₦airaland Forum

I recently watched with concern a video, of Pedro Obaseki being assaulted by some youths because he disrespected the Oba. Yes, actually he did! As a native Edo person, you are bound to pray for the Oba and wich him longetivity. When you begin your prayer for the Oba and you abruptly stop and say something else, it is an insult. But there are better ways to deal with this small matter. And what did we see? A show of shame. Similar to what we saw from MOWAA some weeks ago. Let my Benin friends ask themselves. If a natiev Brit insults the King of Britain, would he be humiliated the way we saw from the video? People must understand that they are in the 21st century. This shows of shame - firstly from Mowaa and now this hardens my position regarding any political alliance between the Anioma people and our Benin neighbors. Let us ask ourselves, would these shows of shame (Mowaa and Pedro) occur under British colonial rule? Hell no! It seems the present generation of Benin people want their "empire" restored. Because you dont invade other people's space or dignity just to defend the glory of your kingdom and your Oba. And if this is truly the case, then good luck to them. My Anioma people will not be part of it along with the people of Igbanke whose land is Igbanke land (Benin has no legal title to it like Gelegele) and whose people are not Benin people.

Now why did I bring up this issue of political alliance between the Benin and Anioma? Well that was (and perhaps is) what Mr Pedro Obaseki has been working for. And if you can recall, some years ago, he declared the old Midwest as a distinct from the West and East and by default should not fall under the sphere of either regions. But the Midwest is a POST COLONIAL CREATION and does not carry the same weight as pre colonial political units of North(East/West or North/South. The original draft of the Midwest based on what was written in the Willinks Report refers only the the EDO SPEAKING PEOPLE and not the Igbo speaking Anioma people. And what was even more curious about Mr Obaseki's clamor was when he declared the dialectal groups of Ika, Enuani(Aniocha-Oshimili) and Ndokwa(Ukwuani) as "tribes" and he went further to declare Owan (Ivbiasakon) and Etsako as distinct from each other. Both Etsako and Owan (Ivbiasakon) belong to the same Afenmai branch of his Edo speaking people which by the way extends to Akoko Edo but it seems he chose to define them as tribes just to play the game of divide and rule over. Because if all Afenmai people are brought together, they are actually the populated branch of the Edos within Edo State. The Benin and Esan are about the same size demographically.
And this was exactly the same script he played when it came to the Anioma (West Igbo) people. He avoided the word Igbo ( the video is available) and he goes further to indicate that the Igbo people are only found in the Southeast, which for people like me is an affront to the Anioma people. He wished we are divided as micro-minorities within the sphere of the old Benin imperial sphere and also sent a signal to the Eastern Igbo that we)Aniomas) are stuck in the Midwest permanently - which is arrant nonsense! The Willinks c report clearly states that peoples who belong to the larger ethnic groups in other regions can decide if they want to remain in where they were placed under colonial divisions or engage themselves in an acceptable referenda to be transfered to the regions where their own ethnic kith and kin are largely found. This was proposed for the Northern Yorubas of the present Kwara and Kogi and this should also be applied to the Igbos of Anioma and of course other Igbo groups like the ones still stuck in Kogi and Benue States.

Mr Pedro Obaseki spoke like a Benin ethnic nationalist. He is clever to know that his Benin people fall by default under Yoruba cultural hangover. He thus demanded that a post colonial creation like the Midwest be declared as distinct from the East or especially the West (which by default his own Benin people falls under) and to pamper the shoulders of his own Benin people and their "empire", he hopes it includes the Anioma people who he sees as "buffer" between the Igbo of the East and his Benin people. And since some Anioma people are enthusiastically ready to deny their Igboness even if it means claiming their people fall under the imperial space of Benin, it works perfectly for his Benin people. It was no surprising that he was physically present when the Ika Bible was launched some years ago. It was to show and demonstrate to the Ikas that he fully support some Ika people who deceive themselves that they are not Igbo people. As a native speaker of Ika myself, I can tell that Ika is clearly an Igbo dialect. Not at all a distinct language and follows the rule of continuum you find with languages spoken in a relatively large area or by many speakers. The Yorubas have theirs, the Hausas have theirs too. It is only when it comes to the Igbo people, we deceive ourselves and the likes of Dr Pedro Obaseki jumping to capitalize on it just to protect his own Edo people and project their own political interest.

This is why what happened to him was rather unfair. Yes he disrespected the Oba. He should have said "Oba gha tokpere" as a native Edo person. That is the custom but some people to humiliate him in such a manner (even when he is fighting to protect the political interests of his Benin people) is a disgrace! And it is irresponsible. Anioma people have no business with people who behave and reason like this. And take it from me, when people behave like this, development becomes a challange, a huge one. This is why Edo State since 1991 would rank as the least progressive state in Southern Nigeria if not in Nigeria and it becomes quite clear if we look up from 1999. When we (Aniomas- west Igbos) left their Bendel/Midwest project PERMANENTLY since 1991, Aniomas have experienced progress. There is mutual respect for one another in Delta State- the Igbo, Urhobo, Isoko, Ijaw and Itsekiri (coastal Yorubas) all respect themselves and we try to distribute power and projects- yes it is not perfect but it is not bad. There is no group that strives to dominate the other via cultural hangover like we see in Edo State 8which was to some extent the case in Bendel). There is no alternative Govt House known as the "Palace" The Asagba does not wield the kind of power the Oba has. The Asagba, people should underszand is like the president of "kings" and wuite democratic. Thus he knows that there are other kings even within Anioma and we all respect ourselves and get along with each other. I dont see that in Edo State.

When Edo State was created in 1991, it had at least 75% of the infrastructure of the old Bendel. The state has great potentials strategically situated between the West and the East. It is an oil producing state and I believe it generated no less than N90 billion via IGR last year. It has a large diaspora population. Edo people are smart and very sociable. So what could be the reason the state is still lagging in development, it is sadly the slavish mentality of many of its citizens who still think they are still in a Benin prior to 1897. And when some of their ethnic nationalists stretch their imperial mentality to the Anioma people, simply because some of our people are in delusion, that they are not Igbos, it gets quite annoying. At least for someone like me. Edo people need to know they are in the 21st century and look more to the future rather than the past.

It is not up to me to call their culture barbaric. That culture had a profound influence on some aspect of the culture we have in Western Igbo land. But no Anioma youth would condescend to the what I saw with Mowaa and now this. And people just take it as normal. It is absurd. Yes Edo people, neighbors to Western Igbos (including Igbanke) look more to the future not the past. Calling people "Oba"s enemy" if they disagree with your institutions or disgracing yourselves when foreign dignitaries were around for Mowaa will not take you to the promised land. Even many of those Anioma people deceiving themselves that they are not Igbos, would be irritated by what they saw let alone those like me and the majority of us in Anioma that have long declared that you are on your own and Anioma people (along with Igbanke) would chart their political path just as you should chart yours. When a people are so obsessed with the past instead of the future, such a people have no business with Anioma people. The Japanese had an Emperor who was seen as a god just as Benin people see their Oba. But in 1946, the Emperor renounced his divinity projecting the Japanese as a modern state. I am not sure that would be the case of Benin. Good luck to them anyways. My Anioma people have been chosen by fate to be one of the primary pillars of the Igbo nation. I wish Dr Pedro quick recovery from the trauma. And I hope lessons had been learned. By the way I am not sure this matter would just rest like that. Though it is not my concern. My concern is my Anioma people and their future. Future is the key word not the past.

Osita Mordi

In 21st century some people are still acting like primitive tribe.

Brilliant submission!

The Obaseki fella looks well preserved for his age though! He’s probably approaching 60 yet no sign of pot belly! Moral of the story: better try keeping fit well into middle-age, as you never know if you’ll be accosted by some thugs one day, stripped down to your undies, and paraded around the village square!

Stupid take by Osita Mordi. Instead of speaking to the situation, he's rubbing in the man's ethno-political leaning.

But why haven't these you flushed out the Islam terrorists terrorising Edo? I thought that the Oba's words are law. Why didn't he curse Pedro?

So because of what some Bini youth did to this obaseki of an individual is what this clown is sing to insult the whole Bini people , their culture and history ?

I don't know of any Bini or even Delta South or Central people who are opposed to your useless Anioma and its annexation into the SE.

Here the author says the youths acted barbaric as if in the same SE they don't have a thing of parading anyone who commits a taboo n@ked round their villages.

Last I checked , Bini nor any non igboid people in Delta south and central don't have the culture of forcing widowed women the water used to wash the corpse of their husband to drink.

The author should understand that only his anioma people will vote on Anioma and not Bini or any non Igboid people for that matter.

I for one have been clamouring for Anioma to be cared out from Delta state citing the demographic changes that has occurred in Asaba and environs due to huge influx of ibos fleeing their own states due to insecurity and settling in Asaba.

I am also very convinced that when this Anioma state materializes that same Anioma people will begin to flee to Delta and Edo when their land is overrun by the same criminals that made their ibo cousins to flee their own states.

By then there will be no pity.

You will explain tire that Ned deceived you but no one will care and we will tell you to go and settle with your brothers.

ariesbull:
I recently watched with concern a video, of Pedro Obaseki being assaulted by some youths because he disrespected the Oba. Yes, actually he did! As a native Edo person, you are bound to pray for the Oba and wich him longetivity. When you begin your prayer for the Oba and you abruptly stop and say something else, it is an insult. But there are better ways to deal with this small matter. And what did we see? A show of shame. Similar to what we saw from MOWAA some weeks ago. Let my Benin friends ask themselves. If a natiev Brit insults the King of Britain, would he be humiliated the way we saw from the video? People must understand that they are in the 21st century. This shows of shame - firstly from Mowaa and now this hardens my position regarding any political alliance between the Anioma people and our Benin neighbors. Let us ask ourselves, would these shows of shame (Mowaa and Pedro) occur under British colonial rule? Hell no! It seems the present generation of Benin people want their "empire" restored. Because you dont invade other people's space or dignity just to defend the glory of your kingdom and your Oba. And if this is truly the case, then good luck to them. My Anioma people will not be part of it along with the people of Igbanke whose land is Igbanke land (Benin has no legal title to it like Gelegele) and whose people are not Benin people.

Now why did I bring up this issue of political alliance between the Benin and Anioma? Well that was (and perhaps is) what Mr Pedro Obaseki has been working for. And if you can recall, some years ago, he declared the old Midwest as a distinct from the West and East and by default should not fall under the sphere of either regions. But the Midwest is a POST COLONIAL CREATION and does not carry the same weight as pre colonial political units of North(East/West or North/South. The original draft of the Midwest based on what was written in the Willinks Report refers only the the EDO SPEAKING PEOPLE and not the Igbo speaking Anioma people. And what was even more curious about Mr Obaseki's clamor was when he declared the dialectal groups of Ika, Enuani(Aniocha-Oshimili) and Ndokwa(Ukwuani) as "tribes" and he went further to declare Owan (Ivbiasakon) and Etsako as distinct from each other. Both Etsako and Owan (Ivbiasakon) belong to the same Afenmai branch of his Edo speaking people which by the way extends to Akoko Edo but it seems he chose to define them as tribes just to play the game of divide and rule over. Because if all Afenmai people are brought together, they are actually the populated branch of the Edos within Edo State. The Benin and Esan are about the same size demographically.
And this was exactly the same script he played when it came to the Anioma (West Igbo) people. He avoided the word Igbo ( the video is available) and he goes further to indicate that the Igbo people are only found in the Southeast, which for people like me is an affront to the Anioma people. He wished we are divided as micro-minorities within the sphere of the old Benin imperial sphere and also sent a signal to the Eastern Igbo that we)Aniomas) are stuck in the Midwest permanently - which is arrant nonsense! The Willinks c report clearly states that peoples who belong to the larger ethnic groups in other regions can decide if they want to remain in where they were placed under colonial divisions or engage themselves in an acceptable referenda to be transfered to the regions where their own ethnic kith and kin are largely found. This was proposed for the Northern Yorubas of the present Kwara and Kogi and this should also be applied to the Igbos of Anioma and of course other Igbo groups like the ones still stuck in Kogi and Benue States.

Mr Pedro Obaseki spoke like a Benin ethnic nationalist. He is clever to know that his Benin people fall by default under Yoruba cultural hangover. He thus demanded that a post colonial creation like the Midwest be declared as distinct from the East or especially the West (which by default his own Benin people falls under) and to pamper the shoulders of his own Benin people and their "empire", he hopes it includes the Anioma people who he sees as "buffer" between the Igbo of the East and his Benin people. And since some Anioma people are enthusiastically ready to deny their Igboness even if it means claiming their people fall under the imperial space of Benin, it works perfectly for his Benin people. It was no surprising that he was physically present when the Ika Bible was launched some years ago. It was to show and demonstrate to the Ikas that he fully support some Ika people who deceive themselves that they are not Igbo people. As a native speaker of Ika myself, I can tell that Ika is clearly an Igbo dialect. Not at all a distinct language and follows the rule of continuum you find with languages spoken in a relatively large area or by many speakers. The Yorubas have theirs, the Hausas have theirs too. It is only when it comes to the Igbo people, we deceive ourselves and the likes of Dr Pedro Obaseki jumping to capitalize on it just to protect his own Edo people and project their own political interest.

This is why what happened to him was rather unfair. Yes he disrespected the Oba. He should have said "Oba gha tokpere" as a native Edo person. That is the custom but some people to humiliate him in such a manner (even when he is fighting to protect the political interests of his Benin people) is a disgrace! And it is irresponsible. Anioma people have no business with people who behave and reason like this. And take it from me, when people behave like this, development becomes a challange, a huge one. This is why Edo State since 1991 would rank as the least progressive state in Southern Nigeria if not in Nigeria and it becomes quite clear if we look up from 1999. When we (Aniomas- west Igbos) left their Bendel/Midwest project PERMANENTLY since 1991, Aniomas have experienced progress. There is mutual respect for one another in Delta State- the Igbo, Urhobo, Isoko, Ijaw and Itsekiri (coastal Yorubas) all respect themselves and we try to distribute power and projects- yes it is not perfect but it is not bad. There is no group that strives to dominate the other via cultural hangover like we see in Edo State 8which was to some extent the case in Bendel). There is no alternative Govt House known as the "Palace" The Asagba does not wield the kind of power the Oba has. The Asagba, people should underszand is like the president of "kings" and wuite democratic. Thus he knows that there are other kings even within Anioma and we all respect ourselves and get along with each other. I dont see that in Edo State.

When Edo State was created in 1991, it had at least 75% of the infrastructure of the old Bendel. The state has great potentials strategically situated between the West and the East. It is an oil producing state and I believe it generated no less than N90 billion via IGR last year. It has a large diaspora population. Edo people are smart and very sociable. So what could be the reason the state is still lagging in development, it is sadly the slavish mentality of many of its citizens who still think they are still in a Benin prior to 1897. And when some of their ethnic nationalists stretch their imperial mentality to the Anioma people, simply because some of our people are in delusion, that they are not Igbos, it gets quite annoying. At least for someone like me. Edo people need to know they are in the 21st century and look more to the future rather than the past.

It is not up to me to call their culture barbaric. That culture had a profound influence on some aspect of the culture we have in Western Igbo land. But no Anioma youth would condescend to the what I saw with Mowaa and now this. And people just take it as normal. It is absurd. Yes Edo people, neighbors to Western Igbos (including Igbanke) look more to the future not the past. Calling people "Oba"s enemy" if they disagree with your institutions or disgracing yourselves when foreign dignitaries were around for Mowaa will not take you to the promised land. Even many of those Anioma people deceiving themselves that they are not Igbos, would be irritated by what they saw let alone those like me and the majority of us in Anioma that have long declared that you are on your own and Anioma people (along with Igbanke) would chart their political path just as you should chart yours. When a people are so obsessed with the past instead of the future, such a people have no business with Anioma people. The Japanese had an Emperor who was seen as a god just as Benin people see their Oba. But in 1946, the Emperor renounced his divinity projecting the Japanese as a modern state. I am not sure that would be the case of Benin. Good luck to them anyways. My Anioma people have been chosen by fate to be one of the primary pillars of the Igbo nation. I wish Dr Pedro quick recovery from the trauma. And I hope lessons had been learned. By the way I am not sure this matter would just rest like that. Though it is not my concern. My concern is my Anioma people and their future. Future is the key word not the past.

Osita Mordi

Bro, you don't equate the actions of a few people as Edo culture. The people who assaulted him weren't acting on behalf of the Benin Monarch or the Edo people.

weslay:
Bro, you don't equate the actions of a few people as Edo culture. The people who assaulted him weren't acting on behalf of the Benin Monarch or the Edo people.

they were acting on behalf of who? I will be waiting to see if the Benin monarch would make a press statement condemning it

This isn't about South East...please leave them out of it

Secondly, igbo aren't fleeing, in short they travelled home for Christmas and enjoying the Christmas

Thirdly,South East us far developed than Edo state ij all ramifications...what is happening in Adaba is expansion of Onitsha to Asaba ... Asaba is an igbo land so what is hurting you ?

DomPerignon:
So because of what some Bini youth did to this obaseki of an individual is what this clown is sing to insult the whole Bini people , their culture and history ?

I don't know of any Bini or even Delta South or Central people who are opposed to your useless Anioma and its annexation into the SE.

Here the author says the youths acted barbaric as if in the same SE they don't have a thing of parading anyone who commits a taboo n@ked round their villages.

Last I checked , Bini nor any non igboid people in Delta south and central don't have the culture of forcing widowed women the water used to wash the corpse of their husband to drink.

The author should understand that only his anioma people will vote on Anioma and not Bini or any non Igboid people for that matter.

I for one have been clamouring for Anioma to be cared out from Delta state citing the demographic changes that has occurred in Asaba and environs due to huge influx of ibos fleeing their own states due to insecurity and settling in Asaba.

I am also very convinced that when this Anioma state materializes that same Anioma people will begin to flee to Delta and Edo when their land is overrun by the same criminals that made their ibo cousins to flee their own states.

By then there will be no pity.

You will explain tire that Ned deceived you but no one will care and we will tell you to go and settle with your brothers.

ariesbull:
they were acting on behalf of who? I will be waiting to see if the Benin monarch would make a press statement condemning it

Go and watch the full video. Forget press statement.

The moment that state voted in an a PARALLEL F9 RESULT HOLDING governor I immediately knew there would be problems for them for the next 4 years

I mean, this guy LITERALLY PROMISED INSECURITY for his people

SeeWahala:
The moment that state voted in an a PARALLEL F9 RESULT HOLDING governor I immediately knew there would be problems for them for the next 4 years

I mean, this guy LITERALLY PROMISED INSECURITY for his people

In under one year, Akpakomezer has done more than the one that has done certified courses at Harvard and claimed to be a technocrat.

He is already been touted as one of the best governors, behind Ogbemudia whereas everyone now agrees Godwin was even worse than Lucky.

So please rest.

aswani:
In under one year, Akpakomezer has done more than the one that has done certified courses at Harvard and claimed to be a technocrat.

He is already been touted as one of the best governors, behind Ogbemudia whereas everyone now agrees Godwin was even worse than Lucky.

So please rest.

lol 😂😆 anytime I hear una APC edolites dey call that man him guy name wetin dey enter my ear na AkPaKo master and true true him dey knack una state AkPaKo.

Chasing cultists and destroying properties. He can't even lobby umahi or tilumbu to fix his own portion of the east west road. parallel F9 it's unbecoming he rose to be your governor at all

SeeWahala:
lol 😂😆 anytime I hear una APC edolites dey call that man him guy name wetin dey enter my ear na AkPaKo master and true true him dey knack una state AkPaKo.

Chasing cultists and destroying properties. He can't even lobby umahi or tilumbu to fix his own portion of the east west road. parallel F9 it's unbecoming he rose to be your governor at all

Where did I say I was APC or an Edolite never mind a APC Edolite?

Edo state is very ok with Akpakowonder.

aswani:
Where did I say I was APC or an Edolite never mind a APC Edolite?

Edo state is very ok with Akpakowonder.

You seff you know you're MANY THINGS and yet NOTHING but a chameleon 😏

I love the way you're able to change your colour on demand

DomPerignon:
So because of what some Bini youth did to this obaseki of an individual is what this clown is sing to insult the whole Bini people , their culture and history ?

I don't know of any Bini or even Delta South or Central people who are opposed to your useless Anioma and its annexation into the SE.

Here the author says the youths acted barbaric as if in the same SE they don't have a thing of parading anyone who commits a taboo n@ked round their villages.

Last I checked , Bini nor any non igboid people in Delta south and central don't have the culture of forcing widowed women the water used to wash the corpse of their husband to drink.

The author should understand that only his anioma people will vote on Anioma and not Bini or any non Igboid people for that matter.

I for one have been clamouring for Anioma to be cared out from Delta state citing the demographic changes that has occurred in Asaba and environs due to huge influx of ibos fleeing their own states due to insecurity and settling in Asaba.

I am also very convinced that when this Anioma state materializes that same Anioma people will begin to flee to Delta and Edo when their land is overrun by the same criminals that made their ibo cousins to flee their own states.

By then there will be no pity.

You will explain tire that Ned deceived you but no one will care and we will tell you to go and settle with your brothers.

You are never tired of writing trash. You are always angry and battle ready to vent bile. Your health will suffer greatly if you don't learn to slow down the adrenaline popping.

SisterAnn:
You are never tired of writing trash. You are always angry and battle ready to vent bile. Your health will suffer greatly if you don't learn to slow down the adrenaline popping.

Wonders shall never end, you of all people writing this.

Well sha, maybe you are writing it to yourself as a form of self introspeption in which case it is true and good advice.

Wetin Musa nor go say for gate.

DomPerignon:
So because of what some Bini youth did to this obaseki of an individual is what this clown is sing to insult the whole Bini people , their culture and history ?

I don't know of any Bini or even Delta South or Central people who are opposed to your useless Anioma and its annexation into the SE.

Here the author says the youths acted barbaric as if in the same SE they don't have a thing of parading anyone who commits a taboo n@ked round their villages.

Last I checked , Bini nor any non igboid people in Delta south and central don't have the culture of forcing widowed women the water used to wash the corpse of their husband to drink.

The author should understand that only his anioma people will vote on Anioma and not Bini or any non Igboid people for that matter.

I for one have been clamouring for Anioma to be cared out from Delta state citing the demographic changes that has occurred in Asaba and environs due to huge influx of ibos fleeing their own states due to insecurity and settling in Asaba.

I am also very convinced that when this Anioma state materializes that same Anioma people will begin to flee to Delta and Edo when their land is overrun by the same criminals that made their ibo cousins to flee their own states.

By then there will be no pity.

You will explain tire that Ned deceived you but no one will care and we will tell you to go and settle with your brothers.

May you continue to suffer Ibo-induced Tachycardia... Insha Allah..

Dalohad:
May you continue to suffer Ibo-induced Tachycardia... Insha Allah..

Obidients sha, you guys and girls go after Benin, as soon as there is a little pushback, you immediately become the victims, dear oh dear

What has ibo and anioma got to do with this case ? Why do you people like bringing igbo into what has nothing to do with Igbo.

When has asaba become an Igbo town ? For the record the founder of asaba town nnebisi is an igala man.

Since those Artifacts taken away from the Oba's Palace in 1897 came back to Benin ummm!

I think they should send the Artifacts back to Europe as I seems the Artifacts prefer to remain in Europe.

Ibadanfarmroad:
What has ibo and anioma got to do with this case ? Why do you people like bringing igbo into what has nothing to do with Igbo.

When has asaba become an Igbo town ? For the record the founder of asaba town nnebisi is an igala man.

How can an Igala man be bearing an Igbo name

Nnebisi!

Do you even know the meaning of NNEBISI

ariesbull:
I recently watched with concern a video, of Pedro Obaseki being assaulted by some youths because he disrespected the Oba. Yes, actually he did! As a native Edo person, you are bound to pray for the Oba and wich him longetivity. When you begin your prayer for the Oba and you abruptly stop and say something else, it is an insult. But there are better ways to deal with this small matter. And what did we see? A show of shame. Similar to what we saw from MOWAA some weeks ago. Let my Benin friends ask themselves. If a natiev Brit insults the King of Britain, would he be humiliated the way we saw from the video? People must understand that they are in the 21st century. This shows of shame - firstly from Mowaa and now this hardens my position regarding any political alliance between the Anioma people and our Benin neighbors. Let us ask ourselves, would these shows of shame (Mowaa and Pedro) occur under British colonial rule? Hell no! It seems the present generation of Benin people want their "empire" restored. Because you dont invade other people's space or dignity just to defend the glory of your kingdom and your Oba. And if this is truly the case, then good luck to them. My Anioma people will not be part of it along with the people of Igbanke whose land is Igbanke land (Benin has no legal title to it like Gelegele) and whose people are not Benin people.

Now why did I bring up this issue of political alliance between the Benin and Anioma? Well that was (and perhaps is) what Mr Pedro Obaseki has been working for. And if you can recall, some years ago, he declared the old Midwest as a distinct from the West and East and by default should not fall under the sphere of either regions. But the Midwest is a POST COLONIAL CREATION and does not carry the same weight as pre colonial political units of North(East/West or North/South. The original draft of the Midwest based on what was written in the Willinks Report refers only the the EDO SPEAKING PEOPLE and not the Igbo speaking Anioma people. And what was even more curious about Mr Obaseki's clamor was when he declared the dialectal groups of Ika, Enuani(Aniocha-Oshimili) and Ndokwa(Ukwuani) as "tribes" and he went further to declare Owan (Ivbiasakon) and Etsako as distinct from each other. Both Etsako and Owan (Ivbiasakon) belong to the same Afenmai branch of his Edo speaking people which by the way extends to Akoko Edo but it seems he chose to define them as tribes just to play the game of divide and rule over. Because if all Afenmai people are brought together, they are actually the populated branch of the Edos within Edo State. The Benin and Esan are about the same size demographically.
And this was exactly the same script he played when it came to the Anioma (West Igbo) people. He avoided the word Igbo ( the video is available) and he goes further to indicate that the Igbo people are only found in the Southeast, which for people like me is an affront to the Anioma people. He wished we are divided as micro-minorities within the sphere of the old Benin imperial sphere and also sent a signal to the Eastern Igbo that we)Aniomas) are stuck in the Midwest permanently - which is arrant nonsense! The Willinks c report clearly states that peoples who belong to the larger ethnic groups in other regions can decide if they want to remain in where they were placed under colonial divisions or engage themselves in an acceptable referenda to be transfered to the regions where their own ethnic kith and kin are largely found. This was proposed for the Northern Yorubas of the present Kwara and Kogi and this should also be applied to the Igbos of Anioma and of course other Igbo groups like the ones still stuck in Kogi and Benue States.

Mr Pedro Obaseki spoke like a Benin ethnic nationalist. He is clever to know that his Benin people fall by default under Yoruba cultural hangover. He thus demanded that a post colonial creation like the Midwest be declared as distinct from the East or especially the West (which by default his own Benin people falls under) and to pamper the shoulders of his own Benin people and their "empire", he hopes it includes the Anioma people who he sees as "buffer" between the Igbo of the East and his Benin people. And since some Anioma people are enthusiastically ready to deny their Igboness even if it means claiming their people fall under the imperial space of Benin, it works perfectly for his Benin people. It was no surprising that he was physically present when the Ika Bible was launched some years ago. It was to show and demonstrate to the Ikas that he fully support some Ika people who deceive themselves that they are not Igbo people. As a native speaker of Ika myself, I can tell that Ika is clearly an Igbo dialect. Not at all a distinct language and follows the rule of continuum you find with languages spoken in a relatively large area or by many speakers. The Yorubas have theirs, the Hausas have theirs too. It is only when it comes to the Igbo people, we deceive ourselves and the likes of Dr Pedro Obaseki jumping to capitalize on it just to protect his own Edo people and project their own political interest.

This is why what happened to him was rather unfair. Yes he disrespected the Oba. He should have said "Oba gha tokpere" as a native Edo person. That is the custom but some people to humiliate him in such a manner (even when he is fighting to protect the political interests of his Benin people) is a disgrace! And it is irresponsible. Anioma people have no business with people who behave and reason like this. And take it from me, when people behave like this, development becomes a challange, a huge one. This is why Edo State since 1991 would rank as the least progressive state in Southern Nigeria if not in Nigeria and it becomes quite clear if we look up from 1999. When we (Aniomas- west Igbos) left their Bendel/Midwest project PERMANENTLY since 1991, Aniomas have experienced progress. There is mutual respect for one another in Delta State- the Igbo, Urhobo, Isoko, Ijaw and Itsekiri (coastal Yorubas) all respect themselves and we try to distribute power and projects- yes it is not perfect but it is not bad. There is no group that strives to dominate the other via cultural hangover like we see in Edo State 8which was to some extent the case in Bendel). There is no alternative Govt House known as the "Palace" The Asagba does not wield the kind of power the Oba has. The Asagba, people should underszand is like the president of "kings" and wuite democratic. Thus he knows that there are other kings even within Anioma and we all respect ourselves and get along with each other. I dont see that in Edo State.

When Edo State was created in 1991, it had at least 75% of the infrastructure of the old Bendel. The state has great potentials strategically situated between the West and the East. It is an oil producing state and I believe it generated no less than N90 billion via IGR last year. It has a large diaspora population. Edo people are smart and very sociable. So what could be the reason the state is still lagging in development, it is sadly the slavish mentality of many of its citizens who still think they are still in a Benin prior to 1897. And when some of their ethnic nationalists stretch their imperial mentality to the Anioma people, simply because some of our people are in delusion, that they are not Igbos, it gets quite annoying. At least for someone like me. Edo people need to know they are in the 21st century and look more to the future rather than the past.

It is not up to me to call their culture barbaric. That culture had a profound influence on some aspect of the culture we have in Western Igbo land. But no Anioma youth would condescend to the what I saw with Mowaa and now this. And people just take it as normal. It is absurd. Yes Edo people, neighbors to Western Igbos (including Igbanke) look more to the future not the past. Calling people "Oba"s enemy" if they disagree with your institutions or disgracing yourselves when foreign dignitaries were around for Mowaa will not take you to the promised land. Even many of those Anioma people deceiving themselves that they are not Igbos, would be irritated by what they saw let alone those like me and the majority of us in Anioma that have long declared that you are on your own and Anioma people (along with Igbanke) would chart their political path just as you should chart yours. When a people are so obsessed with the past instead of the future, such a people have no business with Anioma people. The Japanese had an Emperor who was seen as a god just as Benin people see their Oba. But in 1946, the Emperor renounced his divinity projecting the Japanese as a modern state. I am not sure that would be the case of Benin. Good luck to them anyways. My Anioma people have been chosen by fate to be one of the primary pillars of the Igbo nation. I wish Dr Pedro quick recovery from the trauma. And I hope lessons had been learned. By the way I am not sure this matter would just rest like that. Though it is not my concern. My concern is my Anioma people and their future. Future is the key word not the past.

Osita Mordi

Itsekiri is not coastal Yoruba, they are Itsekiri. Please careful not to make such mistakes.