₦airaland Forum

Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North Senatorial District, has called on Igbos in the Southeast to embrace their kinsmen residing in other parts of the country, as part of efforts to strengthen the unity of Ndigbo.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja, Nwoko noted that many Igbos in the South-South, Kogi, and Benue still struggle with issues of identity, which he traced to the legacies of the Nigerian Civil War.

He recalled the 1966 Asaba massacre, describing it as a tragic turning point when Anioma people and other Igbos outside the Southeast were forced to conceal or renounce their identity to survive.

“Frightened by the rampaging soldiers, many of our people had to deny their Igbo heritage just to escape death. Some even adopted Benin names because troops were combing villages in search of Igbos,” Nwoko said.

According to him, this painful history explains why some Igbo groups outside the Southeast remain hesitant to openly identify as Igbo. However, he stressed that the renewed push for identity restoration aligns with the vision of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex socio-cultural body of the Igbos.

“The larger Igbo society should embrace its kith and kin scattered across Nigeria. Restoring our shared identity is a vital step towards true unification,” he added.

On the Anioma question, the senator wondered why some people in Delta State still deny their Igbo roots despite overwhelming cultural evidence.

“Names, traditions, cuisine, attire, market days, and ancestral practices of Anioma people remain identical to those of the wider Igbo community. As far as I know, there has never been a time when Igbos from across the Niger waged any expansionist war to force Anioma people to become Igbo. So why the fear?” he asked.

While acknowledging that individuals are free to identify differently, he insisted that the overwhelming majority of Anioma people are Igbo.Those who prefer to claim Benin should go ahead, but 99.9 percent of Anioma people are Igbo,” he maintained.

Nwoko, who has consistently championed the creation of Anioma State, reiterated his call for it to be carved out as the sixth state of the Southeast geopolitical zone.

Ezeama400:
Ned Nwoko is attachee to by force


Urchinngs :2025

shortgun:
How is he an attachee?
Ned Nwoko is an Igbo man from Delta State. He has never for once denied his Igbo heritage.

Yujin:
Sarcasm at its finest.
You won't see Igbo haters on this thread. The haters will still continue to say only the 5 SE states has indigenous Igbos. This tells you they're following an agenda while denying the obvious.

Shawarmagirl:
Igbo bu ofu. Nice of him.

Ezeama400:
Ned Nwoko is attachee to by force

Urchinngs :2025

donmixc:
They’re no Igbos in Kogi, they should free that state Abeg😒

overall90:
They will start insulting Ned for speaking the obvious truth.
But I think the message should be to the igbos outside the South East because igbos in the South East have no problem identifying with anybody.

Bluntemperor:
YINMU ☯️ to higher level!
Please,read and Comment on what I said and tell us - if is true- your Ned is a Saint - in telling you what is Impossible!
Let our Ibos Brothers Not Be Deceived!

shortgun:
Exactly. You are so on point.
Those who claim Igbos are only in the 5 South-East states are either ignorant or deliberately pushing a mischievous agenda.
The truth is clear, there are indigenous Igbos in Edo, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Delta, Benue, and Kogi.

Indiginous Igbos are not only found in Nigeria, Igbos are also found in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
Denial doesn’t change reality, it only exposes their ignorance and dishonesty.

anonymous1759:
So igbos that fled to ivory Coast will claim part of ivory is their land because they were accomodated during civil war ?
nobody is denying igbos their heritage, but don't claim someone's land that accomodated you to prevent death during the civil war.

newmoney133:
Please which part of Kogi is Igbo.Can someone educate me.are Igbos truly in Kogi? I know we have Yorubas in Kogi but Igbo?

donmixc:
They’re no Igbos in Kogi, they should free that state Abeg😒

nomorespams:
I am an Igbo Man / Ika from Ika North East LG in Delta State.
But to most Southeasterns, I am Delta Igbo...
You see what most of you don't understand is that state creation never existed until the British Project called Nigeria was mapped out and even when states were created, they weren't drawn out based on ethnicity rather on military or superficial reasons..
That's why it irks me when some Southeasterns will say am not true Igbo...like can you listen to yourself Our forefathers have been migrating and cohabiting with each other for centuries on these lands but when Nigerian Military Government drew boundary lines on these same lands, you now ingested that as your true identity even discriminating and looking down on your kinfolks in other parts of the lands!! It's ridiculous..
And this is one of the effect of not teaching rigid history in Nigeria especially including the Civil War..a lot of ppl born in the late 70s downwards just think their state ethnic group is superior to their same ethnic group in other states or that though we speak more or less the same mother tongue but since we are in different state we are different!!! LMAO!!! Most Nigerians are so ignorant on this ethnic issue and it pains me that parents keep Passing down this ignorant virus down to their blood line..