The president of Ogbakor Ikwerre USA/Canada, Dr. Patrick Ayawoke, has said that the Diaspora organization strongly aligns with Ogbakor Ikwerre Worldwide organization in categorically stating that Iwhurohna people, nicknamed Ikwerre, are not Igbos and will never be Igbos.
The president of the apex organization of Iwhurohna indigenes of the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria who are reside in North America said that members of the organization made this affirmation at the end of OIUSA/Cnada’s Executive Board meeting in Los Angeles, California on Thursday in reaction to the recent election of John Mbata, an Iwhurohna indigene as the president of of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide. Ayawoke said that the North America-based organization unequivocally stands with the Supreme Council of Traditiinal Rulers and other Iwhurohna ethnic nationality groups such as Iwhurohna Progressive Organization (IPO) to say that Iwhurohna people have never been and are not Igbos.
The head of OIUSA/Canada’s media committee, Mr. Adolphus Omodu, pointed out that Iwhurohna people are peace-loving Nigerians who have extended hospitality to all Nigerians, including the Igbos who reside in Port Harcourt and other Ikwerre communities. Omodu said, “We (Iwhurohna people) are generally peace-loving Nigerians who are proud of our cultural heritage, traditions and customs,” adding, “We reject any ethnic group with expansionist ambitions into Port Harcourt or any part of Iwhurohna land.” Speaking further in the aftermath of Mbata’s election, the president of OIUSA/Canada, the apex socio-cultural organization of Iwhurohna indigenes in the Diaspora, warned that, “Any attempts by the Igbos or any ethnic group to undermine our unique and independent cultural heritage will be resisted vehemently.” Ayawoke said that “Iwhurohna is in Rivers State state of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and will never be part of any Republic of Biafra,” adding that: “The statement credited to certain individuals and media outlets that Rivers State is the sixth Igbo state are wholly misguided and ill-conceived. Rivers is never the sixth state of the South East Geo-Political Region of Nigeria or Igbo state and will never be.” Ayawoke said that Rivers State remains in his South-South Geo-Political Region of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and will continue to be welcoming and friendly neighbors to all other Nigerian federating states and Nottoway any unknown strange country. “That Igbos dominated the thenEastern Region of Nigeria does not imply that all the ethnic nationalities of the then region are of Igbo extraction, said Ayawoke, adding: “Let it be clear to everyone that bearing and Igbo name does not make one to lose one’s identity. Many of us in Nigeria have English names, and speak English language. Does that make us English?” The O IUSA/Canada president said that bearing an Hausa name does not make one Hausa.
“The recent development with ex-Senator John Mbata, an Iwhurohna man taking up the presidency of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is nothing but self-serving.
It does not represent the interest of the International people,” Ayawoke said in his reaction to the recent election of John Mbata as the leader of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide. He said that what Mbata has done is for his own selfish benefit and at the peril of his Iwhurohna people.
“His actions should not be misconstrued to mean that Iwhurohna people are now suddenly Igbos,” Ayawoke said, adding, “We Iwhurohna people call on all Nigerians to respect our cultural identity and sovereignty.”
