Igbanke is an Ika speaking community with history of origin, cultural and linguistic affinities with the people of Agbor, Alifekede, Umunede and indeed the rest of their Anioma towns and communities located in Delta State, yet Igbanke itself is artificially made to weakly pose in Oriomwhon Local Government Area of Edo State where the people have since immemorial known that they do not belong, and treated the same by the Edo people. How the Igbanke people who share boundary with Agbor and have retained articles of history became citizens of Edo, and sadly situated in that state too is rather unfortunate and can best be described as "a long story" by their kit and kin from Anioma.

 

Igbanke is a federation of six villages constituted by Umolua, Ottah, Olije, Idumodin, Ake and Igbontor, it is believed that all of these communities have different migration origins, evidences further suggest that the name "Igbanke" may have been derived from the names of two of its federating units "Igbontor" and "Ake" and has no relationship with "Igbo-Akri" as some historians have erroneously claimed. As already known, the language of the people is purely Ika being a mixture of Edo and Igbo (Anioma) languages also typical to Agbor, Umunede etc thus the little community is socially influenced by Edo and Anioma culture. It is not therefore surprising to hear someone from Igbanke bear Ngozi or (and) Omoregbe.

 

However, the headache of the Igbanke at the moment is their unnecessary and undue categorization in Edo State where they are regarded very strange, in truth, the people of Igbanke are typically Anioma and it is one of those political and "backyard" method of doing things in the country that has made the people find themselves in Edo State without their consent. The case of the Igbanke raises  several difficult questions on why certain of our leaders who by chance discover themselves in juicy and influential political offices uses the same to badly influence the destiny of group of people to suit their personal intentions.

 

It is very strange that the destiny of the whole lot of Igbanke will be changed to changed overnight to suit the ambitions of very few individuals may not even claim full citizenship of the community. This attempt has socially and economically rubbished the community in no small way, we hold that no matter how little a any community appears, no group or individual must attempt to re-write its history because the history of the people lives with them, and the history of a people is best determined from within and not from the outside as the actions of some of us tend to suggest. The Igbanke are Anioma no matter what they think because the people know it to be so. Sooner or later the people will ask their elders why they were lumped in Edo State.

 

Right from their stay in the former Bendel State, the people had looked forward to joining their kit and kin in Delta State following the creation of the state in 1991 but this was not to be as the people were compelled to belong where they do not belong. The negative implications arising from this have been living with the people that tried to clean up the history of the people and deliver them in the hands of a total different people. It is sad that Ika speaking people could be found in the Edo where they not belong.

 

The Igbanke community is least developed one in Edo State, and the indigenes of the community interpret it to mean absolute rejection by the Edo people who clearly understand that the Igbanke are where they ought not to be. This rightly fulfills an adage among the Owerri people of Nigeria that no one is ever shown his brother. The Igbanke know where belong, they know they are Anioma, and should be allowed to join their brothers and sisters and exercise their customary relationship the way they ought.

 

That the whole lot of primary and secondary schools in Igbanke are in gross dilapidated conditions is a testimony that the interest of a group of people are only taken care of when such group of people are among their own, this is the Nigerian situation, and what we might call the "Nigerian factor" The Igbanke on the maps of the Nigeria are located in Edo State, but the Delta State Government and citizens indirectly continue to shoulder their responsibilities, They live in Igbanke, situated in Edo State yet they constantly use institutions of learning and health facilities among several others in Delta State.

 

There is no single road through which one can access Igbanke accessible to vehicles, thus the people heavily rely on commercial motorcycles and bicycles to travel into the community as close as it is to Agbor. When compared with Agbor today, Igbanke is like the forest of Agbor because of lack of development. Surprisingly the community has on its own part produced both military and democratic leaders. There is therefore no better time for the National Assembly of Nigeria to consider relocating Igbanke community to Anioma State which is set to be created than now, the marginalization that the people have been subjected since the independence of the country must cease. What is the use of state creation when true brothers and sisters are made to live apart? Affinities should be considered when are states are to be created.

 

The Igbanke people truly belong to the big Anioma family and it will make a happy re-union when they join the new Anioma State to be created soon. The Igbanke too on their part should not relent until their aim of rejoining the Anioma State is achieved.       

 

          

Emeka Esogbue hails from Ibusa, Delta State, Nigeria.

emekaesogbue@yahoo.com

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