I decided to send this letter because I was highly dissapointed with the lack of effort from Ogbakor Ikwerre in reversing the misconceptions that revolve around the great Ikwerre people. However, I was impressed with their efforts in maintaining their traditions and I believe that this energy could yield success only if applied to the proper issues...

Dear Ogbakor Ikwerre USA,

I am very impressed with the efforts that you guys have put in maintaining the culture of the Ikwerre. A glance at this website has led me to believe that there are still people who take great pride in their culture, history, and traditions.

Such is what we desire in today's modern world. We, being Africans, desire the reassurance that our traditions and practices will not vanish from the face of this earth, but rather, will grow ever-strong within the hearts and souls of our children. I believe, that what our continent needs is a revival of pride in the things that make us who we are, and I have seen obvious signs of this in the actions and attitude of Ogbakor Ikwerre.

However, despite this, I find myself filled with feelings of ambivalence towards the attitude of your organization to certain issues. These issues are deep rooted issues, which threaten to wreak devastating damage on the integrity of the Ikwerre nation, and that is at the heart of why I am writing to you in the first place.

As a fellow Igbo, I find the deplorable state of inter-cultural awareness within the Ogbakor Ikwerre organization saddening. What I mean by this is that your organization, from my perspective, has failed to reaffirm its position and relationship among the league of greater Igbo groups.

You have failed to properly castigate the controversy regarding the Ikwerre people and their position as Igbo and have thus jeopardized the integrity, history, and future of your own people.

This has led me to remind you that the Ikwerre are a people just as the Ngwa, Oratta, and Aro are also peoples. These groups are all interconnected culture groups under the enveloping and dynamic term of "Igbo". This term includes, you and I, and all other people in this world who bear names such as; Chika, Amaechi, or Nwosu.

There is no escaping this fact, for it is what God made us. We, as mere humans, only have the option to either ambrace or hide our origins, but we can never destroy it.

In order to end my letter to you on a high-note, I would like to once again congratulate you for your efforts in the preservation of the Ikwerre sub-culture. May war, famine, or disease never make us forget where we came from, or who we are. I hope that my letter has persuaded you to readress this pressing issue and to correct all misconceptions regarding the integrity of the Ikwerre people, and the Igbo nation in general.

Ka Chineke no na elu igwe gozie unu.

Sincerely, Emeka.

I'd like to hear you guys' reactions and thoughts to the topics I raised within this letter and what you think their reaction will be. Thanks in advance.

odumchi: I'd like to hear you guys' reactions and thoughts to the topics I raised within this letter and what you think their reaction will be. Thanks in advance.

its their buisness whatever they want to be.

Whatever rocks their boat, really do not care.

Thanks for that. They are our flesh and blood

I like the way you wrote the letter because it does not seem that you're forcing Igbo down their throat rather you just let them know that just like Ngwa, Oratta, Nkanu, Ikwerrre is one of the many clans that make up Igboland.

Pls, if they reply, post it here.

afam4eva: I like the way you wrote the letter because it does not seem that you're forcing Igbo down their throat rather you just let them know that just like Ngwa, Oratta, Nkanu, Ikwerrre is one of the many clans that make up Igboland.

Pls, if they reply, post it here.

I felt I had to do something. I couldn't just sit and watch. Well, I will definately post their reply.

Odumchi though I admire what you wrote but I'm still in believe you should let people believe whatever they wish.

There are those that consider themselves Igbo and the remaining others that do not, rather than wasting valuable time on the denials, focus una attention on the non-deniers.

I understand trying to fight the misconception but I feel like the more una highlight the deniers, the more una push the non-deniers to the back.

Like I notorious for, if a non-Igbo comes with his or her bulsh1t, just list the non-deniers such as this girl


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrHJB3mCWiI

The truth is that we are all Igbos but prior to colonization we were not moving as one nation but were independent of one another. We had the Isoma(most of Imo State and East Anambra) which is the largest branch of Igbo, Elugu( Nri-Awka-Anam-Nsukka-Awgu-Nkanu-Asaba), Ika, Ikwerre( Ozuzu or Amadioha people),Etche,Oratta, Ngwa, Ndoki, Ohuhu, Ebonyi(Izzi,Ezza,Ikwo), Oru(Oguta, Egbema, Aboh, Ndoni), Aro and their neighbors generally called Bende now(Umuchukwu or Ubini Ukpabi people). The Mbohia/Akpohia/Ikpofia/Ekpeye were isolated and their origin unknown but Igbos knew that there was a forest territory occupied by Akpohia people who spoke a strange language slightly understood by many Igbos. The name Mbohia in itself means "forest nation" while Mbamiri means "riverine nation".

In today's politics we have to be careful because a lot of things have happened and people have been used either willingly or unwillingly to bring almost irreconcilable divisions. As someone caught in the middle of this quagmire by birth, I prefer the SE and Rivers Igbos thread different paths. I grew up amongst them, speak their dialect even more than my immediate dialect and yet get reminded of being Isoma even when I try to differentiate Oru. The Delta Igbos have no problem.

The most shameful one is the lie about origin. My Grandfather told me all but I sometimes find myself arguing with cousins who now claim he's biased.

Case closed. A new ethnic group has sprung out of the greater Igbo and the name is Ikwerre. Let us respect that.

One_Naira: Odumchi though I admire what you wrote but I'm still in believe you should let people believe whatever they wish.

There are those that consider themselves Igbo and the remaining others that do not, rather than wasting valuable time on the denials, focus una attention on the non-deniers.

I understand trying to fight the misconception but I feel like the more una highlight the deniers, the more una push the non-deniers to the back.

Like I notorious for, if a non-Igbo comes with his or her bulsh1t, just list the non-deniers such as this girl


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrHJB3mCWiI

I'm glad that you see my method of approach. It's not a matter of forcing anything down anyone's throat, though. I just dislike it when people parade themselves as what they're not.

As for the girl in the video, she was clueless. She said that Rivers state was mostly populated by "Calabar people" .

Abagworo: The truth is that we are all Igbos but prior to colonization we were not moving as one nation but were independent of one another. We had the Isoma(most of Imo State and East Anambra) which is the largest branch of Igbo, Elugu( Nri-Awka-Anam-Nsukka-Awgu-Nkanu-Asaba), Ika, Ikwerre( Ozuzu or Amadioha people),Etche,Oratta, Ngwa, Ndoki, Ohuhu, Ebonyi(Izzi,Ezza,Ikwo), Oru(Oguta, Egbema, Aboh, Ndoni), Aro and their neighbors generally called Bende now(Umuchukwu or Ubini Ukpabi people). The Mbohia/Akpohia/Ikpofia/Ekpeye were isolated and their origin unknown but Igbos knew that there was a forest territory occupied by Akpohia people who spoke a strange language slightly understood by many Igbos. The name Mbohia in itself means "forest nation" while Mbamiri means "riverine nation".

In today's politics we have to be careful because a lot of things have happened and people have been used either willingly or unwillingly to bring almost irreconcilable divisions. As someone caught in the middle of this quagmire by birth, I prefer the SE and Rivers Igbos thread different paths. I grew up amongst them, speak their dialect even more than my immediate dialect and yet get reminded of being Isoma even when I try to differentiate Oru. The Delta Igbos have no problem.

The most shameful one is the lie about origin. My Grandfather told me all but I sometimes find myself arguing with cousins who now claim he's biased.

Case closed. A new ethnic group has sprung out of the greater Igbo and the name is Ikwerre. Let us respect that.

Thank you Abagworo.

You see, fifty years ago, there was no such thing as "Ikwerre ethnicity". However, after a war, a famine, a pogrom, and millions of deaths, "Ikwerre ethnic nationality" suddenly surfaced out of nowhere.

What bothers me the most out of all this is that people deny their origins and their past. I was reading something the other day and I read about how the names of towns were changed from 'Umuoji' to 'Rumuoji' and from 'Obigbo' to 'Oyigbo' inorder to sound "less Igbo" and it saddened me.

I'm not going to stress over this thing but I know that if this isn't solved soon, there will be definate problems for them many years in the future. Why? Becuase people don't know what it means to be "Igbo".

Being "Ikwerre" or not is only relevant in Rivers state, outside of your particular locality or state, you are identified with the groups you are related to.

odumchi:

Thank you Abagworo.

You see, fifty years ago, there was no such thing as "Ikwerre ethnicity". However, after a war, a famine, a pogrom, and millions of deaths, "Ikwerre ethnic nationality" suddenly surfaced out of nowhere.

What bothers me the most out of all this is that people deny their origins and their past. I was reading something the other day and I read about how the names of towns were changed from 'Umuoji' to 'Rumuoji' and from 'Obigbo' to 'Oyigbo' inorder to sound "less Igbo" and it saddened me.

I'm not going to stress over this thing but I know that if this isn't solved soon, there will be definate problems for them many years in the future. Why? Becuase people don't know what it means to be "Igbo".

Being "Ikwerre" or not is only relevant in Rivers state, outside of your particular locality or state, you are identified with the groups you are erelated to.

A lot of people do not know what is involved in this Ikwerre issue. Its a two way affair. the Ikwerres were wronged by the greater Igbo the same way the Ngwas are being done today in Abia. The war was an opportunity to reclaim what was there's. Go through this thread https://www.nairaland.com/943557/confession-ngwa-banker-real-reasons that was the scenario before 1967 and a lot of Ikwerres saw that as a liberation from bondage. Coming back to be Igbo to most is like mortgaging their identity. But what I always disagree is the denial of not being the Ozuzu Amadioha people that went to Isiokpo and spread from there.The name Amadi occurs more in Ikwerre than any other part of Igboland. Amadioha in itself is the god of thunder in the entire Igbo race and is situated at Ozuzu till today which is Etche. You can even trace the migratory pattern from Etche people because their stop overs at different Etche villages are not hidden. While Etche in itself alongside Ngwa and some other groups remember Umunoha which is also an Igbo Igwekala god base in Isoma as the starting point of their migration. Those distorted history might be lost if the recent Benin origin claims started after 1970 is not checked.

Abagworo:

A lot of people do not know what is involved in this Ikwerre issue. Its a two way affair. the Ikwerres were wronged by the greater Igbo the same way the Ngwas are being done today in Abia. The war was an opportunity to reclaim what was there's. Go through this thread https://www.nairaland.com/943557/confession-ngwa-banker-real-reasons that was the scenario before 1967 and a lot of Ikwerres saw that as a liberation from bondage. Coming back to be Igbo to most is like mortgaging their identity. But what I always disagree is the denial of not being the Ozuzu Amadioha people that went to Isiokpo and spread from there.The name Amadi occurs more in Ikwerre than any other part of Igboland. Amadioha in itself is the god of thunder in the entire Igbo race and is situated at Ozuzu till today which is Etche. You can even trace the migratory pattern from Etche people because their stop overs at different Etche villages are not hidden. While Etche in itself alongside Ngwa and some other groups remember Umunoha which is also an Igbo Igwekala god base in Isoma as the starting point of their migration. Those distorted history might be lost if the recent Benin origin claims started after 1970 is not checked.

I understand what you mean. However, it's understandable if they decide to exist with a level of political independence but such can never be achieved culturally. It's the same thing as, say for example, if the Owerre were to declare themselves as politically independent from the rest of the Igbo but then to suddenly anull their age old cultural and historical ties with other Igbo groups and claim that they originated from the Bini, then to top it off, parade themselves as the "Owerre nation or Owerre ethnicity".

Imagine how bad that would twist history. A few centuries down the line, people would find it difficult to distinguish truth from fallicy. Regarding the wrongs committed upon the Ikwerre, I believe that dialogue can resolve these wrongs. Besides, it's not as if every sub group was responsible.

Honestly, I dont really know why igbos care about these ikwere people. I could care less if they are igbos or not. Personally, I dont like the ikwerres. They have this animalistic behaviour that makes me hate them. Why are we doing as if we want them? What is their importance to Igbos really? Fine, some say they are igbos. Let them identify. We dont have to identify with them. I hope they are not even igbos and I treat them as such. Enough of this sounding as if we want some people to be igbos!

Mr. Globe:
Honestly, I dont really know why igbos care about these ikwere people. I could care less if they are igbos or not. Personally, I dont like the ikwerres. They have this animalistic behaviour that makes me hate them. Why are we doing as if we want them? What is their importance to Igbos really? Fine, some say they are igbos. Let them identify. We dont have to identify with them. I hope they are not even igbos and I treat them as such. Enough of this sounding as if we want some people to be igbos!

Blood is thicker than water. We must unite the Greater Igbo Nation(GIN)

Biafra4tharmy: Blood is thicker than water. We must unite the Greater Igbo Nation(GIN)

Is it by force to unite? Any bother that whats out should be shown the way out. That is why Nigeria is in the mess it is today. I just want that when Biafra Conceptualizes we will move to serious issues of development and Economic progress like in other cuivilized climes, not fighting about who is igbo or not. It ridicules the igbo tribe to be seen as desperate over a set of animalistic 'charactered' people.

Mr. Globe:

Is it by force to unite? Any bother that whats out should be shown the way out. That is why Nigeria is in the mess it is today. I just want that when Biafra Conceptualizes we will move to serious issues of development and Economic progress like in other cuivilized climes, not fighting about who is igbo or not. It ridicules the igbo tribe to be seen as desperate over a set of animalistic 'charactered' people.

nobody is forcing anybody. What is wrong with re uniting with your kinsmen. Dont forget we are 1 people until Gowon split us in 1967 to break the might of Biafra resistance. Moreso its the only way to avoid a landlock Biafra our boundary should stress to the atlantic Ocean and across river Niger to Igbo Deltas

Abagworo:
While Etche in itself alongside Ngwa and some other groups remember Umunoha which is also an Igbo Igwekala god base in Isoma as the starting point of their migration. Those distorted history might be lost if the recent Benin origin claims started after 1970 is not checked.

Umunoha, once again. This rememberance of Umunoha (for whatever reason) sprung up post-Biafra, for those who don't know.

@Odumchi: Don't bother yourself with Ogbako Ikwere, let alone Iwhnernohna, as a whole. The current, unchecked misconceptions do not change the fact that there are many who are still aware of the pre-1970 oral traditions. Notwithstanding, it is true that much is being done to downplay those traditions, but does it really matter? Why do you (or any "Igbo", for that matter) care about maintining this amalgamation of related and unrelated peoples that have come to be called the "Greater Igbo"? Someone earlier wrote (very nonsensically, if I may say so) that "blood is thicker than water". Is this the assumption behind this effort to maintain the amalgam? Just leave Ikwere alone, with their ethnic nationality. In short, I don't see why "ethnic nationalities" should be troubling some "Igbo" people so much. I particularly prefer that term to "clan" and "sub-group".

Bullsh1t bro, apologies for my language but we don't need atlantic ocean to make a better naqtion. Like one_naira said i think we should focus more on those who are not denying their igboness and ignore those who are denying.

Biafra4tharmy: nobody is forcing anybody. What is wrong with re uniting with your kinsmen. Dont forget we are 1 people until Gowon split us in 1967 to break the might of Biafra resistance. Moreso its the only way to avoid a landlock Biafra our boundary should stress to the atlantic Ocean and across river Niger to Igbo Deltas

noiseless: Bullsh1t bro, apologies for my language but we don't need atlantic ocean to make a better nation. Like one_naira said i think we should focus more on those who are not denying their igboness and ignore those who are denying.

My thoughts Exactly

Mr. Globe:

Is it by force to unite? Any bother that whats out should be shown the way out. That is why Nigeria is in the mess it is today. I just want that when Biafra Conceptualizes we will move to serious issues of development and Economic progress like in other cuivilized climes, not fighting about who is igbo or not. It ridicules the igbo tribe to be seen as desperate over a set of animalistic 'charactered' people.

My brother, what I wrote was more of an advisory statement than anything. Their destiny is in their hands.

ChinenyeN:
Umunoha, once again. This rememberance of Umunoha (for whatever reason) sprung up post-Biafra, for those who don't know.

@Odumchi: Don't bother yourself with Ogbako Ikwere, let alone Iwhnernohna, as a whole. The current, unchecked misconceptions do not change the fact that there are many who are still aware of the pre-1970 oral traditions. Notwithstanding, it is true that much is being done to downplay those traditions, but does it really matter? Why do you (or any "Igbo", for that matter) care about maintining this amalgamation of related and unrelated peoples that have come to be called the "Greater Igbo"? Someone earlier wrote (very nonsensically, if I may say so) that "blood is thicker than water". Is this the assumption behind this effort to maintain the amalgam? Just leave Ikwere alone, with their ethnic nationality. In short, I don't see why "ethnic nationalities" should be troubling some "Igbo" people so much. I particularly prefer that term to "clan" and "sub-group".

Like I said, I won;t stress over anything. I'm glad that many people have written (and are still writing) books on the events that are unfolding in our times.

I agree with everything else that you wrote except for the part about ethnic nationalities. If we (the Igbo) were in our own nation, I would say that it would be alright for us to identify ourselves based on our "sub groups" and "clans" but seeing how things are in this monstrous Nigeria, it won't be a good idea (in my opinion). Breaking up into tiny groups will open us up for exploitation and political destruction from our opponents (who can surface from everywhere).

I think it's proper to repeat the sayings, "United we stand, divided we fall" and, "One tree cannot make a forest...especially in Nigeria".

"Breaking up", "sub-groups", "clans"; All of these are ideas which did not exist until 20th century. Honestly, I really think some are just overemphasizing whatever level of "unity" that supposedly exists/existed in this amalgam.

Since when have we ever been "united" that some would worry so much about a phantom "break up"?

My brother Odumchi, please ka anyi kpa maka ihe a na email.

Personally, I think that the ONLY relevant effort NOW in Igboland, is to give SE THREE (if possible) international airports, and a fully functional port at Onitsha, to try and escalate developing in the SE.
We should do this resolutely, and move SE into first world status ASAP. We have all the necessary resources (human and natural), to do this! I know that it would not be easy, but it is a fight I'm sure we will win.

When we get SE to dwarf other parts of Nigeria in terms of development and make it THE PLACE to be in Nigeria, believe me, all those denying themselves will SHUT UP and be BEGGING to be called Igbo.
I don't know why our politicians can't see this simple fact.
Take for example.
If the Sam Mbakwe International airport comes to operate and DOMINATE international traffic in southern Igboland, Igweocha -Port Harcourt will play second fiddle to Owerri (believe me this is very possible).
If we have Onitsha port fully fuctional, we won't need Igweocha (PH )for anything. Let the ikwerre make up their minds there. I'm sorry if I sound like I'm ready to play hard ball with our brothers in southern tip of Igboland, but I'm stating the obvious.
We don't need to pressure anyone into accepting himself/herself; that is left for the person.

Let's get Enugu, Onitsha and Owerri international airports fully functional, and see whether we will care who is Igbo and who isn't.

ChinenyeN: "Breaking up", "sub-groups", "clans"; All of these are ideas which did not exist until 20th century. Honestly, I really think some are just overemphasizing whatever level of "unity" that supposedly exists/existed in this amalgam.

Since when have we ever been "united" that some would worry so much about a phantom "break up"?

It seems as if you're perpetually trapped in the nostlagic pre-colonial days. My brother, we are no longer in the year 1880, this is 2012. The Igbo peoples were forced to form a somewhat-loose amalgammation of peoples that later became known as "Ndi-Igbo". Gone are the days when only a man's community and his neighbors were relevant in his life. Nowadays, we must be aware of our surroundings and must unite in order to help ourselves progress.

In a country like Nigeria with an excess of 150m people, an ethnic nationality with a population of 1 or 2 million, will be ignored, marginalized, and under estimated by those larger and much more influential. However, a confederation of similar peoples (like the Igbo) will be able to stand for itself.

It's things like these that our neighbors (such as the Ijaw) are just now realizing. The Ijaw peoples have realized that their disunity has allowed bigger and more powerful groups to destroy their way of life, steal their resources, and pollute their land. However, the idea of an "Ijaw nation" will certainly do good for them in the long run.

Another way to think of it would be like a family. Which family do you think will be easier to destory: the large-closely knit family, or the small family in which every member seeks to be away from the other?

There's absolutely nothing wrong with taking pride in your clan or subgroup, but you must also be aware of your environment.

Onlytruth: My brother Odumchi, please ka anyi kpa maka ihe a na email.

Personally, I think that the ONLY relevant effort NOW in Igboland, is to give SE THREE (if possible) international airports, and a fully functional port at Onitsha, to try and escalate developing in the SE.
We should do this resolutely, and move SE into first world status ASAP. We have all the necessary resources (human and natural), to do this! I know that it would not be easy, but it is a fight I'm sure we will win.

When we get SE to dwarf other parts of Nigeria in terms of development and make it THE PLACE to be in Nigeria, believe me, all those denying themselves will SHUT UP and be BEGGING to be called Igbo.
I don't know why our politicians can't see this simple fact.
Take for example.
If the Sam Mbakwe International airport comes to operate and DOMINATE international traffic in southern Igboland, Igweocha -Port Harcourt will play second fiddle to Owerri (believe me this is very possible).
If we have Onitsha port fully fuctional, we won't need Igweocha (PH )for anything. Let the ikwerre make up their minds there. I'm sorry if I sound like I'm ready to play hard ball with our brothers in southern tip of Igboland, but I'm stating the obvious.
We don't need to pressure anyone into accepting himself/herself; that is left for the person.

Let's get Enugu, Onitsha and Owerri international airports fully functional, and see whether we will care who is Igbo and who isn't.

Nsogbu adighi.

You're right but remember, Port Harcourt isn't even forty percent Ikwerre. An overwhelming percentage of the people there are non-indegenes. So even if Ikwerre say they "aren't Igbo", Port Harcourt will still be populated by the Igbo.

As for the airports, let's wait and see what will happen.

odumchi:

Nsogbu adighi.

You're right but remember, Port Harcourt isn't even forty percent Ikwerre. An overwhelming percentage of the people there are non-indegenes. So even if Ikwerre say they "aren't Igbo", Port Harcourt will still be populated by the Igbo.

As for the airports, let's wait and see what will happen.

Believe me my brother, I have thought about that too. Recall that I said that it pains me to play hard ball with our Igbo brothers there (ikwerre and non-ikwerre). Let's look at it this way.
Have you ever seen anyone deny kinship to a very rich man? How many people would turn down kinship to say Dangote? VERY FEW.
I never said that we have given up on them. Remember that during the war, most of them were refugees in upper parts of Igboland. As far as I'm concerned, the whole East is our brothers. But nobody identifies with a "loser".
We are fortunate that we are Ndigbo, a very hardworking and talented group.
If we do as I said, believe me, you would be surprised about groups that will come up to claim being Igbo.
My fear is that our governors may not be as visionary and politically savvy as some of us.

should this thread be about Yorubas and let say Itsekiri, these lot of low lifer bigots would have derailed the thread. Look at how grown up adults are peddling lies all over the thread trying to claim other people's land.

Only in the novel "Alice the wonderland", you would see Ikwerre accepting being Ibos.Funny, Ikwerre man has moved on, while some greedy arzz are looking for "connection" between them. Na by force?

"My brother, we are no longer in the year 1880, this is 2012"; Why do people insist on making these kinds of arguments as if it really means anything?

Someone being aware of his/her environment does not mean that they must force themselves to accept the status of "clan" or "sub-group". I mean really, what is that, "sub-group"? So now, I will play "sub-group" with people that I otherwise have no grouping with, and for what? As it stands now, we are yet to witness any truly beneficial result, emerging from this whiteman-sponsored amalgam. How much longer do you intend for us "sub-groups" to continue waiting, and what are we even waiting for? Do elaborate. This confederation of "sub-groups" has apparently not gotten far since its conception, yet you cannot understand why "sub-groups" (as people so love to call them now) would want to disassociate? This stringy "Igbo" union we've got going on now is not one of kinship, my friend, but of convenience and politics. If you want for it to be maintained, then search for solutions which will make it politically convenient for us "sub-groups" (ugh) to continue to associate.

By the way, your large/small family analogy does not make sense in the "Igbo" context.

Rhino.5dm:
should this thread be about Yorubas and let say Itsekiri, these lot of low lifer bigots would have derailed the thread. Look at how grown up adults are peddling lies all over the thread trying to claim other people's land.

Only in the novel "Alice the wonderland", you would see Ikwerre accepting being Ibos.Funny, Ikwerre man has moved on, while some greedy arzz are looking for "connection" between them. Na by force?

Rhino please let them discuss their ethnic affiliations, we can always cite this thread as a show of maturity on the part of other tribes.

ChinenyeN: "My brother, we are no longer in the year 1880, this is 2012"; Why do people insist on making these kinds of arguments as if it really means anything?

Someone being aware of his/her environment does not mean that they must force themselves to accept the status of "clan" or "sub-group". I mean really, what is that, "sub-group"? So now, I will play "sub-group" with people that I otherwise have no grouping with, and for what? As it stands now, we are yet to witness any truly beneficial result, emerging from this whiteman-sponsored amalgam. How much longer do you intend for us "sub-groups" to continue waiting, and what are we even waiting for? Do elaborate. This confederation of "sub-groups" has apparently not gotten far since its conception, yet you cannot understand why "sub-groups" (as people so love to call them now) would want to disassociate? This stringy "Igbo" union we've got going on now is not one of kinship, my friend, but of convenience and politics. If you want for it to be maintained, then search for solutions which will make it politically convenient for us "sub-groups" (ugh) to continue to associate.

By the way, your large/small family analogy does not make sense in the "Igbo" context.

As I've said, Southeasterners should plan as Southeasterners and leave any Igbos outside the Southeast unless such groups seek for affiliation.

As for rhino and any other bigot coming here to compare this situation with Itsekiri/Yoruba, they should read history, culture and language well before doing such. Itsekiri is without doubt related to Yoruba but has always had a different identity. No one can show evidence of Ikwerre ethnic nationality prior to 1960s. Itsekiri has been in existence since 16th century.

The ikwere are a sub-group of the Igbo just like the ngwa,mbaise and others.there is nothing to sweat about whether some deny being Igbo or not.I am with onlythruths opinion as par this topic,the day Igbos have political and economic freedom from nigeria,you will be amazed at how these people will start claiming to be Igbo.besides,the population of Igbo of SE resident in portharcourt may even be larger than the ikwere population.these people are a small group of people in terms of population.they can go ahead and answer Igbo names,add capital R to the names of all their towns and villages eg R--umuokoro, R--umuigbo and yet claim not to be Igbo,every deception has an expiry date.
Nevertheless,the letter by the op remains a very good initiative.I look forward to reading their reply.