Asaba is not the headquater of Delta State by accident. Indeed being an headquarter is not strange to it. In the periods back, it was the choice of the British as the capital of Southern Nigeria because of the potentials within the town. The River Niger has served the town for centuries providing it with sense of security against external aggression or invasion and also helps the people to do their domestic responsibilities. It has also been environmentally fair to the people and above all, added to the beauty of the town and region.



Because of lack of records, historical accounts on the origin of the people are too diverse but popular Aguleri oral account believes that a warrior and hunter from Eri migrated from Igalla land and settled near the bank of River Omabala. Nnebisi the warrior and hunter married Nono which resulted in the birth of Agulu and Adaugbo (female) The male children founded towns which still bear their names today.



The oral history of the people regards the Ikelike people who migrated from Benin as the first settlers on the land which is today called Asaba. There was Ugboma often regarded as the second settler migrant from Achata in Awka District he settled in Obodo Achala still in existence today but due to ceaseless wars which took place many of these settlers resettled in Achala-Igbuzo, Okpanam and Kwala where they can still be found today. Ugboma was the second settler.



Anyanwu, the most important settler and a great builder of Asaba is recognized for making the city what it is today. He arrived from Obosi. His father was said to be one of the retreating members of Chime family escaping from the wrought of Oba of Benin. Anyanwu settled in a place close to Ugboma and bare a son named Odikpe the founder of today’s Idumu Odikpe in the town.

http://www.ibusa.net/asaba-delta%20state.htm

fulanimafia:
That is a long, convincing read. Hmm.

cheruv:
Shame on shachris!!! All these kos nnamdi kanu didn't allow you to suck his kokk

shachris:


quite true. which I could make it shorter But am on mobile now.

We igbos should stop forcing nativity on our neighbours. That you speak a corruption of igbo doesn't mean you are originally from igboland.

PedroJP:
Shachris confirmed ofe mmanu.

jmoore:
Anioma are Chinese people.

Onye ara!!!!

shachris:


read the article well. Anioma people came from different tribes. Even osadebe confirms it.

shachris:
For decades we, Anioma people, have been buffeted back
and forth by people attempting to impose a persona on
us. Some described us as being neither here nor there.
Others do not give us chance to define and describe who
we are as a people. We know exactly who we are. We have no
confusions about our geography and genealogy. We know that
identity is like gold. Just as the gold bar stands behind a currency
as a guarantee of its legal tender, so is identity to an individual
or a group. The analogy is only partial, of course, the price of gold
may rise or fall, but we tend to pride ourselves on the stability of
our identity. Anioma ethnic identity is a value we must guard. In
recent times we have contended with the intrusion into Anioma
world what we might call the concept of, albeit, reality of
Igbocentricism.

By Igbocentrism or Igbocentricity
we mean an existential point of
view that puts Igbo at the centre of
Igbo people's cosmology. Central
to Igbocentrism is the idea that
people believed or assumed to be
Igbo must acknowledge,
understand and love their
"Igboness" so as to understand
and deal with non-Igbo. It is a
conceptual approach to human
relations from the Igbo point of
view. It is an Igbo-centeredness of
interpretation of such relations
and quotidian realities. Because
the vast majority of Anioma people speak dialects derived from
the Igbo language, it is assumed that they are "Igbo." Anioma
history records individuals from diverse origins. There are in
Anioma the "Olukunmi" who speak a variant of Yoruba spoken
around Owo. Ebu people in Anioma speak Igala as their mother
tongue.

While language delimits cultural fields, it is not permanent
because people have mastered more than one language. Language
is one of many indices of a culture. Language is not enough to
define who a people are. Because Americans or Australians speak
English does not make them English. Because Mexicans, Cubans,
or Argentineans speak Spanish does not make them Spaniards.
The nationals of these countries will not introduce themselves as
"English" simply because they speak English nor as Spaniards
because they speak Spanish. Those of them who can trace their
origin to England or Spain know that over time they have formed
a new identity called "American," "Australian," "Mexican,"
"Cuban," or "Argentinean."

Anioma people recognize a geographical contiguity, a clearly
defined historicity and cultural commonality, that in their
consciousness they define as their collective identity. Our Anioma
ethnic identity derives from our common set of symbols and
cognition shared by our people: Aniocha, Ndokwa, Ika and
Oshimili share the same cultural space and delimited physical
geography. They dress and dance alike, and use the same musical
instruments. The systemic prolonged subordination and
marginalization has lead to the gradual radicalization of our
youth and elders, as exemplified by the formation of many
Anioma associations in Nigeria and abroad.
The Anioma are a Nigerian people in terms of their geographical
location and ancestral pedigree; in terms of the criteria and
categories that are applicable in defining other Nigerian groups,
and in terms of their cultural forms and institutions which they
have evolved for themselves and which are comparable to those
of other ethnic groups, with a specificity that is syncretic in its
manifestations.

Located at the crossroads of diverse influences, Anioma has
developed a syncretic culture rich in varied contributions, and
we rightly can talk of an identity that is uniquely Anioma not
replicable anywhere in Nigeria. Through culture contact or
cultural cross-pollination, borrowing from contiguous neighbours,
Anioma displays cultural syncretism in the real sense of the
word. History notes that Anioma people trace their origins to
Edo, Igala, Yoruba and Igbo. Ibusa (Igbo Uzo) and one part of
Ogwashiuku trace their ancestry to Igbo. All other Anioma people
trace their origins in entirety to Edo, Igala and Yoruba. From
none other than Chief Dennis Osadebay, comes an uncontested
account of the origin of 'Ahaba'. Eri, son of Achado, a king of
Igala founded the towns of Aguleri, Umuleri, Igbariam and Nteje.
If logic is any guide here, Eri we might reason would found a
community with the people he knew, namely, Igala. Nnebisi the
founder of 'Ahaba' was from Nteje founded by Eri the prince
from Igala. Nnebisi married an Igala woman he had won as a
prize from the Igala fishermen and traders who frequented
'Ahaba'. This is the verifiable story of the origin of 'Ahaba' (now
Asaba).

Osadebay said that another migrant came from Benin and settled
in 'Ahaba,' "and so the present natives of Asaba are descendants
of Igala in the north, Benin in the west, and Ibo in the
east" (Osadebay, Building a Nation, Macmillan, Nigeria Ltd, 1978
p.2). With this from Chief Osadebay, which to our best research
has never been denied nor contradicted, we argue that Asaba
people are the least Igbo among the very few segments of Anioma
that claim Igbo ancestry.

With such a background, one would have thought that the identity
of Anioma people would never be a matter of debate nor an issue
that might unsettle the tranquility of informed mind. Yet,
writings about Anioma people are replete with misconceptions,
distortions, selectivity, inaccuracies and just blatant falsehood.
Even some Anioma writers peddle stories diffracted into multiple
and apocryphal histories that present every Anioma person
originating from Nri in Igboland. May we remind the few of Igbo
ancestry how much distance the passage of time and the
vicissitudes of history have placed between them and their
origin? Similarly, we would remind one or two traditional leaders
who argue for extension of Igbo hegemony to Anioma, that they
are bartering their honour and royalty for vacuous glory in
Igboland, and that they do not represent Anioma people.
This muddle as to the definition of an Anioma is not intrinsic to
the Anioma identity, but rather a problem fused into the tinted
lenses of Igbocentrism through which the Anioma people have
erroneously been viewed over the ages. The kinds of questions
posed, presuppositions made, set of axioms posited, and the very
methodological approaches adopted in many publications betray
Igbo bias and oftentimes arrogance of Igbocentricity. The
cumulative result of this imposed paradigm has been a people
dispossessed of their identity, their history, and, to a great extent,
their political and economic rights.

Any Anioma person who feels inadequate unless called "Anioma-
Igbo," has serious identity problem. Osadebay and his group
coined and christened us with the name "Anioma." They were
satisfied with what it meant and what it represented for our
people. The Igbocentric conception of Anioma people as "our kith
and kin across the Niger" is a fallacy of baseless proportion. Thus,
Igbocentrism has not only set the terms of the debate on Anioma
identity, it has consumed our intellectual autonomy to
counterpoise it with Aniomacentric methodology. This
capitulation to Igbocentric paradigm of identity is part of a wider
syndrome of intellectual dependency precipitated by homegrown
colonialism.
We may ask, where was this "kith and kin across the Niger"
platitude
when our forbears fought the Ekumeku wars of 1883 to 1914,
which pitted them against the British through the instrumentality
of the Royal Niger Company to dominate trade, culture, social
and political lives of our people;
when the Second Division of the Nigerian Army commanded by
Murtala Mohammed marched into Anioma areas in pursuit of the
fleeing 'Biafran Expeditionary Force' and massacred our people
at Asaba and Isheagu with such macabre ruthlessness and
vapidity;
when in 1970 several high ranking Anioma military officers were
detained for months (one of them for years) in Port Harcourt
prison after Biafra surrendered on January 12, 1970, even though
as these officers put it to the writer in their letter to him dated
June 7, 1970, to seek help from Governor Ogbemudia, wrote,
"...that all other officers of former Eastern Region origin (Ibos,
Efiks, Ijaws etc) have been released..." and
when in 1996 our people were assured of support from Ndi Igbo
during our quest for Anioma state?

Anioma state was not created instead Ebonyi was, thanks to the
last minute turn around and support from Ndi Igbo. This
experience was articulated by Professor Ijomah during the
Congress of Izu-Anioma held at the POCO Plaza, Ogwashiuku,
March 3rd, 1998, when he said, "... it was agreed during the last
state creation exercise that Anioma State should be created. When
the stakes were down, the Ibos across the Niger abandoned the
Anioma quest at the last hour and supported the creation of
Ebonyi State which was not seriously being canvassed before
then, causing Anioma to lose." (The ANIOMA, Vol. 10, No 1, May,
1999, p. 11). Anioma people should not be hoodwinked by Ndi
Igbo. Recently, Igbos have renewed their gimmickry of support
for the creation of Anioma state. All they want is their grandiose
illusion of 'Greater Igbo' comprising Anioma and some parts of
Rivers State. Only Anioma can provide us an essential part of our
historical consciousness, and an index to the universal psychic
character of our identity. Only Anioma can communicate a sense
of history to us.

Anioma culture sustains the vocabulary of moral prescriptions
and a repertoire of covenant with visible and invisible entities.
There are areas designated as secular and sacred; some creatures
are deemed sacred and should not be killed nor be eaten; some
vegetation considered sacred should not be eaten as vegetables.
Anioma culture sees unity and sanctity in nature. Philosophically,
it fuses cosmology and cosmogony. It shapes our experiencing
and perceiving. It teaches us the canons of relevance and
evidence. We come to ourselves through our choice of our
archetypes. We have maintained cool-headedness in the face of
provocation from Igbos who call us 'Hausa Igbo', Ika-Igbo and
now Anioma-Igbo. Such appellations are as insulting and
denigrating as they are meaningless and nonsensical.
We reject attempts to Igbonize Anioma. We do not inhabit the
same historical and cultural space with Igbos. When ethnicity
becomes subject to the elaborations of cultural identity politics, it
often develops into a focus of symbolic contestation. Those
wanting Anioma to become "Anioma-Igbo" undermine the efforts
of our founding fathers who christened us "ANIOMA." Osadebay
puts everything in perspective when he stated, "Strictly speaking,
Ibo is a linguistic group or a language, not a tribe, as all Ibo-
speaking people do not claim origin from any common
ancestor" (Osadebay op. cit. 1978, p.14).

Reckless utterances and writings coming from some Igbo people,
through Ohaneze Ndigbo and their internet forum intellectuals,
that the creation of Anioma state would increase Igbo states,
damage Anioma cause. The quest for the creation of Anioma state
preceded the creation of the 36 Nigerian states.
Identity is built on choices and commitments. By committing
ourselves to Anioma causes our real selves develop. An obstacle to
achieving identity is the temptation to avoid choices and
postpone decisions. Let us proclaim Anioma by the Enu Ani
language that we speak; by the Ika language that we speak; by the
Ndokwa language that we speak; by the Olukunmi language that
we speak and by the Igala language that we speak.
We should intensify our efforts on the creation of Anioma state
where our people will be central characters rather than simple bit
players, where the importance of our history lies in its
significance for us rather than for others. We do not want to be a
pawn simply to checkmate the contending and competing
interests of other nationalities in the larger Nigerian collectivity.
Our journey involves more than navigating the geography of
political boundaries. It is a continuous mapping and remapping
of the geography of our culture and identity. We no longer wish
to be objects in the history of others rather we wish to be subjects
of our own history. 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 contemporary Nigeria. It is a refusal to accept the
transposition of other people's interpretive categories on Anioma.
We bear the name of Anioma with exalted pride, dignity and
fidelity. We cherish our distinct identity and unique culture. So,
efforts to fit Anioma into the constructs and schemata of Igbo
provenance are futile.



Kunirum Osia is the former Founding National President of
Anioma Association, USA, Inc.

http://nigeriaworld.com/articles/2009/may/111.html

Ezenwammadu:
This crazy boy don come again with his trashy trash.Pls post more idiotic articles about KANU


OPONU

CreampieAngela:
All ibos are going back to Biafra

shachris:


Ewu. Stop imposing your identity on the innocent natives of anioma.

jmoore:
Mechie onu ebe ahu!!!
Anioma means what?

megacity:
what ever...when you find the meaning of Anioma and which tribe owns the language, come lets discuss

jmoore:
[img]http://kaystreet.files./2014/03/e2f54-nothinginalltheworldisoredangerousthansincereignoranceandconscientiousstupidity.jpg[/img]

Self-denial is ignorance!!

Whoever wrote that article is an epitome of an educated illiterate.

asha80:
Mods just move this thread to the culture section

oluwalfa:
lol

Instead of all these people telling us what they are not, they should try telling us what they are

shachris:


the truth might be bitter But it must be told my brother. Don't impose your identify on people that do not want to be identified with you.