Anioma people
Anioma are Igbo communities in Delta State. They occupy Delta North Senatorial District, which consists of the Enuani (Oshimili/Aniocha), Ika, and Ukwuani/Ndokwa linguistic zones of Delta State.
Anioma means "Good Land" in the Igbo language and it has an estimated total population of approximately 1.8 million people.[1][2]
Geography[]
Anioma is located in the areas of the West Basin of River Niger, south-south within the present Delta state of Nigeria, it encompasses a land mass of about 6,300 km2. In the political matters of the state, Anioma is often referred to as Delta North as against the other peoples known as the Delta South and Delta Central in the same state. Anioma is bounded on the East by Anambra State, south-east by Imo and Rivers States, south Bayelsa State, south-west by Isoko, west by Urhobo people, north-west by Edo State and north by Kogi State. Anioma may therefore be regarded as highly contiguous to very many neighbours ethnic groups. The people have drawn experiences as a result of lying contiguous to numerous other towns, communities and states which characterizes the Anioma as one of the most peaceful regions in the country.[3]
There are 25 Local government areas in Delta State and the nine underneath make up the Anioma region:
- Aniocha North
- Aniocha South
- Ika south
- Ika North-East
- Ndokwa East
- Ndokwa West
- Oshimili North
- Oshimili South
- Ukwuani
Dialects[]
Dialects of Anioma include: Ukwuani (mostly spoken by the Ndokwa and Ukwuani), Enu-Ani (Ibusa, Ogwashi-Uku, Asaba, parts of Igbodo, Ilah, Isseles, Idumujes, Onichas etc), Ika (Agbor, Umunede, Owas etc) and Aboh (spoken mostly by the Aboh and the communities around it) moreso, it is true that the Anioma towns and communities understand and also speak Ibo language effectively. Note that there are Anioma people in Edo state of Nigeria (Igbanke), Anambra state (Onitsha, Ozobulu, Obosi, Oraifite) Imo state (Oguta), Rivers state (Ndoni, Ogba) etc.
List of Anioma towns and communities[]
Anioma towns and communities alphabetically arranged below:[4]
Abah, Abala Anikoko, Abavo, Abi, Abodei, Aboh, Adai, Adonta, Afor, Agbor, Akakpan-Isumpe, Ankara, Akoku, Akuku-Akumazi, Akumazi-Umuocha, Akwuku-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, 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, Igbuku, Illah, Isa-Ogwashi, Iselegu, Isheagu, Isikiti-Ishiagu, Issele-Azagba, Issele-Mkpitime, Issele-Uku, Isumpe, Kwale, Mbiri, Ndemiri, Ndokwa, Nkpolenyi, Nsukwa, Obeti, Obi Anyima, Obi Umutu, Obi, Obiaruku, Obikwele, Obinumba, 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, Umukwem, Umukwota, Umunede, Umuolu, Umute, Umutu, Unor, Unor, Unuaja, Ushie, Usisa, Utagba-Ogbe, Utagba-Unor, Utchi, Ute Aru, Ute Enugu, Utegbeje, Ute-Okpu, Utuoku.
Notable Anioma people[]
This section does not cite any sources. (June 2014) |
- Joseph "Hannibal" Achuzie
- Phillip Asiodu, former Federal Minister
- Maryam Babangida, wife of General Ibrahim Babangida
- Prof Joseph Chike Edozien, the Asagba of Asaba
- Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings, the United Bank for Africa, Transcorp and founder of The Tony Elumelu Foundation
- Air-Marshal Paul Dike, former Chief of Defence Staff of Nigeria NASA
- Buchi Emecheta, Nigerian-born British novelist
- Godwin Emefiele, the current Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
- Elizabeth Isichei, prominent historian
- 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
- Nduka Odizor, former Lawn tennis player
- Joy Ogwu, former Mangaging Director of Nigeria Institute of International Affairs
- Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the current Managing Director of World Bank
- Ifeanyi Okowa, former Nigerian Senator and current Governor of Delta State
- Austine "Jay-Jay" Okocha, former Captain of Super Eagles of Nigeria
- Sunday Oliseh, former Captain of super Eagles of Nigeria
- Dennis Osadebe, politician, poet, journalist and former premier of the now defunct Mid-Western Region of Nigeria, which now comprises Edo and Delta State.
- Jim Ovia, M/D Zenith Bank
- 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
- Sam Obi, Former Acting Governor of Delta State and former Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly.
- Faze, Nigerian Musician
See also[]
- Igbo language
- Igboid languages
- Organisation for the Advancement of Anioma Culture (OFAAC)
References[]
- ^ "Federal Republic of Nigeria, Official gazette". 94 (24). 2007. Cite journal requires
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(help) - ^ "About". ANIOMA VOICE WORLDWIDE FOUNDATION. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
- ^ Kunirum Osia, Anioma Association Inc, USA, May 24, 1997
- ^ "The Anioma People - A History Lesson in Five Minutes (by Bolaji Aluko)". groups.google.com. Retrieved 2021-09-16.
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). Ground work 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.
- Languages of Nigeria
- Igbo subgroups
- Ethnic groups in Nigeria