THE OFAAC ANIOMA DAY AND THE CHALLENGE BEFORE ANIOMA TRADITIONAL RULERS

- Emeka Esogbue

Fortunately, the Anioma in Nigeria seems to be one of the luckiest groups in the country in a known particular sense. In the past 20 years, this group of people geographically situated in Delta State with Asaba, a city situated on the mouth of the majestic River Niger as the state capital has gained fame. Anioma has regularly received projections and advocacy from her indigenous people. It is also today, one of the Nigerian groups with the highest number of associations, organizations, housing estates, firms, chieftaincy titles, book titles, and media arrangements in its name.

We are also beginning to see research centers spring up in this name as we now see in the Centre for Omuship and Women Development which is sited in Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State courtesy of HRM Obi DR Martha Dunkwu, the Omu of Anioma.

These organizations are often registered or made to appear in the name of Anioma, Aniocha, Oshimili, Ika, Ndokwa or Ukwuani, or any of its communities, making the people one of the most frequently heard socially. Although the politicians from the area still need to do more to spread the political influence of the region nationally, the group is socially on the speedy lane of influence.

One of these organizations, which by far, has spread the name and fame of the Anioma people, is the Organization For the Advancement of Anioma Culture (OFAAC) which holds the annual Anioma Cultural Festival in Asaba, also reputed for bringing together the largest number of Anioma people in a single gathering. OFAAC, the cultural umbrella of the Anioma people, as it seems, has in recent times, promoted Anioma socio-culturally, more than any other group in existence.

It is known to bring together, the Aniocha, Oshimili, Ika, Ndokwa/Ukwuani as far as other Anioma communities, not geographically included in Delta State to unite in a cultural feast as far as Onitsha and Igbanke in Anambra and Edo States respectively. The OFAAC Anioma Festival is also the largest, the best publicized and the most widely reported in the whole of Delta State. To put it simply, it is the biggest cultural fiesta in Delta State and one of the best-known in the country.

Last Easter Monday, it held the annual Anioma Cultural Festival in Asaba and incidentally, it was the last of OFFAC's official outing for His Excellency, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa in his capacity as the State Governor but he threw a memorable suggestion to Anioma stakeholders in tradition.

On that occasion, history smiled at Arc Kester Ifeadi, the OFAAC founding President who made a historical and legendary proposal in which he intended Easter Monday as Anioma Day to be recognized and celebrated worldwide by Anioma sons and daughters. The State Governor who bought the idea then further suggested that the Anioma traditional rulers, being the people's custodians of culture come together to declare the day in favour of their Anioma subjects after all, it is their day; a day to cherish their people culturally and for the people to cherish themselves in the name of Anioma.

As the Anioma people await their traditional rulers to make the next necessary move, the onus is now on them to take up the mantle of the love of their people, receive the baton, and congregate in the cultural favour of the Anioma people. All eyes will be directed to them especially those that have a record of Anioma advocacy before ascending the throne and also those already on the throne with Anioma as their pet project, to come together and the Asagba of Asaba, Obi of Owa and Omu of Anioma (a traditional representative of the Anioma womenfolk) will stand as a major focus to project the new destiny of the Anioma people.

The declaration, it is believed will come as an honour to the Governor being a realization of advice to them, the traditional rulers who will have a more definite date to meet their people, the OFAAC that not only suggested it but has driven the people culturally far, and the generality of the Anioma people who look forward to hearing from the custodians of their people to, especially identify with a day.

However, one thing is sure. The Organization For the Advancement of Anioma Culture has on its part, played its role by proposing. The Governor who also blessed the proposal with his advice for traditional declaration did his bit. The next phase from the traditional rulers of the region is what the people would wait to see manifest.

Emeka Esogbue is the 2025 recipient of "Anioma Patriot for his Contributions to Anioma Research and Literatures," awarded by Anioma Association USA, Inc, Georgia Chapter

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Emeka Esogbue

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