Mod pls also help my people by moving this thread to the front page, just like you have moved both the igbo,yoruba,hausa,ijaw and many others to the front page, Thanks and God bless you.. Rep Nairaland...

The Ikwerre nation is the largest ethnic nationality in present day Rivers State. The reasons for this deduction are not far fetch. It is made up of not less than four major Local Government Areas, and occupies the largest land mass in the state.

Like most ethnic groups in Nigeria, the history of Ikwerre could be contested. However, several researchers have linked their origin to benin, edo state in Nigeriam, Ikwerre is listed as an ethnic group by the nigerian govenment, Ikwerre is often highlighted as the richest and most industrious nationality in Rivers State, an observation that could have been due to the quality indigenes it has produced in recent time.

Head of Ikwerre Cultural Organisation, Worldwide, Chief Agbaru Ogbakor, who gave credence to this in a narration of the history of the place and its people said: “Ikwerre is one of the ethnic nationalities that make up the many Nation-States that were amalgamated by Lord Luggard in 1914 to form what we have today as Nigeria. They have their identifiable and distinct culture, tradition and language.

“Ikwerre spans four Local Government Areas in Rivers State. These LGAs are those of Port Harcourt, Obio-Akpor, Ikwerre and Emohua. It has a population of about three million people.”

Speaking on the people, Ogbakor said: “Ikwerre people are hospitable, warm, very accommodating and generous. They readily appreciate when a good deed is done to them.

“In terms of dependability, they are a people you can always count upon, once an agreement is reached (Brief on Ikwerre People), Agbaro was quoted during a Grand Civic Reception in Honour of Governor Rotimi Amaechi, by Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation five years ago.

The Ikwerre have volunteered their land to host important landmarks and institutions of economic relevance in Rivers. Notable among these are the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, University of Port Harcourt, International Airport Omagwa; Seaport, largest Oil Palm Company in Africa, University of Education, Nigerian Air Force Base, Nigerian Naval Base, Nigerian Army Base, Oil multinationals such as Shell, Agip, Mobil and Elf, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), 52 oil wells and four Flow Stations.

With the above, it could be seen that only Ogoni ethnic nationality could be said to have the kind of economic potentials that can compete favorably with the Ikwerre nation with two refineries, petrochemicals, trade zone, seaport and numerous companies doing businesses there.

Politics

Ikwerre people generally have been most blessed in the politics of Rivers State. Since the dawn of democracy in 1999, they have occupied strategic offices at the national to the state levels.

Notably, two Ikwerre kinsmen have been Deputy Speakers of the House of Representatives, namely, Chibudom Nwuche and Austin Opara, between 1999 and 2007.

In 2007, Rotimi Amaechi, who was then the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly since 1999, was strongly believed to be the one that would succeed his political godfather, Dr Peter Odili, as governor of the state.

He was believed to get the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket in 2007 because he was one of the governor’s kitchen cabinet members. Amaechi an indigene of Ubima in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State enjoys the support of his kinsmen, many of whom believed that he was the brain behind Odili’s victory in 2003 governorship election, having allegedly worked against his brother, the acclaimed ‘Bulldozer of Rivers Politics’, Chief Sergeant Awuse . Eventually, he became the governor by providence in 2007.

Shortly after the reins of Odili, Celestine Omehia, Amaechi’s cousin, became a governor for justfew months before the Supreme Court vacated him in October 26, 2007, which therefore, made the way for Amaechi to ascend the throne.

Presently, Chief Nyesom Wike, a lawyer and former Minister of State (Education), also an Ikwerre, from Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, won the just concluded governorship election in rivers state. This means that three Ikwerre sons may governed the state interruptedly for 16 years.

It will also go a long way to prove that Ikwerre has been using its size and majority advantage to garner the political interest of the state to its favour. Though Amaechi has been warning indigenes of the state not to allow another Ikwerre to succeed him as governor, many see this as a selfish protest on his part.

As it stands, majority of the Ikwerre have already thrown their weight behind the candidature of Wike and would not hesitate to continue to dominate the politics of the state for as long as it suites them.

Delicacies

Ikwerre people are known to be very hospital set of people in Rivers State. This hospitality is defined in the way they take care of their guests at a given time. They thrill their guests with their traditional meals. The most common of these are the cocoyam, foo foo (fun fun in Yoruba) and okazi soup.

Chief Adi Wali, a social critic, told Sunday Independent that the okazi soup is prepared by first going to the green forest in search of the okazi leaves.

“These leafs are sliced to tiny rings and then is pounded. Because a typical Ikwerre man is a fisherman, we use dry fish and bush meat to garnish the soup. You will add periwinkle to it, plenty grey fish and then add red oil. You cannot resist the aroma of this soup when you are served. Stockfish could also be added to make the soup worthwhile”, Wali said.

He explained that eba (cassava flour) is an “alien” food to the Ikwerre people. Cocoyam flour has been “our staple food for many years now. Many homes in Ikwerre Kingdom cannot do without this. It does not matter your social status in the society, an average Ikwerre family enjoys this delicacy”

Traditional marriage

Traditional marriage in Ikwerre, as it is with every other ethnic nationality in Nigeria, is a sacred process that is highly revered. Accordingly, the man would go for a formal introduction, often referred to as the “Door knocking” the moment he identifies the woman he wants to marry. He does this by taking few elders of his family to the girl’s family for the “Introduction”. He goes there with a keg of palm win and dry gin (okanme).


While this process lasted, the girl is not defiled. Both are kept away from having sex before the marriage. On the day of the marriage, what the man wears is of a great essence. He spots a loose end wrapper atop of etibo (flowing shirt) with a hat to match. He may decide to wear sandals or hard shoes. In some cases, he may complete the process with a hand staff.


The girl may go in wrapper with some traditional top. She spots traditionally made beads round her waist and some more round her wrists. The details of the conjugal process may not be necessary at this point, but what is most interesting is the fact that the atmosphere at the marriage venue is always electric, as it is spiced up with some traditional displays by the youths of the community.

Festivals


During festive periods like Christmas, the entire kingdom is agog with rich cultural heritage. One of the fantastic traditional displays of the Ikwerre people is the traditional wrestling.

This is mainly engaged by the able-bodied youths to test their physical strength. Festival wrestling is an integral part of the culture of the Ikwerre people. “In our wrestling competition, different types of drumming the instruments are used such as: Ikwirikwu , Ekwenkalu , Ngele, Mbamba of different types, shapes and sizes”. Normally, two competing camps would gather opposite one another, led respectively by a motivator.


“The motivator holds some grasses, which he uses to whip the wrestlers’ hands and buttocks excite them to action. “


Whoever throws the other down wins. If the wrestlers were unable to throw each other, they are said have ‘equalised’ or ‘ogba- oga. The side of the wrestlers that throws his opponent will lift him up with utter jubilation. They will dance round the playground where the wrestling takes place. Women will dance around in a manner that arouses the wrestlers. “


Apart from the wrestling competition, which is mainly for the young men, there is also the Eregbu cultural dance, Ekpo and Ekpe masquerades. These are important cults, which the young must belong”, Chinedu Wosu, a journalist , told the reporter.

Language

According to him, the Ikwerre people speak Ikwerre Language. Before the advent of colonialism, they were already relating with the Igbos which led to the language similarities between the igbos and the ikwerres, including name similarities. At the advent of colonialism, they were exposed to English language and special English called pidgin.

Dance


One of the most popular dance steps in Ikwerre is the Eregbu. In this dance, two drummers, mostly males, sit opposite each other and play selected styles that give different tones to the dancing pleasure of people who do so in circular fashion to the admiration of spectators.


This is a beautiful dance that is highly cherished by the Rumuchorlu people of Ikwerre ethnic nationality. They also have the Eri-Ndudu dance that is mainly played by women. The drummers used different instruments like Ndudu, Ngele, Osha, Kwirikwe , among others. At times, the men assist the women in drumming, while the other women dance in circle, or as they may find convenient for the moment.


Spectators watch with utmost joy, happiness and admiration. Ikwerre also has another dance called the Eri- Oboh, whereby the chief drummer directs the play using rhythms from locally made instruments. The main instrument, known as Oboh is made of thick calabash, with strong strings. This is used alongside other instruments to orchestrate the dance. While the play is on, some people dig the lkwere dance according to the rhythm of the instrument and song to cheers from spectators. The dancers could be male or female.

Mod Fp pls..bless you..

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Ikwerreboy:

The Ikwerre have volunteered their land to host important landmarks and institutions of economic relevance in Rivers. Notable among these are the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, University of Port Harcourt, International Airport Omagwa; Seaport, largest Oil Palm Company in Africa, University of Education, Nigerian Air Force Base, Nigerian Naval Base, Nigerian Army Base, Oil multinationals such as Shell, Agip, Mobil and Elf, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), 52 oil wells and four Flow Stations.

I hope you know the Okrikas will have something to say about on whos land the seaport lies

Ikwerreboy:

With the above, it could be seen that only Ogoni ethnic nationality could be said to have the kind of economic potentials that can compete favorably with the Ikwerre nation with two refineries, petrochemicals, trade zone, seaport and numerous companies doing businesses there.

as a rivers man u should also know how touchy an eleme man feels when he is classified as ogoni. the petrochemicals is indisputably on eleme land, the refinery is said to be on eleme land be the okrikas also say some of it falls on their land. the elemes and okrikas also jointly lay claim to the Onne sea port