The Traditional Ruler of Idumuje-Unor in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, His Royal Majesty Obi Charles Chukwunweike Anyasi III, has affirmed that the Anioma people of Delta North Senatorial District are “statutorily Igbos,” aligning with the recent position of Senator Ned Nwoko on the ethnic identity of the region.
Speaking on TVC’s Behind the Headlines programme, the monarch, who is also a veteran media personality, said that while there are varying ancestral claims, the historical and cultural realities place Anioma within the Igbo ethnic fold.
“There are claims to different ancestries, but Aniomas are statutorily Igbos,” Obi Anyasi declared.
The king traced the origin of the term “Anioma” to Nigeria’s first Premier of the Mid-West Region, Sir Dennis Osadebay, who coined the acronym from Aniocha, Ndokwa, Ika and Oshimili, with the additional letters “M” and “A” added for poetic effect. He described Anioma as “a good land empowered by nature,” with a population of about two million and vast economic potential in agriculture, industry, culture and natural resources.
On the long-standing demand for Anioma State, the monarch recalled that the quest dates back to 1954 under the Lyttleton Constitution and has witnessed “nine phases of agitation,” with Osadebay as a key pioneer. He noted that the movement gained renewed momentum last year after Senator Nwoko sponsored a bill for Anioma’s creation in the 10th Senate.
“The agitation represents a natural desire you cannot take away from the people,” he said, stressing that the proposed state would bring governance and development closer to the people.
Addressing debates over which geopolitical zone Anioma should belong to if created, Obi Anyasi said he personally leans toward the South-South but acknowledged that current political realities may favour its placement in the South-East to balance Nigeria’s federal structure.
“If the current optics go for settlement in the South-East and we see that we cannot change it, why don’t we accept it?” he remarked, adding that divergent opinions among Anioma people are normal in a democratic setting.
The monarch praised Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for his developmental efforts but insisted that the people’s aspiration for statehood remains strong.
“With all we have, we can seek self-determination for our state,” he said, describing Anioma as both a viable entity and a historical necessity to balance Nigeria’s geopolitical equation.
