reactions and Next Steps
Delegates at the Okpanam conference received the paper with enthusiasm, viewing it as both a call to action and a manifesto for cultural and political renewal. There were immediate discussions around establishing a 10‑year strategic plan, setting up research funds, and expanding diaspora partnerships.
Observers note that while the themes of marginalisation are familiar, the paper’s framing of the Igbo as a civilizational archetype — not just a Nigerian minority — may shift both academic and political debates in the years ahead.
Conclusion
Dr Osuagwu’s presentation in Okpanam underscores a growing intellectual and political movement within Igbo society: one that situates their struggle within Africa’s broader renaissance. If his recommendations gain traction, they could reshape not only Igbo fortunes within Nigeria but also Africa’s place in a changing world order.
Editor’s Note: Dr. Osuagwu’s full paper, “Igbo Preeminence Among Africans and Diminution Within Nigeria,” is available below.
IGBO PREEMINENCE AMONG AFRICANS AND DIMINUTION WITHIN NIGERIA — Prof. Osuagwu
