OPINION: Sen. Ned Nwoko’s Self Proposed Creation Of Anioma State In South East Region

(A VIEW OF IKA NATIONS PERSPECTIVE)

By Solomon Omojie

The Ika people are a group of people with communities that are indigenous to their location ,within Ika south, Ika North East and some local govts in Edo state such as Orhionwon LGA. ,etc.
The Ika Nation is made up of many clans whose migratory history has been linked to migrations from Sudan, Benin, Esan, Igbo Ndokwa, Igala and others.

The Ika people speak a language known as Ika language with many dialects or variations and also within the Ika south in Agbor Kingdom are the Oza people who speak oza language.

The central believe of the Ika people is predicated on Oselobue (Osolobue ) as God, Ehi as Guardian spirit and destiny as oriehi and a believe in the spirit realms known as Orimi.

The Ika people worship several divinities but the prime one is Olokun ( divinity of sea ,waters ) and Idigun (Iron /war deity ).

STRUCTURE OF GOVT.
Each Ika clan has a monarchy known as either Dein or Obi for those in Deltah while Enogie is the title for those within Edo state.

The kings have an Edaiken (Crown prince ) and three levels of chiefs – Town chiefs
– Palace chiefs
– Hereditory chiefs

– Who go by various titles such as Esama, Obaseki. Ologboshere, Olihe ,Ihama ,etc .

In several commission of inquiry by the British colonial govt ,the Ika people have defended their ethnicity even from larger groups attempting to usurp the Ika people into their ethnic group. In 1958, the colonial govt set up a commission of inquiry to protect the rights of minority ethnic groups in Nigeria and Willinks commission was established and a gazette was published in it Ika was gazetted as a minority ethnic group in the southern part of Nigeria.

ALSO READ: Two Fake EFCC Operatives Bag 46 Years Jail Term In Lagos

HISTORY OF AGBOR PATRIOTIC UNION ( 1st Ika ethnic organization )

The Agbor District Council was formed in 1901 placed under Benin Division. This was for Ika clans both in Edo and Delta states.

So in 1926, the Agbor patriotic Union was formed ,and those at the forefront were Omojafor (Father of stev Omojafor) and Ukperi Obaigbena ( Father of Nduka Obaigbena).

In 1949, the Agbor patriotic union was changed to Ika patriotic Union . This derived impetus from people like Godwin Eboigbe, Hezekiah Okoh, George Okungbowa,,S.Osagbobu, ,John Ehikwe ,Emmanuel Omoregbe ,Michael Akpenyi ,Jonathan Omonedo ,George Oka Orewa ,Vincent Egbarin (Orikeze of Agbor ). This was what gave rise today to Onu-Ika Nigeria ,the socio-cultural body of the Ika ethnic Group

THE REASONS WHY IKA ETHNIC GROUP SHOULD NOT BE FORCED INTO THE PROPOSED ANIOMA STATE, IN SOUTH EAST REGION.

Anioma is not a word in any language as many people think, as Chief Dennis Osadebe coined it from the letters of the 4 Groups that reside within the region-
A-From Aniocha, N-from Ndokwa, I -from Ika, O-from Oshimili, while MA was added for easy pronunciation. This state was proposed to be in the midwest Region.

2. The Ika people in Delta and Edo state in south south Nigeria should not be split into south east and south south region as this will disrupt the socio-psychological and economic wellbeing of the Ika Nation.

3. The Ika people should not be placed in a region like the south East who day and night agitate for the creation of the Biafran Nation and in a region where sit at home syndrome and terrorism and severe violence has become their daily way of life. Who will like to leave a peaceful state like Delta in the south south and join violence prone south East where their people are daily relocating to more peaceful areas in Delta, Lagos, Calabar m, Ibadan ,etc.

Ordinarily the creation of an Anioma state in the south south would have been ideal but a move to include it in south East is not in the interest of Ika nation.
But Ned Nwoko who is from Aniocha cannot say he does not know of the Igalas in Ebu and Olukunmi (Yoruba Related ) people nor the Oza -Edo Related in Ika nor the isokos in Ndokwa ? So what made him to make such a statement without duly consulting the different constituents of Delta North .
We hope his moves are not motivated by personal ambitions that he has .
If SEN. Ned Nwoko had consulted with his immediate constituency of Aniocha or Oshimili people he should have proposed an Anioma state with only his people going to join the south East as he cannot decide for the Ika Nation where they want to be.