In the discourse surrounding the identity of the Ikwerre people, a puzzling contradiction arises: How can a group with abundant scholars, intellectuals, and professors assert descent from the Bini (Benin) people without demonstrating any clear cultural, traditional, or linguistic affinity to the Bini?
Such claims, devoid of historical, anthropological, or linguistic evidence, challenge reason and could be seen as a profound distortion of identity.

Historically, credible documentation dating back to the pre-colonial period identifies the Ikwerre people as part of the greater Igbo (Ibo) ethnic group.
One such pre-colonial record, reproduced below 👇, categorically describes the Ikwerre as “Ibo,” at a time when Nigeria had not yet been carved into states and regions designed to politically fragment and weaken the Igbo nation.

This historical evidence makes it clear: the Ikwerre were recognized as part of the Igbo long before colonial manipulations attempted to redraw ethnic maps for administrative and divisive purposes.

As a proud Ikwerre man (a Diali), I affirm my Igbo heritage — a heritage rooted in undeniable cultural, linguistic, and historical ties that no amount of revisionism can erase.

An artifact from this era — an Ikwerre ceremonial xylophone, photographed in 1862 — further connects the Ikwerre culturally to the broader Igbo civilization, showcasing elements of traditional Igbo artistic and ceremonial life.

Conclusion

The historical, cultural, and linguistic evidence overwhelmingly supports the Igbo heritage of the Ikwerre people. Attempts to sever these ancestral ties not only ignore the historical record but risk undermining the rich and interconnected history of the Igbo nation.
To understand who we are, we must look beyond political manipulations and embrace the truth preserved by our ancestors.

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