₦airaland Forum

I'm even more confused

IS BIAFRA THE ENSLAVEMENT OF MINORITY ETHNIC NATIONALITIES OR WHAT?

In his book - 'There Was A Country', Professor Chinua Achibe asserted that the concept of Biafra failed from the very beginning because Odimegwu Ojukwu declared a 'premature' war on Nigeria. The late literary icon strressed that Ojukwu's refusal to consult with neighbouring ethnic nationalities before embarking on his 3 years fruitless secessionist campaign led to the avoidable death of so many Igbos, especially in Port Harcourt.

How can you be talking of Biafra in Port Harcourt without first seeking for the consent and support of the Ikwerre ethnic nationality - the original land owners of Port Harcourt? Even the British - our colonial masters had to sign an agreement with my forefathers when they landed on this shore; how much more our Igbo brothers who are now agitating for Biafra?

You can't be talking of marginalisation in Nigeria, while you malign, despise and disrespect minority ethnic nationalities in your own backyard. How can you import people from Abia State to come and protest over the heads of the indigenous people of Rivers State?

Who told you that Ikwerre people are interested in your Biafra??

Abeg which part of ph is the hotel located, cos I doubt seriously.

"MAMMY MARKET= MAMMY OCHEFU

It was in 1959. Mammy Ode, a young girl from Jericho-Ugboju in the present Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State was married to Anthony Aboki Ochefu, a young Non-Commissioned military officer who had just been posted to Enugu from Abeokuta.

They were quartered at the Army Barracks, Abakpa, Enugu. To beat idleness and perhaps earn some money to support her young family, Mrs. Mammy Ochefu established a soft drinks business. She prepared gruel, which is called umu or enyi in Idoma, or kunu in Hausa, for sale to soldiers. She soon became popular with her stuff as soldiers trooped to her house to buy enyi. Some of her best customers were officers, who always sent their batmen to buy some of the gruel for them, Monday through Friday.

Somehow, one of the Non-Commissioned Officers, the RSM, did not flow with the enthusiasm, which Mammy’s gruel generated among other military men in the barracks. He complained that the stuff was attracting flies into the barracks and ordered Mrs. Mammy Ochefu to stop its production and sale. Though surprised and disappointed at the order of the RSM, she stopped the production and sale of enyi. Her husband, not being an officer at the time, could not challenge the order of the RSM.

For weeks, Mrs. Mammy Ochefu agonized over the fate of her business, just as officers and men of the Nigerian Army who enjoyed her enyi because of its freshness and nutritional value lamented the situation.

From several quarters, pressure mounted on the RSM for a reversal of the order. After a while, he succumbed to the pressures and directed that a section of the barracks be reserved for Mrs. Mammy Ochefu to produce and sell her enyi. Her joy knew no bounds.

Few days after, a section of the barracks was given to her. She built a small shop and soon, her business began to boom. Most of her customers booked for their shares in advance. Before noon, she would have finished selling the available enyi for the day. Soon, other women in the barracks tapped into her fortune and started selling other items. It was not long before that portion of the barracks became known as Mammy Market. It also became a policy to establish markets inside or near military barracks in the country, initially for the exclusive use of officers and men.

Today, no visit to Abuja, the Federal Capital City, is complete without a taste of fresh fish in one of the Mammy Markets, especially the one attached to Abacha Barracks. Similar markets attached to paramilitary barracks are also called Mammy Markets.
After the coup that overthrew General Yakubu Gowon, Anthony Aboki Ochefu, then a Colonel, was posted to East Central State as Military Governor. So Mrs. Mammy Ochefu and her husband returned to Enugu as the First Family; she sometimes visited the site where Mammy Market started about sixteen years earlier It must be stressed too that in retirement, Colonel Anthony Aboki Ochefu and his wife incorporated a company, Mammy Markets, which was into haulage and trading.

Mrs. Mammy Ochefu is alive and lives at Otukpo as one of the prized legends of our time."

A BRIEF HISTORY OF IKWERRE 
‎
Chambers Dictionary (William Geddie, ed. 1962) says: “A nation is a body of people marked off by common descent, language, culture, or historical tradition: the people of a tribe.” However, S.O.L. Amadi-Nna (1993) avers that: “A tribe is a group of clans under recognized chiefs and usually claiming common ancestry. Ikwerre can therefore not be a clan but a tribe. The Ikwerres claim a common ancestor. Ikwerre is an independent small tribe.” In the words of K.O. Amadi (1993), “Traditions suggest that Ikwerre is a nickname given to Iwhnuruọhna people…..They have ever since regarded themselves as a distinct group and have happily come a long way in their struggle for self-identity as evidenced by the recognition of their language as one of the Nigerian languages.” Amadi-Nna (1993) added that: “The Ikwerres are a small but distinct tribe. The Ikwerres have distinct linguistic, social and cultural traits and formations that distinguish them from other close neighbouring tribes like the Ijaws and the Ibos. 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 13th 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 Iwhnurọhna (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 Ihruọha (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 Ihruọha (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 Niger Delta 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 Rights 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 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, 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. 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)  Otuwarikpo, 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 tony enyia

Yes o

A BRIEF HISTORY OF IKWERRE 
‎
Chambers Dictionary (William Geddie, ed. 1962) says: “A nation is a body of people marked off by common descent, language, culture, or historical tradition: the people of a tribe.” However, S.O.L. Amadi-Nna (1993) avers that: “A tribe is a group of clans under recognized chiefs and usually claiming common ancestry. Ikwerre can therefore not be a clan but a tribe. The Ikwerres claim a common ancestor. Ikwerre is an independent small tribe.” In the words of K.O. Amadi (1993), “Traditions suggest that Ikwerre is a nickname given to Iwhnuruọhna people…..They have ever since regarded themselves as a distinct group and have happily come a long way in their struggle for self-identity as evidenced by the recognition of their language as one of the Nigerian languages.” Amadi-Nna (1993) added that: “The Ikwerres are a small but distinct tribe. The Ikwerres have distinct linguistic, social and cultural traits and formations that distinguish them from other close neighbouring tribes like the Ijaws and the Ibos. 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 13th 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 Iwhnurọhna (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 Ihruọha (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 Ihruọha (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 Niger Delta 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 Rights 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 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, 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. 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)  Otuwarikpo, 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 tony enyia

Lol

That is enemi George, representing asari Toru state constituency in the house of Assembly from PDP. Fooooooooolish op

Educative thread

Loooooooooooooooool

Cool thread

Thread of the day

Noted

https://soundcloud.com/saharareporters/governor-nyesom-wike-of-rivers-state-caught-on-tape-bribing-election-offiials

Just listen and you will know why pdp managed to win some sits in the just concluded rerun elections in rivers state

True true true

ZoneBslayer:
this hackneyed and divisive thread has been regurgitated again by the Op..isn't it ironic that I, an Igbo man from ikwuano in the present day Abia state, can't understand the unadulterated igbo dialect of the ohafia man who happens to share the same ancestral land(and state) with me....BUT I can fully understand what Duncan mighty a proud ikwerre man says in his songs..hide it as much as you want, but the truth will always shine brighter than the sun..peace out.

Language is never a criteria in determining culture and identity. Language can be influenced by many factors like trade, conquest etc but origin can be different just like this case. We are not business like as the igbos and our cultures like masquerades and food are never the same.
Assuming but not conceding that we are the same,in our present world. If majority of the Ikwerres agree not to be part of the igbo formation will it be a crime? Are we bound to always accept what we don't like? Is it by force?

jomonic:
The Ikwerre can to hell belong to themselves or wherever. It doesn't matter. All the argument are not necessary. There is nothing for the Igbo to gain by having the Ikwerre declare they are one of us. It's all cosmetic impact and no advantage whatsoever. One common denominator however, is that no matter how much the Ikwerre distance themselves those who hate the Igbo also hate them to the same degree because they don't buy the perception that Ikwerre is not Igbo. How can we explain that 90% of Port Harcourt city belong to the Okirika. Most of Ikwerri land was converted by their neighbours because they were helpless.

U r a certified slowpoke and phooooool, ignoramus and illiterate

omonnakoda:
Well I am not an Ikwerre person and so I am not in a position to educate you. What is important is what the Ikwerre people say they are. I have interacted with many of them and they appear to have some similarities with Ibos but then all Ghanaians appear similar to Nigerian observers and there is such a thing as a "Nigerian" accent.Many Nigerian appear same to outsiders but there are significant differences nevertheless. Even among the Ibos there are many groups that only engage in farming/fishing or office work and have little aptitude for travelling or trading but people lump them all as one. Many of these groups never even knew of each other's existence before Nigeria not to talk of intermarrying and such like.
Like I said before Egyptian,Tunisians,Moroccans and so on all speak Arabic and are Muslims but ethnically they are not Arabs ,they know this and the Arabs know this. many of them belong to the group know as Berbers some of whom we saw begging in Nigeria in the 80s and 90s.

Language is not what makes a people but their own self narrative and Ikwerres had been asserting that they are not Igbos LONG BEFORE Biafra as many like to pretend.
In fact there was a hearing "WILLINKS COMMISSION" 1957 before independence in 1960 where this same matter came up so it is dishonest to pretend it was merely a consequence of the Civil war.There are other Igbo groups in Rivers state e.g Etche and Oyigbo why have they not gone down the same path?
Ultimately these are questions for them and for the Ikwerre people who assert they are not Igbo

God bless you

Balkan:
Elechi was big fool.
Igbos are representing people of Lagos state in state and national assembly. He died a defeated man

You people are eternally evil, we know your plans for port harcourt and it will never see the light of day. Phoooooooools

The Ikwerres that support biafra obviously didn't witness the civil war. Elechi amadi's autobiography was launched yesterday and it exposes a lot. One will wonder if the past Will repeat itself if Biafra ever comes. With the events in the book, Ikwerres should know that the igbo agenda is still strong and lingering.

Noneroone:
@ pazienza you should have listened to the person who asked you not to reply the thread. The op is not looking for clarifications, he wants to make igbophobic argument for the sake of it.

@ the topic, divisive elements exist everywhere. In my town in the 80s one man who town union politics did not favour fought hard to create what he called autonomous community in one of the quarters of my town. He even tried to rename the village claiming it was the previous name. But politician from my town went to withdraw it on the eve of the announcement in Enugu. He later died and his death brought peace to my town.

No he wants the world to see how dubious the igbos are

Maybe an Igbo man should run for governor of rivers state let's see if he can win a polling unit not even in obigbo

pazienza:
What Igbo agenda.

I guess there is an Igbo agenda in USA, as Igbos now hold elective posts there too.

There is an Igbo agenda in Poland, as Igbos hold elective positions there too.

There is an Igbo agenda in Yorubaland, as Igbos hold elective posts there too.

There is an Igbo agenda in UK, as Ogbia hold elective positions there.

There was a Fulani agenda in Igboland, when a Fulani Man who had spent a long time of his lifetime in Enugu was voted to represent Enugu people as the mayor of the City.

There is now a Muslim agenda in Britain, as a Moslem is the mayor.

Relechi Ramadi and his bandwagoners are bunch of retards and should be pitied.

The igbo agenda failed and it will keep failing because Ikwerres will never in the ever of evers agree to be Igbos.

Biafman:
More from the honorable barrister:

Barrister Uche Okwukwu, as an Ikwerre man, you are known by many

people for different things, controversial is one of them. Once, you
were quoted as saying that Ikwerres, in reality, are Igbos. Can you
react to these sayings?

Yes, my name is Uchechukwu Okwukwu. I am an Igbo man. I have said it
in different fora, the Wilkinson report is available, the Ph’D work
of Late Chief Aguma in University of Ibadan 1977 is available, other
reports are also available. There is a fundamental difference between
a nation and a tribe. A tribe speaks a dialect, a Nation speaks a
language. Some Ikwerre people agreed that they are from Igbo, some say
they are from Benin heritage. Scientifically, there are parameters we
use to determine things, the sociological, spiritual, geographical and
historical. If you say you are from Benin, come with your proof and
show us how you came from Benin. There is no common thing that trace
Ikwerre lineage to Benin. There is no single common Edo language in
the Ikwerre land. None. So, those who, in falsification of languages,
say other wise, should come forward with their proof.

In a study carried out by the Niger Delta group in 1976, under the
Niger Delta spirit, edited by Prof Alagoa, the Ikwerre was clearly
pointed out as Igbos. See, to lose a war is bad. The post-war Nigeria
saw the two groups, the Igbos and Niger Delta as conquered people and
the victorious North and the West clearly, unequal partners in a new
relationship that eventually emerged and in that unequal relationship,
like the law of Osmosis, weaker solution is naturally drawn by the
stronger solution. What happened was that if you said then, you’re
an Igbo, you are discriminated against because you’re a Biafran you
committed a crime, your master is in Cote d’Ivoire you raised up
arms against the Federal Government, forgetting that according to
Gabriel Onyeke’s Commission of inquiry 30,000 Easterners were
massacred. So everybody said I am not Igbo purely as a survival
syndrome. Why would you say you are Igbo, when you were not wanted? Of
course, my name is Uche Okwukwu, so you can ask me my name and I will
say’ am not Igbo, because if I say I was Igbo, I will be punished,
but you would agree with me in this state that the great and mighty of
Ikwerre land agreed that they were all Igbos. They include late
Francis Ellah, former Secretary to the Rivers State government who
said he was an Igbo man, the late Okugbule Wonodi, former registrar of
the University of Port Harcourt said the same. Chief C. C. Nwuche said
he is an Igboman, so what crime has Uchechukwu Okwukwu committed?

What is the contention of Ogbakor Ikwerre on this? Do you belong to
Ogbakor Ikwerre?

Ogbakor Ikweere is an umbrella socio-cultural body, it has never said
no Ikwerre man should have a different opinion on any issue.

Do they agree with you on this issue?

Ogbakor Ikwerre doesn’t need to agree with me because, it has never,
ever driven any Ikwerre man for identifying with the Igbos or one who
said, he is an Igbo man.

They never drove away Okugbule Wonodi, they are not thinking of that
because there are available records to show, everybody wrote with his
own hand writing. When people (Ikwerre) who went to school wrote in
their own handwriting, when they were not biased, people wrote tribe
and nation, (That they were Igbos). These records are available. What
happens in this country is that we like to suppress truth. Believe me,
this is the biggest shame coming from this part of the black race, it
is not a courageous one, it's often very petty. Today’s US President
Barack Obama told American voters I am pure Black American†. He
said, my father came here to get scholarship to study Medicine,
because of internal crisis, and then government received Obama’s
father into the US.

The Kenyan’s son said my name is Barack Obama ,my background is
Kenya. He never said I come from America and I will answer Bush or
White. ,if it were in Nigeria, he would start answering another name
or remove Barack Hussein Obama, because America had problem with the
Muslim extremists, then.

I insist because some Ikwerres say they are not Igbos.

It is not what we feel or think, many may speculate that I am a
multi-millionaire, but I am not a millionaire, it is just an opinion.
I have said and quote me, Uche Okwukwu, take me up, put me down, bury
me 5ft underground, I am an Igbo man. What is wrong with that? I have
said it before and I have given the names of great Ikwerre
personalities who also said they were Igbos too. Identity is very
important see. I read a book sometimes in London. I recalled the
history of the Samarians, and I read it in the monastery, and beheld
how a man was asked the question, who are you? When he mentioned his
name, the man asked him again, do you remember what happened to your
people? He answered, no, so, the man then told him to go back and read
his history because, the Samarians are today a lost tribe, because
they refused to read their history

Again in Geneva in 1998? I met a senator from the US, attending the
meeting of the unrepresented United Nations Organisation.

The man said he was Asyrian, and everybody was shocked but he said it.
That he is from Asyria, the most interesting thing was that the man
could read and write in Asyrian language, even though there is no
country today, called Asyria.

I took him up on that and he said, the worst thing that can happen to
a man is to deny his own root, out of fear, cowardice, intimidation.
When you do that, on the long wrong, you pay dearly for it, if you are
not careful, your genealogy disappears from the face of the earth.

Showing us one stupid lawyers opinion, 97% of Ikwerres will go against this.

pazienza:
Elugwaraonu, was he an elected official or an appointed official?
Afonjas here and their Ikwerre friends are staying silent on this.

If an Igbo man can go to Poland, endear himself to natives and win elective posts there without the natives accusing the Igbo of colonialization, how exactly does Elugwaraonu,a man who had spent considerable years of his life in PH, running for an elective post in PH, and winning. Translate to Igbo colonization?

Keep asking me, u don't know jack about igbo agenda in Rivers State

Biafman:
Just check out the names the fools that wrote the supposed biography. Lol! I guess those are afonja or almajiri names.

Obinna Nwodim.
Uzo Nwamara.
Iyalla Amadi.

That is elechi amadi's wife and the former and current chairmen of Association of Nigeria Authors Rivers state. Uzo is an Igbo man.

Do you know that an Igbo man was mayor of port harcourt for years?
God in heaven saved us from the evil plot of these igbo people.
They almost put Aba inside Rivers state infact Aba was the de facto capital of Rivers State.

As part of the week long activities to mark the state burial of captain elechi amadi, an autobiography was written in his honour. It describes his activities as a boy, student, soldier, administrator, writer etc. The page 73 of the book speaks volumes.

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