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Ikwerre people

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This article is about the Ikwerre as a native ethnic group. For the language, see Ikwerre language. For the local government area, see Ikwerre, Rivers State.
Ikwerre
Regions with significant populations
Nigeria
Languages
Ikwerre & Igbo[1]

The Ikwerre (also spelt Ikwere) is one of the many native ethnic groups in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.[2][3][4] . They are part of the larger Igbo ethnic group. The Ikwerre constitute the majority of Rivers state, The Ikwerre speak the Ikwerre language [4] and are predominantly settled in the Ikwerre, Obio-Akpor , Port Harcourt and Emohua local government areas. A total of 92 oil wells, producing an estimated 100,000 barrels of crude daily, are located in Ikwerreland. The Ikwerre therefore play host to several multinational oil-producing and servicing companies, in addition to many other industries and establishments. [citation needed] Despite these, the Ikwerre, like nearly all other minorities of the Niger Delta, frequently complain of marginalisation by the oil operatives. The University of Port Harcourt , the Rivers State University of Science and Technology , the three campuses of the Rivers State College of Education, as well as the Rivers State College of Arts and Science, are all sited on Ikwerreland. [citation needed] Origin The Ikwerre are considered by a great majority of scholars as a subgroup of the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria , [1][2][3] There are several theories over the origin, and the strongest and most widely accepted one is the theory linking the Ikwerre to an Igbo origin. [5] They would be descendents from an Igbo migration from Awka and Orlu areas towards South. Igbo scholars take Ikwerre as part of the Southern Igbo. Amadi, an Ikwerre scholar, says that the Igbo origin theory has some support even inside Ikwerre themselves, with Ikwerre would be descendants of a migration of Arochukwu Igbo, with Okpo Nwagidi being the leader of the Ikwerre tribe. Before the civil war, there had been dissident voices that claimed that Ikwerre could have migrated from Owerri , Ohaji, Ngwa, and Etche areas of Igboland. [5] But when Port Harcourt was conquered by Nigeria during the Biafran War and the Igbo people from other parts of Igboland fled the territory, a UN report says that the Ikwerre decided to claim that the Ikwerre were non-Igbo for convenience. [6] The Ikwerre are recognized officially as a separate group in the 1979 Nigerian Constitution. [5] Notable people Some notable people of Ikwerre origin: Elechi Amadi, writer[citation needed] Emmanuel Onunwor , former Mayor of East Cleveland , Ohio, USA [citation needed] Chibuike Amaechi , former Governor of Rivers State Obi Wali , Writer, Politician and Minority rights activist [citation needed ] Tonto Dikeh, Actress, Musician Celestine Omehia,former Governor of Rivers State Monalisa Chinda , Actress Duncan Mighty, Musician Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, Current Governor of Rivers State Hon. O.K Chinda, Politician Bobby Ogoloma , Actor

Origin

The Ikwerre are considered by a great majority of scholars as a subgroup of the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria,[2][3][4]

There are several theories over their origin.[1] They would be descendents from an Igbo migration from Awka and Orlu areas towards South. Igbo scholars take Ikwerre as part of the Southern Igbo. Amadi, an Ikwerre scholar, says that the Igbo origin theory has some support even inside Ikwerre themselves, with Ikwerre would be descendants of a migration of Arochukwu Igbo, with Okpo Nwagidi being the leader of the Ikwerre tribe. Before the civil war, there had been dissident voices that claimed that Ikwerre could have migrated from Owerri, Ohaji, Ngwa, and Etche areas of Igboland.[1] But when Port Harcourt was conquered by Nigeria during the Biafran War and the Igbo people from other parts of Igboland fled the territory, a UN report says that the Ikwerre decided to claim that the Ikwerre were non-Igbo for convenience.[5] The Ikwerre are recognized officially as a separate group in the 1979 Nigerian Constitution.[1]

Notable Ikwerre People

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Kelechukwu U. Ihemere (2007). A Tri-Generational Study of Language Choice & Shift in Port Harcourt. Universal-Publishers. pp. 26–35. ISBN 9781581129588.
  2. ^ a b Chigere, Nkem Hyginus M. V. (2001). Foreign Missionary Background and Indigenous Evangelization in Igboland. LIT Verlag Berlin-Hamburg-Münster. p. 17. ISBN 3-8258-4964-3. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
  3. ^ a b Udeani, Chibueze (2007). Inculturation as Dialogue: Igbo Culture and the Message of Christ. Rodopi. p. 12. ISBN 90-420-2229-9.
  4. ^ a b Yakan, Muḥammad Zuhdī (1999). Almanac of African peoples & nations. Transaction Publishers. p. 371. ISBN 1-56000-433-9.
  5. ^ Okwudiba Nnoli. Ethnicity and development in Nigeria. Research in ethnic relations series. Avebury Series in Philosophy. United Nations Research Institute for Social Development. ISBN 9781859721155. The Igbo indigenous who remained found it advantageous to deny their Igbo origin and claimed, instead, a non-Igbo Ikwerre identity
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