Nigerian Igbos form running club in the UK to strengthen bonds

In London’s famous Hyde Park around 11:00 early Saturday morning, runners gather on the benches – some tall and thin, some broad and strong, a few entering the Strava program, but one thread that unites them – most of them. and Nigerians of Igbo descent.

This is the Ozo running club, created by the Igbo people to celebrate the culture of one of Nigeria’s largest ethnic groups of over 300.

“We wanted to create a place where the Igbo youth can come together and reconnect with their culture,” said Chibueze Odoemene, who founded the group with Emeka Atumonyogo, and Chigo Ogbonna.

In less than three months, the Ozo running club already has over 300 members.

This is fast growth is not only about the great desire of the community, but also the great increase of running clubs in recent years.

Stravathe popular running program, has reported a 59% increase in club participation worldwide this year.

But for the Ozo running club, the weekly Saturday meet isn’t just about jogging, running or fitness – it’s a place where visitors become family.

Even as runners wait to get into their respective running groups – fast, medium, slow, and walking – noise and energy permeate the quiet of the park as Afrobeats blares from a nearby speaker.

“Your Igbo!” shouts Mr Odoemene, his voice echoing in the park for everyone to listen.

The group responds in unison with the undertones, shouting “Eyy.”

“This!” he called again, his tone commanding and warm.

Again, a unified “Eyy” follows, echoing through the runners and setting the tone for the morning.

This traditional Igbo call and response is not just a greeting – it’s a moment of pride, a reminder of their shared roots and familiarity that runs as deep as their commitment to each other and the weekend run.

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

Running clubs like Ozo, which are often very relaxed, have become a place for people to make new friends, form a team, and maybe even meet future partners.

The co-founders, who have experienced other Igbo events, laugh at the prospect of a love story developing in their community.

“If people meet the love of their life, it’s wonderful, but the most important thing for us is to build a happy place,” said Odoemene.

About Francesca Ngozi Ezennolim, 21, the prospect of dating is not what brought her from Read, about 64km (40 miles) from London, on Saturday morning, but the promise of community.

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

Dressed in black sportswear, she told the BBC she hoped the running club would fill a hole in her life.

And he is not alone.

A new member of the club, Jennifer Iwuamadi, 23, said the same thing.

“It is very important to come to the Igbo club because we socialize with our brothers and sisters. It is a good way to get healthy and network,” he said.

Although the Igbos are one of the largest ethnic groups in Nigeria and are popular in other countries, many feel that their culture is under threat. In 2006, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) predicted that the Igbo language would be extinct by 2025.

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

In contrast, speakers of Yoruba, another major language in southern Nigeria, have dropped from 15,000 to 10,000 over the same period.

However, some Igbo youths have told the BBC that they struggle to make friends outside of their parents’ homes.

“I have many Yoruba friends, but I want to meet people from my own tribe,” Ezennolim told the BBC.

“When people think of Nigerians, they don’t really think of the Igbo people. Nigeria is not one piece, it is several pieces,” Odoemene said.

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

The founders shake their heads vigorously.

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

He said people from Iran, Italy, and the Caribbean have come to his meetings – and he encourages others to join in, learn about Igbo culture, ask questions, and settle into a fun atmosphere.

However, beneath the joy and camaraderie, there is a dark side to the Igbo story.

In Nigeria, many people associate the Igbos with the 1967-70 Biafra war, which killed nearly a million people after Igbo leaders in the southeast led a nationwide secession campaign.

Decades later, the wounds of the war are still raw, still changing the way the Igbo people see them, both at home and abroad.

In his book, The Trouble with Nigeria, the late Chinua Achebe, one of Nigeria’s most famous writers, who was an Igbo, said: “Nigerians may not be able to agree on any issue other than hatred of the Igbo people.” “

These words capture – in the minds of many Igbos – a legacy that continues to resonate.

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

Uzoma Ehziem, 34, who immigrated to the UK almost two decades ago, said he does not feel that Igbo culture receives the attention it deserves.

He is one of the athletes in this group and believes that Yoruba culture dominates what many in the UK and, globally, think of as “Nigeria”.

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

The exception is literature, where Achebe, as well as Igbo writers such as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Akwaeke Emezi have gained international fame.

Many in the running community feel that the world should know more about the Igbo people.

“When you tell someone you’re Nigerian, the first thing they ask is: ‘Are you Yoruba?'” Mr Ehziem said.

This team doesn’t just make racing parts. It has added monthly outings to the community – from karaoke to dodgeball sessions and even an Igbo gala to be held next year.

But for now the weekly running clubs have become fun and friendly for the members.

As the pace winds down and the rest of the team meets again on the benches, Mr. Odoemene surrounds the runners with a similar chant of unity.

Old friends come and new friends say hello.

People exchange phone numbers, and when they part ways, the promise to meet again this coming Saturday and this anniversary is not just a fleeting encounter but the beginning of lasting friendships based on community and cultural pride.