The Curse of Disunity: How Igbo Dialects Became Divisions While Yorùbá Built Strength

The Curse of Disunity: How Igbo Dialects Became Divisions While Yorùbá Built Strength

By Hrh Omu Onyebuchi Okonkwo

First Impressions: Mistaking Unity for Chaos

When you come across the Yorùbá people, you might initially mistake their loud expressions and community interactions for disunity. But take a closer look — what appears chaotic is actually tightly woven unity. An Egba man never claims to be different from an Awori man. The Ijesha man sees himself as one with the Epe man. Despite their diverse dialects, Yorùbás prioritize tribe over tongue.

The Yorùbá Example: Culture Over Ego

This cultural glue is evident in how they revere their Obas. No matter how rich or powerful a person becomes, they dare not challenge the traditional ruler of their community. Titles are distributed by different Obas but are still respected across the entire Yorùbá land. This system breeds unity — not division.

The Igbo Dialect Dilemma

Now contrast that with the Igbo nation.

• The Ika man says he’s not the same as the Ukwuani man.
• The Enuani man says he’s different from the Ikwerre man.
• The Enugwu man distances himself from the Abakiliki man.

Yet, these are all dialects of the same Igbo language.

While the Yorùbá harness their diversity for strength, we in the Igbo community weaponize ours for separation. What could be celebrated as cultural richness is instead treated like evidence of difference.

The Dangerous Effects of Disunity

This confusion has left us wide open to external manipulation. Outsiders have taken advantage of the cracks in our identity to further divide us. Today, some Ika and Ukwuani people openly claim they are not Igbo but rather an “independent nation.” Imagine Ijesha people rejecting their Yorùbá roots just because of dialect!

This isn't progress — it’s an identity crisis.

Geography vs. Language: What the Map Really Says

Some argue that because the Ika people are geographically closer to Edo State than the East, they must be Edo. But that logic falls apart quickly. If proximity alone defined culture and language, we wouldn’t speak English in Nigeria today.

Despite the distance from the East, Ika people speak a clear Igbo dialect. This should prove their Igbo roots even more strongly.

Cultural Proofs of Our Igbo Identity

Let’s talk culture:

• We observe Igbo native market days.
• We use the Ọfọ and pray with Igbo deities.
• Our kings are called Obi, Eze, or Agu.
• We refer to each other as nwanne m and umunne m.
• Our spirituality, rituals, and communal values are rooted in Igbo cosmology.

Even the British colonial records referred to us as the “Midwest Igbos.”

Debunking the Edo Influence Myth

Some say the Ika or Anioma people were originally Edo who got “converted” to Igbo. But let’s reason it out:

If the Edo colonized us, why do we:

• Not speak Edo?
• Not practice Edo traditions?
• Not follow Edo spirituality?

Every colonizer leaves behind a footprint — language, religion, or structure. If we were originally Edo, their culture should’ve endured. But it didn’t. What endured was Igbo culture, and that says it all.

Who Really Are the Anioma People?

Anioma people are predominantly Igbo. The only notable exception is the Odiani people, who have Yoruba (Olùkùmi) roots. They still carry Yoruba names and traditions to this day — and that’s how heritage is proven.

If the so-called Edo descendants among us exist, let them point to their own distinct traditions.

Final Thoughts: The Enemy Within

Whether online or offline, the denial of Igbo identity is a dangerous disease — fed by years of miseducation and inferiority complex. As long as our people still:

• Use Ọfọ,
• Celebrate the Ani deity,
• Speak and think in Igbo ways,

Then Igbo is what we are. Denying it is like denying your own name.

Conclusion: Unity Over Ego

Yorùbás put tribe above dialect, and that unity has given them strength, recognition, and influence. It’s time the Igbo nation learns from that — and stops tearing itself apart over pronunciation and proximity.

To the Anioma, Ika, Ukwuani, Enuani, and all other dialects — you are Igbo. Let’s stop running from ourselves.

Daalụ nu.
— Hrh Omu Onyebuchi Okonkwo