The Politics of Igbo Identity (FWD)
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Author: W.E. Monyei
Full Text of Article:
KACHIKWU N. Dibia's rejoinder in ThisDay of Saturday August 5, 2000 entitled Ikwerres Are Not Igbos is an interesting piece in self-deceit and sophistry.
In truth, there is no single ethnic group in the world named Igbo. Ndi ? Igbo is a nation of peoples (ethnic groups) that have existed through ages under a confederal democratic structure, share common culture and language (Igbo) and each ethnic group is distinguishable by its dialect. One of these groups is the Ikwerre.
The fringe Igbo are the ethnic groups that form the outermost ring
of the Igbo nation. The Ikwerres belong to this group, they share boundary with the Ijaw to the South, to the West, the Ika have common frontiers with the Bini, to the East Afikpo with Ibibio and to the North, Nsukka with Idomas. A common feature of this group is that they retain their core culture and democratic structure while assimilating some of the social mores of their neighbour. Thus, the Western Igbo evolved the Obiship system which is a direct answer to the Obaship of Benin.
Secondly, it is a fact that progressing from the fringes to the heartland of Igboland each group refers to the inner groups as Ndi-igbo while seemingly dissociating themselves. A case in point is the fact that people from the fringe towns of Onitsha and Oguta (the hometowns of Zik and Nzeribe respectively would at certain times try to de-emphasise their Igbo identity. This in actuality is a manner of speaking and does not in any way remove from their pride in being Igbo.
The fringe Igbos of the South-south zones are some of the most educated people in Nigeria and this is attributable to their closeness to the Atlantic and the River Niger. Due to this head start over their brothers, they came to see themselves as a super breed of Igbos and some would rather be referred to as Ibo in itself an unnecessary dichotomy.
The civil war further exacerbated the politics of Igbo identity. Whole villages/towns on the fringes disowned their Igbo identity. Igbo-Akiri became Igbanke and was ceded to Edo State, thanks to Ogbemudia. Western-Igbos are not Igbos? thanks to Philip Chikwuedo Asiodu. Yes, Elechi Amadi is the author of many beautiful Igbo novels which include; The Great Ponds and The Concubines. He later wrote Sunset in Biafra to disclaim his Igbo identity. However, it must be noted that because the civil war was to some extent an inquisition many common Igbos repudiated their identity for survival but some of the leaders did the same thing for position and power. Ogbemudia would later become general; Asiodu a super permanent secretary; Elechi Amadi a commissioner; Ukpabi Asika a military administrator. What this crop of individuals do not understand is that there is a difference between Biafra and Igbo and that many including Nnamdi Azikiwe and Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu were anti-Biafra at hea!
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rt while remaining proud Igbos until their death.
The immediate post civil-war era was the period of persecution and persecution complex. The war in truth was an oil war which precipitated a new definition of the Igbo people geographically. The areas with huge deposits of oil in eastern Nigeria ceased to be Igbo and were rechristened Rivers people. One such group is the Ikwerre; but more lamentable is the case of the Egbema who have 4 villages in Imo and 16 in Rivers. The Imo villages are Igbo while the rest are now a different ethnic group by a name I wouldn?t know.
The more the people shouted that they were not Igbo the more they were marginalised. Derivation which stood at 50 per cent as at 1966 would become zero per cent at some time. For survival reasons the people shouted themselves hoax in other to disclaim their identity but the marginalisation, abuse and debasement will not stop until a stubborn Igbo by the name, Alex Ekwueme, who came from the non-oil side seized the bull by the horn and sided with his (oil ? rich?) brothers in his minority report to General Abacha where he proposed the 13 per cent derivation that has been adopted by the Federal Government.
Before him, there was Obi Wali, a true Ikwerre son who felt that saying he is not Igbo is like insulting himself. He championed the course of the Ikwerre and other riverine people without fear. It is still rumoured that his murder may not be unconnected with his wish to see a Port-Harcourt state in which the Ikwerres will be reconciled with their kith and kin in Aba, Abia State.
As for Kachikwu, son of Dibia, I can assure him that as rain cannot wash off the spots of the leopard, no dibia (native doctor) can cleanse him of his Igbo blood except Chikwu (Supreme God) that gave Okwuta, Okwurisi, Olumeni, Ede, Ofia, Eke the (R)Umu (Children) that make up (R)Umuokwuta, (R)Umuokwurisi, Umunede, Umuofia, Umueke etc. In addition, I would want him to know that ethnologically, only Igbo people are permitted by Chi-Ukwu to have Eze (King). He may ask Eze Woluchem for confirmation.
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Kevin Ani forwarded.
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Subject: [IGBO_FORUM] The Politics of Igbo Identity (FWD)
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