In a bold and controversial statement, Asari Dokubo, a prominent figure in the Niger Delta region, has declared that the Ikwerre people of Rivers State are indeed Igbos.
Dokubo, who is known for his outspoken views, made this assertion despite being identified as an Ijaw man himself.
According to Dokubo, 80% of Rivers State land is Igboland, and he questioned why some Ikwerre people deny their Igbo identity. He emphasized that the names and language of the Ikwerre people are evident proof of their Igbo heritage.
In his words; “It might not be wrong for me to say that 80% of Rivers State land is Igboland; nobody can deny it. Yes, people see me as an Ijaw man, which I identify with, but the truth is that I am an Igbo man from Abam in Abia State, like many other people in Ijaw land today.
“I don’t understand why some Ikwerre people keep denying their Igbo identity when it is clear to everyone that all Ikwerre are Igbo.
“There is nothing Benin about them. If they like, they can keep on changing their names, but they can’t remove Igbo from their names completely. Ezewuwo, not Obawuwo—Eze is an Igbo word. I don’t know how they changed the other part to wuwo, but they can’t change Eze. It is a shame for a group of grown-up people to be living in lies, deceiving themselves that they are not Igbo. But the truth is that inside, they know that they are Igbo; there’s no doubt about it.”
Dokubo’s statement has sparked a heated debate, with some agreeing with his views and others vehemently opposing them. The Ikwerre people have historically identified as a distinct ethnic group, separate from the Igbo.
This declaration is likely to ignite a fresh discussion on the complex issues of ethnicity and identity in the region.
