Emeka Esogbue

 One Year Without Omu Anioma: Obi Martha Dunkwu Lived and Died for the Anioma Cause By Emeka Esogbue Today marks the one-year anniversary of Omu Martha Dunkwu's passing, a legendary figure who left an indelible mark on the Anioma people. As the Omu of Anioma, she was a trailblazer, breaking cultural barriers and paving the way for women's leadership in Anioma society. Since the days of modern Anioma, there was no female figure in history who enjoyed cultural and global fame as did Obi Martha Dunkwu, the Omu of Anioma; since the days of modern Anioma, there was no female traditional leader from Anioma who cut cultural influence as seen in Obi Martha Dunkwu, the Omu of Anioma. By January 26, 2002, when she was installed as the Omu of Okpanam, an Anioma female leader had been born in her. By January 15, 2019, when she became crowned as the Omu of Anioma, the people were becoming conversant with the female cultural leader, the like of which was never seen in the history of the peop...

 Omu Anioma United Us, the Enuani People - Emeka Esogbue  The late Omu of Anioma, HRM Obi Martha Dunkwu will remain in history as one who invited us cultural unity and one contributed to the lifting of the Okpanam community. As it relates to bringing our people together, strengthening and promoting us in cultural terms, I can think of HRM Obi Martha Dunkwu, Arc Kester Ifeadi, Idumuje-Unor-born Chief Michael Odiakosa, Gideon Nwaomu and a few others. While several of our chieftaincy title holders and other custodians of our tradition thought of their immediate communities, the trio had no bound. They pursued the formation of a united Enuani cultural front and I think they deserve some pat on the back from the rest of us.   The late Omu of Anioma had no access to government source of funds. She was not a contractor and had no sponsors. Her customary position never allowed her to work or do business. Despite all odds, she used all she had to give everything necessary to ...

 BREAKING NEWS FROM ANIOMA  Burial Committee Announces Burial Date for Late Omu Anioma, Advises Guests on Dress Code  - Emeka Esogbue  The Committee for the burial of HRM Obi Martha Dunkwu, the Omu of Anioma has announced the date for the celebration of rites of passage of the late Omu.  The Committee, in a press statement released to the general public on Monday in Okpanam, Delta State, signed by the Committee Chairman, Hon Barr Bridget Anyafulu, and Dr. Afamefuna Dunkwu-Okafor, Chief Mourner/ Co-Chairman, noted that the rites of passage of the late Anioma Queen Mother would hold from 24th to 27th April 2024.  The release read in part, "The burial committee of HRM, Obi Martha Dunkwu, wishes to inform the public that the  celebration of the passage of Omu Anioma comes up from 24th - 27th April 2024." "The burial will involve both traditional burial rites and Night of Tributes/Farewell. While the traditional rites will take place from 24th-25th April 20...

 How Ndudi Elumelu Remembered the Omu Institution with a Palatial Edifice - Emeka Esogbue HRM Obi Dr. Martha Dunkwu, the Omu of Anioma means so many things to so many people but to the Anioma nation, she is an exemplification of the elevation of the Omu traditional institution.  Once crowned the Omu of Anioma amid severe criticisms from her Anioma people, Omu Dunkwu took up the female institution and made it her pet project. From a dying institution, she worked hard to miraculously sell the institution to the world and it became the envy of other traditional institutions in the region.  She told her followers the story of her journey, "I met about five to six Omus when I became Omu, two are remaining from that era. Through advocacy by our Great Anioma Historian Emeka Esogbue, Anioma Association USA, Prof E. A. C Nwanze, late Prof Onwuejiogwu, Dr. Ikechukwu Enwenwa, Comrade Patrick Nweike Ochei, my humble person, etc, we have over ten Omus today. We had about fifteen but f...

 Newly Promoted Major Gen Ochei Pays Omu Anioma a Surprise Visit, Receives Royal Blessings from the Queen Mother - Emeka Esogbue  The love and unity now culturally sweeping through the region of Anioma in Delta State, continued unabated as newly promoted Major General Raymond Nkemakonam Ochei paid HRM Obi Dr. Matha Dunkwu, the Omu of Anioma, a surprise visit in her Okpanam Palace on Tuesday.   The Onicha-Olona illustrious son from Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State who was recently decorated in Abuja, was in the palace of the Omu in a surprise visit to brief the Omu of his promotion by the Nigerian Army and to also thank her for her prayers for progressive Anioma sons and daughters.  One of the domestic staff of the Queen Mother who spoke to PEN MASTER after the General's visit said, "imagine the surprise of the Omu of Anioma on learning of the visit of the General who was on a friendly visit with his aides to pay homage to the Omu as we, the Ani...

 OMU ANIOMA HONOURED IN ASABA - ASKS FG TO PAY STRIKING ASUU By Emeka Esogbue The cultural voice of the Anioma Nation was again heard in HRM Obi Dr. Martha Dunkwu, the Omu of Anioma when she advised the Federal Government to fulfil all agreements reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities on Saturday in Asaba, Delta State.  The Omu, now perhaps, the most frequently heard cultural voice of the Anioma people within and outside the Delta State enclave made this call at the event where she was also honoured with the "Winning Legacy Award," presented to her by Winning Women International under the auspices of Torchigrace Godspiwer (First Lady Akwaugo 1 of WAZOBIA FM) according to Patrick Nweike Ochei of Anioma Trust Newspaper.  "If there was an agreement reached earlier in addition to the report submitted by the Government's own Committee then the Government is obligated to implement this report," the Omu said as further reported by Anioma Trust.  The Omu ...

 ANIOMA OMUS CONSTITUTE "ANIOMA COUNCIL OF OMUS." - OMU OF OKPANAM/ANIOMA, CHAIRMAN - OMU IGBUZO GETS POSITION OF PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER AFTER 13 DAYS OF CORONATION - COMRADE PATRICK NWEIKE OCHEI OF ANIOMA TRUST NEWSPAPER, MEDIA ADVISER - HRH QUEENSLY UZOKA OF OBOMKPA IS THE SECRETARY/LEGAL ADVISER; AND  - PEN MASTER IS THE COUNCIL'S RESEARCH CONSULTANT The Anioma Council of Omus (ACO), the aegis of Omus in Anioma Nation on Friday issued a communique on its socio-cultural, economic and political demands. In the communique released to the public as published by Anioma Trust, the Omus announced positions of members and took some stance. The Omus affirmed the region's traditional rulers as the fathers of the Anioma Nation and acknowledged their roles in protecting and projecting the people's traditions and cultures.    As the 2023 general elections approaches, the Anioma Council of Omus appealed to Anioma sons and daughters in politics to follow the rules and avoid...

 OMU JOSEPHINE MAKES FIRST REPRESENTATION OF IBUSA AT THE OFAAC ANIOMA FESTIVAL By Emeka Esogbue The Omu of Ibusa, Obi Josephine Isioma Nwannabuogwu on Monday, made her first official representation of the Ibusa community in her capacity as the Omu of the community. The Omu was at the Anioma Cultural Festival of the Organization For the Advancement of Anioma Culture (OFAAC) which happened inside the Arcade Centre in Asaba, the Delta State capital in the traditional name of the Ibusa community. The beautiful, bold and intelligent Omu had a seat on the table, side by side, Her Royal Majesty Obi Dr. Martha Dunkwu and other holders of the exotic female traditional office from Anioma in a reservation specially made for them. Incidentally, it was the first time in history any Ibusa Omu would represent the community in any event of this cultural magnitude outside the town and she was sure ecstatic about it. The Omu of Ibusa, in company of her Otu Omu that included Miss Jane Nwajei stormed...

  Omuship of the Anioma People in Brief By Emeka Esogbue INTRODUCTION Omuship is the oldest, best known and most revered female traditional among the Anioma people of Nigeria, which includes Onitsha where Omu Nwangboka is known to have reigned and also Ossomari, another community outside Delta State that shares ancestral relations with Anioma. According to Prof E. A. C. Nwanze, the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin, Edo State from Asaba, the Omu institution of the Anioma people is about 822 years in existence. Until recently, the history of Omuship despite its age-long existence remained obscure partly due to the nature of the spiritual requirements of the institution and the traditional nature of the occupants, on one hand, and lack of interest from writers of social history of the people of the area, on the other hand. The deep spiritual nature of the institution meant that only little was known about th institution and even then, the sketchy knowledge of ...

 HOW OMU IFESIMEHONE REPELLED MURTALA MUHAMMED AND SAVED ONICHA-ONA FROM THE CIVIL WAR MASSACRE By Emeka Esogbue What is underreported even by Anioma writers of the Nigerian Civil War are roles played by the Omus of the Anioma people in preventing their communities from the massacres tied to the 1967-1970 civil war. It is this perspective of Omiship that this Author is finding interest in documenting Anioma history enthusiasts. The gruesome massacres carried out in the defunct Asaba Division but concentrated in Asaba were repellently frightful. In Igbodo, it was a combination of the old and young. In Isheagu, the concentration was on the aged, especially the chiefs and traditional leaders of the community, and in Asaba, it sweepingly involved the old and young with the youths s targets. Subsequently, Asaba was denied viable young men for a very long time.  That of Ibusa, a community, only 6 miles from victimized neighbouring Asaba, was more of terrorism, with Nigerian soldiers...