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Anioma people

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The Anioma people (/æˈniːomɑː/ ah-NEE-o-ma, US: /əˈniːomɑː/ uh-NEE-o-mah; Ndí Ániọ̀mà) are a subgroup of the Igbo people predominantly indigenous to present day Delta State, Nigeria, along with communities in Edo State. The Anioma people encompass and are native to the nine northeastern Local Government Areas of Delta State and the Ika-Igbo communities of Edo State. Politically, the Anioma occupy the Delta North Senatorial District where they are the majority group.

Anioma people
Ndí Ániọ̀mà
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 and Edo State)
Religion
Predominantly Christian,
minority African Traditional Religion
Related ethnic groups
Igbo, Bini, Esan, Igala

Today, the population of the Anioma is estimated today to be at approximately 1.8 million.[1][2] The largest Anioma settlement and urban area is the Delta State Capital Territory, which incorporates the city of Asaba along the Niger River, with Okpanam, Igbuzor and surrounding communities.[3]

Etymology

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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 in south central Nigeria: the Aniocha (A), Ndokwa (N), Ika (I) and the Oshimili peoples(O).[4] 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.

In Igbo, the term can be transliterated into 'Good Land', and thus the Igbo intonation of the actual word forms the basis for official pronunciation[citation needed].

An ancient and industrious nation, the Anioma are estimated today to number approximately 1.8 million.[2][3] 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.

Geography

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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 and Edo States of Nigeria. The homeland of the Anioma encompasses a land mass of about 6,300 km2 [citation needed]. Anioma lies contiguous with Anambra in the East, Imo and Rivers in the south-east, Bayelsa in the south, and within the Deltan south-west by the Isoko, west by the Urhobo ethnic nation, north-west by southern Edo and north by southern Kogi. 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.[5] Politically, Anioma is often referred to in state affairs as Delta North, in line with the people of the Delta South and Delta Central senatorial districts within Delta.

Out of the 25 Local government areas in Delta, the nine northeastern make up the Anioma region:

  1. Aniocha North
  2. Aniocha South
  3. Ika North-East
  4. Ika South
  5. Ndokwa East
  6. Ndokwa West
  7. Oshimili North
  8. Oshimili South
  9. Ukwuani

Language

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The Anioma are predominantly Igbo speaking as well as other Igboid languages 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.), Ukwuani-Aboh dialect of the Igbo language mostly spoken by the peoples of Ndokwa.

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 and Umuebu in Ukwuani[6] as well as the Olukumi who are acculturated to the predominant Igbo culture [7] of Aniocha.

There are minority Anioma peoples in Edo (Igbanke, Ute-Oheze, Iru, Owariozor, Obagie N’Oheze, Ekpon, Owanikeke, Iyenle); Anambra (Onitsha, Atani, Ozobulu, Obosi, Oraifite) and Imo states (Oguta).

The Ekumeku Movement (1883-1914)

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See also Ekumeku Movement:

The Ekumeku War is unique in Anioma history and Igbo history in general for two reasons.[8] First, the movement's duration involved military campaigns spanning thirty-one years against the British.[9] Secondly, it exemplifies an effort amongst the Igbo people to unify previously fragmented states in resistance to the British colonial army.[9]

Towns & Communities

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Anioma towns and communities are listed alphabetically below:[10]

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,Ekuku-Agbor, 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.

Festivals

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Today, the Anioma celebrate their 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 annually brings together the local council areas of Aniomaland to celebrate their common identity.

Notable people

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Federal Republic of Nigeria, Official gazette". 94 (24). 2007. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ^ "About". ANIOMA VOICE WORLDWIDE FOUNDATION. Archived from the original on 2021-04-27. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
  3. ^ "NED NWOKO'S STATE CREATION BILL – THISDAYLIVE". www.thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
  4. ^ "How the term 'Anioma' was derived". Freshangle News. 2020-05-19. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
  5. ^ Kunirum Osia, Anioma Association Inc, USA, May 24, 1997
  6. ^ "EBU, THE IGALA- SPEAKING COMMUNITY IN ANIOMA". nairapen.com. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  7. ^ Nkemnacho, George (2024-02-28). "Olukumi Kingdom: A Peculiar Yoruba Enclave". Everrand. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ a b 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.
  10. ^ "The Anioma People - A History Lesson in Five Minutes (by Bolaji Aluko)". groups.google.com. Retrieved 2021-09-16.
  11. ^ Nwafor (2018-04-14). "Achuzia,"Hannibal", buried in Asaba". Vanguard News. Retrieved 2022-09-07.
  12. ^ "TONY ELUMELU: Exiting UBA as CEO at Age 47 was a Blessing – THISDAYLIVE". www.thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 2022-09-07.
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Further reading

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  • 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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