Igbodefender.com historical research reveals that Igbos used to rival Europeans in the export of manufactured goods to ancient Bonny Kingdom. In many cases there was a clear preference for …
Igbo goods where they were available.
I wish the Igbos had seized on this to manufacture many other kinds of goods for sale to our trading partners who were very happy with the quality of our goods. An example was in the export of weapons. The excerpt below shows that Igbo populated Bonny Kingdom, which was independent before the amalgamation of Nigeria preferred Igbo manufactured arms to European ones.
With the exception of bows and arrows, which only a few people use, the weapons are not made in Bonny, but are purchased partly from the Europeans, and partly from the lbo people . . .
Instead of this European knife [kinggi], one often sees a dagger [abreba] in use which is made in Iboland.
More about the Igbo made Abreba
Its iron blade is seven inches long, and an inch wide at the handle, and tapers, until it is half an inch wide in the middle, and then tapers still further into a long sharp two edged point.
The wooden handle is four and a half inches long, and in order to afford a good grip, is of uneven width, with ring shaped deep cuts in it, and decorated with nail heads.
The scabbard takes the form of the blade, and is decorated like that of the knife in common use.
Source: Extracts from Hermann Koler, Einige Notizen uber Bonny (Gottingen, 1840), translated by Uche Peter Isichei in Elizabeth Isichei (ed.), Igbo Worlds (Philadelphia, 1978), 14-17.
Igbodefender’s Comment
We are not surprised. A European technological audit also found out that the Ogbunigwe Igbo made landmine beat the British landmines used in the Nigerian Civil War.
Of course, landmines should be largely banned because they do a lot of harm to innocent non combatants. But our interest here us the high level of Igbo technology in a situation were materials were scarce.
Igbo technology can lift Nigeria to the levels of South Korea with its Kia, Samsung, Deawoo, Hyundai, etc., if only we Nigerians can support Igbo expertise and Igbos can increasingly embrace self-regulation to ensure consistent high standards.
Igbo Amaka
God Bless Nigerians
