Bulletin N°47

Introduction

The recent investigation by the House Education Committee at the US Congress into expressions of antisemitic sentiments on campuses of Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Pennsylvania refocused interests on the debates around the rise of hate speech and homophobic behaviour within educational institutions. Some donors and alumni of the institutions had complained about how they were not doing enough to protect Jewish students from assaults on their various campuses, leading to investigations by the government^[1]Brian Swartz, “House Committee Launches Investigation of Harvard, MIT and UPenn Over Antisemitism Fight. CNBC, 7décembre 2023. [Online] … Continue reading. Based on interactions with the presidents of the aforementioned universities, a letter was signed by 74 members of Congress calling for their sack due to the inability to effectively manage antisemitism on campus^[2]Joshua Chaffin, “Harvard Board Backs President Amid Campus Antisemitism Blacklash”, Financial Times, 12décembre 2023. [Online] https://www.ft.com/content/e57d21fa-be6a-4ffb-9e5f-919da4c22f16. … Continue reading. The intensity of the rise in antisemitism was recently documented by the Anti-Defamation League, which noted a 400 percent rise in antisemitic incidents within the US, with about 312 incidents recorded between October 7 and 23, 2023^[3]“US Officials to Meet Jewish Leaders as Anti-Semitism Surges on Campuses”, AlJazeera, 30 octobre 2023, [online] … Continue reading.There have been reports of hate chants, including expressions like ‘from the river to the sea’ and ‘intifada’ that imply calls for violence against the Jews both online and physically^[4]“Explainer. How Are Harvard, Penn Presidents Responding to Campus Anti-Semitism Row?”, AlJazeera, 7 décembre 2023, [online] … Continue reading. The Congress’ interactions with the university presidents also spotlighted the administrative difficulty in creating a balance between free speech and safe (educational) environments. This makes Jewish students vulnerable to attacks, especially with the global resurgence of antisemitism after Israel launched operations in Gaza following the October 7 terror attacks by Hamas^[5]Suffice to say that there have also been reports of the rise in Islamophobic behaviour with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) receiving reports of about 774 incidents between October 7 … Continue reading Expressions of Jewish hate have been on the rise in different European countries alongside the US, and these include the vandalization of Holocaust-related memory initiatives, earmarking Jewish residences with swastikas, and physical violence, sometimes resulting in Jewish fatalities, especially during attacks on Jewish synagogues^[6]See ‘Anti-Semitism Spread is not Isolated, Warns UN Human Rights Office”, UN News, May 28, 2019 [online]https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/05/1039271. The threats of antisemitic sentiments have led Jews to adopt coping mechanisms that include changing of names, refraining from wearing Jewish attire, skipping classes and other social activities, and relocation outside of locations considered unsafe for Jews^[7]“UNESCO Hosts Urgent Discussion on Combatting Surge of Antisemitism through Education”, [online] … Continue reading.

It is important to note that there are quite some complexities in exploring the context of antisemitism globally, especially when one interrogates the historical layers of intersections between Jewish identity, politics, geography, and culture as expressed in religion. In light of the recent events in Gaza, quite a number of the pro-Palestinian protesters, including the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) have justified their actions as a call for what they consider an end to the 75-year occupation of a Palestinian territory^[8]Ezra Ukanwa, ‘Israel-Gaza Crisis: Shiites Protest Against Bombing of Gaza Church’, Vanguard, October 20, 2023 [online] … Continue reading. This view spotlights what Ejiofor considers the friction between democratic pluralism and the legal frame of traditional Judaism founded on laws that were developed in exile^[9]Promise Ejiofor, “Jewishness without Jews? Ontological Security, Ethnonationalism and the Social Power of Analogical Reasoning in Postcolonial Nigeria”, Nationalities Papers, 2022, p. 12.. The declaration of the State of Israel in 1948 as one of the post-WWII measures for managing the Holocaust dispersal to Israel, resulted in the administration of other territories of the West Bank and Gaza by Jordan and Egypt, respectively. However, Israel engaged Egypt in a six-day war in 1967 after the latter denied the former access to the Red Sea by closing the Straits of Tiran, in preempting an impending attack by Israel.  Victory for Israel saw it annex the Sinai Peninsula, The Golan Heights, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip as the challenge spread across to other Arab countries, particularly Jordan and Syria^[10][online]https://2001-2009.state.gov. The conflict also had quite some implications for international relations with the Arab world withdrawing oil supplies from nations that supported Israel^[11]Lasse Heerten & Moses Dirk, “The Nigeria–Biafra War: Postcolonial Conflict and the Question of Genocide”, Journal of Genocide Research, 16 (2-3), 2014, pp. 169-203..

What is instructive herein is that the six-day war also inspired rhetoric during the Nigerian civil war that was taking place at the time between the Nigerian state and the Eastern region that was pushing for secession through the creation of the Biafran State for the Igbo^[12]The Igbo constitute one of the major ethnic groups in Nigeria. They are identified with the Southeast Region and renowned for their industry and spread. They have also been clamouring for secession … Continue reading. There were similarities drawn between the Holocaust and the pogrom against the Igbo, who have also been designated as the Jews of Africa^[13]See Lasse Herten et Moses Dirk, op. cit.. While some have argued that the Jewish identity among the Igbo has a causal relation to the Nigerian Civil War experience, certain historical narratives and documentation, as discussed below, reflect antecedents to this period. Nonetheless, the Igbo experience of exclusion since the breakout of the civil war has been contended to align with the Jewish experience of antisemitism, assimilation, and statehood. Certain incidents during and after Nigeria’s 2023 general elections have served to strengthen these assumptions. The emergence of an Igbo candidate, Peter Obi, for the presidency had revived proclamations by some non-Igbo politicians that the Igbo would never be able to attain the presidency because they do not have the proper ethnic alliances across the country to have majority votes. In another stead, a Northern politician used the basis of handing over the presidency to the Igbo after their tenure as a campaign strategy. Although the OBIdient movement^[14]The supporters of Peter Obi christened themselves the OBidient Movement, and largely comprised Nigerian youths spread across different regions in the country. They projected a desire for change … Continue reading emerged from support for Peter Obi and has membership from diverse ethnicities, mainly comprising vibrant Nigerian youths, the targets of backlash have been the Igbo in terms of electoral disenfranchisement and post-election demolition of properties. These experiences have been likened to antisemitic hate^[15]See Seun Opejobi, “‘Lagos Demolition Making It Tough for Igbo to be Nigerians’- Nnamdi Kanu’s Lawyer, Ejimakor”. Daily Post, November 25, 2023 [online] … Continue reading.

It also follows that the Igbo have not been allowed to properly reintegrate back into the Nigerian State since the 1967 Nigerian Civil War, similar to the challenges that the Jewish Diaspora faces across Europe, North America, and the Middle East. These assimilation challenges have led to the identity of ethnic dispersal, with the Igbo considered as the group with a widespread presence, not only in Nigeria but globally similar to the Jews. One major character associated with the dispersal is the industry of the Igbo, a trait that the Jews are also known for, especially when references are made to innovations and inventions globally. Regarding the aspect of statehood, there is the aspiration to the creation of the Biafran nation-state, which continues to draw inspiration from the creation of the Jewish State, which is symbolic of liberation from oppression^[16]Personal interview with an Igbo Jewish scholar and practitioner.The recent resurgence of the quest for a Biafra state, especially as instigated by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), drew inspiration from the Igbo Jewish ancestral claims in pushing their agenda^[17]Personal interview with an Igbo Jewish scholar and practitioner. This has had a lot of implications for the perception of Jews in Nigeria, especially in terms of vulnerability to attacks by agents of the Nigerian State. This study is thus designed to explore the nuances of antisemitism and Jewish identity in Nigeria by interrogating the historicity of the claims along the lines of politics, consanguinity, and religion. Due to the paucity of literature on antisemitism and Nigerian Jews, the study relied on data from interviews, newspaper articles, digital sources and secondary literature to argue for the application of this term to the Nigerian experience

The Identity Question and the Jews of Nigeria

The practice of Judaism in Nigeria has been characterized by controversies around the legitimacy of ancestral connections between the Igbo and the Jews. These have entailed debates to validate the claims of certain persons and groups who identify as Igbo Jews^[18]These persons have been attributed with certain appellations either as ‘Igbrews’ or ‘Jugbos’ in an attempt to create a compound word from the etymology of ‘Igbos’ and ‘Jews’.. The debates have been influenced by the racial versus religious conceptualizations of being Jew, which in themselves are quite instructive, especially when considering claims by non-ethnic Jews to Jewish legitimacy. In an instance, it is important to recognize the diversity in terms of identification among ethnic Jews, with diversities across different groups, including the prominent Ashkenazi and Sephardi communities in Israel. The Ashkenazi have been more prominent in Israeli politics, economy, and education since their migration from Eastern Europe in the late 19th Century to become the majority over the Sephardi communities and embark on political restructuring. However, the Sephardi, who migrated from Spain and Portugal, regained demographic prominence with more arrivals after Israel was declared a state in 1948^[19]“Israeli: The Sephardi-Ashkenazi Confrontation and Its Implications. An Intelligence Report”, 2007. [Online] https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP06T00412R000200840001-6.pdf .  This diversity has been accentuated by historical dispersals that have led to different physiology, tongues (Hebrew/Yiddish vs Arabic), and religious and cultural practices that have created what Ben-Ur termed the coethnic-recognition failure^[20]This term was used to describe denial of a member of one’s ethnicity resulting from mistaken identity due to disparities from conventional understanding of particular ethnic identities. Aviva … Continue reading. The identity friction between these groups thus reflects the complexities involved in understanding ancestral connections to Israel by some Nigerian Jews. Suffice to state that there are three broad indicators for the Jewish identity, and these include religion, the Jewish state, and culture. These Haredi Jews, for instance, are Ultra-Orthodox practitioners from both the Ashkenazi and Sephardi communities who observe strict religious adherence and neither accept the messianic proposition of Judaism as practiced by some Igbo nor the establishment of the Jewish State by Zionists or Biafrans, since this was the prerogative of the Messiah that is still to come. However, the secular Jewish Diaspora is more accepting of other Jewish ties because of shared historical experiences and cultural ties and has been more disposed to accepting Nigerian Jews.

Perhaps the earliest documented reference to the cultural similarities between the Igbo and the Jews dates back to the 18th Century era of imperialism as contained in the autobiography of an abolitionist, Olaudah Equiano. Having confirmed his birth in Igboland, which he described as a remote part of the Benin Kingdom^[21]Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African. Written by Himself,  North Carolina, University of North Carolina, 1789, p. 1., he subsequently drew comparisons between the cultural practices of the Igbo (especially as they pertain to religion) and those of the Jews described in the Bible^[22]Shai Afsai, « Nigeria’s Igbo Jews. Jewish Identity and Practice in Abuja”, Athropology Today, 32 (2), 2016, pp. 14-16.. According to him, certain customs like circumcision, naming, and purification rites among the Igbo resonated with the Genesis account of the experiences of Jewish forebears. In an era that was plagued with racism with the imperialist dehumanization of Africans through slavery and colonialism, Olaudah leveraged these similarities to argue for better treatment of Africans by Europeans. In referencing Rev. Clarkson’s postulation on the geographic imprint of climatic conditions on the difference in pigmentation between the Igbo and the ‘modern Jews,’ he was unequivocal in arguing that darker skin color should not be a basis for racial inferiority^[23]Olaudah Equiano, op. cit. Promise Ejiofor, op. cit..

The geographical consideration of Jewish aspiration to freedom could also be broadly categorized into Zionism as led by Zvi Hirsch Kalischer, Moses Hess, and Judah Alkalai; and Territorialism as proposed by the Jewish Territorial Organization and Freeland League for Jewish Territorial Colonisation^[24]Ibid., pp. 9-10.. The basic difference between both ideologies is that while the Zionists maintain that return to the homeland as central to Jewish resettlement, the territorialists propose the creation of Jewish settlements in different locations across the globe. This latter position fits within certain propositions on the need to maintain the Igbo traditional religious practices that are Judaic residuals brought by exiled Jewish forbears within a Biafran State with the symbolism of the Star of David and the 12 tribes of Israel^[25]Shai Afsai, op. cit., p.15., while there are other Igbo Jews desire acceptance as ethnic Jews to facilitate their return to Israel. The practice of Judaism among the Igbo, however, does not inhibit the practice of Christianity. As such, there are those with Messianic Judaic leanings who can relate with Christians who worship on the Sabbath with practices that include Saturday worship, praying barefooted, and observing the Passover^[26]Samanth Subramanian, op. cit.. However, this does not necessarily imply reciprocity on the part of Christians, with quite several Igbo Christians, considering them as disillusioned due to the militant activities of IPOB^[27]Personal communication with Igbo Christians in Enugu, Owerri, Lagos and Abuja between September and December 2023..

The visibility of Judaism in Nigeria could be traced to the 1990s through the Gihon Hebrew Synagogue in Abuja founded by three Jewish Messianic families led by Ovadai Avichai^[28]The Gihon temple is said to have a membership of about 40 families from diverse ethnicities as of October, 2021 and is well supported by some Orthodox Jewish Groups around the world. See Nduka … Continue reading and the Port Harcourt’s Hall of worship called ‘the Ark of Yahweh’ (that later became a synagogue) founded by Moshe Ben Avraham^[29]Moshe Ben Avraham converted from Christianity having been christened Moses Walison by his parents. See Samanth Subramanian, op. cit. and Nduka Orjinmo, op. cit.. While some Nigerian Judaic adherents maintain that the Jews belong to the lost tribes of Israel as evidenced in the claim that about 80% of Igbo cultural practices are encapsulated within the Torah^[30]Personal interview with an Igbo Jewish scholar and practitioner, others propose that Judaism spread from North Africa to Nigeria and other West African countries^[31]See Nduka Orjinmo, op. cit. and [online]https://mosaicmagazine.com/picks/jewish-world/2019/08/the-fast-growing-jewish-population-of-nigeria-is-now-at-risk/.. The similarities often alluded to in terms of ritual practices include male circumcision, seven days of mourning for the dead, the new moon festival, and marriage rituals^[32]See Nduka Orjinmo, op. cit.. The connection of Igbo Jews to the ten lost tribes of Israel is traced to the dispersal during the 8th Century captivity and partial displacement of Northern Israel by the Neo-Assyrian Empire, and this is why some believe in the observance of religious practices as stipulated by Rabbinic Judaism^[33]Shai Afsai, op. cit., p. 14. Nduka Orjinmo, op. cit. Yirmiyahu Danzig, “The Igbo Hebrews and Their Struggle against Antisemitism”, The Times of Israel, July 30, 2021 [Online] … Continue reading (Afsai, 2016: 14; Orjinmo, 2021; Danzig, 2021). Danzig maintains that evidence of Igbo-Jewish ancestral connections is implied in the letters written by Chief Ashkenazic and Sephardic Rabbis in England to fellow Jews residing at the banks of the Niger River but were never delivered by the colonialists^[34]Ibid..

Since Equiano’s 18th-century autobiography, there have been more scientific attempts by Igbo elites, nationalists, and academics to further explain the Igbo Jewish origins. These efforts include the use of DNA tests, which have attracted several counterclaims negating the Igbo-Jewish link^[35]Promise Ejiofor, op. cit.. Suffice to state that while the E1B1a gene has been proven to connect the Ancient Egyptians to Sub-Saharan Africans, this gene is not limited to those of Igbo extraction. Matter of fact, several Near East ancestry claims by Africans are traced to the Biblical Deluge through one of Noah’s surviving sons, Ham^[36]Remi Ilona, “The Igbo Jews and the Questions of Genetics & Culture”, 2016. [Online] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304479678_The_Igbo_Jews_And_The_Questions_of_Genetics_Culture. … Continue reading. This account creates a rationale for why other non-Igbo Nigerians self-identify as Jews^[37]Shai Afsai, op. cit., p. 14.. Ejiofor describes this as the Hamitic hypothesis in which Hamites are paradoxically considered to have migrated to Africa and created whatever heritage of value was in the continent, even if they were offsprings of Canaan, who had been cursed by Noah^[38]Promise Ejiofor, op. cit., p. 13.. The racial categorization of blackness with this curse has been documented in the Babylonian Talmud and was well-suited to the imperialist vision when invoked to justify slavery and colonialism. This is similar to the proposition by Equiano (1789) that Africans descended from Abraham through Keturah (if we consider that she is the same person as Hagar), which also could be interpreted as a racial delegitimization of claims to Abrahamic heritage. Christianity also helped in the internalization of the Hamitic hypotheses among Igbo Jews with the communal assumption of being the new Jews under attack in the Nigerian State that is being controlled by northern Muslims. Danzig further argues that the sojourns of Judeans as refugees and slaves across Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Africa have been very well documented to give some credence to the claim of Jewish migration as the basis of the Igbo Jewish ancestral claim.

This contrasts with the supposition by some scholars that the Jewish identity is a modern symbolic construction of Igbo nationalists to assume the position of ‘God’s chosen people’, in the bid to navigate relations of power, legitimacy, and prestige within a diverse ethnoreligious national context^[39]Edith Bruder & Tudor Parfitt, “Introduction”, dans Edith Bruder & Tudor Parfitt  (ed.), African Zion: Studies, Newcastle upon Tyne, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2012, pp. 4-5.. This is because there is yet to be satisfactory historical and/or archaeological evidence to support these claims^[40]Nduka Orjinmo, op. cit..  These nationalists are reported to draw inspiration from experiences of the Nigerian Civil War, which is considered the earliest televised war^[41]Shayera Dark, “‘I Looked for Death but I Couldn’t Find It,’ A Nigerian Town Relives the Brutal Civil War, 50 Years After It Ended”, CNN, 16 janvier 2020. [Online] … Continue reading. The media propaganda created imprints on the consciences of the global public to showcase the dehumanization that characterizes internecine conflicts and war in general. Since the war, there have been more efforts among the Igbo to jettison Christianity for Judaism^[42]Judaism is considered by them as a reprieve from postcolonial and doctrinal contradictions of Christianity, which is itself processed as a colonial imposition. Samanth Subramanian, op. cit.. These include learning the Hebrew language, acquiring Jewish prayer books, and studying Jewish History. The civil war experience is also considered a major reason for the predominance of the Igbo among Jews in Nigeria. Subramanian contends that for every 10 Jews, 9 are probably Igbo^[43]Ibid.. There is, however, uncertainty regarding the number of Nigerian Jews with Afsai maintaining a range between 2,000 and 5,000, while Bruder estimates them to be around 30,000^[44]Shai Afsai, op. cit., p. 15. Edith Bruder, The Black Jews of Africa: History, Religion, Identity, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020. See also Edith Bruder & Tudor Parfitt, op. cit., p. 4.. This difficulty is not unconnected with the ability of the nation to organize a national population census since 2006. This is worsened by the fact that it was unlikely that Judaism would have featured as a means of religious identity if there had been a census. Nonetheless, about 80 synagogues have been documented across the country by the Jewish Fellowship Initiative, and their members embraced the use of technology in facilitating learning contacts with Jews in other countries^[45]Samanth Subramanian, op. cit.

Nigerian Jews have also been supported by Messianic Jews, especially from America and other parts of Africa^[46]Personal interview with an Igbo Jewish scholar and practitioner. Some have come to set up communities including the Chabad Lubavitch of Nigeria. This is an Abuja-based Jewish organization which is an initiative of the Chabad of Central Africa (COCA) headquartered in Kinshasha, Congo, and has some American Rabbis as part of its community^[47]Rabbi Mendy & Mazal Sternbach, [online] https://www.jewishnigeria.com/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/5109179/jewish/Rabbi-Mendy-and-Mazal-Sternbach.htm.. The movement originated in Russia as a branch of Hasidism, spreading to other parts of Europe under the successive leadership of seven Rebbes. It has about 3,500 institutions and 5,000 emissary families globally^[48]. In line with the meaning of the words ‘Chabad’ and ‘Lubavitch’, its mission is to foster the comprehension of the knowledge of God as the creator, the essence of creation, and the mission of each creature as a means of providing direction for the Jewish commune^[48]Chabad is a Hebrew word representing ‘wisdom, comprehension and knowledge’, while Lubavitch is the name of the Russian home of the movement which symbolizes ‘city of brotherly love’. See … Continue reading. It serves to enlighten the Nigerian Jewish community through the publication of the Magazine Vayigash, which contains articles that clarify reasons for Jewish events, doctrines, practices, and artifacts. It also runs both formal and informal educational programs for children to bring them up in the Jewish tradition and culture^[49]“Little Gems”, [online] https://www.jewishnigeria.com/templates/section_cdo/aid/2968157/jewish/Preschool-Little-Gems.htm. See also “Camp Gan Israel”, [online] … Continue reading. The organization has provided support in terms of access to scarce religious commodities by sending out packages during Jewish holidays across Nigeria^[50]The states that are covered include Edo, Kaduna, Plateau, Lagos, Kano and Rivers, Oyo and Taraba. See Around Nigeria … Continue reading. The items in the packages include Shabbat candles, Lullav and Etrong. It caters to the dietary needs of members by making Kosher meals available, while organizing business education and multilingual resources to help members in their businesses and daily lives with Jewish identity and culture^[51]Rav Israel and Haya Uzan”, [en ligne] https://www.jewishnigeria.com/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/2676230/jewish/Rav-Israel-and-Haya-Uzan.htm. The Hassidic Jewish women are also renowned for their strict adherence to moral codes especially as it pertains to dressing. The Chabad Lubavitch of Nigeria ensures it instills this culture by organizing a monthly meeting of the Jewish Women’s Circle^[52] “Jewish Women’s Circle”, [online] https://www.jewishnigeria.com/templates/section_cdo/aid/2826292/jewish/Jewish-Womens-Circle.htm and also running a Bat Mitzvah Club for girls from 11 to 14 years^[53]“BMC Bat Mitsvah Club”, [online] https://www.jewishnigeria.com/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/2678021/jewish/BMC-Bat-Mitsvah-Club.htm. 

Antisemitism and the Nigerian Experience

The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) provided a working definition of antisemitism during its 2016 plenary in Bucharest:

certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities^[54]"What is Antisemitism?" [en ligne] https://www.holocaustremembrance.com/resources/working-definitions-charters/working-definition-antisemitism.

From the above, one can deduce that hate speeches and behaviour could be antisemitic when they are directed towards Jews, or non-Jews and their properties as long as these acts connote hatred for Jews. In addressing the indiscriminate use of the word antisemitism to imply broad discussions on ‘Jewish world-power.’ Kontorovich noted that this widely- accepted IHRA definition could entail ‘anti-Zionist’ and ‘anti-Israel sentiments^[55]Eugene Kontorovich, “What Antisemitism Means Today: Invoking the Jewish State to Justify Jew-Hate”, Written Testimony submitted to the US House of Representatives Committee on Global Affairs, … Continue reading. This is because there are often correlations between criticisms against the State of Israel (on the one hand) and the root causes of historical incidents of perpetrating hate against the Jewish Diaspora (on the other). Examples of these include equating the killing of gentile children^[56]The word gentile here is used in reference to non-Jewish neighbours residing in Jewish Territory. See Albert Ehrman, "The Origins of the Ritual Murder Accusation and Blood Libel", Tradition: A … Continue reading with the killing of Palestinian children in the West Bank; and the application of double standards regarding territoriality/occupation within areas under the control of the State of Israel. However, the object of focus here is on exploring the manifestation of antisemitic sentiments against Nigerian Jews, which could be understood from different perspectives depending on the acceptance of the Igbo Jewish Identity. While antisemitism could be understood as the direct perpetration of harm against the Igbo Jews for professing allegiance to Judaism and the State of Israel, it could also be understood as hate rhetoric and sentiments against non-Jewish Igbos because of their allegiance to the State of Israel.

The acceptance of Igbo Jewish ancestry by other Jews is still subjected to debates. While there has been support from non-Nigerian Jews of Messianic/ Yeshua practice through the establishment and maintenance of synagogues in Eastern Nigeria, the investigation by former Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, on the presence of the lost tribes of Israel in Nigeria did not yield the desired results in terms of recognition by the State of Israel^[57]Fatai Olasupo, op. cit.. The presupposition that the Igbo would pass at non-ethnic Jews indicates that claims to consanguinity may not be acceptable to Ultra-Orthodox Jews. This proposition could extend further to question whether the Igbo experience from the civil war era in Nigeria could fit well into the Jewish diasporic experience of displacement, exclusion, and genocide; especially considering the scale of the latter in Central and Eastern Europe where Jewish Nationalism emerged^[58]Shai Afsai, op. cit., Promise Ejiofor, op. cit., pp. 5, 9. . From this perspective, it is arguable that antisemitism was a major binding force for Jewish nationalism that was ladened with the hope for a cultural, spiritual, and religious reunion with the homeland^[59]Ibid. p.9.

The inability to qualify for the right of return to the homeland due to the lack of recognition of an Igbo Jewish community further undermines the possibility of legitimizing ancestral links to Israel. This is quite significant considering that Israel provided support for Ethiopian Jews in the 1980s and 1990s while they were facing the challenges of war and famine^[60]“Binyamin Netanyahu is Soft on Anti-Semitism When It Suits Him”, The Economist, Saturday August 26, [online] … Continue reading. The Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Rabbinate Council of Israel, who is in charge of ascertaining claims to Jewish Ancestry, has also debunked claims linking the Igbo in Nigeria to Gad^[61]Some who support the Gad (Gath) hypothesis maintain that there are 3 sub identities among the Igbo to include Benei Gad, Benei Zevulum and Benei Menashsheh that could be trace to the biblical Gad, … Continue reading. This is because the council could not establish that their forebears were Jewish, especially as similarities in cultural practices could not be an indubitable basis for consanguinity. For the Igbo to be established as Jews, therefore, there is the need for conversion through ritual performances, including an appearance before a Jewish Court^[62]Nduka Orjinmo, op. cit.. This requirement has triggered feelings of rejection among Igbo Jews who maintain that being converts would lower their status within the Jewish Commune^[63]Ibid.. Nonetheless, there have been some steps in this direction as shown in the conversion ceremony held for about 96 people in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, by Rabbis from the United States and Uganda in August 2021^[64]Samanth Subramanian, op. cit. In sum, it is palpable that the practice of Judaism in Nigeria does not have the requisite legitimacy like those of other practicing Jews in East Africa, Asia, the West, and Israel. However, this does not negate the fact that there have been some resentments against Igbo Jews because of their Jewish identity.

In its Global Attitudes Project report, the Pew Research Centre documented that the majority of respondents from predominantly Muslim nations largely displayed unfavourable sentiments against the Jews^[65]Pew Research Centre, The Pew Global Attitudes Project. Washington, DC, Pew Research Centre, 2010, p. 23.. In Nigeria, both favourable and unfavourable dispositions towards Jews stood at 44 percent each. However, among those who project unfavorable dispositions, 60% were documented to be Muslims, while 28% were Christians. The predominance of Islam and Christianity in Nigeria has influenced several adherents to have reservations against Jews based on the historical conflicts between Israel and the Arab world on the world hand, and biblical account of the shaming and killing of Christ respectively. The politicization of Judaism through its adoption by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, could be adduced as a major reason for the rise in attacks on Igbo Jews in Nigeria today. In 2016, at least 28 Igbo Jews were part of the 150 pro-Biafra activists killed by Nigerian state agents based on reports from Amnesty International. This intimidation, according to members, has hindered the growth of membership of the religion with a lot of intending members afraid to join because of the fear of persecution by the Nigerian state^[66]See “The Fast-Growing Jewish Population of Nigeria is Now at Risk”, [online] https://mosaicmagazine.com/picks/jewish-world/2019/08/the-fast-growing-jewish-population-of-nigeria-is-now-at-risk/.  Kanu, apart from flying Israel’s flag alongside the Biafran flag in his compound, also proposed a redesign of the Biafran flag to reflect an insertion of the star of David. He was also pictured at the Western Wall in Jerusalem during a visit in October 2018 after he had escaped from his home during a September 2017 raid by Nigerian security agents. He had been working towards positioning himself as a rabbi since his release from prison in April 2017, with a Jewish priest as one of his sureties^[67]Evelyn Okakwu, “Updated: Nnamdi Kanu Released from Prison, Sureties Identified”, Premium Times, April 28, 2017 [online] … Continue reading. He appeared donning a skull cap and shawl^[68]Jideofor Adibe, “The Return of Nnamdi Kanu”, Daily Trust, 25 octobre 2018, [en ligne] https://dailytrust.com/the-return-of-nnamdi-kanu/.

Nnamdi Kanu’s visit to Israel in late 2018 confirmed his ambition to invoke support for the secessionist cause from fellow Jews. He had mentioned in a broadcast from Israel that Israel had contributed to keeping him alive after he escaped from Nigeria. These activities were inimical to the Jewish commune in Nigeria which had experienced several attacks during the year. For instance, the Shalom Synagogue of Israel located in Aba was raided by the members of the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Police, and Nigerian military during a prayer meeting in January 2018. During the raid, they arrested the Hebrew teacher and made away with the Torah and Tanakh. The teacher was later released after paying a fine of N150,000, an equivalent of 400 Euros^[69]This estimation is based on the official exchange rate as of January, 2018. Samanth Subramanian, op. cit..This led to allegations by members of IPOB that there was an anti-Israeli agenda being implemented by Islamists within the Nigerian government who are trying to suppress the practice of Judaism in the country. In its press release, IPOB claimed that Igbo Jews have been increasingly targeted since the former US President, Donald Trump, recognized Jerusalem as the ‘eternal’ Capital of Israel^[70]Emma Powerful, “DSS Must Stop Arresting Members of Shalom Synagogue of Israel in Aba – IPOB”, Press Release, 247 UReports, January 31, 2018. [Online] … Continue reading. This allusion meant that they were being targeted because they identified as Jews. Later in May, over a hundred Igbo Jews were arrested for holding Shabbat service in the home of the IPOB leader’s father at Afaraukwu in Abia state^[71]“Are the Jewish religious sect in Abia being persecuted?” [online] https://infonet9ja.com/2018/06/12/are-the-jewish-religious-sect-in-abia-being-persecuted/. They were later charged with terrorism by the state police command as IPOB members since the group had been proscribed as a terrorist organization by the Nigerian government^[72]The Federal High Court in Abuja declared the activities of IPOB as acts of terrorism on September 20, 2017 but this was upturned by the Enugu State High Court in January 2023 as a fundamental … Continue reading. Jews were continually targeted in Nigeria even after Nnamdi Kanu’s appearance in Israel. On December 11, 2018, the police arrested 51 Igbo Jews (41 males and 10 females) for parading Biafran symbols while requesting the creation of a ‘Jewish nation in Biafra land’ during a protest march from the Kanu’s compound^[73]Lawrence Njoku & Gordi Udeajah, “Police Arrest 51 as ‘Jewish Worshippers’ Protest in Abia”, The Guardian, 12 décembre 2018. [En … Continue reading. IPOB responded by stating that it would alert the global Jewish community on the arrest as an indication that the act of the Nigerian state was antisemitic. These arrests continue to deter intending members from joining the group^[74]Personal communication with Igbo Christians in Enugu, Owerri, Lagos and Abuja between September and December 2023.

Although IPOB claims that its agitations were founded on Judeo-Christian principles, Igbo Christians continue to express their reservations against their Jewish counterparts, even within family circles^[75]Samanth Subramanian, op. cit. . The latter are at times considered disoriented and have minority opinions within certain community gatherings.  Some non-Nigerian Jews have also been victims of state aggression. For instance, three Israeli filmmakers were arrested and deported in July 2021 for working on a documentary on Igbo Jews. Their arrest took place during a Shabbat service where a Torah Scroll was being donated. A female leader of the Jewish congregation in Ogidi, Agha^[76]She was identified as Ima Lizben by Yirmiyahu Danzig, op. cit. See also online : https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-58097200 was arrested from her home and incarcerated for 3 weeks concerning the incident^[77]“Nigeria Releases Igbo Jewish Leader Arrested with Israeli Filmmakers”, Israel Hayom, October 8, 2021 [online] … Continue reading.

Apart from the Nigerian state and Christians, there have also been incidents of anti-Israeli sentiments by Muslims in the aftermath of Israel’s reaction to the October 7 attacks by Hamas. The Shiites in Nigeria, also known as the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), protested in Abuja against the retaliatory invasion of Gaza by Israel. They specifically condemned attacks on the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Greek Orthodox Saint Porphyrius Church^[78]Ezra Ukanwa, op. cit.. During the protests, they burnt Israeli and American flags and chanted anti-Israeli songs, while labeling the Israeli army as terrorists^[79]“Breaking: Shiites Protest in Nigerian Capital, Abuja, Condemn Israeli Deadly Attacks on Palestinians in Gaza”, Sahara Reporters, October 9, 2023 [online] … Continue reading. A month later, its members also held anti-Israeli protests in neighbouring Kaduna on November 16, 2023. This was a more violent protest with members of the Nigerian Police Force making interventions with live bullets that resulted in at least two fatalities. According to the police, they were trying to enforce the ban on public procession in the state. Placards with messages such as ‘Death to Israel’ were on display, while pamphlets with pro-Palestinian contents were distributed^[80]Godwin Isenyo, “Israël-Hamas : Two Feared Killed as Police, Shiites Clash in Kaduna”,  Punch, November 17, 2023 [online] … Continue reading.

Conclusion

The association of the practice of Judaism in Nigeria with the politics of the creation of the States of Biafra has created a negative image for Nigerian Jews, especially those of Igbo extraction. One of the earliest practicing Jews in Nigeria, Ovadai Avichia expressed his reservations about the politicization of Judaism in Nigeria by Nnamdi Kanu. This is because his actions have attracted the wrath of the Nigerian state due to IPOB’s adoption of armed struggle. This has resulted in the victimization of mostly apolitical Jewish communities, especially in the Southeast country^[81]Nduka Orjinmo, op. cit.. The twist is that some IPOB members have been preying on residents within Nigeria’s Southeast who they claim they are seeking to liberate. This creates internal contradictions with their kinsmen criticizing their intimidating technique, which has not only led to the militarization of the Southeast but has also resulted in human and economic losses for residents of the Southeast. The declaration and enforcement of the Monday sit-at-home, for instance, has engendered violence where residents have been victimized by IPOB members who raid offices and other businesses, while those who accede to their demands have also been punished by some eastern state governments because of compliance. Beyond the complexities of identifying as Jews, the politicization of the identity and appropriation for a nationalist agenda remains a major challenge for operationalizing Judaism in Nigeria.

Acknowledgement

Gratitude goes to Anuli Kama and Nancy Udodi for providing support during the research and Iwalewa Olorunyomi for reading through the first draft of the manuscript.