Asari Dokubo,The Niger Delta and The Variableness of Igbo Identity

Two viral videos featuring Asari Dokubo have sparked intense discussion on social media platforms. In the first video, he vehemently criticizes the Igbo people, disavowing any connection to them. He goes as far as to condemn the Igbo, suggesting that if not for British intervention, he would engage in selling Igbo people as slaves, just as his father purportedly did.

Contrastingly, in a second video, Dokubo claims that his grandfather hailed from Abam in Abia State, migrated through Obosi in Anambra State, and eventually settled in Kalabari. He adamantly asserts his Igbo heritage, citing that his grandfather and father, alongside numerous other canoe houses in Kalabari, never denied their Igbo roots. He even adopts the Igbo name "Ediabani," which means civet cat, in honor of his grandfather.

The varying narratives in Asari Dokubo's identity have stirred strong emotions and debates. However, rather than reacting emotionally, it's imperative to engage historians and anthropologists in a rigorous academic investigation. This inquiry should focus on examining the historical implications of the slave trade in Nigeria's riverine areas, its impact on local populations, and the subsequent emergence of new communities.

Moreover, studying the repercussions of the slave trade among hinterland Igbo communities is essential. Notably, many communities in Abia state were established around 300 years ago as people fled areas heavily targeted for slave raids, migrating southward into dense forests. This migration pattern also involved the Abam/Ohafia/Arochukwu people in search of more slaves.

The presence of an Abam community in Ubakala suggests ties to the Aro slave-trading confederacy, indicating simultaneous establishment with Ubakala communities. Additionally, it's worth noting that a significant number of Kalabari families trace their roots back to the Igbo. The establishment of canoe houses by Igbo (Aro) merchants for trade, including the slave trade, further solidifies this connection.

Before the Civil War, a majority of individuals in these areas bore Igbo names and strongly identified with their Igbo heritage. However, events such as the drowning of 28 Degema chiefs in 1968 by federal soldiers seemed to diminish pro-Igbo sentiments among them.

This trend isn't isolated to Kalabari but extends to Okrika and Bonny as well. Notable figures like the late Harry Marshall and Dikibo also had Igbo ancestry. The prevalence of Igbo roots and ancestry in the riverine areas of Rivers state and parts of Bayelsa warrants a thorough examination into the reasons behind the current anti-Igbo sentiments observed in these communities. Understanding these historical shifts requires comprehensive research and analysis.