Veteran Nollywood actor and lawyer Kenneth Okonkwo has weighed in on the ongoing debate about FCT Minister Nyesom Wike’s ethnic identity, emphasizing the linguistic and cultural connections between Ikwerre and Igbo peoples. Speaking on Symfoni TV from 14:28, Okonkwo presented a detailed analysis of the relationship between language and ethnic identity.
“It is language that determines your nationhood,” Okonkwo stated, before addressing the specific case of Ikwerre identity. “Is Ikwerre 100% Igbo? Yes. Because in Igboland, some dialects use the word ‘Ikwerre,'” he explained.
To support his argument, Okonkwo drew a parallel with another prominent political figure: “If you remember the former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, he is Anioma—an Igbo.” He added, “So ‘Ikwerre’ is dialectical. It is Igbo.”
While acknowledging individual rights to self-identification, Okonkwo made a clear distinction between personal choice and historical fact. “By virtue of language, Ikwerre is Igbo,” he stated, adding, “And it is within his constitutional right to say he does not want to identify as Igbo—that’s his constitutional right.”
However, Okonkwo emphasized that personal preference doesn’t alter ethnic heritage: “But he cannot say he is not Igbo because, by language, by tribe, he is Igbo, and he doesn’t have a choice about it.”
This intervention adds another perspective to the ongoing discussion about ethnic identity and political representation in Nigeria.
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