Ikoli Harcourt Whyte: Father of Igbo Church Music
Ikoli Harcourt Whyte was a popular Igbo musician who hailed from Isiowu Ama (Abonnema). He recorded hundreds of hymns and compositions in his native Igbo dialect of Kalabari earning him the distinction of “father of Igbo ‘church’ music”.


Ikoli Harcourt Whyte

Isiowu Ama Founding Fathers
According to the linguist‘s research, most of the founding fathers of Isiowu Ama were Igbo men. Some of these founding fathers include:

* Isiowu Young Briggs (Dee Isiowu. Founder)
* Obaji Manuel
* Otaji Nta Georgewill
* Odum Don Pedro
* Nwokeocha Douglas Amachree etc etc

These names as well as their descendants are prominent members of Isiowu Ama community.

Unfortunately, since the advent of the civil war many now deny their Igbo ancestry. Several family and communal histories were retold, and native Igbo names replaced with Ijaw and English names.
But a trip to those areas reveals the Igbo identity still clearly perceivable in those communities.

Not every native of Isiowu Ama (Abonnema) is Igbo but the ancestry of many families could be traced to the Igbo ethnicity, including the family of Ikoli Harcourt White.

*Additional information and minor corrections by ECBLOG

You can also view this post in video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK3vZm7TEQY

https://easternconsigliereblog.com/ikoli-harcourt-whyte-links-between-kalabari-and-igbo-5/



Did you miss the earlier story. Read Links Between Kalabari And Igbo 4 – Brief History Of Kalabari

Una must claim Kalabari by fire by force.

Flangelo12:
Una must claim Kalabari by fire by force.

Is that why your sister didn't know the boundary between SW and Kwara reason why she carried her juju enter kwara

Flangelo12:
Una must claim Kalabari by fire by force.

It's just history.

The father of Igbos is a kalabari man

This tribe has been so inconsequential since ages

DevilsEqual:
The father of Igbos is a kalabari man

This tribe has been so inconsequential since ages

What's your prove?

Love his songs!

Reminds me of lazy Sunday afternoons after mass when his music is either put on at home or played on the radio! I’m sure a lot of fellow Igbo can relate to this sentiment!