Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has corrected one Nwa Neri who stated that the Igbo ethnic group in Nigeria are Jews and not black.

In a post on Facebook, the man claimed that the Jewish ancestry of the Igbo is why they have a lot of light-skinned people among them.

However, Omokri believes that the light skin was imported into their gene pool by white missionaries, just as he dismissed the claim that Igbo people have Jewish roots.

He said on Facebook, "Dear Ejike,

"Thank you for your feedback. Your assumptions may not have the benefit of historical accuracy. Light skin in Southern Nigeria is common amongst the Bini, Itsekiri, particular Ijaws, and the Igbos, not because of Jewish or Hebraic ancestry.
Light skin is perhaps more prevalent amongst Itsekiris and some Ijaw clans on a per capita basis than in any other Southern ethnicities.

"The reason is far more sinister than your claims of Jewish ancestry.

"When Christian missionaries came to precolonial Nigeria, they usually brought their wives with them.
But, without mentioning any institution, some Christian missionaries came without their wives. And, as happened in the Americas, where Native American women had tens of thousands of mixed-race children with priests of a particular institution (if you think I am lying, please Google it), the course of nature happened in these parts of Nigeria, and European features were added to their gene pool.

"This happened in precolonial Northern Nigeria long before it occurred in the South, but in their own case, it was Arab features that were introduced into the genetic makeup of some Northern ethnicities.

"This was not the case with all missionaries. It was more pronounced with a particular institution. In fact, it almost exclusively followed them.

"So, if you look at the places in Southern Nigeria where light skin occurs at a higher rate, you will find that one denomination of Christianity is equally strongest there.

"Beyond that, I do not want to say more. What I can, however, say is that the only people with possible Semitic roots in Nigeria are pure Hausa people.

"And the reason being that they speak an Afro-Asiatic language, while almost the rest of Nigeria speak Cushitic Niger–Congo language.

"It is not possible for Jews or Hebraic people to totally lose all trace of their language and speak a Cushitic Niger–Congo language. For example, the Jews of Ethiopia, known as Beta Israel, retained some of their language.

"But feel free to continue in your belief. It is possible you have evidence of your Hebraic roots than I have.

"Finally, I am proudly dark skinned, and look good that way. I do not see light skin as something to be jealous of. I admire the Igbo for their ingenuity, not their skin tone.

"Thanks again, and may God bless you."

ASA