Anioma people are Igbos, confirms Obi Anyasi III, highlighting the historic and political case for Anioma State creation in Delta
Anioma people are Igbos, affirmed His Royal Majesty Obi Charles Chukwunweike Anyasi III, the traditional ruler of Idumuje-Unor in Delta State’s Aniocha North Local Government Area.
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In a revealing interview on TVC’s Behind the Headlines, Obi Anyasi III stressed that despite various claims on ancestry, Aniomas are “statutorily Igbos,” backing Senator Ned Nwoko’s classification.
He traced the term “Anioma” to Sir Dennis Osadebay, explaining its roots in the names of the four local government areas—Aniocha, Ndokwa, Ika, and Oshimili—with a poetic flourish added.
Describing Anioma as “empowered by nature,” Obi Anyasi outlined its vast land mass of approximately 6,000 square kilometres and a population of around two million.
He highlighted Anioma’s rich cultural heritage, industrious population, and vibrant traditions as vital pillars supporting its long-standing call for statehood.
Tracing the political history, the monarch noted that Anioma’s agitation for statehood began as early as 1954 under Nigeria’s Lyttleton Constitution, with Osadebay spearheading the movement.
He praised the renewed momentum following Senator Ned Nwoko’s bill for Anioma State in the current Senate, calling the aspiration an undeniable natural desire of the people.
When asked about the geopolitical zone Anioma should belong to, Obi Anyasi personally preferred the South-South but acknowledged political realities might favour inclusion in the South-East, given Nigeria’s current federal balancing and optics.
He further stated that creating Anioma State would decentralise governance, bringing democracy’s dividends closer to the people and unlocking fresh opportunities for development.
Also read: Anioma State Creation Support Not Political Game, But Call For Unity, Says Ned Nwoko
The monarch lauded Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori as one of the best in recent memory, while affirming that the Anioma people’s desire for self-determination is “inexhaustible.”
