The chairman of the lecture, Obi Edozien (The Asagba of Asaba), re-emphasised this point: “we Igbo people are one. We must stop fighting over irrelevancies and emphasise the essential.”
This point arose out of the tendency among Igbo people to regard some groups as not “real” Igbos on basis of dialectal differences.


.

It also exists in the form of clearly Igbo- speaking people with Igbo names and cultural patterns declaring themselves as “not Igbo” but ethnic minorities. This is very rampant among Igbo groups in the South-South zone who believe that by so self- declaring publicly, they would be more acceptable among the real minorities and allowed to take their places as ethnic minorities. Experience has, however, shown that this self-delusion hardly ever produces their desired results. Whenever the push comes to the shove, the real minorities remind them that they are Igbo people who are out to take what belongs to the minorities through the back door.

This phenomenon was evident in 2006 when former Governor Peter Odili of Rivers State (who loved to call himself a “Rivers man,” as if Rivers State is a tribe) was running for president.

Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark openly declared Odili an Igbo man, arguing that the South-South president that the minorities have been agitating for was not meant to go to “an Igbo man.” Given this situation, there has been an increasing shift of paradigm.

Many Igbo groups, especially in Delta State, have decided no longer to play the masquerade.


The Obi of Asaba, Professor Edozien, actually laid out conditions he believes will cement Igbo unity permanently. Obi Edozien then called on the people of the South-East zone to support the creation of Anioma State and another for Igbo-speaking people of Rivers State to make for seven states, all of which will be lumped together in one zone or region.

1bunne4lif:
Who cares?

meforyou1:
we do

1bunne4lif:
Who cares?

Macelliot:
E pain you.

aldrick:
God 4 purnish you if say u try mention ikwerre or any ikwerre person. Ofcos u knw wat we can do... Long like the Aklaka nation of Rivers state (Ogba,Ekpeye and Ikwerre people)

Macelliot:


But according to the benin encyclopedia, the name "Akalaka" does not exist in her entire history...

coolitempa:
Anioma....ika.....etche...........ikwere......are not ibos....stop forcing yourselves on them.....

1bunne4lif:
Who cares?

Macelliot:



http://nigeriavillagesquare.com/forum/main-square/28995-asagba-asaba-why-some-igbos-denounce-their-heritage.html

mensdept:
Well the king has spoken, and all those folks from other regions coming on here pretending to be "South-South", at the end of the day, are deceiving themselves only.

And for all the foolish Igbo people that campaigned during the last administration from all those state proposals, i.e. Njaba State, Adada state, etc, forgetting the obvious Anioma State, are also, deceiving their greedy selves. See how the lack of focus cost them a serious request for an additional state (or states).

1bunne4lif:
Who cares?

1bunne4lif:
I'm not out to beg anybody to identify with igbos. If you feel you want to create your minority group, fine. When the time comes anya g'ahu ihe rukporoya. I rest my case

Macelliot:


But according to the benin encyclopedia, the name "Akalaka" does not exist in her entire history...

coolitempa:
Anioma....ika.....etche...........ikwere......are not ibos....stop forcing yourselves on them.....

Longeria:
Great King, May you live forever. I cry for the idiocy of some Ikwere brothers who call themselves Rivers men and women as if Rivers state is a tribe.

OREMUSSANCTUS:

My father is a b.astard

fr3do:


No one needs your approval to become Igbo
A less than 50 years old state creation can not define the Igbos in the west of Igbo land.
A man is not more Igbo than a man from Anioma just because he is from the part of Igbo land currently called 'south east nigeria'

[b]To some of my people forming Bin[/b]i, you can admire a people without claiming you originated there, its even more embarrassing that benin people no even send una, try and get an influential position in Edo and watch how fast you are called Igbo. In the SE there are other subgroups within Igbo, the people still associate themselves with their subgroups but never forget that they are Igbos.

We can all ally and push for our interests or be divided and watch the Fulanis and Yorubas exploit us.