sorry am too exposed and refined to fall for your emotional blackmail. We are correcting the damages being done on the image of Ndigbo by the brainwashed worshippers of ipob god nnamdi KANU. Rivers state is not an Igbo state. PH is not an Igbo city
Bede2u: we dont have enough enemies in nigeria...add ss to it. Im emotional after all. At the end of the day, a damage to igbo is a damage to not only me but u.
Pazienza is this what u want? I need to know so i can add u to a certain list of mine As for u amarabae...our conversation ends here. Cheers
why disturbing pazienza up and down? not every Igbo person want to be slaves to southern minorities like you Igbos.
Amarabae: Greetings lovely humans! This short post is aimed at correcting some misguided and delusional orientation that Igbos have about Rivers state, As Rivers state indigene born and bred there, though married to a south east state, I am well grounded about the total makeup of the south south state and Igbos should learn. 1, Rivers state is not an Igbo state, it is erroneous to assert that , it is a multi ethnic state comprising of kalabaris, okrikas, ikwerres, Etches, Ogbas, Ekpeyes, Elemes, Ogonis etc yes the ijoid sub-tribes there affirm a solidarity to Ijaw nation , likewise the ogonid sub-tribes affirm theirs to ogoni nation except for a little denial in eleme but There is NO strong or firm solidarity to the Igbo nation from any rivers tribes, the few little solidarity comes from egbemas in Onelga and we ASA/NDOKIS in Oyigbo, the reason why is because we still have our kit and kin in ukwa west, ukwa east and ohaji egbema LGAs. The ikwerres, Ogbas,Ekpeyes,Ndonis,Etches Are recognised officially as an independent tribes in Rivers state, and since as a people, they have vehemently denied being Igbos , their decisions must be respected by Igbos, ikwerres are ikwerres Ekpeyes are Ekpeyes etc case closed. . 2, Port Harcourt is not an Igbo city, you can't refer pH as an Igbo city just because of the ikwerre factor there when the ikwerres over the years have denied affinity with Igbos, PH belongs to rivers tribes, case closed and there was no time in history it was officially registered as Igweocha, that was a nickname just like some call it Pitakwa. 3, Rivers state should be counted out of your biafran ipob map because at the mention of that name, many wounds that was sustained during the war gets opened up again, wake up to reality and stop deceiving yourself, Rivers state government and even Rivers state council of traditional rulers have warned you Igbos yet you irritants don't want to learn. is Alright, 4,The governor nyesom wike is not an Igbo man but Ikwerre man ,he has never claimed Igbo, he is a bit Igbophobic, go and read about his igbophobic records as obio akpor local government chairman, this same wike renamed a stadium after yakubu Gowon,. a man whose war actions killed many Igbos yet wike immortalised him ,yet your afara born direction keep deceiving you about wike on radio Biafra, you don't yet want to have sense. Was it not wike who hosted the oba of Benin and affirmed ikwerres loyalty to his kingdom before him, you know all that yet you are living in denial, its alright! 5, The state is still Igbophpbic,case closed, you are tolerated, not welcomed and you know that. even nnamdi KANU knows this,that's why when he was around and was talking about coming to his Biafra capital "igweocha", the guyman parked at oyigbo and never stepped foot in pH, or core rivers area, he knew about the repercussions, let's stop deceiving ourselves . show me one ijaw man supporting Biafra and I will show you 1000 ijaw men who will spit when that name is mentioned, same with the ikwerres and co, that's a bitter reality , If you have had a first hand experience of Igbophobic outrage from these minorities, you will know that the "Fulanis and Yorubas are learners" I will stop here ,part 2 is coming. You have been rejected many times yet you are still stubborn , that means that you have an ulterior plan, Ipob stop attracting insults to the great Igbo Nations , have some self dignity before them, The minorities don't need Igbos to survive , the Igbos don't need them to survive, but Ipob is making it look as if they are oxygen to Igbo's. for me its either we restructure Nigeria or a homogenous Igbo only country , ipob should start waking up to reality before it is late. ndewo nu
Madam you very confused. You are sounding as if there are no Indenge Igbo in Rivers States that because there are Indegene Asa, Egbema, and Ndoki in Abia state that is the only reason they accept to be Igbo. Are there no indenge of Etche in Imo state? So why do they not accept to be igbo if we go by your logic just look at the Nonsense you are saying. Ijaw in Edo and Ondo states are no up 3000 in numbers but if they ask u now you will say there are Ijaw indenge in those states. but Asa, Egbema, and Ndoki in Rivers states have Local Government in Rivers states
You and one other guy in this forum that claimed to be Igbo person have said so many times that Ijaw are majority in Rivers states. so how come they have not won any Govonership election in Rivers State since 1999 till today.
No sane Igbo man will say that Rivers States is an Igbo state neither an Ijaw state
Know you that Egun, Itsekiri and Ilaje language is entirely different from Yoruba language. Somebody that speak Egun or Itsekiri cannot have a conversation with a yoruba man because they cannot hear each other but Ikwerre and Igbo person from south eastern Nigeria will discuss with each other fluently.
Not fluently. Stop all the lies. We've the ikweres in the west, they don't understand or relate with Igbos.
Go to Akoko Edo towns and see how people speaking Yoruba fluently. Itsekiri can have conversation successfully with Yoruba from ondo state. All these people and more bear Yoruba names. Will you now call them Yorubas.
Many Northerners speaks Hausa language bears Hausa names but they're not Hausa.
We are on the same page, I don't stand alone in calling out the shameless ipob idiots that disgrace us by including Ikwerre and other South South minorities into Biafra, I'm glad other Igbos are waking up now. The only few Igbo speakers from the South South that will be part of the Igbo nation are the Anioma in Delta state (if they choose to), and the Ndoki/Asa and Egbema in Rivers who will reconnect with their kith and kin in Imo and Abia states respectively. The rest can unequivocally just go with their wahala.
Good, that's what I'm trying to tell bede2u.
Well, I'm less concern. It's your people, you guys can take care of the situation
Know you that Egun, Itsekiri and Ilaje language is entirely different from Yoruba language. Somebody that speak Egun or Itsekiri cannot have a conversation with a yoruba man because they cannot hear each other but Ikwerre and Igbo person from south eastern Nigeria will discuss with each other fluently.
Also point of correction, the names that you refer to as yoruba names are actually Bini names because Bini people colonized yoruba land for long time and transfered some Bini names to Yoruba like Oba(king), Eko(Lagos), Ola etc.
Why are you lying Sir.
My from Ondo, I understand Itshekiri / igala perfectly..
hammerP: Y BE SAY NA YORUBA PACK FULL THIS THREAD THEY CELEBRATE.
NO AMOUNT OF INTIMEDATION FROM PRO NIGERIANS LIKE AMARABAE WILL STOP IPOB MATCH TO FREEDOM.
WE CAME WITH THE SS TO NIGERIA, WE THE IGBOS WILL EXIT NIGERIA WITH IJAWS, IBIBIOS, EFIK, ISOKO, ESAN, BINI, IDOMA, IGALA, TIV, JUNKUN AND THAT SETTLES IT.
IPOB WILL UNITE ALL BIAFRAN TRIBES.
IPOB HAVE NEVER SET A GOAL AND FAIL.
you came to Nigeria with SS? lol , nothing Adele no go see for the other side. its well, my happiness is that many Igbos are waking up to a homogenous Igbo nation consciousness and are beginning to detach themselves from attachment to south south minorities
Madam you very confused. You are sounding as if there are no Indenge Igbo in Rivers States that because there are Indegene Asa, Egbema, and Ndoki in Abia state that is the only reason they accept to be Igbo. Are there no indenge of Etche in Imo state? So why do they not accept to be igbo if we go by your logic just look at the Nonsense you are saying. Ijaw in Edo and Ondo states are no up 3000 in numbers but if they ask u now you will say there are Ijaw indenge in those states. but Asa, Egbema, and Ndoki in Rivers states have Local Government in Rivers states
You and one other guy in this forum that claimed to be Igbo person have said so many times that Ijaw are majority in Rivers states. so how come they have not won any Govonership election in Rivers State since 1999 till today.
No sane Igbo man will say that Rivers States is an Igbo state neither an Ijaw state
stop being emotional like a woman and read my post again ,slowly this time
Why should they return the properties. You don't know what South south suffered from ibos during civil war as minorities. The properties they seized can't even compensate what they suffered as minorities.
[/s] Is this attention seeking thing a human being or a dog?
I wouldn't have commented on this thread but seeing how yorubas are feasting and jubilating on this thread will make one have a rethink.
Instead of yorubas to think how to reconnect with their brothers in ilorin who are being ruled by the rag-tag fulanis no they will rather die on Igbo and Ikwerre case... spits on this shameless tribe.
you came to Nigeria with SS? lol , nothing Adele no go see for the other side. its well, my happiness is that many Igbos are waking up to a homogenous Igbo nation consciousness and are beginning to detach themselves from attachment to south south minorities
UNFORTUNATELY FOR YOUR MANY IGBOS.
IPOB LEADS AND THEY FOLLOW.
IPOB IS A UNITEING FACTOR.
SS CANNOT UNITE ON THEIR OWN, BECOS THEY ARE SEPARATE TRIBE.
THE VEHICLE FOR UNITING THE OLD EAST IS IPOB.
IGBOS ARE NOT LEAVING NIGERIA WITHOUT THE SS.
IPOB IS FIGHTING FOR ALL BIAFRANS., BE U IJAW, OGONI, IBIBIO, EFIK, ESAN, ISOKO, BINI ITSEKIRI, IDOMA, IGALA, TIV JUKNUN AND URHOBO.
WE EVEN HAVE PLANS TO BRING IN SOUTHERN CAMEROON.
IPOB WILL CHASE NIGERIA DOMINATION AND PROPAGANDA FEAR OUT OF ALL OF U.
Anyway we already know this fact..... It is not even Igbos that are attaching anything by force I will tell you why
1. Go to Alaba market and see very few ikwerre people selling there. Everything Igbos do there they join and do.
2. Wike threatened to repatriate almajiris home.... You need to see how twitter went agog.... Igbos were threatened up and down.
3. The guy that had banter with El-rufai's son is a pure ika guy, but Igbo was mentioned.
As for Igbos we don leave Una matter since so this thread don CAST...
pazienza please come and educate her the more
The guy that had alterations with Bashir El Rufai was ibibio and not ika, don't twist it.
What I do agree with is that even though ikwerres, Rivers and Southern minorities try to disassociate themselves from Igbo, they can't survive in Nigeria without the Igbo, if the Igbos leave Nigeria they will have to leave Nigeria as well, they would be bodied, marginalized and maltreated without the Igbos to stand with the southern minority. Even the ijaw thar claim to hate Igbos tend to attach themselves to the Igbos when they are outside their quarters, ask Fmr. Pres. Goodluck 'Ebele Azikiwe' Jonathan.
Amarabae: part 2 will be dropping soon since some people want to continue dragging Igbo nation in the mud before the southern minorities. Rivers is not an Igbo state, Igbo nation is blessed!
And you want to drop pt 2. ... I am being tempted to call you a BEAST u know why.
It seems you are really having multiple orgasms because Igbos are being dragged here.. If there are 10 Igbos on this thread at least 8 have concurred to your post.....yet you seem hell bent to cause further division because you are really enjoying the euphoria of being an Igbo Basher....
If what you post up there of your husband being Igbo is true (which I doubt cos in nairaland everything is Possible).... Just know your children will also drink or this bile you are mixing... Continue. Waiting for your PART TWO
GuyWise101: I wouldn't have commented on this thread but seeing how yorubas are feasting and jubilating on this thread will make one have a rethink.
Instead of yorubas to think how to reconnect with their brothers in ilorin who are being ruled by the rag-tag fulanis no they will rather die on Igbo and Ikwerre case... spits on this shameless tribe.
Well, that's up to them if they choose to unite with us or not. Same goes for Itshekiri, Igala, cos they are yoruboid language, we ain't forcing anyone.
And you want to drop pt 2. ... I am being tempted to call you a BEAST u know why.
It seems you are really having multiple orgasms because Igbos are being dragged here.. If there are 10 Igbos on this thread at least 8 have concurred to your post.....yet you seem hell bent to cause further division because you are really enjoying the euphoria of being an Igbo Basher....
If what you post up there of your husband being Igbo is true (which I doubt cos in nairaland everything is Possible).... Just know your children will also drink or this bile you are mixing... Continue. Waiting for your PART TWO
so speaking the truth means that am bashing Igbos? how did I bash Igbos? am out for Igbos, their iberiberism is now an eyesore. the dignity of the Igbo nation must be restored
Ikwerres are not Igbos. They are a distinct ethnic group. I don't understand why Ipob is forcing themselves on people who have rejected them.
This is a piece from an Ikwerre intellectual about his people, their origins, controversies, struggle for recognition etc. I hope nobody calls me afonja because I didn't join Ipob to beg other people to become Igbos.
×××××××××. ××××××××××××. ××××××××××

HOME
SPORTS
ENTERTAINMENT
PEOPLE & CULTURE
THE IKWERRE MAN
ABOUT
CONTACT
VIDEOS
SOUNDCLOUD
BLOG
NAIJAFOOTBALL247.COM
T: +234 (0) 80 2345 6789 E: info@chinaacheru.com
Who is the Ikwerreman?

Written by T O N Y E N Y I A, PhD, MNIM 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.”
From Benin to Iwhnurohna
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.
Ezewuzie01: Ikwerres are not Igbos. They are a distinct ethnic group. I don't understand why Ipob is forcing themselves on people who have rejected them.
This is a piece from an Ikwerre intellectual about his people, their origins, controversies, struggle for recognition etc. I hope nobody calls me afonja because I didn't join Ipob to beg other people to become Igbos.
×××××××××. ××××××××××××. ××××××××××

HOME
SPORTS
ENTERTAINMENT
PEOPLE & CULTURE
THE IKWERRE MAN
ABOUT
CONTACT
VIDEOS
SOUNDCLOUD
BLOG
NAIJAFOOTBALL247.COM
T: +234 (0) 80 2345 6789 E: info@chinaacheru.com
Who is the Ikwerreman?

Written by T O N Y E N Y I A, PhD, MNIM 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.”
From Benin to Iwhnurohna
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.
[/s]
RUBBISH!
IKWERE ARE IGBOID GROUP.
RIVERS IS AN IGBOID STATE. KISS THE TRUTH
GO AND TELL THE GREATEST IKWERE MAN TODAY, CHIBUIKE AMAECHI THAT HE IS NOT IGBO
My from Ondo, I understand Itshekiri / igala perfectly..
Where did Bini colonized Yorubas?
You did not know that Oduduwa which is the banished son of Oba of Benin conquered Yorubaland and rule over it till he died and his body was taking to Bini for Burial. Bini rule over lagos and call it Eko until British captured Eko from Bini people and renamed it lagos. Sand filled most part of it and built it.
You understand Itshekiri/igala because you grow up in that environment, tell the truth, if you are from Osogbo or oyo, you cannot hear a single word in Itshekiri/Igala.
Poloyanabo1: My brother i don't know why this people keep rejecting their roots oo... if not for state creation, Ikwerre would have been in Abia state, Etche will be in Imo state and ekpeye in delta state....wetin dem for talk. Me am ftom Okrika in Rivers state but we identify ourselves with the Ijaw in bayelsa through IYC. Why is it hard for the Igbo groups in Rivers state to do likewise? Thunder fire them fire river state... A fellow rivers man is not my brother oo An Ijaw man from bayelsa or river is more of a brother to me. By the time they realise their mistakes it'll be too late.
Nonsense!
pazienza look at what a non igbo thinks about the matter. Do u see that our problem is not ikwerre but u and ppl who subscribe to ur thoughts
You did know that Oduduwa which is the banished son of Oba of Benin conquered Yorubaland and rule over it till he died and his body was taking to Bini for Burial. Bini rule over lagos and call it Eko until British captured Eko from Bini people and renamed it lagos. Sand filled most part of it and built it.
You understand Itshekiri/igala because you grow up in that environment, tell the truth, if you are from Osogbo or oyo, you cannot hear a single word in Itshekiri/Igala.
Let's not derailed the thread, cos it has been trashed and dismissed at the cultural section
SS CANNOT UNITE ON THEIR OWN, BECOS THEY ARE SEPARATE TRIBE.
THE VEHICLE FOR UNITING THE OLD EAST IS IPOB.
IGBOS ARE NOT LEAVING NIGERIA WITHOUT THE SS.
IPOB IS FIGHTING FOR ALL BIAFRANS., BE U IJAW, OGONI, IBIBIO, EFIK, ESAN, ISOKO, BINI ITSEKIRI, IDOMA, IGALA, TIV JUKNUN AND URHOBO.
WE EVEN HAVE PLANS TO BRING IN SOUTHERN CAMEROON.
IPOB WILL CHASE NIGERIA DOMINATION AND PROPAGANDA FEAR OUT OF ALL OF U.
WE WILL BE ONE AGAIN. BIAFRA WILL RISE AGAIN.
you are bereft of any intellectual assertion over this thread. mazi chukwuma and mazi ukandu wearing ijaw attire to your meeting or whatever does not imply that Ijaws are with you. the bitter truth is that in Nigeria, Igbos are alone . the dignity of the Igbo nation must be restored.
Princesaha: Some people are Olodo oo. Amarabae is not denying her Igboness but only saying what we all know all these while. Ipob should stop all these their attachee by force on people that does not care about them. We want an only Igbo nation and not another Mini Nigeria, period.
Amarabae is not denying her Igboness but her land where she claim to come from in River state is not Igboland,who is she deceiving? She is Igbo but in the other hand she is fiercely claiming no part of River state is Igboland,how can you reconcile the two? He or she is an impostor.
Amarabae: Greetings lovely humans! This short post is aimed at correcting some misguided and delusional orientation that Igbos have about Rivers state, As Rivers state indigene born and bred there, though married to a south east state, I am well grounded about the total makeup of the south south state and Igbos should learn. 1, Rivers state is not an Igbo state, it is erroneous to assert that , it is a multi ethnic state comprising of kalabaris, okrikas, ikwerres, Etches, Ogbas, Ekpeyes, Elemes, Ogonis etc yes the ijoid sub-tribes there affirm a solidarity to Ijaw nation , likewise the ogonid sub-tribes affirm theirs to ogoni nation except for a little denial in eleme but There is NO strong or firm solidarity to the Igbo nation from any rivers tribes, the few little solidarity comes from egbemas in Onelga and we ASA/NDOKIS in Oyigbo, the reason why is because we still have our kit and kin in ukwa west, ukwa east and ohaji egbema LGAs. The ikwerres, Ogbas,Ekpeyes,Ndonis,Etches Are recognised officially as an independent tribes in Rivers state, and since as a people, they have vehemently denied being Igbos , their decisions must be respected by Igbos, ikwerres are ikwerres Ekpeyes are Ekpeyes etc case closed. . 2, Port Harcourt is not an Igbo city, you can't refer pH as an Igbo city just because of the ikwerre factor there when the ikwerres over the years have denied affinity with Igbos, PH belongs to rivers tribes, case closed and there was no time in history it was officially registered as Igweocha, that was a nickname just like some call it Pitakwa. 3, Rivers state should be counted out of your biafran ipob map because at the mention of that name, many wounds that was sustained during the war gets opened up again, wake up to reality and stop deceiving yourself, Rivers state government and even Rivers state council of traditional rulers have warned you Igbos yet you irritants don't want to learn. is Alright, 4,The governor nyesom wike is not an Igbo man but Ikwerre man ,he has never claimed Igbo, he is a bit Igbophobic, go and read about his igbophobic records as obio akpor local government chairman, this same wike renamed a stadium after yakubu Gowon,. a man whose war actions killed many Igbos yet wike immortalised him ,yet your afara born direction keep deceiving you about wike on radio Biafra, you don't yet want to have sense. Was it not wike who hosted the oba of Benin and affirmed ikwerres loyalty to his kingdom before him, you know all that yet you are living in denial, its alright! 5, The state is still Igbophpbic,case closed, you are tolerated, not welcomed and you know that. even nnamdi KANU knows this,that's why when he was around and was talking about coming to his Biafra capital "igweocha", the guyman parked at oyigbo and never stepped foot in pH, or core rivers area, he knew about the repercussions, let's stop deceiving ourselves . show me one ijaw man supporting Biafra and I will show you 1000 ijaw men who will spit when that name is mentioned, same with the ikwerres and co, that's a bitter reality , If you have had a first hand experience of Igbophobic outrage from these minorities, you will know that the "Fulanis and Yorubas are learners" I will stop here ,part 2 is coming. You have been rejected many times yet you are still stubborn , that means that you have an ulterior plan, Ipob stop attracting insults to the great Igbo Nations , have some self dignity before them, The minorities don't need Igbos to survive , the Igbos don't need them to survive, but Ipob is making it look as if they are oxygen to Igbo's. for me its either we restructure Nigeria or a homogenous Igbo only country , ipob should start waking up to reality before it is late. ndewo nu
This is the truth and nothing else but the truth . It is painful. But the truth is usually painful and bitter, yet you must swallow it to be cured. Ndiigbo must swallow and make peace with the truth Amarabae stated above. They are facts and totally endorsed by myself and indeed all well meaning Igbos with self dignity.
you are bereft of any intellectual assertion over this thread. mazi chukwuma and mazi ukandu wearing ijaw attire to your meeting or whatever does not imply that Ijaws are with you. the bitter truth is that in Nigeria, Igbos are alone . the dignity of the Igbo nation must be restored.
MRS INTELLECTUAL, WAT DO U HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS.
ARE U MORE IKWERE THAN AMAECHI?
Those Saying Ikwerre People are Not Igbo are Mad - Chibuike Amaechi
Not fluently. Stop all the lies. We've the ikweres in the west, they don't understand or relate with Igbos.
Go to Akoko Edo towns and see how people speaking Yoruba fluently. Itsekiri can have conversation successfully with Yoruba from ondo state. All these people and more bear Yoruba names. Will you now call them Yorubas.
Many Northerners speaks Hausa language bears Hausa names but they're not Hausa.
Ikwere are not Igbo
You are a Yoruba man and you talking on behalf of Ikwerre people by saying we Ikwerres. Who is telling lies here.
A Yoruba man forcing Ikwerres to renounce their Igbo heritage.
... I am being tempted to call you a BEAST u know why. 