naijatvnet:


Can you remember the British assimilation and association theory during the colonial rule? Well you may note that in the old Eastern Nigeria, the Igbos and Ikwerres were in the same region and had close trade and social relationship which I think would have caused the adopting of Igbo names by most Ikwerre and Ekpeye people. But truth is that a grown up man decides his origin and not the other way round

Dont quote what is written because it can be lies, that you associates with people can not make one forget or acquires their names and tradition, culture, way of lifeat Same time � and drive away from mine, try to write what someone can read and accept..... remember odogwu adughi guy name!

So what's d bone of contention here They are not IBO they said....u can't force it on dem

who did you think forcing it on them first? If u're Yoruba and claims to be Hausa u can be mocked and that's not forcing it on you rather u're ignorant!
Watch Rwike analyze that he is not Igbo you I'll laugh �� at him....70yrs old man �♂️♂️

Retraction: I write to state that this History of Ikwerre people was originally authored and published by Dr. N. Tony Enyia as Brief History of Ikwerre. This was latter copied and posted on my FaceBook wall. I do not in any way claim originality. Therefore, all credit should be given to Dr. N. T. Enyia for this article.

Majority of the Ikwerre settlements have their roots traceable from the old Benin Empire.” Iwhnurọhna people descended from the ancient Bini Kingdom. The name of the grand ancestor is Akalaka. Their relations in Rivers State are Ekpeye and Ogba people. The reigning Oba of Benin when Akalaka, the ancestor of Ihruọha (later called Iwhnurọhna) fled was Oba Ewuare (Ogwaro). Akalaka, a member of the Benin royal family, fled in the 13 th century on allegation of plotting assassination of the Oba. He died in 1462. Iwhnurọhna his third son settled east of the Sombrero River by 1538 AD, as detailed below.
Chief N.M.T. Solomon (2004), native of Ikodu Ubie in Ekpeyeland, in his narrative draws heavily from the now authenticated written historical records delivered by various informed sources including “Eketu (Weber) of Ubeta, assumed to have lived for over two hundred (200) years as the oldest man in all Ekpeye, Ogba and Iwhnurọ hna (or Ikwerre), at that time (and) was asked to narrate the history and customs of Ekpeye people” as unfolded in his lifetime. Here is what he said, which has been validated by the accounts of the current generation through responses to our questionnaires and direct interviews thereby increasing our level of confidence on the data: Ekpeye, born in Benin, was the first of the three sons of Akalaka. While in Ndoni, he married a second wife to gain the love and favour of the people. The new wife gave birth to a son, which he named Ogba. Akalaka was still in Ndoni when his first wife, the mother of Ekpeye, gave birth to his third son called Ihruoha (Ikwerre). Similar historical fact by J.N. Olise (1971) averred that: “Akalaka, a member of the Benin royal family, fled with his wife from Benin to Ndoni, a community located close to the River Niger, to save the life of his new born baby (Ekpeye) …

While at Ndoni, Akalaka took a second wife. … Akalaka had two sons, Ekpeye – born to him by his Benin wife, and Ogba – born to him by his Ndoni wife. According to F.E. Otuwarikpo (1994): ” After the death of Akalaka in 1462 AD, his two sons, Ekpeye and Ogba had conflict, which compelled Ogba, the younger son, to move northwards where he founded Ohiakwo (Obigwe) and settled with his family. Ekpeye who remained at Ula-Ubie had seven sons – Ubie, Akoh, Upata, Igbuduya, Ekpe, Awala and Asa. The last three sons – Ekpe, Awala and Asa crossed to the other side of Sombreiro River (present day Ikwerreland and settled there since 1538 AD.” He added that: “Ekpe migrated to present day Rumuekpe and spread through Elele (Alimini), Ndele, Rumuji and part of Ibaa. Awala migrated to present day Isiokpo …” Amadi-Nna (1993) also said Akalaka migrated with his half brother called Ochichi from the area of Benin Empire.
Ochichi sons were Ele (Omerele, now Elele), Elu (Elumuoha, now Omerelu), Egbe (Egbeda) and Mini (Alimini, Isiokpo). The crucial point here, which is of great importance in tracing the joint origin of the ancestors of the Old Ahoada Division (in the Governor Diete-Spiff administration), is the mention of the number of children that Akalaka had, namely: Ekpeye, Ogba and Ihru ọ ha (Ikwerre). It is noteworthy that the pedigree and name of Ikwerre people, Iwhnurọhna, obviously took its root from this original name – Ihruọha. Chief Solomon therefore establishes a very vital historical link, which has been missing in literature on Ikwerre origin that would assume more significance in the discourses of Ikwerre genealogy in the future – the fact that Akalaka was the direct father of Ihru ọha (Ikwerre). Iwhnurọhna, in Ikwere parlance, means the face of the community (town, city or village). Nigerian colonial history records that the name “Ikwerre” was given by the colonial administration when they wanted to acquire the Rebisi waterfront to build the wharf. Using an Ibo interpreter to talk to the illiterate Rebisi (Port Harcourt) chiefs, they asked them: Would you permit us to use the waterfront to build the wharf for ships to berth? And they answered: A KWERULEM , meaning – “We have agreed.”

What the white-man was hearing was “Ikwerre,” so he recorded it in the official gazette that the IKWERRE PEOPLE have agreed for the colonial administration to build the wharf. And since it was the official record of government, the name Ikwerre became the name of the Iwhnurohna people in all official documentations till date. Similar cases of Anglicization of native names in the NigerDelta region by the colonial administration are Benin for Bini, Okrika for Wakrike, Degema for Udekema, Abonnema for Obonoma, Brass for Gbara sni, Bonny for Ibani, Pepple for Perekule, Ahoada for Ehuda, etc Even so, “… there were dissenting voices, … who believed that Ikwerre origins lay outside Igbo land, … in the Benin Kingdom of old. It is, therefore, obvious that the interminable debate about Ikwerre origins and migrations including the repudiation of the Igbo tradition is not a phenomenon of the post-civil war period. The controversy, as it were, is not necessarily the product of the present political realities wherein groups which hitherto were seen to have cultural affinities now find themselves in different states or administrative systems.” — K.O. Amadi (1993)

The Ogbakor Ikwerre Convention, a cultural organization of Ikwerre people, in a paper presented to the Human Right Violation Commission headed by Rtd. Justice Chukwudifu
Oputa on 10 October 2001, said: “Ikwerre ethnic nationality is not and has never been a sub-group of any other tribe in Nigeria including Ndi-Igbo. There is no doubt that the advent of the British and later regionalization put Ndi-Igbo at the helm of affairs in Eastern Nigeria. This brought Ndi-Igbo into Ikwerre land. In course of time, the Igbo took advantage of their position in the then Eastern Regional Government to grab land in Ikwerre and occupy political positions such as the mayor of Port Harcourt. In the process, Ikwerre along with other minority groups were marginalized and driven to the
background.” Professor Godwin Tasie noted that in 1913 the Rt Rev Herbert Tugwell, the Anglican Bishop on the Niger, undertook an experimentation tour of Ikwerre towns and villages assumed to be Ibo-speaking to test the Union Ibo Bible Nso being introduced in Iboland. “Tugwell discovered from the tests he carried out that although the Ikwerre were often regarded as Ibo… the Union Ibo Bible translation, surprisingly, was not easily understood by the Ikwere.” This is obviously why Igbo vernacular was compulsorily introduced and taught in all schools in Ikwerre land 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, Iwhnurọhna. 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.

AreaFada2:

Okoro in Benin even means boy but most commonly used as Prince. Son of the Oba.

Okoro N'okhua is crown prince. Before he is invested as Edaiken.

Amadi is a common name. Both are still regular surnames in Benin.

Broski!!!!!!

AreaFada2:

I believe a significant number of Ikwerre are Benin. Obviously due to location over the centuries they have mixed with a large number of Igbo.
From what we read and hear mostly, I believe Ikwerre want to be seen as now having a distinct identity. Not go back to or move to anywhere.

From what we read it's some Igbo people who swear at others and disparage those that disagree with the identity they want to give others.

Looking from outside, I believe Ikwerre see themselves as having a distinct identity now.

The English migrated from Germany and Denmark largely. They acknowledge this. But they have not said they are moving back to Germany and Denmark.

Baba o!!

AreaFada2:


Well, I do not think it's Igbo or Benin who have to pass anything across to Ikwerre as to how to structure anything. Be it culture or language or anything.
Obviously their current and still evolving (like every other) culture happened by virtue of what fate gave them. In terms of ethnic mixes and where they found themselves.

As for Germany and England only novices won't know their cultural and linguistic affinities. Reformation began in Germany and England became the biggest protestant/Anglican nation.

Check out English/German names:

Gerald/Gerhard
Ana/Anja
Bernard/Bernd
Judith/Jutta
Charles/Karl or Carl
George/Georg or Joerg or Juergen
William/Wilhelm
Roger/Ruediger.

And many more.

I deliberately avoid most Biblical names to reduce influence of religion on their uniformity/similarity across languages.

I have never heard the Germans instructing the English to remove German origin names from their language.

Especially now that the British voted to leave Europe in Brexit vote.

Baba x 10000000000000

samuk:


Why do the Igbos always get offended when Anioma and Ikwerre say they are not Igbo, don't Igbo have enough numbers already that they want to forcibly swallow up others around them.

Population doesn't necessarily leads to greatness, Israel is highly regarded and influential in the world today not because of their landmass or population size.

The Fulani that are probably the most influential ethnic group in Nigeria today are a fraction of Igbo in population. Rather than forcing igboness and insulting those that don't want to be identified as Igbo, you guys should be making more effort to advance to a position that people would want to force themselves to be Igbo. You can't just wish and pronounce Igboness on people, they have to be comfortable with it.

Why do the Igbos think that most Anioma and Ikwerre will rather identify with Benin ancestry rather than Igbo, what is so special about Benin that Anioma and Ikwerre people would want to deny their Igbo ancestry if they were Igbo to begin with.

Igbo is an umbrella body created to unite formerly independent tribes due to similarities in culture, language and closeness of common boundaries. Those independent tribes have to be comfortable enough to buy into the project.

Unfortunately, the Nigeria civil war and seperation of south south from east did enormous damage to the Igbo project before it could take concrete root, the Yoruba umbrella project was more successful because they became the part of Nigeria that triumphed over Biafra.

The Nigeria civil war took off the shine and prestige of wanting to be Igbo, why would anyone want to be part of defeated Igbo nation when they can be independent.

The incentive is no longer there. The Anioma and Ikwerre people don't have to be part of a larger Igbo nation to advance themselves politically, socially and economically.

This comment is very apt and direct! I have bookmarked this!!

chatinent:
I read Ikwerre people were cowardly people for having betrayed Igbos by denying them.

There was a Cowardly General who fled to the Ivory Coast after abandoning his People at the Warfront

Ekwutox:
Ironically if this Eric Amadi were to commit a heinous crime and it shows on front page, nobody and i mean nobody would call out bini people but would blame igbos for his crime.

Let them make more efforts in changing their Igbo like names to bini names.

E.g since Nwike is now wike

Ụmụ is now rumu

Obigbo is now oyigbo

Then Amadi should be the ramadi, ramad or even ramadion let it sound more bini like.

What you don’t know is Benin also bear the name Amadi