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Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Politics / What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History (2205 Views)
A Warning To The Ndi Igbo. From An Ikwerre Brother / Ikwerre Are Not Igbos, BRACED Counters Amaechi's Claim That Ikwerres Are Igbos / Wike To Ikwerres, Let No One Intimidate You, we’re Not 2nd Class Citizens(video) (2) (3) (4)
What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by attackgat: 6:44am On Aug 15, 2023 |
Barrister Uche Okwukwu is an Ikwerre man from Elele, Ikwerre Local Government. He is also a former Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. When former Governor Wike denied being Igbo in 2020, Uche Okwukwu wrote this open letter to him which was widely publicised The statement attributed to His Excellency, Barrister Nyesom Wike, Governor of Rivers State was shocking. He said an illustrious Igbo son, and I believe he was referring to the Honorable Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, was only claiming to be Igbo to further his ambition of becoming Nigerian president come 2023. Wike further disclaimed being Igbo himself. Agreed, Wike has the right to hold any view so far as it is within the ambit of the law and not counter-productive. He can define himself in any manner he deems fit. But Amaechi, who holds the traditional chieftaincy title of ”Ochi Ariri Ikwerre,” meaning the Defender of Ikwerre in Times of Difficulty, also has the same right to see and define himself as Igbo. Wike does not enjoy the prerogative of determining himself and at the same time defining others. Amaechi was former National President of the National Union of Rivers State Students, NURSS. He was former Speaker of Rivers House of Assembly, Chairman of the Conference of Speakers in Nigeria, two-term governor of Rivers, Chairman of the Governors Forum of Nigeria, GFN, and two-term Minister of Transportation. He is the first Nigerian to be appointed Minister of Transportation and first Ikwerre to be appointed full-fledged Grade A minister. As an Ikwerre, I am proud of Amaechi. As an Igbo, I am also proud of him. Coming from the humanities, Amaechi is conscious of history and social anthropology. He said, “Look, I’m Ikwerre. But I’m also Igbo.” By so saying he did not in any way stop any Ikwerre from presenting himself as non-Igbo. Such an Ikwerre who denies his Igbo identity would have to explain himself to the gods. Amaechi’s assertion of his Igboness on the BBC should not cause anyone a headache. The Ikwerre Is Igbo It is important to state for record purposes that historically Ikwerres fully identified themselves as Igbos without suffering harms. Chief Joseph Wobo, member of the Council of Chiefs of Eastern Nigeria, clearly stated he was an Igbo. Nobody can dismiss him as he defended Ikwerreland in colonial Nigeria. Sir Jackson Mpi, first and last Ikwerre to be conferred with Knight of the Order of British Empire, OBE, by Queen Elizabeth II of England in 1960, identified himself as Igbo. From the ancient Kingdom of Isiokpo, Sir Mpi worked tirelessly for Igbo advancement. Dr Obi Wali was the first Ikwerre PhD holder, senator and university lecturer. He was also the only Ikwerre in the 1978 Constituent Assembly where he was selected one of the 50 Wise Men that drafted the 1979 constitution. The great Dr Wali identified fully with his Igbo heritage and was gruesomely assassinated defending it. Okogbule Wonodi, first Ikwerre registrar of any university, first and only Ikwerre poet and Paramount title Holder of Eze Ohiaemeru. Ohiaemeru, where you have present-day Comprehensive College in Borokiri, was his ancestral home before the British vacated them between 1913-1923. Wonodi remained a respected member of Nzukor Igbo and Ohanaeze Ndigbo till the end of his life. Patriot Emmanuel Aguma was former Mayor of Port Harcourt. As Principal of St John College, Diobu, he was the first Ikwerre to head any college. One of six pre-independence Ikwerre University graduates, former administrator of Port Harcourt Province in the defunct Peoples Republic of Biafra, first Ikwere minister in 1979, Aguma remained a member of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Emmanuel Oriji was a respected local government administrator, traditional ruler, a commissioner in old Rivers and core Igbo nationalist. The immediate past Deputy Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Isaac Wonwu, is an illustrious Ikwerre son from Elele. He is known to assert his Igbo identity. Equally valid, Chief Jackson Womenazu from Rumukrushi in the Evo Kingdom is a member of the Elders’ Council of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. In colonial documents, written when Igbos had no capacity to influence anything, Ikwerres also defined themselves as Igbos. When Ikwerre leaders presented their case before the 1957 Sir Henry Willinks Commission, Wobo declared that Ikwerres were Igbos and Port Harcourt to Onitsha was Igboland. The cream of Ikwerreland have asserted their Igboness. Most illustrious sons and daughters. Tell me any Ikwerre whose CV can match those of Mpi, Wobo, Aguma, Wonodi, Dr Wali or Amaechi? The Ikwerre: Space and Survival We must resolve all outstanding issues occasioned by the military-inspired partition of Ikwerreland as war booty. Our irreducible stand includes: One, Ikwerres are Igbos and Ikwerreland is so important to the Igbo that they will never take any step to destroy Ikwerres or toy with their destiny. In geo-strategic terms, Ikwerreland is the tongue of the Igbo race to the sea. Two, we are aware there are plans to landlock the Igbo nation. These plans are rooted in history. My brother and personal friend, Wike, should not be a crusader for such plans because it will be resisted with the sword as no nation will allow itself to be landlocked. All legitimate, moral and spiritual means available to Ndigbo would be used to resist the excise of Ikwerreland from the larger Igboland. Three, “Obigbo,” means “Heart of Igboland.” It is the right name for that Local Government Area, LGA. “Oyigbo” means nothing and was never and will never be the name of Obigbo. The British met local people on ground who said their world was called Obigbo. Any researcher can go there and verify for himself. None should be persecuted for calling Obigbo its original pre-civil war name. I, Uche Okwukwu, call it Obigbo and I have no apologies for that. Four, “Ohiaemeru” is the original name for Borokiri. It was the British who removed the indigenous Ikwerre population there before declaring the place Crown Land between 1913-1923. Equally so, “Igweocha” or “Diobu” is the original name for Port Harcourt. We must set the record straight. Five, demographically and historically, Igbos constitute the majority in the Niger Delta. Wike’s idea of the region is flawed considering that nine states make up the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, namely, Imo, Abia, Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo, Ondo and Rivers. It is absurd and unacceptable stating that Umuagwo is not in the Niger Delta but Ogoja is. Be that as it may, there is now a statutory definition of the region manifest in the NDDC Act. Any definition that excludes the Igbo from the Niger Delta, or tends to disenfranchise them from the privileges thereof, is unacceptable. This is because there were plans in the past that destroyed any benefit coming to the Igbo. Boundary adjustments were carried out to remove oil-producing areas from the former East Central State. Six, in terms of ethnicity and language, Igbos are also in the majority in Rivers. It is fallacious that there are no Igbos here. Igbos are here because Ikwerres are Igbos. Ogbas are Igbos, Ekpeyes are Igbos. Etches are Igbos. Obigbos are Igbos. So no one can talk about Igbos coming in to cause trouble. Igbos are peaceful. Rivers is our home, and we are its autochthones. Seven, Binis have no cultural or historical link with Ikwerres. We worship different gods, have different market days with different monarchical structures. Our Kingship is not from father to son like the Binis. Our kingship is based on gerontocracy where the oldest person assumes leadership. What brought us together was the 1914 amalgamation. No pre-colonial or colonial record has it that Ikwerres migrated from Benin. The post-war purported claim that Ikwerres are Binis is parasitic, defeatist and self-hate. Eight, Ikwerreland is heavily garrisoned. Two million Ikwerres in four LGAs are tightly sandwiched by two naval barracks at Iwofe and Borokiri; two army barracks at Port Harcourt and Elele; air force base in Port Harcourt and an army shooting range in Igwuruta. Large swathes of land were appropriated for the building of the international airport, University of Port Harcourt and its teaching hospital, Rivers State University, Ignatius Ajuru University, Nigerian Television Authority, Area 1 Seaport, etc. We believe in the unity of this country but the Federal Government should dismantle the military formations and return their locations to land-bereft inner-city Ikwerres. Our burgeoning population has no living space and this could lead to the Oromo experience. Why is Wike denying his Igbo roots? Wike is an illustrious Ikwerre son. And for emphasis, he is an Igbo man. A kettle might call itself an electric kettle, but it remains a kettle. Wike will do himself great service to forget the purported prejudice of the past and assert his Igboness. You don’t deny your own roots because they may not be there anymore when later you need them. All those who deny their people have always regretted it. 10 Likes |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by Wainey: 7:23am On Aug 15, 2023 |
Ikwerre this Ikwerre that. Until everybody deny you, you won't have sense. Work on your tribe and you won't be forcing people to be recognized as igbos, they will beg to join you. But for now, the igbos is the least palatable tribe that people will want to associate with, so stop all these long epistle and get to work, bring back the old Igbo that produced people like Nnamdi Azikwe The present set of igbos are vile, insultive, feral, wicked, ethnocentric and pompous, Nobody wants to associate with that. 14 Likes 6 Shares |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by BoldBrainz(m): 7:47am On Aug 15, 2023 |
😂. I have nothing to say, until the day the Igbos will decide to attempt the nonsense they did with the Niger Delta region between 1967 and 1968, then we'll discuss, whether with words or pieces of remorseless metals. 5 Likes 2 Shares |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by Goodday90(m): 7:53am On Aug 15, 2023 |
Allow them be Like there is anything special about them,I hate that Igbo people are making some people feel special Let them be 1 Like 1 Share |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by ThankUUJesus: 8:07am On Aug 15, 2023 |
God bless this man. Ndi Ikwerre ndi ibe m. Igbo bu Igbo, anyi bu ofu 13 Likes |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by franchasofficia: 8:29am On Aug 15, 2023 |
We are still in crude oil political era, by the time we enter natural gas political era, everybody, including Yoruba Muslims will be begging to be linked with Southeast Igbos, na just time ![]() 15 Likes |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by Wainey: 8:35am On Aug 15, 2023 |
Goodday90:Did they tell you there is anything special about them? If there is anything, it is igbos that is irritating with the constant attachee. They have told you ages ago that they don't want to be called igbos, but the igbos don't want to rest. They don't want to feel special, they just want to be left alone, it is very good if you don't join them in this inter tribal conflict that is going on in Nigeria, let the SS people breath 3 Likes 1 Share |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by Wainey: 8:38am On Aug 15, 2023 |
franchasofficia:it's not about the resources you have, it is about the way you respect and treat others and also respect yourself. You think people in SS drink oil as breakfast? Most people here don't even care about the oil, they go about their normal business, gas won't give you any attention either. Allow the SS people to breet |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by Igboid: 8:42am On Aug 15, 2023 |
Wainey: You the one who is irritating with your interest in this topic. You are neither Igbo nor Ikwerre, so why are you meddling into the issue? Don't you see you are annoying and desperate? Don't you have issues where ever backward place you came from to solve? Doesn't it stink of unhealthy Obsession for a non Igbo and non Ikwerre like you to be putting mouth into what is a domestic matter between Igbos and Ikwerre? You are a typical meddle Igbophobic Yoruba man. You have your Ilorin issues to solve, you still have issues to solve with Okun and co. There is still issue of Hausas in Lagos fighting and killing you. You infact have too many domestic issues of you own, but you will leave it and be diving into Igbo domestic issues. You are pathetic. 21 Likes 4 Shares |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by justtoodark: 8:50am On Aug 15, 2023 |
bwahaha.... ![]() ![]() |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by Wainey: 8:52am On Aug 15, 2023 |
Igboid:I am Rivers man and share boundaries with Ikwerre, so what affects them will indirectly affect me, cos we share alot with them, we live with them as neighbor, we intermarry, we know their traditional food more than you igbos, we trade with them more than you do. Except cultural dressing and language that u share with them, I know more about the Ikwerres than you ever will, I see them more as a brother while you see them as a tool to actualize ur agenda. Igbos should leave Ikwerre and the SS people alone, we are not interested 4 Likes 2 Shares |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by Terabyteck(m): 8:58am On Aug 15, 2023 |
Ikwere." This is obviously why Igbo vernacular was compulsorily introduced and taught in all schools in Ikwerreland before the Nigerian Civil War to the assimilation (i.e. destruction) of the Ikwere language. This also obviously led to the Rumuomasi Declaration in 1965. " … in their meeting at Rumuomasi in 1965 the Ikwerre had, under the umbrella of a highly promising new body that was to get the Ikwerre together as a people of new and clearer vision, they had declared themselves as a people of the distinct identity of Ikwerre Ethnic Nationality - not Ibo, not Ijo, not anything else but Ikwerre, Iwhnur ọ hna. This was the historic Rumuomasi Declaration of 1965 (G.O.M. Tasie, 2000). The full implication is that Ikwere people began to assert themselves forcefully as an ethnic nationality of their own and not Ibos or Ijos, and efforts were made to revert to the original Ikwere names for families, villages, communities and landmarks. For instance, there was the change from Umuola to Rumuola , Umuoro to Rumuoro, Umukrushi to Rumuokwurusi, just to name a few. T O N Y E N Y I A, PhD, MNIM CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF TRUSTEES IWHNURỌHNA CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION Saturday, 5 February 2011 References: Olise, J.N. (1971) The Peoples of Benin , Oxford University Press Amadi, K.O. (1993) Amadi- Nna,S.O. L.(1993) Otuwari kpo, F.E. (1994) Studies in Ikwerre History and Culture , in Nduka, O. (ed) (1993) Craft Publishing Ltd Studies in Ikwerre History and Culture , in Nduka, O. (ed) (1993) Craft Publishing Ltd The Phonology of Ekpeye: A Descriptive Analysis , unpublished MA Thesis, University of Jos Solomon , N.M.T. (2004) A Short History of Ekpeye People (an excerpt from an upcoming book entitled “THE EKPEYE BOOK – A Comprehensive Guide in the History and Culture of Ekpeye People of the Niger Delta Region in Nigeria” published by Usama Ekpeye USA Inc, Tasie, G.O.M. (2000) Chairman's Opening Remarks at the Maiden Ikwerre Annual Thanksgiving Day, mimeo
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Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by Igboid: 9:03am On Aug 15, 2023 |
Wainey: You are not Ikwerre or Igbo. That's the point. You are an outsider. We have many Ikwerres who are members of Ohaneze Ndiigbo, Amaechi in particular attends Ohaneze events, the current Ohaneze Ndiigbo president in South Africa is an Ikwerre man. Obi Wali son is an Ohaneze chieftain, Obi Wali himself was going to declare his Igbo identity in media before he was gruesomely murdered. The Ikwerre are more than capable of making their input on the matter of Unity with Igbos, you were never invited, it's an internal affair between Igbos and Ikwerres. You are a meddlesome outsider, your people don't have half of the human resources Ikwerre and Igbo have, so you are too inferior for your inputs or opinions to be needed in these discussions, you should focus on your own domestic issues. Sharing boundaries with Ikwerres means nothing. You should stay in your lane. That's the point. 21 Likes 4 Shares |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by Figger(m): 9:07am On Aug 15, 2023 |
Wainey:You're a mad man 5 Likes 1 Share |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by Wainey: 9:19am On Aug 15, 2023 |
Igboid:The Ikwerres has always denied that they are not igbos, why are the igbos always trying to tell them who they are? Oga we are not interested, if igbos tribe is so good as you claim, people will not be denying you. Go and work on ur tribe first, we the SS are not interested. Ntoor 2 Likes |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by Wainey: 9:19am On Aug 15, 2023 |
Figger:Igbos should let Ikwerre be 1 Like |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by gidgiddy: 9:32am On Aug 15, 2023 |
Wainey: Ikwerres are free to claim whatever ethnicity they want, but what you said above is nonsense. You think you share more boundary than Emohua LGA and Ikwerre LGA share with Imo State? You think you inter marry more than them? What do you think you will know about Ikwerres that someone from Imo will not know? You probably dont know a single word in the Ikwerre dialect. Dont make us laugh 5 Likes |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by Abagworo(m): 9:37am On Aug 15, 2023 |
BoldBrainz: And what did Igbos do with"Niger Delta" ? My friend Igbos are far majority of Niger Delta so Igbos couldn't have done themselves anything wrong. The writer of this article is a well known Ikwerre Igbo son and you cannot define him not to be a Niger Deltan. Thank you 5 Likes 1 Share |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by BoldBrainz(m): 9:38am On Aug 15, 2023 |
Abagworo: What's with the noise? |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by Igboid: 9:39am On Aug 15, 2023 |
Wainey: There is no "We" between you and Ikwerre. If you can't grasp this simple concept, then this discussion is pointless. Ndiigbo have no interest in whatever backward place you come from, so you can as well go and stay where the sun don't shine. The Ikwerres who are in Igbo Organization know that there is a "We" between them and other Igbos, the opinions of dissenting Ikwerre people matters and will be put on a plebiscite on the day of reckoning, but your inferior Igbo hating Yoruba opinion trying too hard to mask under minorities of SS is irrelevant. That's the point. 8 Likes |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by Sojourner1976: 9:40am On Aug 15, 2023 |
Wainey:Such a waste of social media space. The article was written by an Ikwerre man who has defined himself as Igbo, the hell are you to tell him otherwise. For the records, I was born in Obigbo in the mid 70s, that area was and still remain with Igbo the only language aside English widely spoken there. Check places like Kom Kom, Afam, Obete, Obeama, Obonku, Mmirinwayi all within the LG and tell me who is there. 4 Likes |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by Igboid: 9:41am On Aug 15, 2023 |
gidgiddy: The person behind that handle is from Ogbomosho. He knows nothing about Igbo or Ikwerre. All his parents taught and that he will teach his children is Igbo hate. 4 Likes |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by Wainey: 9:43am On Aug 15, 2023 |
Igboid:Oga we are not interested, cry all you want |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by Wainey: 9:45am On Aug 15, 2023 |
gidgiddy:and they said they are not igbos. Leave us alone ![]() |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by Abagworo(m): 9:46am On Aug 15, 2023 |
Wainey: But the writer Okwukwu is Ikwerre Igbo. Even beyond the Igbo areas of ONELGA, Ikwerre,Etche,Oyigbo and Ekpeye there are Igbos indoctrinated into other ethnic groups but their ancestry is clear as day. These Igbos are found in Bonny, Opobo, Kalabari and Okrika either as freed slaves, recruited warriors or traders that settled among riverine people. If you conduct DNA test they'll be majority of which you might be one. So it's best you leave Igbo affairs lest the Igbo in you will continue to make mockery of you. Nobody should deny his ancestry because of fear and intimidation. 2 Likes |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by Ikaeniyan0: 9:49am On Aug 15, 2023 |
In 2012, Amechi claim he's not an Igbo man but an ikwerre man |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by Wainey: 9:50am On Aug 15, 2023 |
Abagworo:nobody is intimidated, they have the right to tell you who they are and you have no right to force them. The Independence you want from Nigeria, you can't give it to the Ikwerres. See ur life 1 Like |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by sultanofpigs: 9:54am On Aug 15, 2023 |
IGBOs the greatest tribe in NIGERIA and AFRICA, who are most hated by the cowards and stupid envious people from the sadwasted region (SW). IGBOs real enemies are people that answer names like TAJUDEEN MUKAILA MUFUTAU They are envious and pathetically useless ...FACTs ![]() 4 Likes |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by sultanofpigs: 9:55am On Aug 15, 2023 |
Yoruba man ...go and sleep. You are very predictable ...disgusting things... ![]() Wainey: 2 Likes |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by Wainey: 9:57am On Aug 15, 2023 |
sultanofpigs:Ikwerre said they don't want you. Leave us alone |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by sultanofpigs: 10:06am On Aug 15, 2023 |
You and who dey do ikwerre nonsense talk. ?? See una ba? We go show una shege...see this SW riffraff involving yourself inside issues that dont concern you? What is your business with the topic?...na to answer Don wainey, name as moniker make you ikwerre? you be fool. I follow for that "hit" against don wainey. Na we catch am..and the boy na full igbo man. So all this nonsense wey you dey do, dey foolish and stupid. ![]() Wainey: 2 Likes |
Re: What An Ikwerre Man Said About Ikwerres, Igbos And History by Dafresh: 10:07am On Aug 15, 2023 |
Wainey:tell me the name of the ikwerre man or woman that said so? 2 Likes |
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