It must be recognized that Igbo’s thus Gadites and other Israelites inhabit the U.S., West Indies and Caribbean Islands due to the slave trade.
It is believed that over 60% of Igbos has ended up in various parts of the world and that approximately 25% of all African Americans are Igbo as well as a good number who occupy the West Indies and Caribbean Islands such as and especially Jamaica and Haiti. This is because there were some Igbo slaves either too sick, on the verge of death, to rebellious and unruly to travel to the U.S. were dumped off on these Island and some Igbo were simply sold to Island plantations and thus the Igbo were spread throughout these Islands.
Haiti still has a proverbs that says, “The Igbo has hung himself,” meaning one would rather die than to be forced to do something. They also have a folk song called, “Ibu Lele.” Anything in Haiti that has value is referred to as “Ibu.” They also have a place in Haiti called, Ibo Beach.
In Jamaica they have a place called “Ibu Town.” As well as a section of Belize City which carries this same name (Eboe Town).
It is said that Jamacian Igbos are known for the reddish hue to their brown skin and are called “Red Ibos.” Interestingly enough, the soil of Nigeria where Igbos lives is red. Adam, the first man, his name means “red.” It is believed Adam was a black man with a reddish tint to his skin. “Red Ibos” are also a common phrase in Barbados.
Ebo Landing in St. Simons Georgia (1850’s) is known as a slave ship landing area and on one occasion the Igbo slaves refused to disembark in order to be sold and instead jumped overboard and drown; believing their souls would return to Igboland. Could this event be spiritual DNA or spiritual residual memory come into play; recalling slavery in Egypt or Assyrian captivities or the Masada Revolt and Thus the Igbo would rather die than to allow history to repeat itself?
Some believe the Jamaican Maroons and the Jamaican Patois and Rastafarians are of Igbo descent because certain Igbo words still exist in their tongue as well as their draw, affinity and practice of Judaism or Black Hebrewism.
