Loud and clear, the people of Delta North Senatorial District on Friday firmly demanded the creation of Anioma State at a high-profile constitutional review hearing convened by the Nigerian Senate at Ikot Ekpene, Akwa-Ibom.
The hearing, organised by the 10th Senate and presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, saw overwhelming support for a bill sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko seeking to establish Anioma as Nigeria’s 37th state. The event drew thousands, including traditional rulers, civil society groups, legal experts, youth representatives, and lawmakers across the South-South region.
The proposed Anioma State, carved from the existing Delta State, has stirred long-standing emotions, with advocates citing over seven decades of agitation dating back to colonial Nigeria. Senator Nwoko’s bill has rekindled the push, culminating in Friday’s mass public endorsement.
"Anioma is overdue. This is the oldest state agitation in Nigeria’s history," declared HRM Obi Afamefuna Henry Kikachukwu, Obi of Ubulu-Uno and Vice Chairman of the Delta State Traditional Rulers Council, who spoke on behalf of Anioma monarchs. His statement was echoed by a coalition of over 100 cultural and rights groups, led by Dr. Omenazu Jackson, who described the move as a path to national healing after the civil war.
The Senate received a flood of memoranda in support of Anioma’s creation, including submissions by legal practitioner Barrister Tony Ogana, who validated the demand with constitutional arguments. Others emphasised Anioma's unique identity and administrative viability.
Pastor Nwachukwu Ugbekile James, representing the Igbanke community in Edo State, urged the Senate to consider the inclusion of Igbanke in the proposed state, citing ancestral and cultural ties to Anioma.
Speakers from Aniocha/Oshimili, Ndokwa/Ukwuani, and Ika communities praised Senator Ned Nwoko for reviving the Anioma cause with "unprecedented passion and legislative clarity."
Other notable figures at the hearing included Senator Seriake Dickson (Chairman, Senate Committee on Constitutional Review), Akwa Ibom Deputy Governor Senator Akon Eyakenyi (representing Governor Umo Eno), and Senators Ede Dafinone, Adams Oshiomhole, and Florence Ita-Giwa.
Senate President Akpabio reaffirmed the importance of the hearing, emphasising that it was designed "to ensure the voices of the people are heard and reflected in national decisions."
With history, identity, and equity at stake, the call for Anioma State now sits squarely in the court of the National Assembly—backed by overwhelming public will and 71 years of unbroken aspiration.
