A Member of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Major General Collins Remy Ihekire has addressed the issue of some Igbo individuals distancing themselves from their ethnic identity by claiming affiliations with other tribes, such as the Benin people. He emphasized that despite these claims, the cultural and linguistic connections to the Igbo heritage remain strong.
He argued that dialectical differences within the Igbo language should not be mistaken for distinct languages and that these variations do not justify a renunciation of Igbo identity. He provided examples of dialectical diversity within the Igbo regions, such as the differences between the Mbaise, Owerri, Ikeduru, and Mbieri dialects within the Owerri zone, and similar variations in the Orlu zone, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, and Abia states. He noted that these dialectical differences also exist within the Yoruba-speaking regions and yet all speakers identify as Yoruba.
He said in an interview with The Sun, ‘Today some Igbo are now saying that they are no longer Igbo, but the affinity is still there. The Igbo should make an effort to bring everyone together and not drive them away. Some Igbos now claim to be from Benin, you can’t claim to be Bini but yet you speak Igbo language and practice Igbo customs and culture and not Benin. Perhaps, this is a misconception because of dialectical differences in language. If you’re using dialectical differences to mean language differences, it’s not correct.
Now, within the Owerri zone, the Mbaise dialect is not the same as Owerri dialect. Owerri dialect is not the same as Ikeduru dialect, which is not the same as Mbieri dialect. If you go to Orlu zone, the dialects are different. If you go to Anambra, it is the same, Enugu State, Ebonyi, Abia. People who are not from Nsukka find it difficult to understand what they are saying. The dialectical difference exists also in the West, Ijebu dialect is not the same with Ibadan, the Ife dialect is not the same with Egba. It is the same in Ondo and Ekiti even those from Kwara State and part of Kogi State. But they all agree that they are all Yoruba. So, why should the Igbo be different?’….Seē _ Morē
