| It is not only sad but mistaking and | | | | the criteria necessary. |
| unprecedented that our Urhobo brothers with | | | | |
| whom we share one state could advocate for | | | | The Anioma people have distinctiveness having |
| the relocation of Delta state capital from | | | | been westernized any historian of whatever |
| Asaba to Warri, Ugheli or any one "true | | | | origin can tell that common language is one |
| Delta" town as they put it, a development | | | | value which holds Aniomas together, a unique |
| they further claim the Delta state House of | | | | bond that has united the people of this area |
| Assembly can handle in order to make it | | | | from time immemorial. Granted that the |
| peaceful one in so far the Aniomas decide to | | | | various Anioma towns and villages have |
| dialogue it. | | | | diverse history of origin and development but |
| | | | they all have something in common. |
| This idea is still unwarranted and laughable | | | | |
| because it suggests that Asaba is not a | | | | Some people have argued that the Ndokwas |
| geographically located within the Delta of | | | | should not be referred to as part of Anioma. |
| River Niger or that the Aniomas are not part | | | | In fact a particular school of thought went |
| of Niger Delta region. We leave this | | | | further to state that the Ndokwas formed part |
| particular question to Geographers to answer. | | | | of the defunct old Delta province. It is an |
| If today Edo state, Akwa Ibom state, Cross | | | | incontrovertible fact that the Ndokwas have |
| River state, Abia State amongst others all | | | | had more cordial relationship with their |
| form part of Niger Delta we wonder why areas | | | | Anioma brothers from time immemorial and |
| such as Ibusa, Asaba, Oko, Okpanam, Ndokwa | | | | share similar historical values, customs, |
| towns and villages all located few square | | | | culture, tradition and linguistics. The |
| miles away and lying at the Delta of this | | | | Ekwumekwu movement is a well known resistance |
| river cannot be part of the Niger Delta. Will | | | | carried out against the British imperialists |
| "Niger Delta" not now amount to mere | | | | within the Anioma region and the |
| nomenclature only in existence for the | | | | contributions of the Ndokwa people along side |
| description of Urhobo, Ijaw, Isoko and | | | | their brothers in this region is well known |
| Itsekiri and the possession of oil? | | | | and recorded. We also know that it was the |
| | | | loss of these wars that led the British in |
| Perhaps we forget too easily that at that | | | | their typical imposing manners to divide the |
| time there were two states in agitation | | | | Anioma region and place them under different |
| namely Delta state and Anioma and the then | | | | provinces. This they hoped would weaken |
| Military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida | | | | wherever they derived their sources of |
| decided to make something out of the two | | | | strength from which they viewed as |
| states in proposal and the best he could | | | | togetherness. It is unnecessary to state here |
| arrive at was creating Delta state and | | | | that one bad effect of this movement was the |
| situating the capital at Asaba. He might have | | | | permanent loss of Onitsha, Obosi, Oguta and |
| tried hard to please these two blocs. One | | | | environs to the South-East geo-political zone |
| Urhobo indigene was to later describe this | | | | as presently constituted. Even the Nigerian |
| act as a "creation of Delta state from | | | | Government has failed to address this sad |
| Babangida personal bedroom" Will it not have | | | | development several years after independence. |
| pleased the Aniomas if Anioma state had been | | | | |
| created with the capital at Asaba? Is the | | | | Was it not chief Obafemi Awolowo who pointed |
| Delta south more dissatisfied that their | | | | out that in creating states cultural as well |
| agitation was not met? If the Aniomas are so | | | | as linguistic affinities should first be |
| pleased with this development why has the | | | | considered above other factors? I refuse to |
| agitation for the creation Anioma state | | | | accept that tribally the Ndokwas are closer |
| continued even till this day? Today history | | | | to the Urhobos, Ijaws, Itsekiris, and Isokos |
| is fast establishing that there is nothing | | | | because I know that mere communication cannot |
| wrong with the situation of Delta state | | | | take place between these "true Delta states" |
| capital at Asaba because the town has met all | | | | and the Ndokwas. |