There’s been so much brouhaha over the creation of Anioma state both by those who understand what’s on the table, with its rudiments and those who are just pedestrians on the matter but are louder.
There are many big fundamentals to the benefit of the creation of the state than the worry of what geopolitical zone it’s going to belong to and that, to me, is inconsequential.
Those who tend to feel they are not Igbos may feel so based on some antecedents by the core Igbos in the past who have treated us like we are lesser Igbos cos we are from across the Niger bridge . Same treatment, they extend to the Ikweres and even Eboyin that’s amongst them. This is largely due to the ignorance therein.
Ibo speaking Deltans are Igbos and share the same culture and tradition, even festivals like the new yam, Inne festivals, etc . If we can endure and accommodate all the South South states with us presently as we are from the past, whom we don’t share anything in common with, from language, dress sense, culinary, tradition, and so on. Then certainly, South East is a much better region for identity for us.
I hope people do understand also that the intent of the creation of the state basically is to increase the number of states in the South East region, which has now necessitated the creation of Anioma state to increase its number to meet up with other zones.
By the time Delta State is split into 2(two) as being proposed, the new Delta State with headquarter in Warri will fall under the South South region where they truly belong hence Anioma will have to fall under the South East zone.
I am convinced there’s nothing to worry about as we are Igbos, and we are not suffering any inferiority complex to want to identify otherwise. Saying we are not Igbos is as good as saying we are a conquered people still suffering from PTSD from the past Biafra debacle. We are long healed of any marginalisation sentiment, and this is the modern era where developments is sacrosanct for anyone to push us around, as exemplified now by the need to expand the geopolitical zone.
To buttress this, we’ve had the like of Late Chief Ralph Uwaechie, an Ogwashi-Uku son who served as the president General of Ohaneze Ndigbo till his death and was buried with all the rites that follows his position. We also have an Anioma daughter chief Rita Daniels from Ogwashi-Uku also who is currently serving as the Women leader of Ohaneze Ndigbo national, which is the umbrella body for Ndigbo in general.
Many of Anioma people were killed on the side of Biafra as we are identified as part of the east, which we fought too. How less Igbo can we be in this regard? Or should we just let that sacrifice go in vain?
For those who don’t want to be affiliated to the South East, this may have stemmed from the fact that the core Igbos may have a problem from past with recognising us as Igbos, and giving in to that now only translates to inferiority complex on our part or that we are affirming we are a conquered people. Let’s face this head on like the brave men Anioma people are known for.
Based on the fundamentals behind the suggestion for the creation of a new state, any argument of weather we should belong to the South East is an academic exercise to nought,because the essence of the creation of an Anioma state is for the balancing of the South East region to meet up with other zones and our refusal will only defeat the essence and we lose out. Mind you also that there’s a proposal in place for Etiti state from the South East already, which may get approval should we fail to speak in one accord.
There’s nothing special to benefit in being in any geopolitical zone but a whole lot to benefit in having a state of our own. It’s just are geographical expression. After all, we wanted same Anioma state when we were in old Bendel state and the Urhobos wanted Delta State, IBB eventually merged us together to form Delta State and Asaba as Capital, nothing changed, rather we saw developments in our enclave with numerous tertiary institutions, government houses, secretariat and several modern architectural edifices. We have since then worked with our siblings, the Urhobos and Itshekiris, ever since with no rancour.
On the other hand, the animosity mainly can be traced to the fact that, the core Igbos have given reasons to believe they don’t identify with us but only does so when it comes to the issue of Biafra to expand their territory on the map. Same behaviour towards the Rivers people and Cross River.
These animosity to be part of the South East zone is mainly born out of the resentments from the core igbos who tend to think other Igbo speaking tribes across the Niger bridge are lesser Igbos and it’s wrong.
Anioma people are civilised, exposed, and loving people who can relate with anyone or tribe irrespective of anything. We inter marry with no inhibitions. Our various towns are littered with Ndigbo left, right, and centre living amongst us and doing businesses.
We can not fail to clinch this opportunity as presented to us now based on primordial and mundane rationals. We should as a people rally behind our Senator Ned Nwoko whom is a son of the soil and we’ve elected as our representative to pilot this affair to a favourable and logical conclusion irrespective of party affiliations, your sentiments of his person or your hate or like of him.
What I hoped also is that by now, since Asaba is saturated, we should be advocating for another town like Ogwashi-Uku to be the capital of Anioma state. That way, the development will spread, and neighbouring towns in Ndokwa lands, Nsukwa clan and Ubulu clans can reap the benefit of the expansion as Okpanam has done with Asaba, with good roads, real estate developments and modern facilities. This will lead to the expansion of developments for the state.
We, as a people, should set our priorities right. Only a certain kind of person does rain beat and doesn’t know where it started beating him from. Let us use our tongue to count our teeth because “echi diime ”
– Austine Eneduwa-George,
Public Relations Officer, Ogwashi-Uku Development Union
