Anioma People Faced Ethnic Cleansing In Delta, Forced To Deny Being Igbos – Ned Nwoko

Senator Ned Nwoko, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Reparation and Repatriation, has urged the Anioma people of Delta State to proudly embrace their Igbo identity.

The senator made this call in Asaba while speaking at a conference themed “Igbo Bu Ofu” (Igbos are One), organised by the Igbo Unification Movement in partnership with the Ndi na Asu Bia Socio-Cultural Organisation.

Commending the organisers, Ned Nwoko urged Anioma people to strengthen ties with other Igbo communities as part of efforts to build a more united Nigeria.

He said their advocacy resonates with his long-standing campaign for the recognition of Anioma identity and his push for the creation of Anioma State out of Delta North.

The two organisations have become notable voices championing the political and cultural unity of Igbo-speaking groups across Nigeria—including Anioma in Delta North, Igbanke in Edo State, and other border communities.

They argue that reclaiming and affirming Igbo identity is central to political empowerment, cultural revival, and correcting years of distortion.

“There is no argument about our Igbo-ness. I know the history very well. I know the migration of the Igbo people, and I know clearly that we, the Anioma, are Igbo.

“The time has come to reverse the old narratives that separated us from our brothers across the Niger,” Nwoko said

He stressed that his advocacy for Anioma State is not about politics or personal ambition but about justice and correcting historical imbalances.

“This is not about APC, PDP, or Labour Party. It is about identity, justice, and fairness. I have no interest in being governor, but I want Anioma to stand tall with its own state, with Asaba as its capital.

“That way, we also fulfill the dream of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, which has always recognised Anioma as one of the Igbo states,” he explained.

Reflecting on his experiences as a child during the Nigerian Civil War, Nwoko recalled how Anioma communities faced ethnic cleansing and were pressured to deny their Igbo roots for survival.

The lawmaker said it was time to move past that crisis and embrace reconciliation based on truth.

He also commended academics like Professor Abigail Ogwezzy of the University of Lagos, whose work on Anioma language and history has reinforced the people’s Igbo heritage.

Emphasizing the broader significance of the conference, Nwoko remarked: “The Igbo man is Igbo everywhere, whether from Delta, Imo, or Abia. Just like a Chinese man remains Chinese anywhere in the world, Anioma must rise to embrace its identity. That is the only way we can achieve unity and political relevance.”

He urged groups like the Igbo Unification Movement, Ndi na Asu Bia, and other cultural organisations to continue their advocacy, stressing that collective effort is essential to realising both the unity of the Igbo nation and the dream of Anioma State.

KanyiDaily recalls that Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North in the Senate, recently proposed a bill to create Anioma State to address historical and geopolitical imbalances in Nigeria.