‘We Are Not Igbo’ – Rivers Ikwerre People Counters Ohanaeze’s Assertion

An Ikwerre socio-cultural group, the Iwhnurohna Progressive Organisation (IPO), has disputed assertions made by the Ohanaeze Ndigbo and its President, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, regarding Ikwerre’s affiliation with the Igbo.

The group criticized Iwuanyanwu for aligning himself with the assertion that the Ikwerre people in Rivers State are Igbo, deeming it careless and insensitive, and labeling it as false and baseless.

The President of the IPO, Dr. Okachikwu Dibia, made this statement during a press conference held in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, on Friday.

The President General of the Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Iwuanyanwu, had asserted during a media briefing in Port Harcourt two weeks ago that the Ikwerre people are Igbo, refuting the Ikwerre nation’s stance that they are not Igbo as untrue.

Iwuanyanwu emphasized that language is a crucial determinant of ethnicity, citing examples of linguistic similarities among various Igbo-speaking communities, including the Ikwerre.

He argued that the Ikwerre people share linguistic traits with the Igbo, evidenced by common Igbo names and language patterns.

He criticized assertions denying the Igbo identity of the Ikwerre, stating that cultural elements such as names and habits align with Igbo culture, making it untenable to refute their Igbo heritage in modern society.

While noting that he was raised in Rivers State, Iwuanyanwu, said, “In those days, we didn’t have such controversies whether Ikwerre was Igbo or not. The truth remains that Ikwerre is Igbo.”

He consequently encouraged the Ikwerre people in Rivers State to engage in the programs and initiatives of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo organization to fully leverage its influence and fulfill its intended purpose.

However, the IPO President asserted that physical features or language resemblances should not be used as criteria for determining someone’s origin, stating that the Ikwerre people will no longer tolerate such divisive claims.

Dibia stated, “To us at IPO, Ikwerre is Igbo means that all the ancestral communities in Ikwerre originated from Igbo. This is not true and can never be true, hence our reply to him (Iwuanyanwu) and indeed Ohaneze.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Ikwerre people are a distinct ethnic nation recognised in Nigeria and the United Nations. Ikwerre language is one of the recognised languages in Nigeria and the United Nations.

“Whoever is in doubt can contact the appropriate government authorities in Nigeria and the UN. While Ikwerre is our political name, Iwhnurohna is our native name, and both refer to the same people: Ikwerre Ethnic Nationality.

“We live and own the Emohua, Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City (in alphabetical order) local government areas in Rivers State, Niger Delta, South-South geo-political region of Nigeria.”

He argued that factors such as language, names, cultural practices, and attire should not be sole determinants of identity, emphasizing that one’s true essence lies in their core character and behavior rather than superficial attributes.