₦airaland Forum

Pen Master's Anioma Man of the Month: Applauding Elder Statesman, Austin Izagbo

- Emeka Esogbue

From Enuani to Ika; Ika to Ndokwa, the Anioma people have never been found lacking in terms in terms of human richness. In whatever human endeavour you want, the people are readily there for you.

Austin Nonyelim Izagbo, PhD, Nigerian Elder Statesman, Politician, Businessman, Technocrat, Administrator, and PR Guru, evidences the Anioma human gains.

Dr. Austin Izagbo hails from Umueze in Ibusa, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, a community known for its human greatness having the pride to boast of popular living figures in the likes of Prof Pat Utomi, Dame Winifred Akpani, Amb Ignatius Olisemeka, Chief Celestine Okobi, Prof Chris Nwaokobia, Chief Fred Ajudua, Olympian Gold medalist, Kingsley Obiekwu, Zik Zulu Okafor, Chief Sebastian Adigwe, Mr. Frank Atuche and many more.

Elder Statesman, Dr. Austin Izagbo, the Ide of Ibusa, is one of the greatest figures from Delta State yet almost unsung. In April 2022, Izagbo clocked 70, and in his famous tribute, published in several tabloids, Tony Eluemunor, a seasoned Journalist wrote:

"Nigeria is becoming increasingly dysfunctional simply because she does not applaud the likes of Dr Austin Nonyelim Izagbo. This businessman and politician should be celebrated by the entire nation for his large social conscience and uncommon example."

Austin Izagbo has given so much to his Ibusa community, Anioma, Delta State, and the country, Nigeria as a whole, and deserves greater applause. To start with, serving the Ibusa community, Izagbo, a communal unifier, has been associated with nearly every form of development in the community and many can attest to it. It is difficult to write the socio-cultural, economic, and political history of the community without the mention of his contributions.

In the 1990s, Dr. Izagbo came to a favourable limelight in the Delta State administration of Group Capt Ibrahim Kefas as a Commissioner for Sports, Youths, and Social Development and he took the opportunity to leave developmental strides to his people and society.

Within his short stay in office, State Commissioner, Izagbo had supervised the establishment of the Asaba Arcade, Ibrahim Kefas Centre, Iand busa and restarted the construction of the abandoned Asaba and Warri stadiums in the state in a swift manner that left all pleasantly surprised and was hailed in the state for the accomplishment. His fame then started to spread.

In Ibusa, his fame had also grown and spread and he had emerged as the socio-cultural engine room; the people's reliable source, channel, and power link between the community and the government. Austin Izagbo was in the mouth and dictionary of nearly every Ibusa man or woman wishing to make genuine progress or render communal development to the society and indeed, he was willing to assist every group and individual with the right agenda to move the community forward.

In 2015, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), over-paid his company by N75 million and he quickly returned it with integrity. In 2022, a certain Josephine Agu who was a cleaner at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, was reported to have returned the sum of $12,200 and was honoured by former President Muhammadu Buhari with the Nigerian National Award Federal Republic Medal II but unfortunately, we have not heard that Dr. Austin Izagbo has been equally honoured with a national award by the government for this show of integrity.

Extremely friendly, always with a show of love for everyone, Izagbo runs an open office to virtually every Ibusa son and daughter, warmly introducing and showing them to colleagues and business partners as his brothers and sisters.

Eloquent in Enuani and English language, with oratorical prowess, Izagbo is an experienced master of the Enuani culture and proverbs and a modern-day builder of the Ibusa community with whom this author, (Dr. Emeka Esogbue) has nicely and proudly worked within the administration of Ibusa under the auspices of the Ibusa Community Development Union (ICDU) in 2017.

A mere conversation will reveal that even the most knowledgeable in Enuani's anthology could become lost in Izagbo's profuse amount of core Enuani proverbs since the man is readily armed with different versions of local maxims for different situations.

Warm-hearted but his friendliness to all irrespective of age and status did not start in a day. Nicknamed "Jaguar," Izagbo was the first-choice goalkeeper of the University of Port Harcourt Football Team and together with Mike Ozekhome and Jason Orah, they founded the Scala Football Club. He is further put on record as Nigeria's first initiator of the first acada beauty contest, which was held in the country just as his legendary communal roles in the evolution of the Obuzor system of administration for his people cannot be forgotten in history.

If for anything, gratitude is owed to his landmark and remarkable contributions to the institution now enjoyed by the people of the community.

Dr. Austin Izagbo is Pen Master's Anioma Man of the Month

Akwa-Ocha is the Attire for Anioma Traditional Marriage

- Emeka Esogbue

In case you are Anioma or getting married to an Anioma bride or groom, the pictures below will help your curiosity about how the Anioma people dress on the day of their traditional marriage.

Anioma is one of the ethnic groups in Delta State with the rest as Urhobo, Ijaw, Itsekiri, and Isoko. The traditional fabric of the Anioma people is generally called Akwa-Ocha but it is also called Otogwu and Ogbeyi-Akpani in other quarters of the region. It is an indigenous hand-woven material produced by the people, especially from the Aniocha axis.

The fabric traditionally comes in Ibe-ator (three layers) for men and Ibenabor (two-layers) for women though some huge women may go with Ibe-ator to support their large body size.

In the olden days, the possession of the Akwa-Ocha used to differentiate the wealthy from the poor because it was expensive to purchase yet a cultural necessity though cheaper ones also existed. This was the derivation of the name "Ogbeyi-Akpani," literally meaning that the poor do not attempt to ask the price. Since it was difficult for the Anioma man to live fully or complete his stages of life without the use of Akwa-Ocha, the fabric was part of the way of life of the Anioma man which made it an available stock in Anioma family homes. In fact, to date, it is required in death.

Akwa-Ocha is white which is the traditional colour of the Anioma people however, it may be spotted with different designs which come in various colours to further beautify it. The white symbolizes purity, sacredness, and cleanliness in the life of the people. The Anioma descent is expected to be pure, unsullied, and free from immorality. In traveling to the world beyond, Akwa-Ocha, the cloth of purity becomes one of the sacred clothes to accompany him home either covering the prepared remains or utilized as "itu uni" rites.

Akwa-Ocha is not exactly in traditional use anywhere except in the Anioma Region (which may include Onitsha, Ogbaru, and Ndoni, three communities that are Anioma by extension but geographically lying outside Delta State).

This makes the Akwa-Ocha fabric unique to the Anioma people. It plays valuable trado-spiritual roles in the Enuani society of Anioma thus, it is also worn in times of funerals, festivals, and other socio-religious rites.

In today's world rarely would the traditional marriage of the Enuani people of Anioma in Delta State hold without the bride and groom in attired in Akwa-Ocha. This is just as there cannot be a funeral ceremony without the attire in use. Such is the attachment of the people to their cherished attire.

The Anioma bride and groom often excitingly look forward to adorning themselves in their native Akwa-Ocha attire during their traditional marriage and the parents of the celebrants may most likely also appear in the attire. The trendy beauty of the Akwa-Ocha is that it can be tailored to any style for men and women including traditional skirts for men called 'mbulukwu' and a befitting top to fashionably harmonize it. Some men may make a wrapper of it while others prefer to leave it as fashionably simple as possible to look culturally beautiful.

Whatever you choose, the day of the Anioma traditional marriage is the day of the display of Akwa-Ocha.

An Anthology of Enuani Proverbs and Sayings on Death with Literal Meaning as Compiled By Emeka Esogbue

The Enuani subgroup of Anioma is known for its richness in proverbs and saying which may be applied to common situations, which enriches the dialect of the people. Usually, the phrases express basic truth which are striking or paradoxical to the hearer but they can be enigmatic.

The good speakers of Enuani are known by their familiarity with the people's proverbs, which is also the reason the traditional lyrics of the people are full of proverbs. Proverbs may also contain contemptous references in some cases but it depends on the situation at hand.

This particular compilation is about death. The compilation expresses the people's submission, abhorrence, condemnation and praise and avoidance of deathly situations. It is better appreciated by the readers.

THE PROVERBS

1. Mbonsi onye kwa nmadu, ka okwa onwea - A person who is mourning the dead is mourning himself
2. Onye lote onwu omea nwayo - One gets calm when he remembers death
3. Onwu ka dike - Death is mightier than the warrior
4. Onwu bata obodo ajulu oyi - The news of death often leaves a city cold
5. Onwu nyi dike obubu - Death is greater than the warrior
6. Onwu ka njor - Death is the worst situation
7. Onwu ajor ka - Death is too bad
8. Onwu sor ojinea - Death gladdens the heart of the enemy
9. Onye mali mbonsi onwua - Who knows the day of his death?
10. Ani elike ife di nma - The ground swallows the best
11. Onye obuna ga anaa na - Everybody will die
12. Onye ji ndua aka - Who is responsible for his life?
13. Ogbu nmadu ga anwu anwu - He who kills will die someday
14. Wadie ji kwa oge eni ozu - Burial is not done on daily basis
15. Ofu onye adi enyi ozu ekpo aja - One person does not ceremonially burial a person and cover the ground
16. Ozu ozor ga nwu ta - Another death will soon occur
17. Wa bulu ozu onye ozor odi ka wa bu osisi - When the corpse of another is carried, it looks like the wood is carried
18. Ebe esu no nwu obulu inyie - Wherever the milipede dies is his grave
19. Onwu bata fodu be onye - Death goes round every household
20. Odi ndu ga nwu anwu - The living will die
21. Onye ka li onwu - Who is bigger than death?
22. Onye je be Chukwu gbala nmanya - Who went to God with a bribe to avoid dying?
23. Onwu bu uya - Death is sorrow
24. Onye si na oma nwu anwu - Who has declared that he cannot die?
25. Onye ebu enu ana - Who carries the world to the world beyond?
26. Onye nwe uwa - Who owns the world?
27. Ya di ba zia ka ogoli ji akwa di e - The wife soon comes to term with the death of her husband
28. Oje ga egbum gbue onwea abu hor ajor ogwu - The charm to forces one to himself instead of me is not a bad charm
29. Agwor nata mbekwu nana ezea niyi - The snake biting the tortoise is biting to kill himself
30. Ogbulu onye na onye yi - He kills another will surely die
31. Wasi ka wa gbue dike ka obodo julu oyi, wa egbue dike obodo enwulu oku - The decision to kill the warrior to usher peace invited conflict when he was killed.
32. Obu nma na na na nma- He who lives by the sword dies by the sword
33. Onwu yalim - Death should spare
34. Onye agba na shi onwu - Who avoids death?
35. Onwu abuhor ani ife ofuu - Corpses are not strange to the ground
36. Ozu adi tor na enu - The death will surely be buried
37. Onwu si wa kwube - Death permitted mockery
38. Onwu gbue ani elie - When death kills, the ground eats
39. Onwu ka nke iga eme - Death, what will you do next
40. Onwu egbulu akpati, gbulu onye pia ni - Death consumed the casket and the maker
41. Onwu mea njor - Death did evil

The Enuani: Who Are They?

By Emeka Esogbue

The Enuani people are one of the Anioma subgroups located on the West Niger Bank, Delta State, South-South of Nigeria. The dialect of the people, which is basically Igbo, is indigenously referred to as Enuani. Thus, the people as well as their metamorphic version of language are known as “Enuani.” Interestingly, the Igala language is also spoken by the Ebu people.

Although they are known as “Anioma” Today, together with Ika and Ndokwa/Ukwuani, all of who collectively occupy the Delta North District in Delta State, the people had known and identified themselves as “Enuani” long before the arrival of the European missionaries and the evolution of the Anioma name coinage or etymology given social impetus by Chief Denis Osadebay.

The word “Enu-Anu” exists as two words that denote “High” and “Low.” It is derived from the topographical nature of the people. Hence, the Enuani are people who inhabit the highland compared to their surrounding neighbours. The topography of the people greatly contrasts the Ukwuani (Ukwu- Ani) area, derived from the lowland nature of the area. In this sense, while the Ukwuani are lowlanders, the Enuani are highlanders by geography.

By combination, what is called Aniocha and Oshimili today are components of Enuani. It was the fate of the people that the British colonialists for administrative convenience would continuously move some of the communities in cycle to Aniocha and Oshimili and often returning them. For instance, the people of Ibusa were once known as Aniocha and situated under Ogwashi-Uku before becoming the Oshimili that they are today. There is also a strange or uneven reflection in the present-day local government geographical arrangement of some of the Enuani communities.

Ibusa lies about 6 miles close to Asaba but it shares abnormal local government arrangements with Akwukwu-Igbo. Illah is naturally situated 25 kilometers north of Asaba and has the community as a neighbour but Asaba and Illah are never found in the same local government. Instead, it is the distant Ibusa and Illah that share the local government.

Loosely speaking, and by sentiment, the Onicha Ado (Onitsha), Ogbaru, Ndoni, Obosi, and a few others are considered Enuani settlements by origin. While the River Niger appears to naturally separate Onicha Ado from the rest of the Anioma in Delta State, the community is a close member of the Enuani family by origin as well as migration.

The Enuani challenge started after they lost the Ekumeku battle to the British and Dr. Joseph Egwu, an Anioma historical researcher, captured it accordingly. He wrote in Anioma Essence Magazine: “Anioma Region was divided into four and joined to other groups who were then given political precedence over Anioma. Asaba Division was joined to the Benin Province and Aboh Division (Ndi Olu) was joined with Urhobo, Ijaw, and Itsekiri to make up the Delta Province. Onitsha, Oguta, and environs were joined to the Eastern Provinces. This made political unity nearly impossible. This was the genesis of our woes.”

The Enuani fate of balkanization suffered by Ndoni is more pronounced and recent. After Nigerian independence in 1960, Ndoni fell under the Western Region like the rest of the Anioma settlements. When the Midwest was created in 1963, Ndoni was still part of the Aboh Division. In 1967, the Gowon administration carved out Rivers State as one of the 12 states created by him to block the Biafran secession. Sadly, the Boundary Adjustment and Local Government Reforms, by omission or commission, relocated Anioma’s Ndoni to Rivers State where it remains to date probably due to the politics of oil.

Indeed, the British brought a lasting punishment on the Anioma people because the people never recovered from the punitive balkanization measures meted out to them. The indigenous governments that took over from the imperialists, continued the creation of states along the lines of the disparity set by the British. Much as the people of Onitsha tried, they were never considered part of the proposed Anioma State. Worse still, the proposed Anioma State was never created despite being the oldest agitation in the country being older than the independent Nigerian state, rich, homogenous, and meeting other criteria for state creation in the country.

Today, the Enuani territory seems much apart from their lost territories. While cultures and dialects remain the same, they are scattered in various states.

Although they are often separately called “Aniocha” and “Oshimili,” the people are cohesively known as ENUANI, the same way the Ukwuani are Ukwuani and Ika is Ika. Conscious of this ‘abnormality’ in the name which rather rests on local government, some of the people have started to make the move to return themselves to the adoption of Enuani rather than the divisive singularity of Aniocha and Oshimili. The young men and women of Enuani appear to have found greater love and pride in the identity of the usage of the name, “Enuani.”

The origin of the people of Enuani shows that they have a heterogenous beginning as they migrated from different Nigerian ethnic groups. In other words, the various Enuani communities have a varied history of origin and migration and are not all of the same ethnic stock as often attributed to them. From variegated and diverse ancestries, existential consciousness naturally dawned on them. So, collectively, they became the Enuani.

The Ibusa, Isheagu, and Ewulu are examples of Igbo communities in Anioma. The Ebu, Oko Ogbele, Oko Amakom Oko Anala claim Igala while Ozanogo among others is a Benin settlement. Still, there are the Yoruba settlements of Ugbodu, Ukwunzu (once known as Eko Efun), Ogodor, and others. They migrated from the Ile-Ife axis to settle where they are found today.

The original settlers of the Ogwashi-Uku are the Ikelike (Benin) while the original settlers of Issele-Uku are the Nri (Igbo). Asaba is connected to the Igala in Kogi State by origin and Illah is a settlement with Igbo, Igala, and Benin migrants. The three Nigerian ethnic descent formed the Illah settlement natively called “Alaah.” According to the information posted on Wikipedia, Igbo descendants in Illah prominently includes Umuagwu and Ogbe-Orji. The Igala descendants are Ukpologwu and Ogbe-Olu while the Benin descendants are Ukwemege.

The Igbo are of Nri ethnic stock. The Igala foundation in Illah was led by Ogwu, an Igala Crown Prince who was not allowed to succeed his father as the Attah of Igala. Angered by the ugly situation, he went on exile, West of the Niger, and arriving at Omorka, he founded Ukpologwu in Illah. The Benin population in Illah was according to the oral tradition of the settlement, led by Edaiken, the Prince of Benin throne.

Edem, Utei, Nwabukwu, and Agwu sent appeals to Edaiken to help them conquer their enemies from across the River Niger, in their eastern boundary, who constantly terrorized them. Once he achieved the feat, he was given land to settle in Illah.

Asaba is one of the Enuani settlements with a well-preserved history of origin, giving details of the root of Nnebisi, one of the founders of the settlement. Diaba from Agbakoba Village of Nteje in Anambra State was impregnated by Onojobo, a Prince and trader from Igala from Kogi State. Diaba and Onojobo’s child became known as Nnebisi. Nnebisi the founder of Asaba is therefore an Igala descent with an Igbo mother. Once Nnebisi realized that he was facing maltreatment, he returned to the present Asaba site, carrying a pot of charm that dropped at today’s site of Cable Point.

Nnebisi christened all his children’s Igala names to retain his roots. His children bore Ujom, Onne, Umune, Ojife, and Iyagba. Some of his grandsons also bore Ugbomanta, Ajaji, and Onaji. These names are preserved in Asaba quarters and clans and still exist in that name today.

There was Ezeanyawu, a descendant of Ezechime, the migrant from Benin. His place in the foundation of Ahaba (Asaba) is also retained in the history of the settlement.

After a thorough study, based on oral traditions, collected and documented from the area over time, supplemented by archival sources and local histories written by the people of the area, E. N. Mordi & P. O. Opone, in their paper titled “Origins and Migrations of the Enuani People South Central Nigeria Reconsidered” concluded that the given the various strands of primary, secondary and tertiary movements which settled the Enuani area, wholesale attribution of their origin to one source or area is at variance with the reality on ground and with the evidence.

From their findings, “the evidence and reality on the ground point to mixed origins from Igboland east of the Niger, from already established settlements within or neighbouring Enuani area, from Benin, Igala and Yorubaland.”

Accordingly, “there is also evidence of population movements from the area to people in other areas, including Benin and Igboland east of the Niger.”

True to Mordi and Opone’s historical conclusion in their research work, the Enuani communities do not share the same ethnic origin and never laid claim to it in their legends. What has happened is that over time, having stayed together, the Enuani people built syncretic cultures that unified them, making them appear unique. This homogeneity of cultures became evident in their customs, beliefs, mode of interaction, naming ceremonies (ipaputa nwa), funeral ceremonies, and other rituals. The people went ahead to evolve the civilizations of Omuship, Multiple Eze system, and Akwa-Ocha cultural fabric, all unique to them. There are also delicacies such as Ujuju, ose–ani, uno-uku, and others, unique to them.

Asaba and Illah became ancestrally tied by their Igala populations the same way, Akwukwu-Igbo, and Ogwashi-Uku are ancestrally tied by Nri kinship. During the Ilo Ine Festival of Illah, it was customary for the Asagba of Asaba to be invited and on one occasion, the Late Col Joe ‘Hannibal’ Achuzia was among the delegates of attendees. Ajiji is well retained in the history and legend of Asaba and Illah. Ibusa and Ogwashi-Uku, on the one hand, are joined by Nri migratory factor. Ibusa and Issele-Uku, on the other hand, are linked by the Ogboli factor.

Asaba at a point shared closeness with Okpanam with whom she also shares the Igala population. Over time, Asaba, Ibusa, and Okpanam became more sisterly and culturally united, moving from political to economic and also social rebirth of life as they have remained today. Asaba, Ibusa, and Okpanam would evolve a similar political system of administration in Asagbaship, Obuzoship, and Ugoaniship respectively. Ibusa followed Asaba and Okpanam followed Ibusa.

In these three communities, the ‘ike elili ukwu’ ritual was also required for Omuship, elevating the occupier of the female traditional institution above her folks.

Ibusa is an Igbo community but her culture and dialect are today Enuani and there seems no difference among the three communities other than the names that the communities bear. In fact, Asaba, Ibusa, Okpanam, and Akwukwu-Igbo communities speak the same dialectic Enuani with unnoticeable tonal and homophonous differences.

Today, the people despite scattered origins, see themselves as Enuani, having sealed their sociocultural fate together.