Revisiting the historical roots of Anioma identity, the Obuzor of Ibusa, His Royal Majesty Professor Louis Nwaoboshi, has restated that the Anioma people of Delta State are intrinsically part of Igboland, a fact he said predates Nigeria’s independence and remains supported by cultural, linguistic and historical evidence.
Addressing stakeholders in Ibusa, the monarch explained that the misalignment of Anioma communities began in 1939 when colonial authorities drew regional boundaries that placed Igbo-speaking communities of Delta North under the Western Region.
He attributed this to the use of inaccurate geographical markers during boundary demarcation by British administrators.
According to him, the proper boundary between the Eastern and Western Regions should have been located beyond Abudu in present-day Edo State.
“The boundary between North and West is not the River Niger, just as the boundary between North and East is not the River Benue.
Therefore, the East–West boundary should have been after Abudu. We were placed where we should not be,” he said.
He stressed that communities such as Ibusa, Aboh, Ogwashi-Uku, Ubulu-Uku and others in Delta North have always belonged to the Igbo cultural sphere.
“We have been shortchanged since 1939. Our fathers began this agitation long before now. I am not a pioneer.
“The people of Aboh, Ibusa and Ubulu-Uku were already advocating for proper placement even before the regions were consolidated,” he noted.
Professor Nwaoboshi added that he established a cultural organisation in 1980 to sustain the longstanding agitation and protect Anioma identity.
Highlighting the contributions of Anioma leaders over the decades, he referenced prominent sons of the region.
“Fortunately, Senator Ned Nwoko is our son. He was here when we encouraged him to continue the struggle.
“It is in his blood because his father was among those who agitated in 1939. These families have been at the forefront from the beginning,” he said.
He further clarified that the name “Anioma” was conceived to unify Igbo-speaking communities in Delta North, especially after Igbo groups in Imo and Anambra had solidified their regional identities.
The monarch cited historical records, including a 1981 newspaper report that traced the agitation to 1938 and highlighted the roles of traditional rulers from Aboh, Ibusa, Isele-Uku and Agbor, as evidence that the movement long predates later political classifications.
Professor Nwaoboshi also attributed contemporary identity confusion to successive administrative shifts, from the Western Region in 1939 to the Mid-Western Region in 1963, and ultimately to Delta State in 1991.
He dismissed labels such as “South-South” as artificial constructs that do not reflect true historical boundaries.
In his closing remarks, the monarch called for unity and reaffirmation of shared identity.
“It is time they understand that we are one. Awaken and embrace your brothers,” he said.
