LAGOS, NIGERIA (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Ikwerre socio-cultural group, the Iwhnurohna Progressive Organisation (IPO), has warned apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and it’s President General, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu to desist from seeing the Ikwerre tribe in Rivers State as Igbo.
Led by Dr. Okahchukwu Dibia, the IPO expressed deep displeasure over Iwuanyanwu being associated with the dissemination of false and baseless information, claiming that the Ikwerre people are part of the Igbo community.
Members of the IPO gathered in Port Harcourt and vehemently condemned this statement, deeming it offensive, insulting, shameful, disgusting, insensitive, careless, and uncivilized.
Dibia, speaking on behalf of the IPO, emphasized the group’s unwavering position, stating, “To us at IPO, Ikwerre is Igbo means that all the ancestral communities in Ikwerre originated from Igbo. This is not true and can never be true, hence our reply to him and indeed Ohaneze.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Ikwerre people are a distinct ethnic nation recognised in Nigeria and the United Nations. Ikwerre language is one of the recognised languages in Nigeria and the United Nations (UN).
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“Whoever is in doubt can contact the appropriate government authorities in Nigeria and the UN. While Ikwerre is our political name, Iwhnurohna is our native name, and both refer to the same people: Ikwerre Ethnic Nationality.
“We live and own the Emohua, Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City (in alphabetical order) local government areas in Rivers State, Niger Delta, South South geo-political region of Nigeria”.
Dibia, referencing scholars like Prof. Otonti Nduka, argues Ikwerre distinctiveness despite linguistic similarities with the Igbo, using themes like appearance, innate qualities, and history.
He said: “Consequently, IPO’s reply to Iwuanyanwu is that language, name, dances, songs, dressing cannot be and should not be used as determinants of who Ikwerre is. IPO wish to reply Iwuanyanwu that who a man truly is, is more about his core innate character and behaviour than the physicals he sees.
“IPO’s reply to Iwuanyanwu on the history of Ikwerre is that Iwhnurohna is a Federation of Aborigines and Migrants who have come together under one political roof called Ikwerre Ethnic Nation. It is therefore very unthinkable and childish to claim that Ikwerre is Igbo because of the existence of few Aro communities allowed to settle in Ikwerreland”.
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“Ikwerre history has been well written and documented. Ikwerre is not Igbo. In Igboland, due to reckless boundaries delineation between Rivers State and Imo State, Ikwerre people are carved into Imo State. Example is the Ohaji people in Imo state.
“Ohaneze should know that it is only a handful of Aro people who were allowed to settle in Ikwerre that can trace their origin to Igboland. Therefore, it is very wrong, preposterous and unacceptable for anyone to say that Ikwerre is Igbo.
“Henceforth, such offensive, insulting, abusive and insensitive hate-claim should not be uttered by Ohaneze or any other group or individuals from any part of humanity. Iwhnurohna will not tolerate it anymore.
“IPO suggests that Ohaneze should maintain good neighbourliness. Ohaneze, Ijaw and indeed all ethnic groups in Nigeria should respect their neighbours as distinct people instead of angling and making subtle desperate moves for unification for a political entity they will dominate. No nation is successfully built on suspicion and domination.
“Ohaneze should recognise the need to change its antagonistic attitude towards Ikwerre. Igbo should stay and develop their five states and let Ikwerre be. Ikwerre is not Igbo”.
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Dibia also told Ohanaeze that late Chief Eguma and not Aguma, the Igbo version was fined a cow by Ogbakor Ikwerre Organisation World Wide for being part of Ohaneze Ndigbo, which he paid.
He said, “This payment shows that Eguma realized he did the wrong thing and was restituted. IPO notes that our late father Eguma may have committed that error involuntarily to secure his job in Enugu.
“IPO wishes to remind Ohaneze that good neighbourliness is better than money, profits and gains. Ohaneze should respect Ikwerre as a distinct ethnic nation instead of insulting Ikwerre through claims that provoke and promote disaffection between Ikwerre and Igbo. Then, we can all co-habit as good neighbours”.
