The Traditional Ruler of Idumuje Unor, HRM Obi Charles Chukwunweike Anyasi III, has affirmed that the Anioma people of Delta North Senatorial District are Igbos, backing Senator Ned Nwoko’s recent classification.
Speaking on TVC’s “Behind the Headlines” programme, the monarch stated: “There are claims to different ancestries, but Aniomas are statutorily Igbos.”
Tracing the origin of the name “Anioma,” Obi Anyasi explained it was coined by Sir Dennis Osadebay as an acronym for Aniocha, Ndokwa, Ika, and Oshimili, with added letters for poetic effect. He described the Anioma people as “empowered by nature,” with rich land, industries, and a cultural heritage, noting their population of approximately two million people.
On Anioma statehood, the monarch said the agitation dates back to 1954 under the Lyttleton Constitution and has passed through “nine phases of agitation” with Osadebay as a frontrunner. He praised Senator Ned Nwoko for reviving the push with a bill in the 10th Senate, saying: “The agitation represents a natural desire you cannot take away from the people.”
Addressing debates on which geopolitical zone Anioma should belong, he admitted personal preference for the South-South but added: “With the current political dimension, it probably would not work well… if the current optics goes for settlement in the South-East, and we see that we cannot change it, why don’t we accept it?”
Obi Anyasi said creating Anioma State would bring “dividends of democracy closer” and reduce fears about the future: “With all we have, we can seek self-determination for our state.” He commended Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for doing his best with available resources but maintained that “desire is inexhaustive.”
The Idumuje Unor royal father, described by the programme’s moderator as one who “embodies the cultural heritage and modern aspirations of Anioma people,” insisted Anioma’s creation is both a viable project and a historical necessity to balance Nigeria’s federal structure.
