Anioma people
Ndi Aniọma | |
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Total population | |
1,800,000 (est. 2022, 2,100,000) 2,100,000 (including those of ancestral descent) | |
Regions with significant populations | |
Nigeria (Delta State with minorities in Edo State, Anambra State) | |
Religion | |
Predominantly ![]() minority African Traditional Religion | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Igbo |
The Anioma people are a predominantly Igboid speaking ethnolingustic group located in present day Delta State, Nigeria. As Anioma is also an acronym derived from the regions that make up the Western Igbo area: Aniocha (A), Ndokwa (N), Ika (I) and Oshimili (O),[1] the coinage was made by the founding father of the Anioma state movement (which has spanned for over 50 years), Chief Dennis Osadebay in 1951 and has since remained the preferred indigenous name by which the people collectively refer to themselves. The Anioma people encompass and are native to communities which span the 9 northern Local Government Areas of Delta State. Politically, the Anioma occupy the Delta North Senatorial District, where they are the majority.
They are historically known to be a diverse group of Igbo speaking communities indigenous to the northern half of Delta State.
The Ekumeku War is unique in Anioma history and Igbo history in general for two reasons.[2] First, the movement's duration involved military campaigns spanning thirty-one years against the British.[3] Secondly, it exemplifies an effort amongst the Igbo people to unify previously fragmented states in resistance to the british colonial army.[4] The Anioma population is currently estimated to be approximately 1.8 million.[5][6] The largest Anioma settlement and urban area is the Delta State Capital Territory, which incorporates the city of Asaba along the Niger, with Okpanam and Igbuzor and surrounding communities.[7]
Geography
The Anioma are located immediately south of the Edo Central Plains on the floodplains and hills of the western basin of the Niger River within the present Delta State of Nigeria. The homeland of the Anioma encompasses a land mass of about 6,300 km2 [citation needed]. Politically, Anioma is often referred to in state affairs as Delta North, as in line with the people of the Delta South and Delta Central senatorial districts within Delta. Anioma is bounded on the East by Anambra State, south-east by Imo and Rivers States, south by Bayelsa State, south-west by Isoko, west by the Urhobo ethnic nation, north-west by Edo State and north by Kogi State. The people have drawn their culture and experiences as a result of lying contiguous to numerous other ethnicities and communities which characterises Anioma as a relatively peaceful region in terms of national affairs.[8] Today, the Anioma celebrate their Igbo identity annually with a cocktail of traditional dances organized by the Organization for the Advancement of Anioma Culture (OFAAC). First held in 2003, the cultural fiesta yearly brings together all local council areas in Aniomaland to celebrate their common identity as Western Igbos.
There are 25 Local government areas in Delta State, and the nine underneath make up the Anioma region:
- Aniocha North
- Aniocha South
- Ika North-East
- Ika South
- Ndokwa East
- Ndokwa West
- Oshimili North
- Oshimili South
- Ukwuani
Language
Anioma people predominantly speak Igbo language with varying native dialects including the Enuani dialect spoken in Ibusa, Ogwashi-Uku, Isheagu, Asaba, parts of Igbodo, Illah, Issele, Idumuje, Onicha etc., Ika dialect of Agbor, Umunede, Owa, Igbanke, Boji-Boji etc. with heavy linguistic influence from Bini, an Edoid language, Ukwuani-Aboh dialect of the Ukwuani-Aboh-Ndoni cluster mostly spoken by the peoples of Ndokwa. There are minority Anioma peoples in Edo (Igbanke), Ute-Oheze, Iru, Owariozor, Obagie N’Oheze, Ekpon, Owanikeke, Iyenle, Anambra (Onitsha, Ozobulu, Obosi, Oraifite) and Imo states (Oguta). Minorities of historically non-Igbo speakers exist with a Igala minority in the northernmost extremities of the Anioma homeland at Ebu on the border with Edo State and Umuebu in Ukwuani[9] as well as the Yoruboid Olukumi[10] of Aniocha.
List of Anioma towns and communities
Anioma towns and communities are listed alphabetically below:[11]
Abah, Abala Anikoko, Abavo, Abi, Abodei, Aboh, Adai, Adonta, Afor, Agbor, Akakpan-Isumpe, Ankara, Akoku, Akuku-Akumazi, Akumazi-Umuocha, Akwukwu-Igbo, Alasime, Alidinma, Alihagu, Amai, Anakwa, Anifekide, Aninwalo, Aninwama-Jeta, Aniofu, Aniogo, Anioma, Anuregu, Anwai, Asaba, Asaba-Ase, Asaba-Ubulu, Ashaka, Ashama, Atuma, Atuma-Iga, Azagba-Ogwashi, Azagba-Ubieni, Boji-Boji, Ebedi, Ebu, Edo-Ogwashi, Egbudu-Akah, Egbudu-Ogwashi, Ejeme-Agbor, Ejeme-Aniogo, Ejeme-Unor, Ekpecho, Ekpon, Ekwuemusana, Emu, Emuhu, Etua Etiti, Etua Ukpo, Ewulu, Ezi, Eziokpor, Ezionum, Ibodoni, Ibrode, Ibusa, Idumuesah, Idumuje-Ugboko, Idumuje-Unor, Idumu-Ogo, Igbanke, Igbodo, Igbogiri, Igbuku, Illah, Iru, Isa-Ogwashi, Iselegu, Isheagu, Isikiti-Ishiagu, Issele-Azagba, Issele-Mkpitime, Issele-Uku, Isumpe, Kwale, Mbiri, Ndemiri, Ndokwa, Abbi, Inam-Abbi, Eziunm, Nkpolenyi, Nsukwa, Obeti, Obi Anyima, Obi Umutu, Obi, Obiaruku, Obikwele, Obinomba, Obior, Obodo-Eti, Obomkpa, Ogbe, Ogode, Ogume, Ogwashi-Uku, Oko Anala, Oko/Ogbele, Oko-Amakom, Okotomi, Okpa, Okpanam, Okwe, Oligbo, Oligbo, Olor-Usisa, Olu-Odu, Omaja, Onicha Olona, Onicha-Ugbo, Onicha-Uku, Onitsha-Ukwuani, Onogbokor, Onuseti, Onya, Oolor-Ogwashi, Otolokpo, Otulu, Owa Nta, Owa-Abi, Owa-Alero, Owa-Ofie, Owa-Oyibo, Owerri-Olubor, Ubulubu, Ubulu-Okiti, Ubulu-Okiti, Ubulu-Ukwu, Ubulu-Unor, Udumeje, Ugboba, Ugbodu, Ugbolu, Ugiliamai, Ukala-Okpunor, Ukala-Okwute, Ukwuani, Ukwunzu, Ukwu-Oba, Umuabu, Umu-Ebu Adonishaka, Umuhu, Umukwem, Umukwota, Umunede, Umuolu, Umute, Umutu, Unor, Unor, Unuaja, Ushie, Usisa, Utagba-Ogbe, Utagba-Unor, Utchi, Ute Aru, Ute Enugu, Ute Erumu, Utegbeje, Ute Obagie N’Oheze, Ute-Oheze, Ute-Okpu, Utuoku.
Notable people
- Joseph "Hannibal" Achuzie, military personnel and civil war veteran[12]
- Ifeanyi Okowa Former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and former Governor of Delta State, Nigeria 2015 - 2023
- Hanks Anuku, Veteran Nollywood actor[citation needed]
- Phillip Asiodu, former Minister of Federal Republic of Nigeria[citation needed]
- Maryam Babangida, wife of Former Nigerian Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida[citation needed]
- Prof Joseph Chike Edozien, the Asagba of Asaba[citation needed]
- Augustine Esogbue, Professor Emeritus in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech.
- Sam Obi Former Member Delta State House of Assembly, Former Acting Governor of Delta State, Nigeria
- Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings, the United Bank for Africa, Transcorp and founder of The Tony Elumelu Foundation[13]
- Air-Marshal Paul Dike, former Chief of Defence Staff of Nigeria NASA[citation needed]
- Buchi Emecheta, Nigerian-born British novelist
- Faze, Nigerian Musician
- Elizabeth Isichei, prominent historian
- Alex Iwobi, football player
- Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of State for Petroleum
- Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, former Super Eagles captain and Malian National Football Team Coach
- Demas Nwoko, prominent Sculptor of Nigeria
- Ned Nwoko, present senator
- Nduka Odizor, former Lawn tennis player
- Timothy Ogene, writer
- Joy Ogwu, former Managing Director of Nigeria Institute of International Affairs
- Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the current Director-general of the World Trade Organization
- Austine "Jay-Jay" Okocha, former Captain of Super Eagles of Nigeria
- Sunday Oliseh, former Captain of super Eagles of Nigeria
- Lisa Omorodion, Nollywood Actress, producer and entrepreneur
- Dennis Osadebe, politician, poet, journalist and former premier of the now defunct Mid-Western Region of Nigeria, which now comprises Edo and Delta State.
- Zulu Sofola, the first published female Nigerian playwright and dramatist and first female Professor of Theater Arts in Africa.
- Nduka Ugbade, Nigeria's former football player and the first African to lift the world cup
- Patrick Utomi, Presidential Candidate and Founder of Lagos Business School
- Raph Uwechue, was a Nigerian minister, diplomat and publisher. He is a former president-general of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, an Igbo socio-cultural organization in Nigeria
See also
- Ekumeku Movement
- 1967 Asaba Massacre
- Igboid languages
- Edoid languages
- Yoruboid languages
- Igala people
- Organisation for the Advancement of Anioma Culture (OFAAC)
References
- [1]
- ^ "How the term 'Anioma' was derived". Freshangle News. 2020-05-19. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ^ Igbafe, Philip A. (1971). "Western Ibo Society and its Resistance to British Rule: The Ekumeku Movement 1898–1911". The Journal of African History. 12 (3): 441–459. doi:10.1017/S0021853700010872. ISSN 1469-5138.
- ^ Igbafe, Philip A. (1971). "Western Ibo Society and its Resistance to British Rule: The Ekumeku Movement 1898–1911". The Journal of African History. 12 (3): 441–459. doi:10.1017/S0021853700010872. ISSN 0021-8537.
- ^ Igbafe, Philip A. (1971). "Western Ibo Society and its Resistance to British Rule: The Ekumeku Movement 1898–1911". The Journal of African History. 12 (3): 441–459. doi:10.1017/S0021853700010872. ISSN 0021-8537.
- ^ "Federal Republic of Nigeria, Official gazette". 94 (24). 2007.
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(help) - ^ "About". ANIOMA VOICE WORLDWIDE FOUNDATION. Archived from the original on 2021-04-27. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
- ^ "NED NWOKO'S STATE CREATION BILL – THISDAYLIVE". www.thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ^ Kunirum Osia, Anioma Association Inc, USA, May 24, 1997
- ^ "EBU, THE IGALA- SPEAKING COMMUNITY IN ANIOMA". nairapen.com. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
- ^ Agborh, Alphonsus (2022-07-24). "Yoruba community in the heart of Igbo-speaking Delta produces own Bible, dictionary". Tribune Online. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
- ^ "The Anioma People - A History Lesson in Five Minutes (by Bolaji Aluko)". groups.google.com. Retrieved 2021-09-16.
- ^ Nwafor (2018-04-14). "Achuzia,"Hannibal", buried in Asaba". Vanguard News. Retrieved 2022-09-07.
- ^ "TONY ELUMELU: Exiting UBA as CEO at Age 47 was a Blessing – THISDAYLIVE". www.thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 2022-09-07.
External links
- Reawakening in Delta North[permanent dead link]
- https://web.archive.org/web/20150330003905/http://www.nigeriamasterweb.com/nmwpg1HarunaIgboMassacre.html
- Asaba.com
- Anioma USA
Further reading
- Udeani, Chibueze. (2007). Inculturation as Dialogue: Igbo Culture and the Message of Christ. p. 11. ISBN 978-9042022294.
- Ikime O. (ed). Groundwork of Nigerian history. Heineman educational books (Nigeria) PLC, Ibadan, 1980: 89-121.
- Onwuejeogwu MA. Igbo civilization: Nri kingdom and hegemony; London, Ethnographica, 1981.
- Obi Efeizomor II (Obi of Owa). Community development in Owa kingdom – the Nigerian factor. University of Benin press; Benin City-Nigeria; 1994: 303.
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