Topic: The Anioma Question and the Historical Journey of Belonging
Q- Your Majesty, you have been consistent in your support for the creation of Anioma State. How far back does your advocacy go, and what is the foundation of this agitation?
Obi Obuzor: I have supported the idea of Anioma State since 1980, but the agitation itself goes much further back. I have traced its origin to 1939, when the regions were first created in this country. That was when they marooned us to the West. We were supposed to be in the East, because the boundary between the North and West is not the River Niger, and the boundary between the North and East is not the River Benue. So naturally, the boundary between the East and West should have been after Abudu. But instead, they placed us in the West. We have remained there, cut off from our true brothers, ever since, and we have been agitating to return to where we belong.
Q- Many leaders of your generation shared this conviction. What inspired you personally to stand out in this cause?
Obi Obuzor: No, I am not the pioneer. I had travelled widely before returning home. The name of our organization itself tells the story. The only home we truly have in this world, the only portion of the earth where we belong, is here. When we go to the farm, we always have a resting place called Odu. In this life, we have come to work, but we must also have a place of rest. This land, this is our Odu Oma. This is our settlement, and we want it to be the best in the world. In pursuing that dream, we discovered that we had been wronged since 1939, placed where we should not be. We were meant to be East of the Niger, because the correct line of demarcation lies beyond Abudu. Just as Ilorin was placed in the North, and Benue in the North, they placed us, the only Igbo speaking group, in the West. Our fathers began agitating from that time. I am only continuing what they started. The Obi of Agbor, the Obi of Aboh, and the Obi of Idumujugboko were among those who took part in the early movement. They missed the formal recognition of our position by a small margin, just a matter of who would sign first, and that delay on April 1st, 1939, is what we still suffer from today.
Q- You mentioned forming a club in 1980. What was its purpose and vision?
Obi Obuzor: Yes, I formed the club in 1980. Our main preoccupation has always been to restore ourselves to where we belong, the South East. At that time, there was no talk of South South or South West; those are modern creations. We simply wanted recognition as part of our people, East of the Niger. That remains our prayer and our pursuit. There was nothing called Anioma until we began the agitation. The name Anioma represents our unity: Aniocha, Ndokwa, Ika, and Oshimili. It stands for our desire to make our homeland the best of all communities. We created the name Anioma to give identity to our common cause, to champion our return, to document our struggle, and to give our children a sense of belonging.
Q- Senator Ned Nwoko is currently championing the Anioma cause in the Senate. What would you like to say to him?
Obi Obuzor: Fortunately, he was right here, standing beside me, when we asked him to go ahead and champion our cause. He is our son, and it is in his blood. His father was among those who took part in the 1939 agitation. He comes from a family of enlightened people who have always
stood for the advancement of our people. We may have added a name to the movement, but the struggle itself has been there long before us, the struggle to be where we truly belong, East of the Niger.
Q- Finally, Your Majesty, do you have a message for leaders in the South East?
Obi Obuzor: Yes. I say to them, our people fought alongside you in the past, yet at the end of the day, we were left behind. It is time to recognize that we are one people. Let those who are asleep awake. Awake, and embrace your brothers. It is time for unity and for truth.
Nice one