Revisiting the Anioma Traditional Rulers Rejection of their Relocation to the East Central Region: History as a Repetition

 

Revisiting the Anioma Traditional Rulers Rejection of their Relocation to the East Central Region: History as a Repetition

-       Emeka Esogbue

Not many know that in history, the present Niger State, one of the nation’s 36 states in the North Central part of the country was originally intended for the Anioma people of Nigeria. In 1975, there was an agitation for the creation of more states in the country and a group started a rigorous campaign in which they sought to relocate the Anioma people from their Midwestern Region to the East Central to share a geographical space with other Igbo-speaking people but the Anioma traditional rulers rejected their relocation as well as a share of state with people who are not Anioma of the present Delta State. It was a firm decision taken by Anioma traditional rulers which eventually dissuaded the then Head of State, His Excellency Gen Yakubu Gowon from uniting the Anioma people with the Igbos of today’s Southeast.

The Anioma communique majorly relied on to write this article also shows that the Anioma people rejected their inclusion in the proposed Niger State with vigour. It was a press statement and resolutions by the Obis, Chiefs and people of Aniocha in a meeting, which held in Ogwashi-Uku on January 1, 1975.

The document read:

"For sometime (sic) now the Nigerian public have (sic) been treated to conflicting claims and counter-claims on the burning issue of the creation of more states in the country. It has come to our notice that certain well-placed individuals or groups of persons have appointed themselves as leaders of thought and have gone about clandestinely, soliciting support for the creation of a Niger State which they allege would embrace Onitsha Decision in the East Central State and the Asaba, Ika and Aboh Divisions in the Midwest State. We are aware that in order to gain credence, these self-styled leaders of thought have gone about stressing the accident of a common language and spreading the information that they had been in touch with the Head of State, His Excellency, Gen Yakubu Gowon and that the latter had already assured them conclusively that a firm decision had already been taken to carve out the new Niger State between now and 1976 by merging together parts of the East Central State with the Ibo-speaking parts of the Midwestern Part."

United in their stance, the Anioma people refused to share a space with Onitsha Division, Ogbaru and others, on the ground that the advocates of the proposed state were not speaking for them (Anioma people). Language, a tool used by the advocates seeking to unite them with Anioma was described by Anioma traditional rulers as an “accident of common language,” which should not be used as a means of the merger by the government.

Although the advocates of the state creation claimed that they had not only been in touch with the Gen Yakubu Gowon (retd), the Head of State but had received assurances from him over the creation of the state to include Anioma, the Anioma traditional rulers in their press release, described the statement as spread of false information. The advocates were further described as “self-styled leaders of thought” who were not speaking on behalf of the Anioma people but to further their interest, which would forcefully lead to the claim of the Anioma territory.

The Anioma traditional rulers and other stakeholders were firm, rejecting their mixture with non-Enuani, Ika and Ndokwa from the east as conveyed in their statement issued to the public. The Anioma traditional rulers were bent on resisting the merger and even took a stronger stance when they averred: “We, the undersigned, on our own and our people’s behalf, wish to take this opportunity to define for the benefit of His Excellency the Nigerian Head of State of the entire Federal Military Government particularly, of the natural rulers, chiefs and people of the Midwest State, our position on the issue of the creation of states in Nigeria and specifically of the Niger State. The position is unequivocally that the people of ANIOCHA LAND (Anioma) in Asaba Division, whom we represent must be counted out of the proposed new state. In other words, while we do not quarrel with those who for reasons best known to them, wish to have a new state created for them, we wish to state unreservedly that the people of Ezechima, Ubulu-Uku, Ogwashi-Uku, Nsukwa, Odiani, Illah/Ebu, Oko-Okwe, Akwukwu-Igbo-Atuma, Ibusa, Okpanam/Ugbolu and Idumuje clans whom we represent have no wish to leave the present Midwest which they joined in fighting for in the period up to 1963 and that they do not desire any part or role or position in the proposed Niger State if and when one is created. We concede to others the right to determine their own destiny on the State issue but we will also insist upon our own right not to be dragged into a state against our will and without our active support.”   

By refusing to leave the Midwest Region as stated in the press release, the Anioma traditional rulers in their communique to the Federal Government of Nigeria were inclined to remain in today’s South-South Region rather than the proposed East Central (Southeast of today). They communicated their reasons for the refusing to leave the Midwest region and their neighbours. The release read “Our reasons for preferring the status quo in so far as the state issue is concerned are self-evident. We have never accepted that we are second-class citizens within our present state and therefore no question can arise that we want to go elsewhere, where we may enjoy the full rights and benefits of first-class citizenship.”

As they say, history repeats itself but man does not learn from history. 50 years later, the agitation for the creation of more states in the country returned with a few politicians of Anioma extraction pushing for the relocation of Anioma to the Southeast but the current resistance demonstrates that nothing has changed since 1975 when the Anioma traditional rulers ably convinced Gen Yakubu Gowon (retd) not to separate them from their today’s neighbours in the Midwest region, now part of South-South and not to align them to the Igbos of the East.   

The argument of the people rejecting their relocation to the Southeast became so strong that for the first time in their history of existence, the choice of Anioma State was riddled with controversy with the people divided. It was also the first time in recorded history that the Anioma people would witness the sort of hubbubs that welcomed the idea. Since the prosecution of the Ekumeku Movement against the British (1883 -1914), which united Anioma, confirming them a unit within the Nigerian polity, the Anioma people have never been as divided in any collective policy affecting them as witnessed in 2024 with the idea of the relocation to the Southeast.

In making their geographical choice of stay in the Midwestern Region (today’s South-South) clear, the Anioma traditional rulers had stated:

“In any case, we have lived long enough to know that you do not pull down or destroy your house merely because it is not as comfortable as you would wish. We know that those who advocate the creation of a Niger State as a solution to the presumed problems of the Midwestern Ibo elements in the Midwest State have not thought deeply over the matter. Should the Niger State fail us in the future what then? We the undersigned are convinced that our problems as a people can and ought to be solved in the context of the existing Midwest State and that therefore, so as far as we are concerned, the Niger State issue is a non-starter.”

There was the 6-clause resolution by the Anioma traditional rulers forwarded to Gen Yakubu Gowon (retd) and the clauses read:

“Whereas certain persons have proposed the creation of a state to be known Niger State comprising Asaba Division, Ika Division and Aboh Division in the Midwestern State of Nigeria and some parts of East Central State of Nigeria…”

“We, the Obis, Chief and accredited representatives of the people of Aniocha area in Asaba Division of the Midwestern State of Nigeria wish to state that:”

“We object and are opposed to being included in the proposed Niger State.”

The communique was signed by Anioma traditional rulers including but not limited to the following:

His Highnesses:

(i)             Akwukwu-Igbo/Atuma Clan

(ii)            Ezechime Clan

(iii)          Diokpa of Ibusa (Obi Ajudua)

(iv)          Idumuje Clan

(v)           Illah/Ebu Clan

(vi)          Nsukwa Clan

(vii)         Odiani Clan (Signed by Obi of Ukwunzu)

(viii)       Okpanam (Signed by Asagba of Okpanam)