Nigerian Igbo people form a running club in England to strengthen ties

In London’s famous Hyde Park at about 11 a.m. on a crisp Saturday morning, joggers gathered at several benches – some tall and skinny, others wide and sturdy, some logged to the Strava app, but there is one thing in common that unites them – most of them are Nigerians of Igbo descent.

This is the Ozo running club, founded by the Igbo people to celebrate the culture of one of the largest of the more than 300 ethnic groups in Nigeria.

“We wanted to create a space where Igbo youth could connect and reconnect with their culture,” said Chibueze Odoemene, who co-founded the club with Emeka Atumonyogo and Chigo Ogbonna.

In less than three months, the Ozo running club had more than 300 members.

This quickly The growth not only speaks to a deep desire for community but also speaks to the significant explosion of social activity clubs in recent years.

Stravapopular running app, said the number of people joining running clubs globally has increased by 59% this year.

But for Ozo running club, the weekly Saturday meeting isn’t simply about running, speed or fitness – it’s where strangers become family.

Even as athletes waited to join their respective pace groups – fast, intermediate, slow and walk – the buzz and energy cut through the quiet of the park as the music played. Afrobeats blared from a nearby speaker.

“Igbo kwenu!” Mr. Odoemene shouted, his voice echoing throughout the park to attract everyone’s attention.

The whole group responded in unison with an “Eyy”.

“Igbo kwezo!” He called again, his tone both commanding and warm.

Once again, a unified “Eyy” followed, echoing among the runners and setting the tone for the morning.

This traditional Igbo call and response is more than just a greeting – it’s a moment of pride, a reminder of their shared roots and identity as deep as their commitment to each other and the race. weekly set.

“The hymn is used as a call for unity, community and love among all Igbo people,” Mr. Odoemene said.

Running clubs like Ozo, which are often free, have become spaces for people to make new friends, create community, and maybe even meet future partners.

The co-founders, who met at other Igbo social events, laughed at the prospect of a love story blossoming at their club.

“If everyone meets the love of their life that would be wonderful, but the most important thing for us is to build a happy community,” Mr. Odoemene said.

Because For Francesca Ngozi Ezennolim, 21, the prospect of romance was not what brought her all the way from Reading, about 64km (40 miles) from London, on a Saturday morning, but the promise of community.

“I don’t have many Igbo friends,” she said, adding: “I have a lot of Nigerian friends – but it’s hard to find Igbo friends.”

Dressed in black tracksuits, she told the BBC she hoped the running club would fill that void in her life.

And she’s not alone.

As a first-timer at the club, Jennifer Iwuamadi, 23, shared the same opinion.

“Going to the Igbo running club is important because we get to interact with our brothers and sisters. It’s a great way to get relevant and connect,” she said.

Although the Igbo people are one of the largest ethnic groups in Nigeria and prominent in the diaspora, many feel their culture is under threat. In 2006, the United Nations cultural organization (Unesco) predicted that the Igbo language would become extinct by 2025.

However, in the UK their numbers have increased over the past decade – from around 8,000 to 11,000, according to the Office for National Statistics.

In contrast, the number of people speaking Yoruba, the other main language in southern Nigeria, fell from 15,000 to 10,000 during the same period.

However, some Igbo youth told the BBC that they had difficulty making friends outside their parents’ community.

“I have a lot of Yoruba friends but I want to meet people from my tribe,” Ms Ezennolim told the BBC.

“When people think of Nigerians, they don’t really think of Igbo people. Nigeria is not just one piece but many pieces,” Mr. Odoemene said.

But wouldn’t it be divisive to have a running club that focuses on Igbo culture?

The founders shook their heads vehemently.

“You don’t have to be Igbo to go to a running club,” Mr. Atumonyogo said.

He added that people from Iran, Italy and the Caribbean have come to attend their sessions – and they encourage others to join in, learn about Igbo culture, ask questions and soak up the vibrant atmosphere. dynamic.

However, beneath the joy and camaraderie, the Igbo story has a darker side.

In Nigeria, many people still associate the Igbo people with the 1967-70 Biafran war, which left about a million people dead after Igbo leaders in the southeast led a campaign to secede from the rest of the country. .

Decades later, the wounds of the war remain raw, still to some extent shaping perceptions of the Igbo people, both at home and abroad.

In his book The Trouble with Nigeria, the late Chinua Achebe, one of the most famous Nigerian Igbo authors, said: “Nigerians are unlikely to reach consensus on any other issue than disagreement. their general satisfaction with the Igbo people.”

These words capture – in the view of many Igbo people – a history of marginalization that continues to resonate.

For them, this history underscores a deeper purpose – the desire to make a mark and amplify Igbo representation.

Uzoma Ehziem, 34, who moved to Britain nearly two decades ago, said he did not feel Igbo culture received the attention it deserved.

He is one of the people who runs the club and believes that Yoruba culture dominates what many people in the UK and globally consider “Nigerian”.

From legendary Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti to Africa’s first Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka and contemporary stars such as Davido, Ayra Starr and Tems, many of the most prominent figures in Nigerian popular culture are Yoruba.

The exception is literature, where Achebe and contemporary Igbo authors such as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Akwaeke Emezi achieved international fame.

Many in the running club felt the world should know more about the Igbo people.

“If you tell someone you are Nigerian, the first thing they will ask is: ‘Are you Yoruba?’” Mr. Ehziem said.

The club doesn’t just organize jogging sessions. It has added monthly social outings for community members – from karaoke to dodgeball and even an Igbo gala coming up next year.

But now, weekly running clubs have become a source of joy and camaraderie for members.

When the run ended and the group met again at the bench, Mr. Odoemene rallied the runners with the same rallying cry.

Old friends meet and new friends greet.

People exchanged phone numbers and as they parted, the promise to meet again next Saturday was a reminder that this was not just a fleeting encounter but the beginning of long lasting relationships to come from. from pride in community and culture.