I just met an Ekpeye Brother who I referred to as an Igbo man and he vehemently rejected, then I asked him the following questions:

I just met an Ekpeye Brother who I referred to as an Igbo man and he vehemently rejected, then I asked him the following questions:

I just met an Ekpeye Brother who I referred to as an Igbo man and he vehemently rejected, then I asked him the following questions:

Where does Ekpeye comes from if they’re not Igbo?
He replied: “we’re from Benin”

Why do you speak Igbo dialect ?

He replied: because our fathers married from Igbo.

Me: Are you married?
He replied: Yes!

Me: where did you married from?
He replied: Igbo woman

Me: Don’t you think you made the same mistake your father’s made which led to the change of your original Benin language by marrying same Igbo woman?
He replied: No!

Me: what part of your culture and tradition have your wife changed?
He replied: No part

Me: how old is your children?
He replied: 9 & 13 years (two children)

Me: what language do they speak fluently?
He replied: English & small Ekpeye

Me: why are they not speaking central Igbo since your wife is from the East?
He replied: Because I want them to speak my language

Me: is it right to say you’re wiser than your father’s who allowed their wives to change their original Benin language and culture?
He replied: No ooh!

Me: who is Akalaka?
He replied: A Benin Prince

Me: what is the meaning of Akalaka?
He replied: Destiny in Ekpeye language

Me: what does Akalaka mean in Benin language?
He replied: I don’t know

Me: what does it mean in Igbo?
He replied: Destiny too?

Me: how come Akalaka have same meaning in Ekpeye and Central Igbo language but has no meaning in Benin language?
He replied: Hmmm!

Me: have you asked yourself why a Benin Prince ended up bearing Igbo name?
He replied: my brother I no fit answer that question oo!

Me: Where in Benin does this Akalaka comes from?
He Replied: From Akalaka clan.
(I was a bit shocked by that answer but I tried to compose myself not to distort the process)

Me: Do you know the meaning of Ekpeye in both Benin and Ekpeye language?
He replied: No!

Me: why haven’t you thought of knowing the meaning of Ekpeye in your dialect but went on to know that Akalaka is from Benin?
He replied: Bros na the one them tell me I tell you so oo!

Me: what is your name?
He replied: Uchendu

Me what name is your children?
He replied: Chisara & Otutochi

Me: again, can you accept you made the same mistake your Benin father’s made?
He replied: I don’t think so

Me: if you say your father’s didn’t make mistakes by given their children IGBO name like you, then it’s right to say this has been their original Igbo dialects and culture because same man would allow his language and traditions to go extinct?
He replied: you’re right bro

From my interaction with this man, I discovered how people spread lies to their children without making efforts to find out the truth. The man even said theirs Akalaka clan in Benin whereas theirs nothing of such I the entire history of Benin. This is coming from a matured man of over 40 years oo!

There’s so much enlightenment and sensitization to do due to several years of falsehoods passed on to our people.

I remain the Ikwerre man from Rumuewhor community, Odegu clan in Emohua LGA Rivers State. TheTribes