WE ARE PRESTIGIOUS

WE ARE PRESTIGIOUS

WE ARE PRESTIGIOUS

Initially, you were told that there was no Igbo presence in Okrika, that one could not even find Igbo-speaking people there. However, when I began to openly speak and educate the public about the Igbo ancestry of many Okrika communities, the narrative suddenly shifted. It moved from “there are no Igbos in Okrika” to “the Igbos in Okrika are slave descendants.”

This contradiction exposes the weakness of that argument.
If there were truly no Igbos in Okrika, how then did the story suddenly transform into an Igbo-and-slave narrative?

For the record, we will continue to intensify the conversation on Coastal Igbo history. Let it be clearly stated that Okrika has complex and multiple ancestries, including Igbo and Ijaw, and that Igbo ancestry in Okrika has absolutely nothing to do with the slave trade. It was the result of mutual coexistence, migration, trade, and inter-settlement with Ijaw ancestors.

Historically, the Igbo are well known for trade, exploration, and migration across the Niger Delta and beyond. You cannot demonize a people and at the same time attempt to force them into a single ancestry narrative when Okrika itself acknowledges diverse origins—origins that, till today, remain debated, including who arrived first.

Those who claim that “Igbos in Okrika are slave descendants” are merely recycling a propaganda handed down to them—one designed to demonize Igbo identity and create internal hatred and denial of ancestral roots.

That narrative does not stand up to historical scrutiny. Bob Marley once said:“You can fool some people sometimes, but you can’t fool all the people all the time.”

This is truly a time of awakening.
You may hate me, insult me, or try to silence me—but I will not be deceived. I am Ojimba.
We have lived and coexisted with our Ijaw brothers in Okrika as one people.

Yet, whenever the subject of Igbo ancestry arises, someone is quick to demonize it. I have written before to encourage fellow Okrikans who share Igbo ancestry to embrace their roots with pride.

There is honour in knowing who you are. We are prestigious. Those who loudly call you Ijaw today will be the same people who, at the slightest disagreement, will remind you that you are Igbo—often with the intent to demean you.

I experienced this firsthand. I carried the Ijaw identity with pride, but when the truth became impossible to deny, I chose to stand my ground and fully accept my ancestry.

Today, I value the name Ojimba more than silver or gold. While some, attempt to erase their identity through affidavits, I have chosen pride over denial. I will never deny my ancestors to satisfy a false and harmful narrative.