Senator Ned Nwoko has renewed calls for Anioma people in Delta State to fully embrace their Igbo identity, stressing that unity is the only way forward.
He said that for too long, history has been twisted to separate Anioma and other border communities from their Igbo roots, a situation that weakens both political strength and cultural pride.
According to Nwoko, there is no doubt that Anioma belongs to the larger Igbo family. He explained that he knows the history and migration of the people very well and made it clear that the time has come to correct false narratives that divided them from their brothers across the Niger.
He emphasized that his advocacy for the creation of Anioma State is not driven by politics or personal ambition. Instead, it is about restoring fairness and correcting past mistakes.
He added that he has no desire to be governor but wants Anioma to stand tall with its own state, with Asaba as the capital, in line with Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s long-held recognition of Anioma as an Igbo state.
Reflecting on his childhood during the Nigerian Civil War, the senator recalled how Anioma communities faced ethnic cleansing and were forced to deny their Igbo identity in order to survive.
He said the scars of that era still affect Anioma today, but it is time to embrace the truth and move toward reconciliation.
Nwoko also praised the work of academics like Professor Abigail Ogwezzy of the University of Lagos, whose studies on Anioma language and history further confirm their Igbo roots.
He compared the Igbo identity to that of a Chinese person, who remains Chinese no matter where they are in the world.
In the same way, he said, Anioma people remain Igbo whether in Delta, Imo, or Abia. For him, only by openly embracing this truth can Anioma gain unity and political relevance.
In conclusion, he called on groups such as the Igbo Unification Movement and Ndi na Asu Bia to keep pushing for collective identity and state creation.
According to him, the dream of a united Igbo nation and the recognition of Anioma State can only be achieved through joint effort.
