Who are the Anioma people of
Nigeria? This question assumes the
lack of knowledge of those about
whom it is asked. While the word
"ANIOMA" is acronym, the people and place so called have existed for centuries. Interestingly "Anioma"has been a community of people who, for ages inhabit the area between Ubulubu and Ebu in Aniocha North
Local Government Area of the present Delta State. One needs to look at the colonial map of the area, and there sits "Anioma" wedged between Ubulubu and Ebu.
The modern "Anioma" derives its name from the four geopolitical and cultural quadrants of Aniocha, Ndokwa, Ika and Oshimili. This coinage was made by no other than the founding father of "Anioma State Movement," the late Chief Dennis
Osadebay of blessed memory. A people are defined by their culture,
history and geography. More importantly, a people are defined by
how they perceive themselves. In
effect, a people are who they say they are. History notes that Anioma people comprise individuals of diverse origins, who over centuries and due to ''culture contact" or cultural cross-pollination, have developed a unique culture quite distinct from those of their immediate surrounding neighbors. Located at the crossroads of very diverse influences, Anioma has
developed a syncretic culture rich in
varied contributions. Anioma people inhabit areas west of the lower Niger River, in today's constituted Delta State. From the perspectives of Nigeria's geopolitical matrix, Anioma is squarely within the south-south zone. In today's political dispensation, Anioma is designated as Delta North Senatorial District. To the east, Anioma is bounded by Anambra State; to the southeast by lmo and Rivers States; to the south by Bayelsa State; to the southwest by lsoko ethnic group; to the west, by Urhobo ethnic group; to the northwest by Edo State and the north by Kogi State. There are very few Nigerian communities that are so contiguous to so many immediate neighbors as Anioma. In spite of these contiguities to so many states and ethnic groups, Anioma people are united by cultural homogeneity and value consensus about their universe of experience. In 1951, political awakening was brought to Anioma people following years of neglect. Honorable Chief Dennis Osadebay (Oshimili); Honorable F.H.Utomi (Aniocha); Honorable Obi of Akumazi (Ika); Honorable Frank Oputa Ututu (Ndokwa) and Honorable Oki (Ndokwa) jointly moved a motion in
the then Western House of Assembly
to seek "a separate province" for our people, who hitherto had been balkanized and merged with Benin and Warri provinces by the colonialists. This merger was neither
by referendum, choice nor by consent but by force. Even though Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his Action Group government had disallowed the creation of such a separate province,
the movement for that self-
determination has continued to this
day. The record will show that no
segment of the Nigerian society has
had a longer demand for state creation than Anioma. However, the
vagaries of politics have prevailed and
the demand for the creation of Anioma State has remained unfulfilled. The struggle continues. Confronted by the failure of successive
regimes to create Anioma State and by
the paradoxical dicta of human social
relations, Anioma people have
endeavored to create a community,
which sees itself as an organic whole dependent upon an integrated set of
relationships with unique and
distinguishable identity. Events of the
distant past and indeed, of the recent
past, namely, the Ekumuku wars,
Colonization, Christianization, Westernization and the Nigeria-Biafra
war, have conspired, as it were, to
shape the consciousness of Anioma
people. While not succumbing to
introversion, Anioma people have
seen remarkable distinctness in their behavior and overall worldview from
those of their immediate neighbors.
Anioma identity has become a
treasure that must be guarded and
defended because identity is a value
for which people in history are willing to make sacrifices. Wars have been
fought and are still being fought to
preserve the identity of people. People
refuse to be subsumed under
someone else's worldview. Anioma
people have for generations refused and indeed objected to the
transposition of other people's
interpretive categories on Anioma
culture. Our forbears in Anioma fought
the Ekumeku wars because they
refused to be dominated by outsiders. They fought against the attempts by
the Royal Niger Company and their
British collaborators to desecrate the
sanctity of their culture, appropriate
their God-given wealth and dominate
their trade and subjugate them. They fought against Benin expansionist
proclivity. In short, they fought and
defended their Anioma ethnic identity
with whatever power they could
muster. Ethnic identity exists because
individuals include among their
repertoire of social roles one or more
culturally defined uniqueness. The
conscious sense on the part of an
individual that he/she belongs to a given collectivity is the basic building
block of identity. Our Anioma ethnic
identity derives from our common set
of symbols and cognitions shared by
our people. Aniocha, Ndokwa, lka and
Oshimili, share the same cultural space and delimited physical geography.
They dress alike. They dance alike.
They use the same musical instruments. They speak the same or
similar languages. They show the
same deference to their elders and women. They respect character and
integrity. They are not exploitative.
Money is not everything, character is
everything. In short, they have the
same worldview. Our Anioma ethnic
identity is cultural self-definition and philosophical affirmation of our self-
determination as a people who see
themselves at the crossroads of the
contemporary Nigerian state. Anioma
provides for us the physical and
cultural space that define the necessary locus of our highest fulfillment as a people. Anioma does not seek to define its personality or identity simply as an antithesis of everything around it.
However, one point must be made
immutably clear to any questioner: no
Anioma person wishes to be recast in a mould that is not Anioma. We must
emphasize unequivocally, that only
Anioma can provide us an essential
part of our historical consciousness,
and also an index to the universal
psychic character of our identity. Only Anioma can communicate a sense of
history to us. Granted that legend,
folklore and history point to our
diverse origin, over time our forbears were able to create a culture that is
uniquely Anioma, hence no Aniocha person, Ndokwa person, Ika person
nor Oshimill person, sees one another
as strangers. Anioma people do not
need to look elsewhere for inspiration and identity. Anioma is not and can never be an extension of another group. This is why for several decades its people have attempted to rid themselves of their psychic frustrations of marginality and neglect by clamoring for the creation of Anioma State. There is a strong sense of community and commonality between and among our people.
There is shared neglect by the powers that be. There is shared suffering.
There is shared poverty. Who can
forget the torture and torments experienced by our people during the Nigeria-Biafra war? Our people still suffer from the haunting memories of that war. During that war, our people experienced macabre brutality delivered with breathless vapidity. Who can forget the Asaba massacre?
Who can forget the Isheagu massacre?
We shall not forget. Our children shall not forget. Nigeria must not forget.
Http://www.anioma.org/about/

.

I don hear


Abeg I de hungry, who don cook sunday rice

waiting for Anioma wannabe from Southwest.
EDITED
pls before you waste your time arguing whether anioma is Igbo or not. Be informed that the op is yoloba from the waste.

laughable....who are the Delta Igbos? Bendel Igbos? Anioma is a subgroup of Igbo ethnic group.@OP,it is only gullible people that you can use these cheap lies to deceive.

Dem dey river fishing.

If Anioma State is created.

It will be more viable than 9 states in the North, 2 in South West and 1 in South East.

What is stopping the Anioma movement.

They have one city and two large towns.

Asaba

Agbor

Kwale

They have the largest land area for industrial estate at Ogwashi Uku.

They have one of the largest gas deposits in Nigeria at Osisa and crude Oil at Okpai, Aboh, Kwale, et al.

They have the longest stretch of inland coast off the River Niger streching from Asaba, to Okoh, to Uchi, to Aboh.

They have airport and industrial layouts.

They have one of the most thrivIng tourism sector in Nigeria situated in Asaba.

They have one of the highest concentration of human resources in Nigeria.

They have produced the greatest football stars in Nigeria more than entire Northern Nigeria combine.

They have many institutions of higher learning and numerous secondary schools.

Most importantly, Aniomaland is 100% fertile and arable, flat and with rush vegetation.

From Kwale to Asaba is 55mins while from Agbor to Asaba is 42 mins all by roads.
Anioma State .....united we stand

who are you when you answer Igbo names and speak Igbo language? This story was coined for political reasons

finniblinks:
laughable....who are the Delta Igbos? Bendel Igbos? Anioma is a subgroup of Igbo ethnic group.@OP,it is only gullible people that you can use these cheap lies to deceive.

The aniomas aint igbos.
Atleast we aint fighting for Biafra nd we speak enuani nt igbo.
And if i may ask, do u call the Benins yoruba and vice-versa even tho their language and customs re alike?
Do u call a benin person who bears a yoruba name yoruba?

mactoni91:
The aniomas aint igbos. Atleast we aint fighting for Biafra nd we speak enuani nt igbo

May God heal your ignorance in Jesus name

BuddahMonk:

May God heal your ignorance in Jesus name

may God expand urs.

finniblinks:
who are you when you answer Igbo names and speak Igbo language? This story was coined for political reasons

Don't sound like your intimidating him but pray for God to direct the spirit of rediscovery to him so that he will be made whole again.

He need help not condemnation

mactoni91:
may God expand urs.

On this topic: If am ignorant may God expand mine but if your ignorant may God heal you.
Amen

mactoni91:

The aniomas aint igbos.
Atleast we aint fighting for Biafra nd we speak enuani nt igbo.
And if i may ask, do u call the Benins yoruba and vice-versa even tho their language and customs re alike?
Do u call a benin person who bears a yoruba name yoruba?

go and read ur books and stop sharing ignorance.

BuddahMonk:


Don't sound like your intimidating him but pray for God to direct the spirit of rediscovery to him so that he will be made whole again.

He need help not condemnation

Yoruba's biggest interest on Igbos is to divide them because to defeat a group of people you have to divide them and conquer.

mactoni91:

The aniomas aint igbos.
Atleast we aint fighting for Biafra nd we speak enuani nt igbo.
And if i may ask, do u call the Benins yoruba and vice-versa even tho their language and customs re alike?
Do u call a benin person who bears a yoruba name yoruba?

Go and tell Okonjo Iweala and JJ Okocha they are not Igbo nor speak Igbo and see how they will slap that your tiger yoruba face.

finniblinks:
Yoruba's biggest interest on Igbos is to divide them because to defeat a group of people you have to divide them and conquer.

what research method did u use to get ur findings?
Keep speculating like ur tribesmen

coz u hear a fraction of an Anioma language (possibly the Aniocha-Oshimili) does nt determine the language of the whole Anioma.
Have u heard the Ika or the Ebu language?
I bet u, u wuldnt wanna try hearing that coz even in ur dreams Anioma aint Igbo

finniblinks:
Yoruba's biggest interest on Igbos is to divide them because to defeat a group of people you have to divide them and conquer.

Don't call the Yorubas, ignorance is everywhere, its an Anioma but he's ignorant.

Even in Anambra many say they aren't Igbos but we all know its ignorance so no need to overflogg it

mactoni91:
coz u hear a fraction of an Anioma language (possibly the Aniocha-Oshimili) does nt determine the language of the whole Anioma.
Have u heard the Ika or the Ebu language?
I bet u, u wuldnt wanna try hearing that coz even in ur dreams Anioma aint Igbo

they are all Igbos.have u heard Ezza,Aro,Ohafia,Ezzi,wawa people speak their Igbo language?Anioma language is clearer than their's

mactoni91:
coz u hear a fraction of an Anioma language (possibly the Aniocha-Oshimili) does nt determine the language of the whole Anioma.
Have u heard the Ika or the Ebu language?
I bet u, u wuldnt wanna try hearing that coz even in ur dreams Anioma aint Igbo

Tony nwa onye Illah. . .oyah okpa oooo. . .Igwe!
Kakime?

new2020:


Go and tell Okonjo Iweala and JJ Okocha they are not Igbo nor speak Igbo and see how they will slap that your tiger yoruba face.

have you ever asked them and recieved a slap?
Moreover, i aint a yoruba bt an Anioma.
Now, go kill ur self

mactoni91:
coz u hear a fraction of an Anioma language (possibly the Aniocha-Oshimili) does nt determine the language of the whole Anioma.
Have u heard the Ika or the Ebu language?
I bet u, u wuldnt wanna try hearing that coz even in ur dreams Anioma aint Igbo

I once saw some people speaking in benin, at first I thought they were speaking benin, later it seems they turned to igbo, then again benin. Which part of Anioma are they?

175:

Tony nwa onye Illah. . .oyah okpa oooo. . .Igwe! Kakime?

diokpa, oboli

phyllosilicate:


I once saw some people speaking in benin, at first I thought they were speaking benin, later it seems they turned to igbo, then again benin. Which part of Anioma are they?

thats just 1 part of Anioma u encountered.
Same Anioma some peeps here call igbo

mactoni91:
thats just 1 part of Anioma u encountered. Same Anioma some peeps here call igbo

I just want to know which group was that, thanks.

Can we let this Anioma not Igbo issue rest pls ? I am Anioma from issele uku to be precise and I see myself as Igbo... Don't know why we continue arguing over this... Even the so called south east igbos they all still have variance in dialects.. If u say am not Igbo who am I then ? Yoruba or Hausa Abi ? I truly believe those who argue this are neither from Anioma. Even Yorubas have variance also as the variance in ilorin is different from what is spoken Lagos but you will never see any of these people deny being Yorubas... Pls let's allow this issue rest. Anioma is Igbo !

The Olukumi Clan of Yoruba in Delta
State. The Olukumis are a branch of the Anioma ethnic group. Anioma people today exist in edo and delta state. Anioma people are a unique group of people with 12 different Languages comprises of Igboid, Edoiod and Yorubaiod. The Ika people in their native language know and acknowledge this; only early Europeans and visitors to the region failed to understand this because they were particularly not interested in studying the social aspects of the people but greedily centred their interest on trade. The Ugbodu speak Olukumi (extinct form of Yoruba language,) Igbo and Igara.
The Igara language is not typical to Ugbodu, else where in Evbu this language is also in use in addition to Igbo language. In Igbodo, Igbo and Ika is spoken by the people. Ika is a language similar to Bini. These languages strange to Igbo reflect in everydayusage in names of humans, articles, and chieftaincy titles shared with the Edos believed to be the ancestral home of many of these Anioma communities.
Although certain communities in this
region can lay claim to Igbo ancestry as supported by oral history, many of these group have their histories obviously not linking them with Igbo home as their place of origin. It is for this reason that those ignorant on Anioma history fail to understand that in Anioma more than 12 languages exists in this region alone.
The Agbor people who are of Ika ethnic group but agreed to join the union of Anioma with the rest of their neighbouring communities scattered around the region chiefly because all the towns and communities in this region have had a common history of relationship even many centuries before the arrival of the Europeans, and have shared common culture speak Ozzara and Ika. Ukunzu(Ikunzu), Ugbodu(Igbodu) and Uberubu(Iberubu) are three villages of Yoruba origin. They call themselves and their language Olukumi, which apparently was an earlier name in yoruba called my friend.
1 unique thing that distinct us from other tribe is that, they all understandnd the Enuani(anioma language)

mactoni91:

[s]have you ever asked them and recieved a slap?
Moreover, i aint a yoruba bt an Anioma.
Now, go kill ur self[/s]

You are a unique yoruba fool...get out from this thread!

bright87:
Can we let this Anioma not Igbo issue rest pls ? I am Anioma from issele uku to be precise and I see myself as Igbo... Don't know why we continue arguing over this... Even the so called south east igbos they all still have variance in dialects.. If u say am not Igbo who am I then ? Yoruba or Hausa Abi ? I truly believe those who argue this are neither from Anioma. Even Yorubas have variance also as the variance in ilorin is different from what is spoken Lagos but you will never see any of these people deny being Yorubas... Pls let's allow this issue rest. Anioma is Igbo !

go learn abt ur history and ancestoral links.
Sure u ve neva been to issele uku.

new2020:


You are unique yoruba fool...get out from this thread!

this part made us distinct frm ur tribe.
We give u historical facts nd nt just mere speculation like what u nd ur tribes men depend on.
God bless Anioma
God bless Nigeria