A new book by Nigerian academic, Owerri Municipal born Academician Dr Philip C. Njemanze, has stirred conversation after claiming that several events recorded in the Gospel of Luke took place in parts of Igbo land in southeastern Nigeria.
The publication, titled Igbo Mediators of Yahweh: Culture of Life, Volume VII – The Gospel of Jesus Christ According to St Luke (Parts 1 and 2), was officially launched on Amazon and is now available for readers worldwide.
In a statement announcing the release, Njemanze said the book presents what he describes as detailed historical, linguistic, and geographical research intended to confirm the truth of the gospel narrative of Jesus Christ by locating its events in communities across Igbo land.
According to the author, his study identifies specific towns and family lineages in present-day southeastern Nigeria that he claims are linked to figures mentioned in the biblical account.
One example highlighted in the book is the story of the “Widow’s Mite,” recorded in the Gospel of Luke. Njemanze argues that the widow came from Ulakwo in Imo State, interpreting the name as “house of the widow” in the Igbo language.
He further claims that the woman’s descendants are known today as the Unaeze family, asserting that the lineage has survived through generations in the area.
The author also connects the biblical account of the woman with the issue of blood to a figure he identifies as Ikembara from Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State, saying her descendants remain traceable in contemporary times.
In another claim, Njemanze associates the story of the Roman centurion with the community of Emekuku in Owerri North, which he says served as a gathering point similar to what he describes as “Mount Zion” in the gospel narrative.
The book also links a local elder called Obinna in Emekuku to the historical account, with the author suggesting that the lineage later produced Anthony J. V. Obinna, the Emeritus Archbishop of Owerri.
Central to the book is a concept Njemanze calls “Theotoponymy,” which he describes as a method of interpreting biblical history through the meanings of place names and cultural traditions.
The author says the work aims to demonstrate that the gospel accounts are connected to real people, locations, and enduring family lineages, while encouraging readers to examine what he calls the deeper historical roots of the Christian message.
See Link Of The Book On Amazon
