In 2016 a project was kicked off to create a "full fork" of Bitcoin in order to preserve the qualities that give Bitcoin value (emphasis mine):

This full fork provides an option for users who prefer to follow Satoshi’s vision of a global peer-to-peer currency that is accessible and usable by everyone.

Full thread here:

https://bitco.in/forum/threads/announcement-bitcoin-project-to-full-fork-to-flexible-blocksizes.933/

and the repo:

https://github.com/satoshisbitcoin/satoshisbitcoin

With the attacks against Bitcoin XT and Bitcoin Classic ongoing, it became obvious to many of us that it was likely that control of the Bitcoin project was already captured by those who wished to neuter it.

In the spirit of open-source software, a "full fork" was therefore proposed to create a permanent split in the blockchain which would allow us to continue the original mission of Bitcoin independent from those who were working to subvert it.

If you take the time to read through the thread you will find that the project morphed over time into more-or-less the "minimum viable fork" (MVF) concept which became BCH about 18 months later. Additional work was subsequently performed by ftrader and Amaury Sechet to harden the MVF client, which was rebranded "Bitcoin ABC" (Adjustable Blocksize Cap).

It's important to keep this history alive. The internet is a place where historical facts go to die, and are often replaced by false narratives. One of these is that Roger Ver created BCH. Roger Ver did not create BCH. Nor did Jihan Wu - although Jihan did signal intent to support the MVF should it activate.

When you read this thread, you'll see that the real work was done in the spirit of FOSS - people motivated purely by their love of the thing. Nobody was paid to to this work, especially the thousands of hours of conceptual work that went into the final MVF client.

Mad respect for this team. This is the true cypherpunk spirit of Bitcoin which we carry on to this date.