The Media and Publicity Director of Anioma State Creation Technical Committee, Chief Tonnie Oganah, has explained why the creation of Anioma State is apt.
Speaking in an interview on Thursday, Oganah said creating Anioma State will bring about equity, since only the South East has fewer than six states among the six regions in the country, stressing that Anioma people have a very strong Igbo heritage as seen in their language, which is predominantly Ibo.
Oganah noted that even though they have different dialects, as should be expected, names, culture, market days, values, traditional worship modes, food, dressing, world view, etc., are basically similar.
He lauded the lawmaker representing the Delta North senatorial district for leading the call for the creation of Anioma State, and urged President Bola Tinubu to address the injustice done to the Igbos through the creation of the new state.
While elaborating on the reason the initiative should be supported for the sake of equity, he said, “Other zones in Nigeria have at least six states, but the south east has only five states, so we want to join our kith and kin in the south east to make for a more balanced and equitable Nigeria.
“And this anomaly is despite the fact that there are Ibo people in at least thirteen states of the federation: Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Delta, Rivers, Edo, Kogi, Benue, Cross River, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom. Not many people know this fact.
“We Igbos also lost the civil war. Hence, all sorts of injustice are meted out to us and is the main reason why some Igbos are afraid to identify as Igbos.
“But other Nigerians rightly see us as Igbos. Such cowardice is very unbecoming of true offspring of warriors who fought the Ekumekwu war.
“How can your name be Igwe, Ifeanyi, Okonkwo, Adaeke, Okolie, Nonso, Chukwuma, Emeka, Chukwuka or Chukwudi, and you say you’re not Ibo? Your wife and children identify as full blooded Ibo, but you say you’re not Ibo because of fear and loss of privileges attached to the status quo, which thrives on oppressing your own brothers and sisters?”
Oganah maintained that state creation will usher life a more abundant life for everyone with the creation of jobs for the indigenes and contracts for the people.
“New local government areas will be created, and that translates to more councillors and local government chairmen for our people. Nobody can occupy more than one position at a time.
“Not even Senator Ned Nwoko, popular as he is because of his empowerment and good bills in the senate. In any case, he is more interested in the liberation and empowerment of Anioma people as envisioned originally by his grandfather, Osadebe and others like Nosike Ikpo, Dafe Idisi, Humphrey Iwerebon (Mkpitime), George Orewa, Nduka Eze, and the like.
“Anioma already has a functional state capital, so a lot of money will be saved because we are not building from scratch. Youths will be gainfully employed in the state civil service because non-indigenes will have to go to make room for our people.
“Anioma also produces oil and gas in commercial quantities in addition to agriculture, fishing, and trading. With job creation, crime greatly diminishes as idle youths are gainfully employed and engaged.”
