Ned Nwoko: Anioma is historically Igbo, deserves its own state

Ned Nwoko, senator representing Delta north, has called for the creation of Anioma state, insisting that the people of the area are historically and culturally Igbo.

In a statement on Monday, Nwoko said Anioma communities, spread across nine LGAs in Delta north, have deep linguistic, cultural and blood ties with the Igbo nation.

He said Anioma people have faced “the pain of denial and the weight of marginalisation” due to distortions from colonial boundaries, the civil war and post-war politics.

“Anioma is Igbo; Anioma deserves justice; and Anioma state must be created,” he said.

The senator added that Anioma’s cultural heritage mirrors that of other Igbo communities, citing similarities in names, language, masquerades and market days.

He argued that despite colonial placement in the western region, maps and history affirm Anioma’s place in Igbo land.

Nwoko recalled Anioma’s role in the Ekwumeku resistance war against colonial rule and the heavy toll suffered during the civil war, particularly the 1967 Asaba massacre.

He said many Anioma communities faced brutal reprisals during the war, and that the attempt to deny the people’s Igbo identity in later years amounted to “a silent form of ethnic cleansing”.

“Anioma people are not to be erased or silenced; rather, they are to be recognised, celebrated and established,” he said.

He stressed that the demand for Anioma state is “not a privilege to be begged for, but a right long denied and justice long delayed”.