NIGERIA TO THE WORLD: The Elegance Of The Ikwere People

Ever heard of the Ikwere people? Let’s take a quick trip to the heart of the Niger Delta! They are mostly found in Rivers State, Nigeria and spread across four Local Government Areas: Port Harcourt, Obio-Akpor, Ikwerre, and Emohua. They call themselves the iwhnurohna meaning the fierce people.

The origin of their language is conflicting but their dialect shares similarities with the Igbo dialect. The Ikwerre exist in well-delineated clans, with each clan having its own paramount king. The Ikwerre do not have an overall paramount ruler or king, but designated kings, rulers or leaders mostly approved by their constituents. However, all paramount rulers in Ikwerre are united in what is known as Ogbakor Ikwerre.

Traditionally, the Ikwere were primarily farmers and fishermen. With the discovery of oil and gas, the economy has shifted dramatically. Today, many Ikwere people are now engaged in civil service, commerce, the oil and gas industry and professional services. And their culture? It’s a vibe! From the cleansing Owu-Aru Sun festival and the Olikwu festival to the new yam festival, their music, dance and masquerade speaks pure energy. Ikwere music is energetic followed by their dance like the Oko dance and the agu ighnurohna(ikwere lion masquerade dance known for its strength and agility).

Their marriage tradition involves the introduction (Ikwa Aka), payment of bride price by the groom and his family (Igbakwo) and the traditional ceremony (Igba Nkwu). During the ceremony, the bride goes in search of her husband amidst the crowd and offers him a gourd of palm wine to drink sealing their union. Ikwerre traditional attire for women often includes a blouse (sometimes with puffed sleeves), two wrappers (like George or Ankara fabric), and a headscarf. For men, it typically consists of a George wrapper worn around the waist and a flowing shirt called an "etibo," often accompanied by a traditional hat. Accessories like waist beads and coral beads are significant for women, especially during ceremonies.

Let’s delve right in to their delicacies, we have the Ndu, a protein-based meal without soup, several other soups include the Mini wiri, okazi soup and miri wiri Eza. These dishes are often served with traditional swallows like pounded yam, fufu or garri. Another delicacy is Otto, which consists of yam cooked in plantain leaves with native ingredients.

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