A Nigerian lawyer, Uwandu Obinna, Esq has taken time to give a pro bono lecture to Nigerian author and Social media influencer, Reno Omokri, on his wrong perception about the mode of dressing of the Igbo People during the pre-colonial era.
The Rivers State-based lawyer who reacted to a recent publication made by the 51-year-old Omokri on facebook where he came out to tell one Mr. Sylvanus that the Igbos had no pre-colonial wear further challenged him to an open discussion where he would educate him more.
Perhaps, Omokri did not do enough fact-check before coming online to show his self-proclaimed truth, but Obinna’s open lecture could play a major role in helping him do enough research before coming online subsequently to comment about the Igbo culture
Below is full extract of the response by the Lawyer as made available on the platform:
Dear Reno Omokri,
Thank you for your detailed and passionate commentary on cultural authenticity in Nigerian attire. As always, your advocacy for truth and history is deeply appreciated. However, I would like to respectfully offer some factual clarifications on the issue of Igbo indigenous clothing and textile heritage, which your submission appears to oversimplify, perhaps inadvertently.
1. The Igbo Had Precolonial Clothing Traditions
While it is true that many precolonial societies in West Africa, including the Igbo, wore minimal clothing suited to the tropical climate, that minimalism should not be confused with primitiveness or cultural absence. In Igbo land, cloth and clothing existed before colonial contact, made from:
Locally grown cotton, spun and woven by women.
Raffia (ngwu), widely used for ceremonial skirts, hats, and mats.
Animal skins and bark cloth, used in sacred and ritualistic contexts.
Beaded jewelry, waistbands (jigida), brass and ivory ornaments, all integral to social dressing and identity.
Additionally, body art like Uli designs and camwood rubbing were central elements of beauty and identity, particularly among women.
2. Cotton Weaving and Textile Innovation Were Indigenous
Contrary to your assertion, the Igbo were not unfamiliar with cotton. Cotton cultivation and textile production were well established, particularly among the Aboh, Arochukwu, and Nsukka areas.
Historical sources, including Elizabeth Isichei’s “A History of the Igbo People” and various ethnographic studies, confirm the use of horizontal looms and other indigenous weaving techniques long before British contact.
3. Akwete Cloth Did Not Originate from Ijebu
With due respect, the claim that Akwete cloth originated in Ijebu is not supported by scholarly consensus. In fact, the textile historian John Gillow, whom you cited, credits Akwete women of Ndoki, Abia State, with pioneering a rare vertical loom technique unique within Nigeria.
While inter-ethnic trade between Ijebu and Ijaw communities is well-documented, there is no credible evidence that Akwete weaving was a mere resell of Ijebu “Ikaki.” The Akwete cloth evolved indigenously and was adopted by various Igbo groups as a ceremonial and prestigious material.
4. Isi-Agu and Red Cap Have Deeper Origins
It is true that the modern isi-agu (lion-head motif) shirt uses colonial-era fabrics like brocade or damask. However:
The symbol of the lion/leopard was revered in Igbo cosmology long before European contact. It represented authority, courage, and kingship.
In precolonial times, leopard skins were worn by spiritual leaders and titled chiefs.
While the red cap was popularised by British designation of Warrant Chiefs, red turbans and caps had spiritual and gerontocratic significance even prior to colonization especially in places like Onitsha, Nri, and Awka.
So, while materials may have changed, the cultural meanings and structures were already indigenous.
6. Sheep and Wool Are Irrelevant to Indigenous Igbo Clothing
You rightly note that wool comes from sheep, and sheep were not native to most parts of Igbo land. But that does not undermine indigenous clothing traditions, because:
Indigenous Igbo clothing did not rely on wool.
Instead, cotton, raffia, and animal skins served local clothing and ceremonial needs.
The Okpu Agu, as it exists today, may use wool, but the symbol of the cap and chieftaincy dressing it represents predates its current fabrication methods.
In Conclusion,Culture is dynamic. The fact that an attire evolved or incorporated new materials does not negate its indigenous roots or cultural authenticity. Just as the Lukumi Yoruba traditions in Cuba adapted under the influence of the Atlantic slave trade, so too did many African cultures evolve under colonial pressure without losing their core identities.
So, while your commitment to authenticity is noble, the claim that the Igbo had no authentic precolonial clothing does not withstand historical scrutiny. The wrappers, raffia garments, uli body art, cotton weaving, title regalia, and symbolic motifs are all proof of a deeply rooted and expressive clothing tradition.
If the standard for “authenticity” is complete absence of European influence, then no African society today including Yoruba or Arewa can claim total purity, because all cultures adapt over time. What matters is the indigenous essence, and the Igbo people have never lost theirs.
I welcome continued engagement on this important subject of identity, with mutual respect and openness to facts.
Uwandu Obinna, Esq
