RE: CLARIFYING ANIOMA IDENTIFY AND THE SOUTH-EAST QUESTION – A RESPONSE TO THE ODOGWU OF IBUSA

The recent publication by the Odogwu of Ibusa, Dr. Nwankwo T. Nwaezeigwe, is replete with revisionist narratives, sweeping generalizations, and deeply inappropriate commentary. While debate and opinion are welcome in a democracy, the distortion of history and culture to support a narrow political agenda is something that must be openly challenged.

1. The Asagba of Asaba Cannot Dictate for Anioma

While the Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty Obi (Prof.) Epiphany Azinge, SAN, is respected, it is a grave error to suggest that his opinion is “customarily binding” on all Anioma communities. Anioma is a collection of sovereign kingdoms, each with its own monarch and council of chiefs. Ogwashi-Uku, Onicha-Ugbo, Obior, Issele-Uku, Igbodo, Ubulu-Uku, and others are not vassal states of Asaba. The suggestion that a single monarch can bind the entire region by fiat runs contrary to our customs and democratic norms.

2. Anioma’s Historical Roots Are Igbo – Including Ogwashi-Uku

It is true that Anioma culture is enriched by contact with Benin, Igala, and other neighbours. But our linguistic, ancestral, and spiritual foundations are firmly Igbo. Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom, for example, traces its roots directly to the ancient Nri Kingdom in present-day Anambra State. Our naming customs, spiritual systems, title structures, and linguistic patterns overwhelmingly align with the broader Igbo civilization.

3. My Father, HRM Obi Prof. Chukwuka Okonjo, Fought for Biafra

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Let me be clear: I write as the son of His Royal Majesty Professor Chukwuka Okonjo, the late Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, who was not only a renowned academic but also a Brigadier in the Biafran Organisation of Freedom Fighters (BOFF)—a key arm of the Biafran military command. He fought with honour and conviction for the Igbo cause during the civil war. To suggest now, decades later, that Anioma people were never part of the Igbo nation, or that they were culturally alien to Biafra, is to erase the sacrifices of men like my father and many others who stood firm for justice, self-determination, and ethnic identity.

4. The Odogwu’s Comments on Fellow Monarchs Are Deeply Offensive

It is astonishing that a titled man would cite the ill health of the Obi of Akwukwu-Igbo or the brutal assassination of the Obi of Ubulu-Uku as punishments for failing to uphold certain “taboos.” These are real human tragedies, not supernatural morality tales. This kind of commentary is indecorous, disrespectful, and unbecoming of anyone who claims to speak for our people. We must always show dignity to the stool, regardless of who occupies it.

5. Anioma’s Place Is With Its Kin—In the South-East

The movement for Anioma State is not merely about political alignment. It is about cultural restoration. Anioma people speak Igbo, live Igbo, and have suffered alongside the Igbo. The Asaba Massacre, the pogroms, and the systemic marginalization of Anioma communities did not occur because we were different from our eastern brothers. They occurred because we were seen as the same. No historical revisionism can erase this blood-linked solidarity.

6. Geopolitics Must Serve Identity and Justice—Not Fear

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Anioma people deserve to choose their future freely. We cannot be hostages to fears of IPOB or the actions of past military leaders. Inclusion in the South-East offers us unity, economic synergy, and political weight. Inclusion in the South-South, dominated by other ethnic groups with their own ambitions, leaves Anioma isolated and fragmented.

7. Peaceful Coexistence With Edo Is Not Mutually Exclusive With Igbo Identity

Respecting and maintaining cordial relations with our Edo neighbours does not require us to deny our Igbo roots. True friendship is based on mutual respect, not cultural surrender. Anioma people must not be used as pawns in a geopolitical balancing act.

Conclusion

Anioma’s future cannot be dictated by nostalgia for pre-colonial alliances or political maneuvering by a few. It must be decided by open consultation, historical truth, and the will of the people. No one traditional ruler speaks for all of Anioma, and certainly not for Ogwashi-Uku.

Let us honour our ancestors by speaking truth—not myth. Let us honour our monarchs by protecting their dignity—not weaponizing their misfortunes. And let us honour our identity by standing where we truly belong: as proud Anioma people, deeply and unapologetically Igbo.

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Signed, Prince Onyema Okonjo,
A Proud Son of Anioma and Ogwashi-Uku