𝗢𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮-𝗜𝗸𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗶

𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑶𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒂-𝑰𝒌𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒊 𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒂 𝒃𝒚 𝑩𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒔

The areas described by the anthropologists as Oratta-Ikwerri, ecompassed the today's 3 LGAs of Owerri, Ngọr-Okpala, Agwa (written as Obudi) in today's Oguta LGA, and parts of Ohaji, all in today's Imo state along with the Etche, Omuma and Ikwerre speaking  LGAs.

The Oratta-Ikwerri, as classified by the anthropologists,

comprise two tribes and two tribal groups, said to be inter related but with distinctive dialects. 

The two tribes are the Etche and the Oratta while the Ikwerre is classified as a tribal group (group of tribes). 

The other is an unclassified cluster of clans, but closely related to the Etche and Oratta.

The Oratta-Ikwerre are distinct from the Isuama in the north and the Isuama provided labour who worked in farms and as craftmen in those areas.

It is also noticed that  𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙴𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙾𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚊 𝚐𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚙𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙽𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚑 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚢𝚊𝚖 𝚏𝚊𝚛𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚝𝚑𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙸𝚔𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚎

Amadiọha religious figure appears more prominent among the Oratta-Ikwerre than anywhere else. The Mbari is a perculiar aspect of the culture of the Oratta and Etche tribes. The Ọtamiri river deity also is commonly worshipped by the Oratta and Etche groups. Also, there are duplication and repitition of names of communities between the Oratta and the Etche. 

Such shared names include: Ulakwọ, Obibi, Egbu, etc. 

 The Etche and some of the Ikwerre groups, share traits, blood ties and cultural practices such as the "Ogba-ige" festivity,  among others. There are also cases of migrations and counter migrations between Etche and Ikwerre.

Some communities around Ohaji seem to be intermediaries or fusion of the  Oratta, Etche and Ikwerre,   as their dialects and culture appear to have imprints of the three groups.

In the colonial era,  the Oratta tribe was administered under the Owerri division. Some Etche  were administered in Owerri division, and some others in Aba division. The remaining majority of the Etche and the Ikwerre were administered under the Ahoada division.

During the 1967 state creation, the Ikwerre and Etche remained in the newly created Rivers State while Oratta and the other clusters, along with some Etche, remained in the East Central state. Ikwerre speaking settlements (Awarra, Ikwerrede) were also retained in the East Central state.

Further more, the majority of the Ikwerre and Etche became administered under a sub-administrative unit known as Ikwerre-Etche.

The picture below shows the sub classification of these tribes, tribal group and village group cluster that make up the

Oratta-Ikwerre cluster.

Book ref. 

Daryll Forde, G. I Jones, (1950). "𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑰𝒃𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰𝒃𝒊𝒃𝒊𝒐 𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑷𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑺𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒉-𝑬𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒂:  Ethnographic Survey of Africa, Western Africa part III",  London, Oxford University Press for the International African institute. pp 41. 

©Akachukwu Vitalis

Source: OrattaIkwerre & Igbohistory3000BC