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