Sadly, the Anioma area faced another major marginalization in the hands of the Federal Government of Nigeria when the same government named 100 persons for recognition since 1914. No single Anioma man or woman made that list despite acclaimed hard-work of the people of this region towards the making of the nation.
http://dailyindependentnig.com/2014/03/centenary-award-fg-barred-anioma/
Centenary Award: FG barred Anioma
By Emeka Esogbue
My attention has been appallingly drawn to the list of 100 Nigerian awardees released by the Federal Government of Nigeria as part of its Centenary celebration. The idea of the award is quite commendable being that a nation must bestow honour on her people with a record of successes. The advantages of showing respect to deserving individuals in any nation cannot be overemphasised. A society must recognise with gratitude people who have contributed or made sacrifices in improving it. In fact, when deserving people are recompensed with awards, leadership is taught or made.
I have also noted with utmost trepidation and disappointment the non-inclusion of any single Anioma native in the said list. The elimination of the region and its pool of great achievers in this list is the same as socio-political ostracism from the rest of the nation. It is unconceivable, unimaginable, unprecedented and altogether unappreciative of the very nation that the Anioma people have given so much to officially disregard them in return.
The imaginable construal of the action of the government is that from 1914 to date, no single person from the region, man or woman, deceased or living qualifies for a place of 100 achievers in Nigeria. While it is impossible to tell the yardstick for arriving at the criteria of selection without the enlisting of an Anioma son or daughter, let it be known today and always to the government and people of Nigeria that the Anioma area ranks very high as one of the richest regions in Nigeria in terms of human resources.
It is still the region with abundant persons who in their different endeavours have contributed to the growth and development of this nation. To tend to eliminate the region in part or totality, or cold-shoulder them in the eye of the Nigerian public therefore is nothing but an unfair treatment on the basis of prejudice that will not succeed in bringing the area down on socio-political, economic crutch. For the record, the region is blessed with world-acclaimed achievers who are known to have greatly contributed in making Nigeria what it is today.
This they have done in different sectors and are on record. And the greatness of these individuals with what they achieved for the country speaks volume so that there is almost not any particular environment that the Anioma people have not performed in elevating the nation.
At this point, it is apt to remind the government and people of Nigeria once again that some of the under-listed persons from the region by their contributions to the making of the country could have made the list but for the shocking exclusion of the region.
Rt. Hon. Dennis Osadebay, Premier of the Mid-west State; Rev Martin Nwadei, a well-known missionary who worked tirelessly to establish educational institutions and missions in the country. Some of the institutions of learning established by him are still in operation today; Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, soldier; Prof Pat Utomi, an academic and politician; Prof Angulu Onwuejeogwu, distinguished anthropology; Prof Don Ohadike, a seasoned historian; Prof Buchi Emecheta, British-based novelist; Professor Augustine Onwuyali Esogbue, the only Blackman in the service of America’s NASA; Prof Fidelis Oditah, lawyer and Queen Counsel, Obi (Prof) Chike Edozien, academic and traditional ruler of Asaba who had a groundbreaking research in nutrition; Coach Stephen Keshi, footballer and coach, the first Nigerian indigenous coach to win AFCON, the first and only coach till date to qualify Togo for the World Cup and one of the only two Africans to win AFCON as a player and coach; Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, respected footballer; Sunday Olise, former captain of Super Eagles, Nduka Odizor, tennis star; and Nduka Ugbade, the first African to lift the World Cup.
Others are Prof Demas Nwoko, a notable sculptor and artist who designed Akenzua Theatre, Benin, Cultural Centre, Ibadan and Dominican among others; Prof Chike Onwuachi, the first President-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs; Prof B. I. C. Ijeomah, distinguished academic; Col (Chief) Mike Nduka Onwuachi, the Nigerian that lowered the Union Jack and hoisted the Nigerian flag at independence; Eddy Okonta, musician; Dr (Mrs.) Maryam Babangida, former First Lady and wife of Gen Ibrahim Babangida (rtd); Dr Newton Chukwukadibia Jibunoh; environmentalist and desert warrior; Obi (Senator) Nosike Ikpo, two-time second republic senator; Chief Philip Asiodu, former Permanent Secretary, Jim Ovia, foremost banker, Tony Elumelu, foremost banker and Ras Kimono (musician) among others.
It is very sad that in officially recognising 100 distinguished persons, who in their opinion contributed to the making of the nation, the Federal Government of Nigeria neglected our region. The careful selection of these eminent persons from various ethnic groups of the nation, regions and states to the exclusion of our own region is nothing short of the marginalisation that the people of the region have been suffering since independence. This is only a testament of its official continuance. The only thing new in it is that the government has tellingly shown us in a formal language that no one was good enough from our region to make the list.
This list has been drawn but this particular write-up is necessary to appeal to the consciousness of the government to the wealth of our people who have contributed with vastness in making this country a proud one. The government may not have recognised the efforts of our people towards the making of the country but we know that when the history of contributions is written, our people will surely be remembered.
Now that more than 45,000 Anioma men and women especially the young ones that are members of Anioma Voice and Ndi Ndi Anioma of Nigeria, the two largest Anioma bodies on the social media have since the day of the release of the list been asking if no one from the region has contributed to the growth of the Nigerian nation for the past 100 years. We leave that to the government of Nigeria to answer them because we know very strongly in our minds that we have shared in the making of Nigeria. List or no list, we are persuaded about it.
Esogbue, a journalist, writes from Lagos
Originally published in Daily Independent newspaper on March 8, 2014
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