Donarozzi:
ANIOMA STATE: THE BEST CHOICE FOR NDIGBO

The continued absence of a homogeneous Igbo state on the west bank of the River Niger, had always left the Igbo politically incomplete. This side of the Igbo divide, boasts of great personalities such as Augustine Esogbue the NASA scientist, Mike Onwuejeogwu the renowned anthropologist, Peter Eloka Okocha the business mogul, Sunny Odogwu the insurance magnate, Eddy Okonta the trumpet maestro, Tony Elumelu the dynamic CEO of UBA, Bernard Odogwu the czar of the then Biafran intelligence, Prof. Chukwuma Okonjo, Prof.Pat Utomi, Amb.I .Olisaemeka, Denis Osadebey, and the list goes on.

The political anomalies facing them today, were what their early leaders foresaw and began the campaign for a separate region, or inclusion with the rest of their brothers in the East. Prominent among those leaders of the time were the Late Denis Osadebey and Ogoegbunam Dafe. Their requests were not totally met by the then Nigerian authorities. But, In return Mid-west was offered. An idea that was to be bankrolled from the coffers of Michael Okpara's Eastern regional Government. This financial effort became the corner stone that was to aid an easy agreement between the stake holders in the emerging region, and which saw an Igbo, Dr. Osadebey emerge the premier.

The movement to protect their culture, and the demand for a state, that began with the name Aniocha to Anioma didn't start today. It can be argued unequivocally that the agitation by Anioma Igbos for a state/region of their own was one of the earliest in Nigeria,and by default the earliest within the Igbo nation.

As Ndigbo and Ohaneze Exco move to agree on the location of a state to be created out of Igboland, and as recommended by the rest of Nigeria, history should be born in mind. What must guide us should be the territorial concern of the four cardinal points of the entire Igbo land. There is a need for the Igbo to reclaim her denied political, numerical and geographical space in Nigeria. But, how do we we achieve that? It can't be realized with a parochial approach to our body politic. Ndigbo have to practice informed politics, with vision,sophistication and intellectual flamboyance. The treatment meted to us so far in Nigeria should lively us up to a positive political renaissance.

The argument for Anioma state is far more superior than any other in Igboland. The area and its people, have since the creation of modern Nigeria been repressed,with non-Igbo leadership hoisted on its people. There is an historic precedent to this, dating back to centuries of hostile invasions and forced acculturation by the ancient ruling houses of the then Benin Empire.

One of such legacies was the Ekumeku war of resistance, fought against the British for over thirty years by the Anioma Igbos, and which Benin had to do with the colonial policy at that time. Moreover, there have been attempts throughout history by external political forces to re-invent a different ethnicity for the people, or re-baptize them with names foreign to the Igbo lexicon.

The climax came in 1995,when the present monarch of Asaba,Eze Prof. Chike Edozien, warned that any more move to rezone them outside Igboland would be resisted. Last September,an Anioma organization cried out on the gradual erosion of their culture,and vowed to enthrone the study of Igbo language in secondary and post-secondary institutions.These statements were instructive, and did actually go a long way to silence the pundits that have always assigned Anioma people to a different origin.

Concerning the new state, my take is that Ndigbo should unanimously accept the submissions of the Anioma delegates to the Abakaliki hearing, and concede the new state to them. Apart from the political emancipation of the people,a viable state would be found in Anioma. Our Urhobo brothers and others would happily want to go back to their "Core delta".

In the event of a new state conceded to them, the Anioma people will have their God given right to occupy the Government House Asaba. Having done so, a homogeneous Igbo state, and an extended Igbo political territory would have been established comfortably on the western flank. This would cover 97% of our north western border in the present Delta state, leaving perhaps Igbo akiri (Igbanke) for Edo state for another time.

Politicians from the South-East needed not to be reminded about the geo-political benefits of such a state. Though most indigenes of Anioma are counted as ethnic Igbos,but an Anioma state will make that enumeration more incisive. It is noteworthy that Oshimmili local government Area of Anioma zone lies within Anambra River basin. The area noted for big crude oil reserves. Again, there is a population explosion in Igbo land, east and west,but an Anioma state would help to break the mental barrier,and afford more movement and co-habitation of one people.

The Ohaneze youth Council speaking through their leader Nnamdi Nwokocha, have thrown their weight behind the choice of an Anioma state. He went further to compare the case of Anioma to the lose of Southern Cameroons by the then Eastern regional government.,and warned those responsible to opt for an Anioma state without further delay.

Chief Iwuanyanwu, Joe Irukwu and the South East Governors should peep through history. The Anioma people have always stood by us when it mattered, and this is the time to pay them back by conceding the state to them. Such a state when created, of course, would have some parts of Anambra state annexed to her. And which history would record as an emancipation gift from a big brother.

And for my message to those who dispute the Igbo wholeness of Anioma : the name "Anioma" can only point to one direction. The complete survival of Igbo language,custom and tradition in this area, was made possible by the presence of Igbo aboriginal groups. For a group of non-Igbo speaking migrants or refugees, to have founded an area,and yet loose their language is simply a hoax. Such a thing could only take place if there was,on their arrival, an existing, larger Igbo population.

(written by Ossie Ezeaku, March 2006)