With a firm and united voice, the people of Delta North Senatorial District on Friday renewed their long-standing call for the creation of Anioma State, demanding its recognition as Nigeria’s 37th state.
The demand resonated powerfully during a historic constitutional review public hearing hosted by the 10th Senate of the National Assembly in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State.
The hearing marked a pivotal moment in the nationwide constitutional amendment process and was attended by thousands of participants, including traditional rulers, civil society leaders, lawmakers, and citizens from across the South-South geopolitical zone.
At the center of deliberations was the bill for the creation of Anioma State, sponsored by Senator Ned Munir Nwoko, representing Delta North Senatorial District.
In recent months, the bill has reignited widespread grassroots agitation for Anioma, reaching a defining milestone with the Senate’s regionally-focused public engagement.
Presiding over the session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio noted that the hearing—convened across all six geopolitical zones—was designed “to ensure that the voices of the people are heard” in shaping the future of Nigeria’s constitutional framework.
The session drew an avalanche of memoranda, all in strong support of Anioma State’s creation from the existing Delta State. Submissions came from various socio-cultural organizations, community leaders, and individuals, underscoring a united front.
Speaking on behalf of Anioma’s traditional rulers, the Obi of Ubulu-Uno, His Royal Majesty, Obi Afamefuna Henry Kikachukwu, declared full support for the proposed state.
Describing Anioma as “the oldest state agitation in Nigeria’s history,” he traced the demand back 71 years to the colonial era. Obi Kikachukwu, who also serves as the 2nd Vice Chairman of the Delta State Traditional Rulers Council, emphasized that the time for Anioma had come.
Adding further weight to the call, a coalition of over 100 civil society and cultural organizations, led by Dr. Omenazu Jackson, National Coordinator of the International Society for Social Justice and Human Rights, submitted a memorandum stressing that the creation of Anioma would promote national equity and contribute to healing the historic wounds of the Nigerian Civil War, particularly the injustices endured during the Anioma genocide of the 1960s.
Supporting this position, Barrister Tony Ogana, a legal practitioner, presented a formal legal memorandum validating the renewed and constitutionally grounded quest for Anioma.
Pastor Nwachukwu Ugbekile James, representing the Akikuwa Cultural Initiative, also spoke on behalf of the Igbanke community in neighboring Edo State, citing shared genealogical and cultural ties with Anioma. He called for the inclusion of Igbanke in the proposed state.
Several other speakers echoed similar sentiments, highlighting that the demand for Anioma continues to resonate deeply across the constituent regions of Aniocha/Oshimili, Ndokwa/Ukwuani, and Ika. Many expressed profound appreciation to Senator Ned Nwoko for his leadership and passionate advocacy.
Prominent dignitaries at the hearing included the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, Senator Seriake Dickson; the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, represented by Deputy Governor Senator (Dr.) Akon Eyakenyi; Senator Adams Oshiomhole, and Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, among others.
The public hearing marks a critical milestone in Nigeria’s democratic evolution, with Anioma’s case once again positioned at the forefront of constitutional discourse, symbolizing the intersection of identity, justice, unity, and national memory.
