The Israelites of Africa (A Means to Preserve the Oral Traditions)

The Israelites of Africa(A Means to Preserve the Oral Traditions)

by: Yahshurun Obai Agyemang (Brandon Coleman)

“From beyond the rivers of Kush(Ethiopia) my worshippers, the daughter ofMy dispersed ones, shall bring My offering." (Zephaniah 3:10, ISRTranslation)

PREFACE

This is a brief book of the Israelites in the African diaspora. After reading thisbook you will know that Africa has the largest population of Israelites in thediaspora. I am putting this book together, because I see an urgency ofhistory that needs to be documented before it will no longer exist. OurElders are dying off. Once they die the oral traditions will leave with them.As the old African proverb says," If an Elder dies it is as if a library hasburned down." As you go through my book I will quote from a lot ofreferences to further your research.

Hopefully this book will end the foolish idea of calling African IsraelitesHamites when "African American" Israelites share common ancestry withthese people. If our brothers are Hamites that would make us Hamites too.We must understand this true fact. Hebrews are African. Israel is reallylocated in Africa. It's culture is African. Let us not also forget that wesojourned in Africa(Egypt) for 430 years. We were Semitic people living inthe continent of Africa. We need to stop listening to misinformed brethrenwho are pushing a false twelve tribe chart excluding our people in Africa.This is just as bad as the doctrine that all European people are Esau. How isthat possible when we have a tribe in Nigeria called the Edo who aredescendants of Esau?

Before we begin we must understand and know the true borders of Israel.Israel is in Northeast Africa. The "Middle East as a region did not exist untilthe 1800s. The original borders were from the Nile to the Euphrates.

"On the same day YAHUAH made a covenant with Abram, saying, “I havegiven this land to your seed, from the river of Egypt to the great river, theRiver Euphrates"(Genesis 15:18, ISR Translation )

Let us now begin.

The Bani Israel (Sons of Israel) community in Senegal

"These Israelites are said to have migrated from Egypt about a thousandyears ago. Their lineage is from the Drame and Sylla clans. Today most ofthem practice Islam but have not forgotten their Israelite roots. They havea sacred tree in their possession that Jacob our father planted when theyfirst settled there. Within their culture are Hebraic customs that are clearlyevident."(1) "Yet, indeed, there are a number of historical records of smallJewish kingdoms and tribal groups known as Beni Israel that were part ofthe Wolof and Mandingo communities. These existed in Senegal from theearly Middle Ages up to the 18th century, when they were forced toconvert to Islam. Some of these claimed to be descendants of the tribe ofDan, the traditional tribe of Jewish gold and metal artisans, who are alsosaid to have built the "Golden Calf"." (9)

Dougoutigo Fadiga outside the Bani Israel clinic near the Senegalese village’ssacred tree, May 2013. (Cnaan Liphshiz)

The Yibir tribe of Somalia

"The Yibir in Somalia is one of the few known Muslim communitiesworldwide that maintains Jewish descent. The community is small andtightly knitted, numbering not more than thirty thousand. The name Yibir,also pronounced Yibro and Yahar, simply means Hebrews."(2) "Althoughthe question as to how Judaism has arrived to Somalia has not beenpreviously researched, certain Yibir cultural features seem to indicate thatthe community has branched out of an older Beta Israel–Ethiopian Jewishpopulation. (As reported in Jon Entine’s Abraham’s Children, geneticevidence has confirmed that the formation of the Beta Israel goes backapproximately to the fourth or fifth century). Both groups, the Beta Israeland Yibir, are perceived as outcasts by their host populations and areassociated with magic and superstition."(2)

Ahmed Jama Hersi Sultan of Somalian Israelites

Israelites of Cameroon (Bamileke, Basa, Mbo, Hausa, Bankon)

"Jews from Cameroon are said to originate from Egypt. In order to escapethe Islamic conquest of North Africa they were pushed towards theEquator and settled in Central West Africa 1,200 years ago. The largestIsraelite tribe in Cameroon is the Bassa people of Douala in the Littoralprovince. Most of the early migrants had built synagogues but there are norecords of existing ones in Cameroon today. King Alexander Bell who ruledthe Douala region of Cameroon in the late 19century was a practicingJew. His family is said to have originated from Israel and migrated to Egyptand then Cameroon. His children are said to have been going to shul,putting a yarmulke on. By blood, they have been Cameroonian Jews formany generations. The dynasty of King Manga Bell has survived till date.The kings are crowned in ceremonies that look Jewish. The Cameroonianborn Rabbi Yisrael Oriel’s grandfather is said to have built a synagogue,now in ruins, of which his uncle had been the last gabbai. According toRabbi Yisrael, in 1920 there were 400,000 'Israelites' in Cameroon. But by1962 the number had decreased to 167,000 due to conversion fromChristian and Islamic missionaries.

Other Jewish tribes in Cameroon are said to include Haussa, descendedfrom the tribe of Issachar, who were forced to convert to Islam in theeighth and ninth centuries, and the Bamileke who are largely Christian.(3)"The Mbo tribe is the father of the Bamileke chiefdoms Fongo Tongo, Foto,Foreke Dschang, and Fondongela.This of course would also make them Israelites. "Bankon (Abaw, Abo, Bo,Bon) is a tribe related to Basaa and Rombi groups, located in the north ofDouala city, Abo subdivision, Bonalea commune, in the Littoral region ofCameroon. The word Ban-Kon means "son of prince" in Assyrian, anAramaic dialect.In her works "The Negro-African Languages", the French scholar LiliasHomburger concluded that Bankon language is Kum. The word Kummeans "arise" or "get up!"in Hebrew; the Assyrians called the House of Israelby the name of Kumri."(13)The capital of Cameroon is called Yauonde which is Yahudi (Jew). Inmodern times Rabbinical Judaism which is a stumbling block to manyCameroonian Jews. Ashkenazi converts are pushing the lie that theCameroonians are converts and not Israelites. The same can be said inUganda which we will address later.

Photo credits for this section: Joel Abena Kono (Hebrew name: Aaron).

The Israelites of Sierra Leone( Temne, Mende, Mandingo, Kono, Limba)

There is a strong presence of the House of Judah in Sierra Leone(LionMoutains). As I write this now they are gradually returning back to theTorah. The Temne, and Limba are said to come from the tribe of Judahwith a lineal connection with King David. The Temne practice Hebrewcustoms such as circumcision, reverence of the Sabbath day, polygamy,purification rituals,(4) and putting the Shema on their doorpost. " Temnepeople wear skullcaps called the "Kalapra" which is identical to theHebrew skullcap "Kippah". Their prayer shawl like the Hebrew Tallit is calleda "Brenea". Traditional Temnes also wear the fringes, or tassels on theborders of their garments. According to oral traditions, the Temne are fromthe tribe of Yahudah/Judah. They left Israel after the destruction of theTemple in Jerusalem in 70 C.E. They then went to Yemen/Ethiopia, toMali/Western Sudan, then Futa Jallon/Guenea, and later Sierra Leone."(4)It is well known that the Mende, Mandingo, Mande, Mandinka are relatedto the Temne and the Limba people. Some have said that they aredescended from Bilal ibn rabah who was from the tribe of Judah. There isalso evidence that the Mandingo and Mande could be from the tribe ofEphraim. "In Mauritania and Mali the Moorish Ephraimites became knownas the Bafar or Bafour. This classification included the Mande tribes ofwhich the most prominent are the Mandingo who were also known as theMalinke and Soninke."(10) The Mandan Israelites have been coming to theAmericas way before Columbus.Most of the tribes came to Africa after the destruction of the Temple inJerusalem in 70 C.E. The Kono tribe has traces of Levitical practices withintheir culture. Their language also has evidence of a mixture of Hebrew andEgyptian dialect. Even though there is a strong presence of Islam in SierraLeone, Hebrewism is definitely on the rise bringing unity among the tribes.

The Israelite Assembly "The Congregation of YAHUAH in Sierra Leone" in Freetown

Israelites of Liberia( Dei, Krahm, Kru, Kwa, Dan/Yakuba, Grebo)

There are many Israelite tribes within Liberia. The Bodia among the Greboare similar to the Levitical priest. When he is a corinated, he is anointed, aring is put on his ankle as a badge of office. His doorposts are thensprinkled with the blood of a sacrificed goat.(5) The Grebo, Kwa, Kru,Krahm, and Dei are all basically the same people. They call the CreatorNyenswah. I found this amazing. Nyenswah as he is called is almostidentical to the name of the Hebrew Messiah YAHUSHA(Yeshua,"jesus").How would they know of him unless their ancestors encountered him. Thisreminds me of the Temne of Sierra Leone who call him Nabi Yashu whenmaking sacrifices. The Yoruba of Nigeria call him Obatala. Obatala has astory very similar to the death,descent into underworld, and Resurrection ofthe Hebrew Messiah. This is definitely proves that one: the Messiah existedtwo: his early followers descendants are residing within Africa today. Thisalso proves that the divinity of the Messiah is not a recent concept cookedup by Constantine at the Council of Nicea, as some believe. TheDan/Yakuba tribe is from of course the tribe of Dan. Yakuba comes from ofcourse the Hebrew Patriarch Ya'aqob (Jacob).

Israelite Assembly "The Messianic Congregation of YAHUAH"

Israelites of Mali

"During the 8th century, the Rhadanites (Jewish African, mulit-lingualtraders) began to settle in Timbuktu, Mali. There they established a tradingcenter from which they set up a network of trading routes throughout thedesert. More Jews began to arrive in the 14th and 15th centuries, fleeingthe Spanish Inquisition. Then in 1492, the local King, Askia Muhammed,threatened the Jews with death if they did not convert to Islam. As thehistorian Leo Africanus wrote in 1526: "The king (Askia) is a declared enemyof the Jews. He will not allow any to live in the city. If he hears it said that aBerber merchant frequents them or does business with them, heconfiscates his goods." While some chose conversion, many fled from thecountry. In 1860, Rabbi Mordechai Abi Serour emigrated from Moroccowith several Jews to trade in Timbuktu. Rabbi Serour had to negotiate withthe local authorities to obtain “protected people” status. The newly arrivedcongregation established a synagogue and Jewish cemetery in the area.By the early 20th century no Jews remained in Mali"."In the mid-1990s, however, thousands of so called ‘Hidden Jews,’ began aMalian Jewish revival in Timbuktu, Mali; many reclaiming their Jewishheritage. In 1993, Ismael Diadie Haidara, a historian from Timbuktu,established an organization called Zakhor (Timbuktu Association forFriendship with the Jewish World). This organization is predominatelycomposed of Malians, descendants of Jews. Over the years, much of theMalian Jewry’s history has been uncovered; it was once concealed toavoid persecution."(6)"There are several thousand people of undoubted Jewish ancestry inTimbuktu, Mali. In the 14th century many Moors and Jews, fleeingpersecution in Spain, migrated south to the Timbuktu area, at that timepart of the Songhai Empire.Among them was the Kehath (Ka'ti) family, descended from Ismael JanKot Al-yahudi of Scheida, Morocco. Sons of this prominent family foundedthree villages that still exist near Timbuktu—Kirshamba, Haybomo, andKongougara.In 1492, Askia Muhammed came to power in the previously tolerant regionof Timbuktu and decreed that Jews must convert to Islam or leave;Judaism became illegal in Mali, as it did in Catholic Spain that same year.As the historian Leo Africanus wrote in 1526: "The king (Askia) is a declaredenemy of the Jews. He will not allow any to live in the city. If he hears it saidthat a Berber merchant frequents them or does business with them, heconfiscates his goods."

- The Kehath family converted with the rest of the non-Muslimpopulation.- The Cohens, descended from the Moroccan IslamicizedJewish trader El-Hadj Abd-al-Salam al Kuhin, arrived in theTimbuktu area in the 18th century.- The Abana family came in the first half of the 19thcentury."(14)

Rabbi Mordechai Aby Serour circa 1870s - 1880s. Last Rabbi of Timbuktu, Mali

Guinean Israelites (Fula, Susu, Soninke, Baga)

Many Israelites migrated through Guinea after the end of the Mali Empire.Many of them still remain there today. The Soninke, Susu, Baga sharerelation with the Mande and Temne Israelites. The Soninke Jews foundedthe Israelite Ghanain Empire. They and the Baga are said to come fromthe tribe of Judah. These tribes migrated from the East before the MaliEmpire.That being the case that would mean that they share ancestry withthe Ashanti of Ghana,who also come from the Southern kingdom of Israel,the House of Judah. Fulas are Israelites who some believe migrated fromAssyria. "Some believe that they are from a Semitic origin. According to thetradition, the ancestors of Fulani is Jacob son of Israel, son of Issac, son ofAbraham When Jacob left Canaan and went to Egypt where Joseph wasestablished. The Israelites prospered and grew in population while living inEgypt. Fulani people descended from them. After a long time a newPharaoh who did not know about Joseph’s fame in Egypt, came to power.He made the Israelites work hard at slave labor. The Pharaoh oppressedthe people, including Fulanis who were rich in cattle. They emigrated fromEgypt, some of them went back to Palestine and Syria under Mosesguidance and the other crossed the Nile with their cattle and headedwest. They took the name of fouth or foudh meaning those who left. Agroup from the latter moved along the edges of the Sahara to Touat-Airand then to West-Africa."(8)

Susu people with djembe and balafon (photograph of unknown origin presentedat the International Colonial Exhibition of Paris in 1931)

Beta Israel and Beta Abraham of Ethiopia

The Beta Israel are from the union of King Solomon of Israel and MakedaQueen of Ethiopia. From this union they bore a son called Menelik. Thisbegan the Solomonic dynasty in Ethiopia. More on this account can befound in the Kebra Negast (Book of the Kings). The Beta Israel were forcedto let go of the traditions that they have been practicing for thousands ofyears so that they could embrace the traditions of the Ashkenazi converts.Mainstream Jewry believes that these Jews are from the tribe of Dan. Idisagree. You can not deny that Judah is among them. we know Menelikis one proof of this. Levi is also among them since it is documented thatLevite priests came to Ethiopia with Menelik."In Ethiopia the community known as Beit Avraham has some 50,000members. This community also claims Jewish heritage. Several scholarsthink that they broke off from the Beta Israel community several centuriesago, hid their Jewish customs, and outwardly adopted Ethiopian OrthodoxChristianity.Beit Avraham have traditionally been on the lower rungs of Ethiopiansocial life and have held occupations similar to those of the Beta Israel,such as crafts. Recently, the Beit Avraham community has made attemptsto reach out to the world Jewish community. They formed the EthiopianNorth Shewa Zionist Organization in an attempt to save their Jewishidentity.Another name of this group is Falashmura. Without reliable proof of Jewishancestry, they are required to complete a formal conversion to berecognized by Israel or other Jewish communities as Jews and areconsidered converts."(11)I do not agree that these people are converts. I believe they are blooddescendants of Abraham Isaac, and Jacob. My brothers do not need toseek validation from anyone. It is amazing when a person from Africaproclaims their Israelite heritage it is always stated that they "claim". Youwill rarely hear about anyone challenging Ashkenazi (European) Jewseven though most of them are converts from the Caspian Sea. I have noproblem with someone converting to the Hebraic Way. What I do have aproblem with is when someone lays claim to our heritage when they are aguest in our house. To tell an Israelite to convert to "Judaism" or take a DNAtest is an insult. We need to stop trying to base our Hebrewism on theacceptance of converts who are not blood descendants anyway.

Beta Israel

The Lemba and Zulu Israelites of South Africa

"The Lemba are a Jewish people in southern Africa. Although they speakBantu languages similar to their neighbors, they have specific religiouspractices similar to those in Judaism and other Semitic traditions. They alsohave a tradition of being a migrant people, with clues pointing to an originfrom Yemeni Jews.They have restrictions on intermarriage with non-Lemba. It is difficult formale non-Lemba to become part of the community.A significant number of individuals carry a genetic signature on the Ychromosome known as the Cohen modal haplotype, indicative of aSemitic paternal ancestry.Amongst Jews, this Y chromosome trait is particularly associated with theKohanim or priests, a distinct subgroup of Israelites. It can also be found inother non-Jewish Y-DNA Haplogroup J populations across the Middle Eastand beyond.Though the Lemba are descended from Jewish ancestors, they have notpracticed Judaism for many centuries. Although the vast majority ofLemba, like the eastern and western Jews who see no difficulties inclaiming Jewish heritage but not practicing the religion itself, do not see acontradiction in proclaiming their Hebrew heritage while practicingChristianity or Islam. Lately, some have wanted to shift towards mainstreamJudaism."(12)The Lemba are said to have dwelt in the Moab city Lemba. (Jos.Ant.13.15.4.) I do not believe in the so called "cohen gene." Unless they aredigging up bones of the ancient Israelites and base the test on them. Howcan you base a Israelite DNA test on European converts? I have heard talkthat they base the test on Jews in Tunisia, but I have not found anydocumented proof proving this. I do not believe that all Lemba’s areLevites. According to the scriptures Levi were scattered among the twoHouses of Israel. There has got to be the other Suthern tribes living amongthem(Judah and Benjamin). Among just about every tribe in Africa therehas got to be Levites among them. Only the Levites were able to practicethe sacrifices. The Zulu are Israelites and rather the Lemba like to admit itare not, they are related to them. The Zulu practice such customs ascircumcision, first-fruits, brother marrying the wife of dead brother. Theblood on the lintel of the door posts,sin offerings, and not touching thebodies of the deceased are more evidence of their Hebraic origins. Somebelieve that they are from the tribe of Gad. I believe that there is a strongpresence of Judah among them. I will leave that to the reader to researchfor his or herself.

Zulu Israelite

Israelites of Uganda (The Abayudaya)

"The Abayudaya Jewish Community is a 100-year-old community of nearly2,000 Jews who live among their Christian and Muslim neighbors inscattered villages in the fertile green hills of Eastern Uganda. TheAbayudaya, whose tribal name means "People of Judah," trace theirJewish origins to the turn of the twentieth century. The Abayudaya begantheir journey to Judaism under the leadership of Semei Kakungulu, apowerful leader who was selected to be a Christian missionary for theBritish. However, Kakungulu favored the Hebrew Bible and in 1919 thecommunity began practicing Judaism. After Kakungulu’s death in 1928,some members drifted away. In 1971, Idi Amin Dada came to power, andbanned Jewish practice. Many in the community were forced to convertto other religions. After the fall of Amin in 1979, the remnants of theAbayudaya community gathered to rebuild the community. RabbiGershom Sizomu, grandson of community elder "Rabbi" Samson, lives nearthe Moses Synagogue in the village of Nabagogye which he and othersfrom the community's early 1980s "Kibbutz movement" built with their ownhands. He was youth leader of the Abayudaya community from 1988 to1998. Their goal was to gather what was left of the Abayudaya communityback together after the devastating reign of Idi Amin Dada ended in 1979.Even though the Abayudaya regard themselves as Jews, they realizedthat their isolation from the Jewish world was both dangerous and anobstacle to gaining a deeper understanding of Judaism. Beginning in thespring of 2002, at the community's request, Conservative rabbis joinedRabbi Sizomu in supervising the conversion or "affirmation" of most ofUganda's Jews in the community's mikvah, a process that continuestoday."(15)Once again we can see the deception of the Abayudaya being classifiedas converts. These people are Israelites by blood. The Town Kampalacomes from the Hebrew word Palal meaning El has judged. In Ishashathere is a tradition of 33 kings in Uganda that are descended from KingDavid.“Speaking of Uganda to the West of Lake Victoria and Northeast of theBelgian Congo. It has an organized government with a tradition of 33 kingsand a legendary line that traces back to King David. It is a proudhistory,the legend tells of the Ugandan people crossing the Nile centuriesupon centuries ago and subduing all tribes whose countries they traversed.They claim the highest civilization in Africa.”(16)

Ugandan Israelites

Nigerian Israelites( Igbo, Yoruba, Idoma, Akwa Cross People)

A large amount of Igbo (Eber, Hebrew) Israelites are from the tribe of Gaddescendant of Eri. You will also find the tribe of Levi, Zebulon, Uda/Judahamong the Igbo people. Many Hebrew artifacts were found among thembut were taken by the British. The British found the Shield of David amongthe Igbo people. This is what inspired them to mint the Nigerian coins withthe Shield of David. The Igbo people have been wearing the Kippah andTallit long before they encountered the Ashkenazi converts. This is only thetip of the iceberg.The Yoruba people have a clan living among them called the "Emo YoQuaim" (Strange people). They are the B'nai Ephraim/Sons of Ephraim."The Bnai Ephraim (“Children of Ephraim”) from Nigeria, live among theYoruba nationalities. Their oral history tells that the Bnai Ephraim peoplecame from Morocco after the Jews were banished from the IberianPeninsula sometime after 1492.They speak a dialect that is a mixture of Moroccan Arabic, Yoruba, andAramaic. They are known by the Yoruba people as the “Emo Yo Quaim”,or “strange people”. Unlike other African Israelite communities in Nigeria,the Bnai Ephraim have the Torah, portions of which they keep in theirsanctuaries.The name Lagos borne by the former capital of Nigeria is aPortuguese/Iberian name meaning the lake. Lagos is an Island carved upby lagoons, swamps and lakes. Its traditional Nigerian name is Eko.Thousands of black refugee Jews of Iberia re-settled in the environs ofLagos and Porto Novo (as well as in Cape Verde, Guinea Buissa, and inSao Tome either as slaves or outlaws). Some groups eventually made itdeeper inland and became assimilated into one nationality or the other.The Bnai Ephraim provides a living and irrefutable proof of this barelyknown history of mass Jewish re-settlement in West Africa, between 1492and 1692, a 200 year non-stop return of Jews to Africa. This set of Moorishrefugees are not to be confused with more ancient Hebrew andCanaanite tribes that had been living in Nigeria and other Africancountries for thousands of years. The Black Jew series on Rasta Livewiredeals with the relatively more ancient Hebrews of Africa.The Bnai Ephraim did not settle with the Yorubas by accident or chance.They recalled that a body of their people had depart Canaan in theancient times and had settled in the present day Yoruba areas of Nigeria,just like their own group – Bnai Ephraim – had settled in Iberia (Spain andPortugal).

So, when it happened they had to leave Iberia in a hurry to protect theirlives and freedom, those Moorish Iberian Jews sailed on their network ofships to Nigeria Africa, near Lagos amongst the Yorubas, their relation byblood, their greater nationality."(17)The Idoma people are a small tribe that are closely related to the Igbo.They have a rich Hebraic culture. Before British colonization they worefringes on their garments like their Israelite ancestors . Circumcision,sacrifices, and paying a bride price are within their culture. What I foundvery interesting is that if a man cannot pay a dowry for a bride he caninstead work for his future father-in law for his bride for seven years. This isexactly what Jacob/Israel did for Leah and Rachel in the Scriptures!Akwa Cross Israelites (Annang, Efik, Eket, Ibibio, and Oron) They aremembers of the Northern Kingdom of Israel who left before the Babyloniancaptivity and migrated to the Efik/Ibibio/Annang land of Nigeria fromEgypt to Ethiopia. The AkwaCross Jews, are of the Benei Yisrael.

Efik Women

Ghanaian Israelites (Ashanti, Ga-Dangmes, Sefwi)

"The first traces of Judaism in Ghana appeared in 1976, thanks to aGhanaian man named Aaron Ahomtre Toakyirafa. Living in thecommunity of Sefwi Sui in Western Ghana, Toakyirafa had a vision and"spoke with spirits" driving him to believe that he and his fellow Ghanaian'swere indeed descendants of the Lost Tribes of Israel. He saw a clearconnection and many similarities between his peoples practices and thoseof Judaism. For example, it was a tradition in Sewfi for Saturday to be a dayof rest. Such a strong tradition that Sewfi that didn't adhere to it werefrequently punished. Sewfi also followed the Jewish dietary law restrictingthe consumption of pork. Members of the male community werecircumcised in youth. Toakyriafa was first viewed as crazy but over time hisvision became more and more readily accepted.Toakyirafa's certainty about his ancestry only grew as he traveled to theIvory Coast. He studied the history of the population of Sewfi. The Sewfi hadtraveled south to Ghana but had come through what is now the IvoryCoast. He was convinced that the Jewish community of the Ivory Coasthad migrated there from other documented Jewish communities."After his trip to the Ivory Coast, Toakyriafa began educating the Sefwi Suiand Adiembra communities about their Jewish heritage. He taught themJewish practices and traditions, integrating Judaism into their lives andpreaching the study of Judaism to others. They called themselves theHouse of Israel."(18)The Ashanti are said to have migrated from Yemen. They don't fight onSaturday(Sabbath) but they rest instead. Like the Hebrews of old theymarry within their own tribe. The Ashanti Israelites observe the laws ofuncleanness after child-birth, purification rituals, menstrual seclusion law,and ceremonial ablutions. They also have a breastplate like the High Priestof Israel divided in twelve parts, representing the twelve tribes of Israel.(19)The Fanti tribe are closely related to the Ashanti Jews. I believe they areone and the same people."Oral history had it that Ga-Dangmes people migrated from Israel about6th Century B.C through Egypt, then to Ethiopia, having been expelled orexiled by the Assyrians (Hebrew Biblical Revelations, July 2008). In Ethiopia,they settled in the Gonder Province in northern Ethiopia, where the BlueNile originates. That is where the name NAI WULOMO, meaning, HIGH PRIESOFTHE NILE comes from. In 640 B.C, the Assyrians attacked theGa-Dangmes again while they were in Ethiopia. From Ethiopia, theytraveled through Southern Sudan and settled for a period of time atSameh in Niger and then to Ileife in Nigeria. They migrated again in 1100A.D and settled at Dahome and later, traveled to Huatsi in Togo where

they stayed briefly. From Huatsi, the Ga-Dangmes traveled to the easternbanks of River Volta (know as JOR). From there, they crossed the VoltaRiver at a place between the Old Kpong and Akuse and establishedsettlements on the plains of Tag-logo where they lived till 1200 A.D. Later,the Ga-Dangmes migrated to the plains of Lorlorvor between Lorlorvorand Osudoku Hills. The Shai occupied a settlement in Shai highlands.

The Ga-Dangmes claim to be descendants DAN and GAD, the fifth andseventh sons of Jacob."(20)

Sefwi Israelites

Congolese Israelites (Baluba)

Baluba means "Lost tribe". These Israelites are from the tribe of Judah. Fromthe Kingdom of Luba. There are many Hebrew words within their language.They call the Creator YAH-Abe (YAH our Father). When greeting theirelders they say YAH YAH. Some Baluba even call themselves Bayuda (sonof Judah). They are a very strong and influential tribe that have residedfrom their homeland Israel for centuries. Just like the Israelites of old,theirfathers bless their children before they die(Genesis 49). They also practicecircumcision and sacrifices.

A Baluba Israelite

Israelites of Benin

There were many Sephardic Jews that migrated to Benin. The Hebrewpresence is very obvious. From the city Ouidah/Judah and the Slave fortcalled "Fort Juda" there is no denying the presence of Jews in Benin.

Fort Juda

Israelites of Egypt

"Egyptian Jewry traced its history back to the time of Jeremiah (Letter ofAristeas, 35), but it was not until the conquest of Alexander the Great in 332B.C.E. that the second great wave of Jewish emigration to Egypt began.Alexander's successors in Egypt, the Ptolemid dynasty, attracted manyJews early in their reign to settle in Egypt as tradesmen, farmers,mercenaries, and government officials. During their reign Egyptian Jewryenjoyed both tolerance and prosperity. They became significant in cultureand literature, and by the first century C.E., accounted for an eighth of thepopulation of Egypt. The majority of the Jews of Egypt lived, as the Greeks,in Alexandria , but there were also very many in the ehora, the provincialdistricts outside Alexandria." Ptolemy I Soter (323–283) took a large numberof Jewish prisoners of war in Palestine and forcibly settled them asmercenaries in Egypt to hold down the native Egyptians (ibid., 36).""On Ptolemy I's retreat from Palestine many Jews fled with him to Egypt,where they found a haven of tolerance. Ptolemy II Philadelphus (283–44)emancipated the Jews taken captive by his father and settled them onthe land as cleruchs or in "Jew-Camps" as Jewish military units. He wasremembered by the Jews of Egypt as having instigated the translation ofthe Septuagint (see Letter of Aristeas ; Bible : Greek translation). SinceManetho 's antisemitic work was written in his reign there must have been afair number of Jews already in Egypt.""Ptolemy III Euergetes (246–221) was said to have been favorably disposedtoward the Jews and to have respected their religion. Two facts confirmthis. One is the number of Jews who settled in the nome of Arsinoe (Faiyum)in his reign, and the other is the synagogue inscription dedicated to him,declaring that he granted the rights of asylum to the synagogues (Frey,Corpus 2 pp. 374–6). There is also a synagogue inscription from Schedia,which was also probably dedicated to him (Reinach in REJ, 14 (1902),161–4).""Ptolemy IV Philopator (221–203) attempted to institute a massacre of theJews of Alexandria in 217 B.C.E., but was later reconciled with them (IIIMacc. 5–6). During the reign of Ptolemy VI Philometor (181–145) a markedchange took place. Ptolemy VI won Jewish favor by opening up the wholeof Egypt to the Jews, on whom he relied, as well as by receiving Jewishexiles from Palestine such as Onias IV , to whom he granted land to build atemple at Leontopolis (c. 161 B.C.E.; Jos., Wars 1:33). The Jewishphilosopher Aristobulus of Paneas was said to have advised him on Jewishaffairs, and he appointed two Jews, Onias and Dositheos, to high militaryposts (Jos., Apion, 2:49). During the struggles of Cleopatra III (116–101) withher son Ptolemy IX Lathyros (116–80) the Jews of Egypt sided with the

Queen, thus earning her esteem but alienating the Greek population fromthem (Ant. 13:287). She appointed two Jewish brothers, Ananias andHelkias, as commanders of her army."(21)

Israelites in Ancient Egypt

Israelites of Morocco

"From the fifth to the third centuries B.C.E., the Carthaginian gold marketwas situated in Morocco. On this historical basis, an ancient legend relatesthat some five centuries before the Carthaginian expansion, in the days ofSolomon and the Phoenicians, the Hebrews came to Sala (Chella) in thevicinity of Salé (Rabat) in order to purchase gold in large quantities. Inanother legend, it is related that Joab was sent to Morocco to fight thePhilistines, who had been driven out of Canaan; an inscription describingthis expedition is said to have existed near the present-day town of Zagora.Wadi Oued Draa and the region of Oufran (Ifran of the Anti-Atlas) are saidto have been the sites of important Jewish settlements before thedestruction of the Second Temple. The earliest epigraphic evidence on thepresence of Jews in Morocco, however, comes from the second centuryC.E. It consists essentially of inscriptions on tombstones found in the ruins ofthe Roman town of Volubilis, between Fez and Meknès , and anotherinscription discovered in Salé. The latter is in Greek, while one of theinscriptions of Volubilis is in Hebrew.Morocco, like the remainder of the Maghreb, was one of the favoriteterritories for Jewish missionary activities. The Jews, together with thosewhom they succeeded in converting, appear to have originally beennumerous and particularly powerful. The great Arabic historian of the 14th

century, Ibn Khaldūn, names a number of large Moroccan Berbertribeswho were converted to Judaism prior to the Arab conquest. These werethe Fandalāwqa, Madyūna, Bahlūla, Ghiyāta, and Bazāz tribes. Thecapital of the last was also named Bazāz or Qulʿat-Mlahdī. It wascompletely inhabited by Jews and did not disappear until the 12th century.It was situated near the present-day town of Sefrou. Other tribes, such asthe Barghwāṭa, were also heavily Judaized. Between 581 and 693 manyJews were compelled to leave Spain as a result of the persecutions of theVisigoth kings who, while forcing them to accept baptism, also adopteddraconian measures against them. According to later traditions,thousands of Spanish Jews had settled in Africa by 693. It is told that theseJews, together with their Moroccan coreligionists, plotted to conquer ordeliver Spain into the hands of the more tolerant Muslims (694). Somehistorians maintain that there were Jews among the Berber-Musliminvaders of Spain in 711"(22)

Moroccan Israelites

By now one should be able to put two and two together. Most of thepeople who were victims of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade are Israelites. Weare related to the Israelite tribes that were discussed in this book. We mustunite with our people in Africa. They are waiting for us. My people in Africawe are waiting for you. We must no longer fall for the Western lies.I am not saying that only so called "black" people are Israelites. What I amsaying is that they were originally black and most of them still are. I am wellaware that we are scattered to the four corners of the earth. We havebrothers and sisters in China, Japan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, India, etc. Let us allreach out to them under one banner: YAHUSHA Messiah the Word ofYAHUAH Elohim.

In conclusion I would like to say to all my brothers in the diaspora, stayaway from the religion of "Judaism". Do not conform to the way of theAshkenazi Jew-ish customs. Or anyone who comes proclaiming andpushing the same doctrine. How can you convert to a "Jew" if you arealready one by blood? That is an insult and highly disrespectful. The WhiteSupremacy must stop. Our people have Hebrew customs going backthousands of years. Remember we taught them everything that they knowabout being a "Jew". Also the real term for "Jew" is Yahudi or Yahudim andthis only applies to Israelites that are from the tribe of Judah/Yahudah. As awhole we are Israelites (Yisraelites, Yasharalites). Just because theAshkenazi are European does not mean we must go through them toreceive the Torah of YAHUAH. We must go through the Son YAHUSHAMessiah. Remember the TRUE Israelites are called to teach the nations, notthe nations teaching us. We have a responsibility. Repent my people.

Shalom! (Yahshurun Obai Agyemang)www.yahuahissalvation.com

[email protected]

Sources1. Arizona Jewish Post Cnnaan Liphshiz, JTA2. Ethiopian Jews in Somalia: Tracing remnants of the Yibir by Ibrahim Omer3. Traces of Cameroonian posted by Nchinda Gideon4. The Hebraic Origins of the Temne: According to Biblical and Oral Historyby: Yahshurun Obai Agyemang(Brandon Coleman)5. Hebrewism of West Africa by: Joseph J. Williams pg.836. The Jews of Timbuktu: The Washington Jewish Week,(December 1999),The Jews of Africa7. Jews of Africa(Be'chol Lashon website)8. Jamtan.com9. Jewish roots in Africa by George E. Lichtblau10. Ephraimite Moors by Amir Ishaq D. AL-Sulaimani11. African Jewry: A Microcosm of the Jewish Diaspora website12. African Jewry: A Microcosm of the Jewish Diaspora website13. African Jewry: A Microcosm of the Jewish Diaspora website14. African Jewry: A Microcosm of the Jewish Diaspora website15. Who are the Abayudaya Jews of Uganda? Be'chol Lashan website16. Herman Norden, white and Black in East Africa , Boston,1924 p.24817. Rasta Live Wire Website by: Jide Uwecha Iberian Jews of YorubaNationality18. The Jews of Africa Kulanu19. From Babylon to Timbuktu by: Rudolph Windsor pg.13020. Hebrew Israelites Origins of GA-Dangme of Ghana in Brief by: Dr.Joseph Nii Abekar Mensah21. The Virtual Jewish World Egypt (website)22. The Virtual Jewish World of Morocco(website)