The Anioma people ( /æˈniːɒmɑː/ ah-NEE-o-ma, American English: /əˈniːɒmɑː/ uh-NEE-o-mah; Ndí Ániọ̀mà ) of present day Delta State, Nigeria encompass and are native to the nine northeastern Local Government Areas of Delta State and the Ika communities of Edo State. Politically, the Anioma occupy the Delta North Senatorial District where they are the majority group.
Today, the population of the Anioma is estimated today to be at approximately 1.8 million.
Etymology
The term
Anioma is an acronym etymologically derived from the diverse cultural realms that comprise the Western Igboid speaking regions flanking the western basin of the
Niger River in south central Nigeria: the
Aniocha (A),
Ndokwa (N),
Ika (I) and the
Oshimili peoples
(O). The coinage was made in 1951 by Chief Dennis Osadebay, founding father of the Anioma state movement and has since remained the preferred indigenous name by which the people collectively refer to themselves.
Language
The Anioma are predominantly
Igbo language speaking as well as other
Igboid languages including the
Enuani dialect in the northeast (
spoken in Ibusa, Ogwashi-Uku, Isheagu, Asaba, parts of Igbodo, Illah, Issele, Idumuje, Onicha etc.), Ika in the northwest (
of Agbor, Umunede, Owa, Igbanke, Boji-Boji etc.), Ukwuani-Aboh dialect of the
Igbo language mostly spoken by the peoples of Ndokwa in the south.
Minorities of historically non-Igbo speakers exist with a Igala language minority in the northernmost extremities of the Anioma homeland at Ebu on the border with Edo State and Umuebu in Ukwuani people,
The Ekumeku Movement (1883-1914)
See also Ekumeku Movement:
The Ekumeku War is unique in Anioma history and Igbo history in general for two reasons.
Notable people
-
Joseph Achuzie, military personnel and civil war veteran
-
Leo Irabor Former Chief of Defense of Nigeria Military.
-
Peter Nwaoboshi Former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
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Ifeanyi Okowa Former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and former Governor of Delta State, Nigeria 2015 - 2023
-
Nduka Obaigbena Owner Arise TV and Radio
-
Hanks Anuku, Veteran Nollywood actor
-
Phillip Asiodu, former Minister of Federal Republic of Nigeria
-
Maryam Babangida, wife of Former Nigerian Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida
-
Prof Joseph Chike Edozien, the Asagba of Asaba
-
Sam Obi Former Member Delta State House of Assembly, Former Acting Governor of Delta State, Nigeria
-
Baba Fryo Nigerian Musician
-
Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings, the United Bank for Africa, Transcorp and founder of The Tony Elumelu Foundation
-
Paul Dike, former Chief of Defence Staff of Nigeria NASA
-
Buchi Emecheta, Nigerian-born British novelist
-
Faze, Nigerian Musician
-
Wilfred Ndidi, Footballer
-
Elizabeth Isichei, prominent historian
-
Alex Iwobi, football player
-
Godwin Emefiele Former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeira
-
Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of State for Petroleum
-
Stephen Keshi, former Super Eagles captain and Malian National Football Team Coach
-
Demas Nwoko, prominent Sculptor of Nigeria
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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
-
Jay-Jay Okocha, former Captain of Super Eagles of Nigeria
-
Sunday Oliseh, former Captain of super Eagles of Nigeria
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Lisa Omorodion, Nollywood Actress, producer and entrepreneur
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Dennis Osadebay, 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.
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Nduka Ugbade, Nigeria's former football player and the first African to lift the world cup
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Patrick Utomi, Presidential Candidate and Founder of Lagos Business School
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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
External links
Further reading
-
-
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.
