Special to USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, the first Africa-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet
The argument that Igbo influence in Ikwerre land “suppressed, suffocated, and supplanted” the original Ikwerre language is fundamentally flawed. It lacks historical depth, logical coherence, and anthropological accuracy. This claim, often pushed by those seeking to politically and culturally distance Ikwerre from their deep-rooted Igbo heritage, is not only misleading but also intellectually shallow.
Historical Context: A Shared Heritage, Not a Conquest
To claim that Igbo influence alone led to the decline of the Ikwerre language is to ignore the broader historical and cultural landscape of the region. Ikwerre is not an isolated ethnic group; they exist alongside Kalabari, Ekpeye, and other neighboring communities, all of whom have had varying degrees of linguistic and cultural exchanges with Igbo-speaking groups. If Igbo cultural dominance alone was enough to erase or subsume Ikwerre’s linguistic identity, why didn’t the same phenomenon occur with Kalabari or other ethnicities in the region?
Additionally, there is no historical record of an Igbo military conquest or colonial-style imposition over Ikwerre people. The relationship between Igbo and Ikwerre is one of deep ethnic affinity, not forced assimilation. Linguistic shifts occur over centuries, often due to trade, migration, intermarriage, and socio-political integration, not through the short-lived influence of a regional government.
The Eastern Region Argument: A Weak Premise
Another fundamental flaw in the argument is the assumption that the Eastern Regional Government, which existed for less than two decades (1954–1967), and therefore, not even up to half of one generation span, was powerful enough to enforce Igbo linguistic dominance over Ikwerre. This is not only an exaggerated claim but also historically untenable. If government-imposed language policies were capable of cultural assimilation in such a short period, then the entire Eastern Region – comprising multiple ethnic groups including Efik, Ibibio, Ijaw, and others – should have undergone a similar transformation. Yet, this did not happen.
Language and identity shifts require generational continuity, not brief administrative governance. The Igbo linguistic and cultural presence in Ikwerre land predates the Eastern Regional Government by centuries, making it evident that the connection between the two groups is rooted in ancestral and historical interactions rather than a forced policy of assimilation.
Linguistic Realities: Ikwerre as a Dialect of Igbo
Linguistic analysis further debunks the myth of Igbo cultural subjugation in Ikwerre land. Ikwerre, like several other regional dialects, is classified as part of the larger Igbo linguistic family. The similarities in syntax, vocabulary, and phonetics are too significant to be dismissed as mere influence. Rather, they are indicators of a shared origin.
The phenomenon of dialectical variation within a language family is common worldwide. For instance, Yoruba dialects such as Ekiti, Ondo, and Ijesha maintain distinct features yet remain fundamentally Yoruba. The case of Ikwerre is no different – its linguistic proximity to Igbo suggests organic evolution rather than external imposition.
The Political Motivation Behind the Argument
The insistence on divorcing Ikwerre from its Igbo identity is largely a product of modern political maneuvering rather than historical or linguistic reality. Some political actors and interest groups, particularly within the Niger Delta discourse, have sought to redefine Ikwerre identity as distinct from Igbo for socio-political advantages, including access to resource control benefits and regional autonomy claims.
This deliberate distortion of history is not unique to Ikwerre. Similar efforts have been made in other regions where ethnic groups with historical Igbo roots – such as the Ika and Ukwuani people – are encouraged to disassociate from Igbo identity for political expediency.
Conclusion: Embracing Historical Truth Over Political Convenience
The argument that Igbo cultural dominance erased Ikwerre identity is not only historically inaccurate but also fundamentally inconsistent with linguistic, social, and political realities. The deep-rooted cultural and linguistic connections between Igbo and Ikwerre cannot be dismissed on the basis of a politically motivated narrative.
Rather than framing the relationship as one of suppression, it should be understood as one of shared heritage and mutual influence. The Ikwerre people, like many subgroups within the Igbo cultural sphere, have their unique identity, but this uniqueness does not negate their historical and linguistic Igbo connection.
History cannot be rewritten for political convenience, and the truth remains that Ikwerre’s ties to Igbo are organic, ancestral, and undeniable.
