Yes, I used it. I mentioned Anioma State, simply because it’s Nigeria’s most popular and long-overdue State. Is my assertion a little too early? Time will tell.

Ok, back to the present where we still use the term Anioma people rather than Anioma State.

The people of Anioma in Delta State have in recent times, been in the news due to more heightened interest in their affairs along with the rekindled news of state creation in Nigeria and in the South East, as well as due to the assumption of a son of Anioma, Ambassador Ralph Uwaechue as the new President of the apex Igbo organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

As Anioma begins to embark on what perhaps is its final journey from being a State within a State to an independent State of its own, it is very important to identify the potential factors that can possibly prevent the realization of this dream.

A strengthened and clear-cut identification with their kith and kin in the South East is a very vital step toward the entire country officially recognizing Anioma for Statehood. It’s no secret that the Igbos of Delta State ( Anioma people ) have been permanently assigned the role of hewers of wood and drawers of water in present day Delta State. Other tribes in the state say Anioma are not core-Deltans. Infact, they say the capital of the state should be in Delta State ! While this may sound humourous, it’s a call to identity for the Igbo community of Delta State. Firstly, some have in the past, tried hard albeit successfully, to associate Anioma with origins on Benin, Edo State, much to the embarrassment of the rest of the right-thinking Anioma people. A section of such proponents say, without any tangible evidence, that their founders were Edo people. Not even the Isoko people and other tribes in Delta State who have clearly visible links to the Benin kingdom have so openly thrown themselves on the Edo people like some Igbos in Anioma have done. This must stop.

 It’s often said around the area that Ezechima was a Bini ruler, prince or whatever, who founded many parts of the Anioma area. This is an effective abortion of the history of a great people, as the more accurate account of Ezechima clearly states that he was a great an anointed ruler in the likeness of the Biblical Joseph. The Hebrew ( Jewish ) boy called Joseph was sold into slavery and ended up in Egypt from modern day Israel. Being one who God was with, Joseph rose to the position of a Prince in Egypt and everyone was answerable to him. He became the second in command and was even sometimes running the entire Egyptian empire when the true ruler, Potiphar was around, as he had total trust from the Egyptians and effectiveness on his own part to support such trust. Joseph was considered an Egyptian, settled down, married and bore kids there, but one thing he never did was to forget his roots and who he really was. Joseph’s descendants carried on this mentality and today, have all resettled in Israel, their original home, without saying they were now Egyptians.

Same is the case for Ezechima, who was a full-blooded Igbo man from Anambra State, and true to his famed extraordinary instincts as of the time ( much like the Jewish boy called Joseph ), made many intellectual and visible conquests and as a traveler and adventurer, sojourned well beyond Igboland, reaching as far as Benin and assuming top leadership position in his time. It’s to be noted that just like Joseph while he was in Egypt, Ezechima didn’t take over the entire power realms in the Benin Kingdom, being a stranger of sorts, but was even sometimes acting in steed of the paramount rulers and council of elders. This however didn’t make the mighty Ezechima forget his roots or who he truly was, as in due time, he and his descendants left the Benin mornarchy to settle back in Igboland, which is in present day Anioma. For some to now say Ezechima, who even from his name is a purely Igbo man, is of Benin origin and indigene is to bring unnecessary and misinformed controversy on the Anioma people, and of course an intentional and obvious attempt to erode the thinking and culture of the people through brainwashing them by adulterating their rich history.

What do such people have in store for Nnebisi, the founder of Asaba and other surrounding cities in Delta North, after he migrated from Nteje, a town in modern day Anambra State? Perhaps Nnebisi is from Kenya and has links to Obama’s family lineage?

I often wonder why the Yoruba people in Kwara State and other states located outside the South West do not claim they are Hausas just because they are in the North, or why the Hausas don’t claim they are from Chad and Niger even though they have a rich culture of inter-mixing and inter-marriage with their neighbours. Why must it be the Igbo people? Perhaps because Igbos have been historically hard to govern. Or maybe civil war disenfranchisement? But all that is gone now and this is a new day. Behold, a new dawn! Welcome to a new Nigeria.

Of course, sadly enough, the Igbos from the South East also have some portion of blame in ensuring the modern day Anioma people remain disillusioned. I’ve witnessed some tell it to the face of some Anioma friends that they are not real Igbos or core-Igbos. Right. They are not core-Deltans cos the “core-Deltans” say they are full-blooded Igbos and not core-Igbos as said by some unenlightened South Easterners, then what are they?

Perhaps, this is often said in retaliation by the South Easterners, for the Igbos in Delta and Rivers States,etc claiming not to be Igbo. Perhaps, it’s also a case of genuine misinformation of the Igbos from the South East and being sold to another history of their brothers in the South South, or maybe just a non-tangible, feeling-based perception ( misconception ) simply because they are located outside the South East? It’s good to note that over 95% of Igbos in the South East see Igbos from the South South as full blooded Igbos.

Like I said, this is time for change. It’s happening everywhere. It has to happen in Igboland too.

Let the stakeholders and elders of Anioma come together and declare they should not be called Delta Igbos anymore. They are Igbos. Why aren’t Anambra Igbos called Anambra Igbos or Imo people called Imo Igbos? Pending the creation of Anioma State, they should simply be addressed as Igbos from Delta State or Anioma People. Even the funny term Anioma Igbo is beginning to surface as a general term used to describe Anioma people. Why not simply Igbo which is what they are? You know, in the years after the civil war, up to some few years back, saying you were Igbo-ish , not full Igbo or claiming not to be able to speak Igbo was seen as a thing of pride and a landmark of high education, sophistication and enlightenment. Not anymore. This falsehood and living in fantasy is a major reason why many Igbo parents in Lagos and beyond refuse to teach or speak Igbo to their young children. Such people are obsolete and still caught in the past. We’re in a new era; an era where various tribes and ethnic groups in Nigeria are responding positively to globalization through closer integration.

Let Anioma association nationwide and world wide link up with other Igbo associations in Nigeria and abroad, and start attending monthly or periodical meetings along with their Igbo brethren. They need no bodies permission to flaunt their Igboness. The adage “core Igbos” is a mischievous term that holds no ground. An Igbo man is an Igbo man anywhere in Nigeria.

 In the globalized world of today, only the strongest survive, and the way to survive is by integration through unity. Why do we think companies and large organizations are merging daily? To simply survive and gain the rewards of staying atop in a globalized wealth- higher capitalization and revenue as well as resource utilization. In the modern world, everyone is being forced to think together and move forward together. Perhaps, this is one factor that deals a deadly blow to self-determination by various regions in Nigeria seeking independence as separate countries. The globalized world no longer provides a very condusive environment for that ; unlike before. Igwe bu Ike.

Another issue the Anioma people must surmount is that of functionality and visbility. Theoritically, I must say the Anioma people are functioning even more than some existing States in Nigeria, especially with a vibrant community in the United States. However, much still needs to be seen in terms of concrete result and result-oriented activities by a united and well recognized Anioma front in Nigeria. In my opinion, the first step to achieve this is by refusing to continue to alienating themselves. Isaac Newton’s laws make us understand that the inertia and its accompanying forces demand that force must be applied on an object ( or a dream as the case may be ) before it moves, gains momentum or begins to accelerate. I think it’s time the Anioma people need to add a little more bite to their genuine aspirations and intentions. To me, it starts with first of all, identifying with a clearly defined group in Nigeria, as no tree can state alone in the forest. Rather than waiting for Anioma State to be created before any other thing, the great and innovative people of the area should appoint an official representative who will act as an administrator and attend meetings like those of the Five South East governors so as to start conveying the message that they are the sixth state wether anyone likes it or not. Besides, thank God for the new initiative of Patrick Osakwe and the rest of the Nigerian House, a motion for two additional states in each region is being discussed, and of course, three states for the South East so as to equate the number of states in all regions. Anioma, Njaba and Adada States look like the three most likely states to be created from the South East. While Njaba and Adada States are still undergoing modification and discusiion with participating states as to which towns will be finally included and which will be exempted, Anioma has since carved out its own boundaries in Delta North. I see no reason why Anioma will like to remain in the South South, as their continuous marginalization will be witnessed in an even greater scale. Why not join your kith and kin and chart a common cause forward? My happiness is that over 95% of Anioma people realize this! This isn’t surprising as the region has abundant human capital and intellectuals to boast about.

Let Anioma lead the way by not just appointing a functional administrator with an office and a quasi-cabinet, commissioners and all. Call it a shadow government, call it a pre-emptive step, but I term this as the right move akin to Barack Obama, who already had his campaign team and officers/cabinet men and women penciled down well before the campaign for presidency even ended and voting began. Re-writing our history and culture isn’t achieved by staying mute and hopeful, but by carrying out massive enlightenment campaigns of its people about their origins, their history, who they are and what they stand for. I’ll hate a situation where Anioma State is created only for it to start from the scratch, making the same old mistakes other states have made in the past. This is a new dispensation, and with the potentials already shown by the Anioma people, much is expected – expected to be done in different and better ways. The Federal government cannot do everything for a single state in Nigeria.

We must learn that just like any other State, Anioma will have to see itself as its main revenue generator. The sooner this is started, the better. With many more states coming, the Federal government may become more restricted in the amount it can afford as disbursement to states, as well as limit itself in its roles as more purely, a regulator rather than a financer of large projects in various states. This is a good-spirited warning not just to Anioma State, but to all other states in Nigeria, both existing and about-to-exist. This cloud however, has a great silver lining as innovation and alternative resource development becomes the watch-word for each state.

Internal revenue generation and functionality of the Anioma State should start right now, so that such becomes a normal way of life when the new state is created. Lagos State has suddenly realized this. Imo State seems to be following suit, along with Rivers State. Anambra State is recently towing similar lines. Ogun State is closely linking with Lagos state to attain growth especially in infrastructural development and industraliazation. Anioma must not make the mistake of waiting for Federal allocation to power its own economy, and neither should Njaba or Adada States. Crude oil prices are slipping daily, and the days of Father Christmas Federal Government will soon be drastically limited. Even if oil bounces back, let’s remember the dangers of oil dependency. Inspite of that, Anioma can even enter a joint-ventureship with Anambra State for the development of crude oil reserves in the region as well as other projects.

This is yet another challenge for Anioma to perhaps, be the first to power people consciousness, re-orientation and revenue generation through modern technology like the internet. After all, the current U.S President-elect raised $750 Million mainly through the internet. Let Anioma people at home and abroad begin to contribute the great and the little amounts of money they have, in order to see to the development of their regions. Let it be a model state of the people by the people. Why I’m, hinging this on the area is partly because they have a University of Information and Communication Technology already situated in Agbor, with the support of an Anioma son by the name Jim Ovia.. Let that and other instiutions and individuals devise ways to anchor the development of their region through technology. There’s nothing wrong with being the first to do so.

The Public-Private Sector partnership must also be actively pursued in the State. It’s key to modern-day development, as companies struggle to survive, assistance to the community and making profit in the process is becoming more popular. Call it “ Poverty Eradication Through Profits” and you won’t be wrong.

This recipe of self-development also is prescribed to the rest of the South east and the entire great nation known as Nigeria, a country that will eventually champion the birth of the new Africa in terms of economic power. First and foremost, we have to put our house in order before we try building the houses of our other African brothers, and house building starts from home.

solomon -omojie  # 1 | 05.11.2008 13:30

I will like to say that the concept and who the aniomas are ,is often misunderstood, i will like to say that anioma is not a word meaning anything in particular or it can mean something like the good land in igbo language , anioma was created using aniocha, ika,oshimili, and ukwuani , as words to make it up,before this time there was nothing like anioma, it was part of western region, then mid-west and bendel state , then later delta state ,. The people that are called anioma today have many towns and cities ,like evbu, obior, ogwashi, aboh, obiaruku , agbor, owa, asaba e.t.c, one major thing one has to know is that the towns in anioma do not have the same ancestral histories , although there are some towns who have similar migration let it be known that not all anioma people migrated from igboland hence , some might feel unhappy if you say they came from igbo land , most communities have a history of where they came from and no outsider will tell them their own history,it will interest the readers to know that there are about 11 , languages spoken in anioma, in agbor ( they have two languages , ozarra and ika ),in ugbodu not far from from ogwashi, they speak igbo and old yoruba called olukunmi, some speak igara, and other small languages, then igbo is also spoken, these communities know their history . Take for example agbor , i am ika man , from idumu-ezomor , most of our tradition tells us that most of our people migrated from benin , and some from igbo land plus the indigenous people who are ikas , whom the groups from benin and igbo land met in agbor , it is not true that agbor peole started changing their names to benin names of recent , if one saysw that it will mean that the person does not know the history of agbor, the word agbor means ogungunagbon or agbon in benin language which means earth , it was change by the british to agbor , if you look at the names of our kings in the past and most of our people in ancient times and names of towns you will find out they are all benin names , we also celebrated festivals like igue , osiezi, and others like binis, we worship deities that mainly come from benin , our chieftancy is modelled after benin , like ihama, obaseki, e.t.c , we bear names like ojeifo, osazuwa e.t.c, we also bear igbo names like nduka, okechukwu, this has been our tradition ,we are related to the igbos and the benins at the same time ,but we know who we are we are ika people ,we have maintained our identity for ages and we will not let it go . Coming to our language called ika , it is a mix of igbo, plus,bini and other languages . We have many words in igbo like eka- hand,onu-mouth, imi-nose e.t.c, and we have words from benin like ohai- bachelor, opoho-woman , ihian - person, ukpe- light , ofungbon-palm oil, ikeke-bicycle, omu-ada -holder of the kings cutlas , igbon-slave e.t.c, this is how our language stand , wars such as the biafra -war should not be used to judge a race ,because even the fight between ife and modakeke was brutal and they were both yorubas or umulere and agulere , it was brutal too , and they are both igbos , so let us look at a new nigeria , where people are free to be whatever they chose to be , if you chose to be igbo or ika, or yoruba or fulanis that is all good , look at this in late 16th century a dutch historian called nyandel visited agbor and this was what he wrote many families migrating from benin and settling in agbor . In 1901, the servand of the king of ute-okpu mr , omordia wrote that ute, agbor and owa migrated from benin in ancient times , i think it will be wise for most people to read books written by agbor and ika people before they embark on re-writing the history of agbor . Let it be known that the title obi is a recent one that is not up to 100 years in ika , the title of agbor kings were dein that is why we have ogbmudein in agbor, and that of obi of owa was aigbogidi of owa- meaning great anhibious animal ancient ika language .

Robot  # 2 | 31.12.2008 05:11

The people of Anioma in Delta State have in recent times, been in the news due to more heightened interest in their affairs along with the rekindled news of state creation in Nigeria and in the South East, as well as due to the assumption of a son of Anioma, Ambassador Ralph Uwaechue as the new President of the apex Igbo organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo. As Anioma begins to embark on what perhaps is its final journey from being a State within a State to an independent State of its own, it is very important to identify the potential factors that can possibly prevent the realization of this dream....Read the full article.

NWANZA  # 3 | 31.12.2008 11:52

=Robot;306863>The people of Anioma in Delta State have in recent times, been in the news due to more heightened interest in their affairs along with the rekindled news of state creation in Nigeria and in the South East, as well as due to the assumption of a son of Anioma, Ambassador Ralph Uwaechue as the new President of the apex Igbo organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo. As Anioma begins to embark on what perhaps is its final journey from being a State within a State to an independent State of its own, it is very important to identify the potential factors that can possibly prevent the realization of this dream....Read the full article. Nigeria cannot afford 36+ State Governments, and should not consider any more. It is about time we start collapsing the 36 into 12, and then further down to 6 regional governments. Divide and rule has lead to uncontrolled waste and massive corruption, and creating more states opens another level of embezzlement/stealing/fraud. 6 Regional governments will be the only way to execute huge capital projects that will impact the average citizen. Regional governments can be used to re-focus the government on providing basic necessities like water, electricity, roadways, and employment. Capital recourses need to be pulled together and invested, rather than divided and wasted. I am Igbo who thinks differently about creation of more states - Local Government Area's should be folded under state governments instead of Federal.

emenanjo  # 4 | 31.12.2008 12:22

This is a fantastic piece of article. Informative, educative, enlightening, refreshing and a complete eye-opener. I said it before in my piece "Igbos Of Delta State and crisis of identity" published in two parts in this NVS, and now "Nwannem" Nwanze has helped to reinforce the obvious. Infact, while I was reading the article, I was just knodding my head in complete affirmation of each sentence in the whole write up. This is the best article I have read in this concluding year in the NVS. You have made my 2008 by ending it on a very good note. Thank you and thank you very much. God will bless for this write-up. I have so thoroughly observed the Yorubas both in Nigeria and here in London, that I have come to admire them for one thing:close-knittedness and their firm belief in their cultural identity. WE MUST EMULATE THEM. Again, with US intelligece forecast on the parlous and failing state of Nigeria, we need to be strong in case of any eventuality. Anioma Igbos must be integrated with their kith and kin. Igwebuike! My brother thank you ones more for this wonderful writeup. Please try and reach me on ephraimadinlofu@hotmail.co.uk.

lateesha  # 5 | 31.12.2008 13:20

If the large number of the so called Anioma people who affirm that they are rightfully Igbos are not bold enough to stand up and declare what they really are ,those of us from Imo,Anambra,Abia,Enugu and Ebonyi states can't do it for them. I know majority of people from Ibusa and it's environs call themselves Igbos. In my opinion those and any others interested should be carved into Anambra state. End of story! Let the others join their ancestors in Bini. It's very funny that these folks call themslelves by a name made up by Osadebay and co,just the other day(note the spelling) yet the rest of Delta ,Old Bendel state know they are Igbos. The mere fact that they are trying so hard to dissociate themselves from their tribe speaks volumes. Let them carry on. Why should Igbos be bothered about these anioma people and their claims? Are we fighting for poupulation? They call themselves Anioma They are Anioma. The only ones I pity are the large number within them,the silent majority who are being swallowed up by this vocal minority. I draw a parallel between this Anioma nonsense and the Nigerian image. Everyone outside of Nigeria calls Nigeria a Muslim country because all the rulers they see are Muslim names who spew out false statistics but we know the population of Christians outnumber Muslims by a large margin and 6 million Muslims in Africa become Christians annually. I'm sick of this Anioma nonsense. Let them be whatever they say they are If the real Igbos in their midst choose to shut up and let these efulefus who migrated from the loins of Mansa Musa speak for them,its their business not mine.It won't stop me from stopping at Isele Uku to eat rice while travelling with Ekene bus to Lagos.

lateesha  # 6 | 31.12.2008 13:26

The greatest mistake Igbos in the South East will make is join these Anioma people to fight for an Anioma state hoping to get a 6th Igbo state. It will be a disaster because they'll be dealing with a group of people that will be Igbo during the rainy season and something else during harmattan. Just like Kwarans and Kogi indigenes that'll claim Yoruba when it suits them and turn around and become northerners when they are seeking to get a larger piece of the soured national moi moi. They cannot be trusted in Igbo affairs. They have proven so Igbos should let them be whatever they want to be. Enough of all this. Kwezuonu!

emenanjo  # 7 | 31.12.2008 15:10

Lateesha, I understand your fears, but what you have just said is not true of the Igbos of Delta state. We can be trusted more than your own Igbos across the Niger. No single Igbo officer of Anioma extraction was accused during that Biafran war of sabotage. Just name any if you can. Rather, it was our officers that fought that war with courage and fearlessness. Is it Major Nzeogwu {Okpanam}, Col. Onwuatugwu {Illah, and the best Biafran officer}, Col Nwajei {Ibusa}, Col. Okwuejime {Ibusa},Col Achuzia{ Asaba}, Lt.Col.Albert OkonKwo{Ibusa}, Lt.Col.Igboba {Ibusa}, Oliewu-naji {Ibusa}, Captain Anuka {Agbor}, Col. Nwawo {Onicha -Olona} and others from Ndokwa. We are a trusted, reliable and a fearless people. Lateesha, Igwebuike nwanne Nmadu! Don't compare us with Ilorin people. We are not Afonja, who lost a war, and instead commiting suicide like other Are Onakankafos, decided to escape Oyo, ran and founded Ilorin. Thus you should not be surprised by the attitude of the children and descendants of Afonja.

lateesha  # 8 | 31.12.2008 18:59

=emenanjo;307152>Lateesha, I understand your fears, but what you have just said is not true of the Igbos of Delta state. We can be trusted more than your own Igbos across the Niger. No single Igbo officer of Anioma extraction was accused during that Biafran war of sabotage. Just name any if you can. Rather, it was our officers that fought that war with courage and fearlessness. Is it Major Nzeogwu {Okpanam}, Col. Onwuatugwu {Illah, and the best Biafran officer}, Col Nwajei {Ibusa}, Col. Okwuejime {Ibusa},Col Achuzia{ Asaba}, Lt.Col.Albert OkonKwo{Ibusa}, Lt.Col.Igboba {Ibusa}, Oliewu-naji {Ibusa}, Captain Anuka {Agbor}, Col. Nwawo {Onicha -Olona} and others from Ndokwa. We are a trusted, reliable and a fearless people. Lateesha, Igwebuike nwanne Nmadu! Don't compare us with Ilorin people. We are not Afonja, who lost a war, and instead commiting suicide like other Are Onakankafos, decided to escape Oyo, ran and founded Ilorin. Thus you should not be surprised by the attitude of the children and descendants of Afonja. Knowing that you're from Anioma and speaking the way you do has just rounded off my 2008 in a grand way. I read and heard about the brave Biafran soldiers,our brothers from across the Niger especially Nzeogwu. We have brother's in law from Ogwashiuku and Iselle Uku and Asaba who call themselves Igbos. We have Delta Igbos in the World Igbo congress here in the USA. I met a wonderful lady the other day who was excited to know I was Igbo and she told me she was too and when I asked where?,she said Ibusa. Dew Drops who's on this forum is married to an Ibusa man who calls himself Igbo. Now tell me,why do the voices of people like Anioma777 on this forum speak for the "anioma people" ? They are the loudest voices. The worst culprits are folks from Ndokwa. They'll rather go to hell that admit their tribe as Igbo. Igbos (the ones I know) are very proud people and most will flaunt their Igbo heritage before their Nigerianness including myself. That makes me wonder why an anioma man would claim to be Bini rather than admit that he's Igbo. At what point do those of you that speak the truth stand up to these noise makers and ask them to shut up. If there are non Igbos in "Anioma",that is normal.Akure is a Yoruba town but not all people in Akure are Yoruba and non Yorubas in Akure have no right to change the ethnicity of Akure people which is what these hijackers are doing and have succeeded in some instance.

Dewdrops  # 9 | 31.12.2008 19:09

Who cares? Real igbo...fake igbo.......what have they done to help themselves and their situations? There is no difference between okoh village in delta state and obosi in anambra state or okigwe in imo state. Does not matter at all.....the peeps are the same.....Nigerians! No light...no water...no road....no hospital....no school.....and so on and so forth. Bendel State of old was split into Edo and Delta states......I still can't tell the difference between Warri and Asaba or Benin-City.:rolleyes:

lateesha  # 10 | 31.12.2008 20:04

=Dewdrops;307266>Who cares? Real igbo...fake igbo.......what have they done to help themselves and their situations? There is no difference between okoh village in delta state and obosi in anambra state or okigwe in imo state. Does not matter at all.....the peeps are the same.....Nigerians! No light...no water...no road....no hospital....no school.....and so on and so forth. Bendel State of old was split into Edo and Delta......I still can't tell the difference. Like you I don't at all care how many states they decide to create. At the end of the day,nothing changes. When I was born,I was born into East central state ,no do no do,my family moved from Enugu to Owerri because we were now from Imo state. Is anything better?

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