Anita Ogona
The Apex decision making body of the Igbo people, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo has insisted that Ikwerre, Ahaoda, Etche, Omoku are all Igbos and gave the following reasons.
The president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu stated this in port Harcourt at a working visit to Rivers state and when asked by newsmen on the age long controversy amongst Ikwerre speaking people who have come out to say they are not Igbos and But Bini that migrated from Benin in the present day Edo state
“he said Onitsha, Owerri, Ab, Ngwa, Enugu, Nsukka, Anioma people are Igbos, He continued Ika people, Abakiliki Ikwerre. Ahoada, Omoku are all Igbos. he insisted that there are parts of Igbos in AkwaIbom and some parts of them in cross rivers who are also Igbos, “he said these set of people are where only drafted into accepting other ethnic nationality due to political inclinations”
He also confirmed that there are Igbos in Benue and Kogi states, including Edo state. ” I Have had a set from Edo state who came to me to say their people are originally Igbos. you know Igbo people are scattered all over Nigeria,
Chief Iwuanyanwu however alleged that the Ikwerre ethnic nationality in Rivers State is an extended part of the Igbos, insisted that the language and culture of the Ikwerre people suggest they are Igbos.
“One major factor to know the ethnicity of a people is Language. Everybody identified to be Igbo and called Igbos, they speak Igbo. They could have had some little differences but it doesn’t stop the truth. For example, the word first son, in Owerri and Umuahia we call it “Okpara”, in Onitsha it’s called “Okpala”, and in Ikwerre it’s called “Epara”. It’s not me or my parents who say that Ikwerre are Igbos. For Ikwerre people to say they are not Igbo is not correct, because their language shows that they are Igbo.
“For example, they answer ‘Amadi, Amaechi, Onyesoh or Nyesom’, these are pure Igbo names with definite meanings. Some of them here in Ikwerre say they are from Benin, there is nothing wrong with it, someone can say I was originally an Igbo man but now I have made up my mind to change to Benin, it’s normal and will be accepted. But for somebody to come and tell blatant lie that an Ikwerre person is not an Igbo person, it can’t be possible and it can’t be defended in any modern society, because your culture, habit and name, everything is Igbo,”
“I was raised up in Rivers State and in those days, we didn’t have such controversies whether Ikwerre is Igbo or not, the truth remains that Ikwerre is Igbo,” he added.
He however urged the Ikwerre people in Rivers State to participate in the programmes and activities of Ohanaeze-Ndigbo to maximize the impact and serve the purpose for its establishment.
Chief Iwuanyanwu said Igbos they are very adventurous, they travel a lot and their businesses spread all over the world. infact is very well known all over the world and in Nigeria that there is no local government area where you don’t have the Igbos, they live everywhere and wherever they live, they pursue their occupation which is their business, they are very loyal and faithful people, honest with their host, and that is why they are staying there because people who are fraudulent, dishonest cannot live amongst other ethnic groups or tribe and succeed that is why Igbos wherever they go. they prosper, they start a business and they prosper. they build so many things in the communities, they participate and contribute to the Local development of any where they find themselves and contribute so much to the internal generated revenue of any state they find themselves, its there on records”
In anywhere they have stayed here place we are people who are really faithful to Nigerians and infact wherever I hear all these things I remember Nigerian First national anthems which clearly stated what Nigerians should do when we were amalgamated in in 1914, which states that though tribes and tongues might differ but in brotherhood we standard that is the motto for our people. So I am the leader and I have come here to see our other people here and to assure them that we are there for them.
many people will come to me to say what do I stand to benefit as a member of the Ohanaeze, we don’t force people to come and register, No! Ohanaeze was established by the collective desires of our people to protect each other and to protect our people because we have noticed that when people are very useful and hardworking, They prosper and when they prosper they attract enemies, and they only way they can overcome these enemies is if they are together and that is the structure that Ohanaeze stands on, so we are established to defend our people whenever they face any serious hostilities or aggression which most at times is due to their successes because they work very hard and very resourceful and that is why they prosper”
Ohanaeze is there to protect anybody who is being attacked not any one who commits an offense, “We honestly don’t have any business with that, we believe in the rule of law and do not support anybody who commits evil, but any of our members who is being unjustly treated anywhere in the world, we rise to the challenge.
so any child born by any Igbo person either by marriage to or marriage by Igbo parents are automatics members, if our daughter is married to anybody anywhere in the world, that man married to our our daughter is automatically an honorary member and children from such parties are all members of one as equal so also with our men. so you see that by the definition of our constitution our numbers are increasing astronomically, I am glad to inform you that we have very strong diaspora members in united states, Brazil. united Kingdom, Ireland, scots, wales etc
The president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Chief Immanuel Iwuanyanwu also reiterated that the task of governing and leading intelligent, resourceful and hardworking ethnic group is dauting and promised to do all that is within their power to lead a prosperous Igbo nation together with his team
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