The origin of the Igbo people remains a subject of historical debate, with one of the most widely accepted hypotheses being that Igbos are descendants of "Nri." Archaeological evidence suggests that Nri hegemony in Igbo land may date back to the 9th century, with royal burials unearthed dating to at least the 10th century.

Eri, the god-like founder of the Nri kingdom (presently called Umu Nri), is believed to have settled in the region around 948 AD. It has been postulated that Eri was one of the lost tribes of Israel, a belief gaining increasing traction among many Igbos who consider themselves black Jews.

The first Eze Nri (King of Nri) succeeded Eri, and the kingdom of Nri was considered a thriving religio-polity, a sort of theocratic state which emerged within the Igbo heartland around 1043 AD.

Before British colonial incursion in the 20th century, Igbos were politically fragmented but had a structured family hierarchical form of government and jurisprudence. The idea of chiefdom or central monarchy was foreign to Igbos until Lord Fredrick Lugard introduced the "Ezeship" system of "Warrant chiefs."

In 1967, following the massacre of Igbos in northern Nigeria, Igbos wanted to secede from Nigeria and have an independent homeland, leading to the Nigerian-Biafra civil war (1967-1970). The war ended with millions of casualties, most of whom were innocent Igbo children, women, and the elderly.

Following the civil war, many Igbos were stripped of their successes and life earnings by the Nigerian government, which implemented a policy giving only 20 Pounds Sterling to any Igbo person, regardless of their pre-war savings. This ethnically biased policy still affects Nigeria today and has heightened calls for reparations.