"The Igbos and Israel" - a new cultural study by Chukwukaodinaka Ilona

A new look at Igbo life in West Africa in light of Jewish culture and history

"The Igbos and Israel," the latest book by Chukwukaodinaka "Remy" Ilona, is an extraordinary bridge between two worlds, a wide-ranging historical record of - as well as a personal introduction to - Omenana, the traditional Igbo cultural and religious system. The historical record is for today's generation of Igbos who never got the chance to learn about their culture - and the introduction is for today's generation of Jews who never got the chance to meet the Igbos.

It is estimated that there are almost 14 million people across the world who claim to be Jewish, descendants of an ancient Near Asian people, the Israelites, who established their first democratic commonwealth thousands of years ago. The Jewish people historically represent four (out of the original twelve) Israelite tribes, descendants of those who established a second commonwealth in Judea after returning from a brief period of political subjugation and colonization.

Yet the Jewish people are not the only descendants of the ancient Israelites who have survived over the past thousands of years. Until this very day, communities across the world have claimed the Israelites as their ancestors, proudly pointing to their social institutions, language, and cultural beliefs as ample evidence of their claim. Is it possible that the millions of Igbos living in Nigeria are one such community?

In 1975, Dr. Adiele Afigbo wrote that, after achieving independence from the imperialist-colonialist political powers, the Igbos "...like any group of people...are anxious to discover their origin and reconstruct how they came to be how they are." Over the past twenty years, Ilona - a lawyer by trade and amateur anthropologist by passion - has gathered evidence from across the spectrum of Igbo and Jewish sources that may shed light on the historical origins of the Igbo community. In this comprehensive tour of Igbo culture and customs, Ilona lines up Igbo beliefs and practices with their Jewish counterparts, suggesting a common origin to both.

Learn about the noteworthy achievements of the Igbo people in establishing a just, egalitarian, and righteous society in the forests of West Africa - and discover for yourself their connection to their spiritual brothers and sisters across the globe.