Delta monarch, His Royal Majesty Obi Charles Chukwunweike Anyasi III, has backed Senator Ned Nwoko's insistence that the people of Delta North Senatorial District, popularly called Anioma, are Igbos.
The traditional ruler of Idumuje-Unor in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, Obi Anyasi III made this statement during ‘Behind the Headlines’, TVC interview programme.
The monarch stressed that while there are claims of different ancestries, Aniomas are statutorily Igbos, adding that Senator Ned Nwoko was correct in his classification.
Explaining the origin of the term “Anioma,” the royal father recalled that it was coined by Sir Dennis Osadebay, with “A” standing for Aniocha, “N” for Ndokwa, “I” for Ika, and “O” for Oshimili, while the letters “M” and “A” were added for poetic effect.
He described Anioma as “empowered by nature,” with a land mass of about 6,000 square kilometres and a population of roughly two million, blessed with a strong workforce, industries, cultural artefacts, and vibrant traditions.
Tracing the history of Anioma statehood, Obi Anyasi noted that the agitation began in 1954 under the Lyttleton Constitution, considered Nigeria’s first true federal constitution, with Osadebay leading the struggle.
According to him, the push for Anioma has witnessed nine phases of agitation and gained renewed momentum after Senator Ned Nwoko introduced a bill for the creation of Anioma State in the 10th Senate.
“This agitation represents a natural desire you cannot take away from the people.
“If you ask me personally, I would say South-South. But with the current political realities, it may not work well.
“The mindset of the President speaks to balancing the federation, since the South-East currently has only five states. If the optics favour the South-East, and we cannot change it, why don’t we accept it,” he asked.
The monarch further argued that the creation of Anioma State would bring governance closer to the people and open up more opportunities.
