…Aniocha and Oshimili Leaders Denounce “Historical Fallacy,” Demand Referendum on Anioma’s Regional Affiliation
The folks of Aniocha and Oshimili beneath the banner of Njiko AniochaOshimili, the mouthpiece of the 2 localities, have strongly rejected the invoice sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko, proposing the creation of Anioma State because the sixth state in Nigeria’s South East geopolitical zone.
In a communiqué launched after a strategic session, the group condemned the proposal as a misrepresentation of Anioma’s historical past, cultural heritage, and political id, describing it as a betrayal of the imaginative and prescient of previous Anioma leaders who championed the hunt for statehood throughout the South South area.
According to the communiqué signed by the management of Njiko AniochaOshimili, Anioma’s administrative historical past has by no means been aligned with the South East. The assertion recalled that the Anioma space was traditionally a part of Benin and Delta Provinces, later turning into a part of the Midwest Region, then Bendel State, and now Delta State, firmly anchoring its ties to the South South zone.
“Senator Ned Nwoko’s argument is founded on historical fallacy,” the group said. “He ignores the 1989 resolution of Anioma Royal Fathers which emphatically declared: ‘Anioma is Anioma; Anioma is not Igbo.’ Our people constitute a syncretic cultural area of diverse origins Bini, Igara, Yoruba, and Igbo with a distinct identity that cannot be subsumed under any regional political convenience.”
The assertion additional emphasised that not all Anioma communities communicate Igbo as their native language, underscoring the heterogeneity that defines the Anioma nation.
The communiqué referenced the place of the Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty Prof. Epiphany Azinge, an erudite scholar and authorized luminary, who alongside different Anioma conventional and opinion leaders from Offac, Onu Ika, and Ndokwa, has persistently suggested towards any try to affiliate Anioma with the South East.
“This disregard for the counsel of our revered traditional institutions amounts to a distortion of the very foundation upon which Anioma statehood was conceived, an independent, inclusive state within the South South,” the group famous.
Describing the proposed regional alignment as “a modern form of political slavery”, the Aniocha and Oshimili representatives accused proponents of the transfer of looking for to use Anioma’s {economic} viability to serve South Eastern political ambitions.
“During the Nigerian Civil War, Anioma people faced marginalisation despite our sacrifices. We will not walk that path again,” the communiqué warned.
“General Lucky Irabor, a proud Anioma son who is not of Igbo extraction, represents the diversity we celebrate. Our identity is not to be traded for political relevance.”
The group alleged that the proposed alignment is being pushed by South Eastern pursuits looking for expanded inhabitants and territory for political leverage.
“They want your money, not your prosperity. Anioma people will not be traded as articles of appeasement to any region,” the group said emphatically.
The communiqué urged all Anioma little kids, in addition to allied ethnic {groups} equivalent to Ika and Ndokwa, to shut ranks and reject the transfer. It additional referred to as for a referendum to find out Anioma’s rightful regional placement, ought to the controversy persist.
“We have written to the Presidency and the National Assembly to express our collective and unequivocal position, Anioma belongs to the South South geopolitical zone. Our history, culture, and administrative evolution affirm this reality.”
“Anioma is Anioma. We will not be auctioned for political ambition. Let every Anioma son and daughter stand firm in defense of our distinct identity, our history, and our rightful place in the South South.”
