The Southeast region of Nigeria is preparing for a new bride.  The Constitutional Amendment Committee and the Political Reform Conference had among their recommendations that a sixth State be created for the Southeast geo-political zone, to equate the number of States within the six geo-political zones in Nigeria.  This is a welcome development especially with the fact that other geo-political zones have six states within a region while the Southeast have just five.  The creation of an additional State is not coming without the usual political wrangling that embodies State creation in Nigeria.  Looking back, a large chunk of the present South-South region used to be part of the Eastern region especially Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River and Akwa Ibom States.  They were formerly known as the Oil Rovers Protectorate.  Also the defunct Bendel State and present Edo and Delta Statea had Bendel Ibos stretching from Asaba to Ndokwa, Ika kingdom down to Igbanke in the present day Edo State.  The implication is that the Igbo Nation is far bigger than the five Eastern States as it is today.  The irony of it all is that in the so called map of Biafra, all these areas listed above was part and parcel of Biafra meaning that the Igbos understand that if they are diplomatic and sincere to themselves they can expand territorially and move beyond the confines of the pocket size territories they have today. 

The North, which used to be a contemporary of the South- East, has to its advantage the territorial mass of the whole of Northwest, Northeast, North-Central and the Middle Belt.  Even parts of Benue-Idoma axis, which shares a lot in cultural affinity with the Igbos, are grouped as Northerners.

In the West, Afenifere stretches from the six western States to Kwara and Kogi with the Yoruba interest paramount and well protected.  Much of this was achieved by the big brother role played by the Western Region in making sure that Odua interest and territories were not Balkanized to the disadvantage of the generality of the Yorubas.  What is happening to the East?  Nothing more than relegating themselves to a pocket size territory, which is a big disadvantage in the power game of politics. Permit me to say that, practically, the Igbo nation starts and ends with the five Eastern States while in theory and by virtue of the Biafran map they stretch across Ibo speaking Delta to Ibibioland.  This confusion within where Igbo starts and ends is the chief architect of their marginalization in the frontline of Nigerian politics.  Therefore Igbos has been marginalizing themselves.  Many questions are waiting for answers, they include, if the Ikwerres, Egbelus and Ndonis of Rivers State are Igbos or if the Ibo speaking Delta and Ibo speaking Edos (Igbankes) are part of the Igbo Nation, what structures are on ground to get these kingdoms back for a sixth Igbo State? 

The Political Reform Conference did recommend in its submission that a sixth Igbo State be created and the Committee on Constitutional Amendment did recommend same, all in a bid to wake the blind sleeping giant but to my chagrin some self serving Igbo leaders are recommending Adada State, Urashi State, Aba State, Orlu State and maybe Umuofia State.  The Igbos need no consignor to tell them that what they must go for is convincing Ibos outside the present five Eastern State for a brand new Igbo State like Anioma State or Ndoni Andoni State.  The proponents of Urashi, Adada or so State are politically myopic as the creation of any State within the five present Eastern State will be hypocritical.  The bellicose contention that a new State should be created within the five Eastern State while Ohaneze is making frantic to unite all Igbos irrespective of their State and region amounts to a conflict of ideology.  Ohaneze even went as far as making a Delta Ibo indigene in the person of Col. Joe Achuzia their Secretary-General, therefore who is fooling who? Below is the number of Local Governments as it stands in Nigeria today.

SOUTH  EAST 95 LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

SOUTH WEST 137 LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

SOUTH SOUTH 122 LOCAL  GOVERNMENTS

NORTH WEST 186 LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

NORTH WEST 112 LOCAL GOVERNMENT

NORTH CENTRAL 121 LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

That is how it stands regarding the number of local governments within each region.  With an additional State like an Anioma State, the South East will have more local governments and still maintain the former status quo, more federal appointments, more members within the Senate and the House of Representative, more population, full integration into the oil producing zone and most of all, more territories.  How many Local Government Areas can an Adada State muster?  Your guess is as good as mine.

The name Anioma is more of an Igbo expression than Ebonyi or Anambra.  Proximity to Anambra is an added advantage and there is little or no barrier in language neither is there a lacuna in religion and culture therefore Igbos should actualize their dreams of integrating their folks or remain a second-class Nation forever.

The consequences of not having an Anioma State and fronting a glorified Local Government in the East as a State cannot be underrated.  According to Akbar Hashiemi Rafsanjani of Iran, the greatest enemy a man has is his ex-wife, because she is so far, yet so near and most times knows the man more than he can imagine. The Anioma nation will not want to be an ex-wife to the South-East but will as well not force herself to be reintegrated as there is a deep lacuna.

The Igbos of River State and Delta State are to large extent comfortable.  Viewing from the present political climate in both States they cannot be said to be pushovers in their various rights.  The Ibos of Delta and Rivers States have been seen and heard politically, and as such my wakeup call to the Igbo Nation should not be misconstrued for an SOS appeal.  Rather it should be seen as a pragmatic opinion radically calling on Igbo leadership to move from the old Brigade of fanatical Igboism to a more modern global stage.  This will go a long way towards answering the Igbo question regarding political leadership in Nigeria.

EUGENE UZUM ESQ.

NIGERIAN REFORMERS ACADEMY LEEDS UNITED KINGDOM

Nigdel55@yahoo.com

Robot  # 1 | 10.03.2006 08:25

The Southeast region of Nigeria is preparing for a new bride. The Constitutional Amendment Committee and the Political Reform Conference had among their recommendations that a sixth State be created for the Southeast geo-political zone, to equate the number of States within the six geo-political zones in Nigeria. This is a welcome development especially with the fact that other geo-political zones have six states within a region while the Southeast have just five. The c...Read the full article.

forshow3  # 2 | 10.03.2006 09:27

what is wrong is wrong, Nigerian, we are getting it wrong, Why do we create state? State should be created base on population .. I have nothing against creating state in the south east, but state should be created in other part of Nigeria.. It would be cheating, if State like Oyo state, which during the last creation of state, had more population than the then former enugu state, had no state craved out of it, but enugu , which had less population and less land mass, Ebonyi was created.. While oyo state remain the same. and now they want to create another state from the present enugu, What is wrong is wrong.. We all are offering temporary solution to a bigger problem.. Let them create state, but let this be based on justice and population. State that deserved to have state created from them , are Kaduna, Oyo, kwara. Borno, Bauchi, Ondo, ogun, cross river ,niger, Kogi, Delta. See population, settlement and land space to see why? ANything out of this state should not be welcome. I do support Anioma should be created from delta..

Yaya  # 3 | 10.03.2006 10:26

Forshow, You response was out off point. If you are looking for justice about State Creation about your area, please make a proposal to the State Creation Committe. Nobody wants to hear all these wrap about Kaduna, Sokoto, Enugu, Oyo, Iraq and what have you? The issue here is about extending the next Igbo State beyond Southeast. The author made a lot of convincing arguments why the next Igbo State should not be within the confines of Southeast. And, I agree with him 100 percent. One fo the proposals made by Ohaneze is that should Anioma State be created, it should be carved out from part of the existing Southeast. I think this proposal was not in the best interest of the people of Anioma. If the people of Anioma cannot get this slot without carving parts of Southeat to it, then, they should reject it and remain in Delta State.

ppl  # 4 | 10.03.2006 11:29

I say give the Anioma's a state today void of the southeast!! It may go a long way in giving them a sense of being and definition within Nigeria.The fantasy of igbo's non presence in the delta is shattered in an unsuccesful bid to extirpate any presence of igbo. Nigerian goverments have dwelt on a running propaganda, that igbos have no presence in the niger delta.So strong is this proganda that people mouth it ,perhaps suppressing the scrupples confounding evidence.This hogwash flies in face of multitudes of indeginous igbo speaking people sprewn accross Rivers,Akwa ibom,Bayelsa,Delta state,benue state,Edo state.This blatant failure to quell any igbo presence glares them in the eyes as these people speak fluently the langauge and exhibit common Igbo traits. Arguements rage ,whether this people r Igbos or not, yet old Igboland existed in fragments,with groups having an almost unique character.Their denial within Nigeria and their hide and seek game in Nigeria may be justifyed in the light of mountainous obstacles after Nzeogu,biafra et al.During the war they fought with the east , but at the end of thewar there arose a chorus of denial so loud that it soothed the genociadal proclivities of the then ruling class.Faced with death as the asbas they renounced their death ,hoping to live. There abides in them a constant fear that the activities of their southeast folks would bear on them as the killers do not dicriminate in their bloodletting baccanalia.The Governments failure to suffocate Igboland to the southeast and criminally annexing our lands to what is know as "south south" perhaps sends out a message that the delibrate oppression of people will never hold.It resonates the louder when some of these people connect with the greater east.I do not subscribe to the creation of any state in the southeast ,as it is frivolous waste of opportunity.

denker  # 5 | 10.03.2006 12:40

need to exorcize provinciality of thought is now! partial reunification of igbo-nation as momentary panacea for future hollistic solutional end-game is creation of Anioma State.. any ndiigbo person acting in opposition is a greatest enemy of igbo-nation!

Bello Adamu  # 6 | 10.03.2006 12:53

You guys will never cease to amaze some of us here. What really do you want? One moment it's Biafra. The next moment, it's Igbo presidency. After that, it's State creation. And just when the Federation thinks it understands your need, you're now after territorial expansion---even at the expense of other people. Suddenly, the map of the dead Biafra is being touted as the basis by which a new state should be created.....what's the problem with you guys? Why are you so incorrigible? There used to be one silly adage in Yoruba land of the 1960s that "only a patient person can lead the Hausa". I guess, it's no longer a popular saying because the Yoruba have since realized that the Hausa are indeed meek and gentle when compared with some other races of people....top of which are the Igbo.

forshow3  # 7 | 10.03.2006 14:36

yaya , did you read, if not please read again. I said I support the creation of Anioma state.. but other state sould be created, for justice and fair play.. It look that you do not believe in Justice and fairplay..

Musa Agwai  # 8 | 11.03.2006 11:27

Bello, I am from the North and believe you are being insensitive to the concept of true federalism.

Chinedu Nwobu  # 9 | 11.03.2006 21:06

Dear Bello Adamu, wether Ndigbo want Biafra or not is irrelevant.The fact remains that for now Ndigbo are still in Nigeria,and are fighting to get justice within the Nigerian environment even if temporarily. Besides the Igbo quest has been consistent for justice,equity, and fairplay in Nigeria.It is the absence of justice in a multiethnic nation like Nigeria that is fueling the seccesionist move for Biafra.Where Nigeria to be a nation where justice thrives,i can bet my life that you would never hear of Biafra.Maybe you need to make some research to discover the raison d`etre of Biafra.Biafra is the natural responce of a people against the blistering injustices in Nigeria.Mr Adamu your region the North is Nigeria's greatest problem,a parasitic people who are only interested in milking and killing other Nigerians at the slightest pretext,while at the same time insisting on One Nigeria.Tell me my friend if you Northerners are not murderes and barbarians why would a cartoon in faraway Denmark be a reason for killing other Nigerians? and yet here you are talking of Biafra.My friend better spend more time trying to change your people from their murderous and barbaric ways.

Londoner  # 10 | 12.03.2006 05:08

One of the question i would like to ask is, are all the so called Igbo in Delta and Edo state truely regarded as true Igbo by Ohanaze Igbo? Ohanaze only regard these so called Igbo outside the main land as Igbo for political reasons. In the true sense they are more regarded as Bendelite (Mixture of Edo and Deltans) than real Igbo which they are anyway. In some part of Igbo land they are regarded as more of Bini than Igbo Its only the Igbo elements that migrated from the main land to Delta states that are glamouring for a new state to be cave out from Delta state not the true indigens. most true indigens do not regard themselves as Igbo Those Asking for Anioma state from Ohanaze are wasting their time. If its up to them the creation of Anioma state will never materialise. I therefore call on my brothers and sisters to integrate for the benefit of our people rathan than begging to be part of people that do not really regard us as part of them

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