Where are they igbos from???

Question:

Where are they igbos from???

the nigerian igbos claim they are the lost tribe of isreal. This has become quite a controversy for them, and i feel i should throw this question to all jews....please what do you think? is it possible to carry out some sort of DNA to trace exactly who these people are...

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: There's more background information on Judaism in Africa here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/african_jew...

They mention DNA testing on Ethiopians who apparently do not have as strong a link to the tribes of Israel as do the Lemba.

Section 1.5 of the article addresses Igbo Judaism specifically but does not mention DNA testing. However, it does point out that some of their cultural traditions tend to verify descent from the Northern tribes of Israel.

And why not? Both Biblically and historically, the Israelites were a presence in ancient Egypt. There must have been enough mixing of the gene pools to create ethnic signatures in the DNA of both cultures. There would also have been contact with the Nubians, etc, etc.

Right now, though, it does look as though the Lemba have the strongest genetic claim, not the Igbo - unless one is some part of the other. I couldn't tell by reading the article.