NewStats: 3,261,781 , 8,175,123 topics. Date: Friday, 30 May 2025 at 01:47 PM 1b6n12

The transcript / translation of what the Obi of Onitsha said is wrong. It is either mischievous or comes from a place of ignorance of Igbo language or lack of proficiency in same. He stated that some Igbo people migrated from Eri in Eastern Nigeria to Ado (present day Ife). Some of them migrated back to Igboland. He stated that the people of Ijebu-Igbo are Igbo people who did not return to their homeland. During the reverse migration, Igbo people founded settlements in Benin and Delta State and some of them stayed there and some of them returned to Onitsha.

The Obi of Onitsha emphasized that the peoples of southern Nigeria are related. He called for unity among the people.

The sentence/verse "God hates divorce" (Malachi 2:16) did not appear in the Bible before 1611 when the King James Bible was published. Many Bible scholars consider the translation erroneous or an interpolation. That is why many versions of the Bible do not have the sentence.

Christian Standard Bible (CSB) translates the same verse thus: “If he hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord God of Israel, “he covers his garment with injustice,” says the Lord of Armies. Therefore, watch yourselves carefully, and do not act treacherously.

English Standard Version (ESV) translates the same verse as “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the LORD, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”

New International Version 2011 (NIV) translates it as “The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the LORD, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the LORD Almighty. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.

It is important to understand that the books that make up the Bible were originally written in ancient languages such as Hebrew and Greek. The meanings of some of the words have changed. The books were translated into Latin and later into English. It is not far-fetched that some of the translators erred. Human beings are not infallible. Some of them may have had ulterior motive in translating some verses of the Bible.

It is important to pay attention to the context under which some biblical laws or statements were made. A thorough reading of Malachi 2 will show that the verse is about God's rebuke of Jewish men who divorced their wives without cause in order to marry foreign women after the exile. The book of Malachi was written 500 years before Christ. Some laws in the Bible were given to address a particular situation in ancient times.

Biblical grounds for divorce
1. In Mathew 19: 9 (ESV) and Mathew 5: 31 – 32 (ESV), the Bible says “And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another commits adultery.”
The Greek word translated as “sexual immorality” is porneia; It includes prostitution, adultery, incest, bestiality, homosexual and lesbian activities.
2. Divorce is allowed on the ground of abandonment. See 1 Corinthians 7:14—15 (NIV).
3. The law of Moses allowed divorce in Exodus 21:10, 11 (NIV) on the ground of neglect or abuse in marriage.

The verse "God hates divorce" (Malachi 2:16) did not appear in the Bible before 1611 when the King James Bible was published. Many Bible scholars consider the translation erroneous or an interpolation. That is why many versions of the Bible do not have the sentence.

Christian Standard Bible (CSB) translates the same verse thus: “If he hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord God of Israel, “he covers his garment with injustice,” says the Lord of Armies. Therefore, watch yourselves carefully, and do not act treacherously.

English Standard Version (ESV) translates the same verse as “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the LORD, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”

New International Version 2011 (NIV) translates it as “The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the LORD, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the LORD Almighty. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.

It is important to understand that the books that make up the Bible were originally written in ancient languages such as Hebrew and Greek. The meanings of some of the words have changed. The books were translated into Latin and later into English. It is not far-fetched that some of the translators erred. Human beings are not infallible. Some of them may have had ulterior motive in translating some verses of the Bible.

It is important to pay attention to the context under which some biblical laws or statements were made. A thorough reading of Malachi 2 will show that the verse is about God's rebuke of Jewish men who divorced their wives without cause in order to marry foreign women after the exile. The book of Malachi was written 500 years before Christ. Some laws in the Bible were given to address a particular situation in ancient times.

May the soul of Ms Osinachi Nwachukwu rest in peace.

[quote author=musicwriter post=69620353]
I agree entirely with the last two sentences of your post. Europeans reintroduced what they learnt from us. Pythagoras, Homer, Plato and Hippocrates came to African to study. Hippocrates is today regarded by many as the "father of medicine". He came to African to drink from the well of knowledge created by a black man named Imhotep. These ancient Greeks mentioned above and others spread their civilization to Europe.