By Joseph Erunke, Abuja
Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North Senatorial District, has called on Igbos in the Southeast to embrace their kinsmen residing in other parts of the country, as part of efforts to strengthen the unity of Ndigbo.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja, Nwoko noted that many Igbos in the South-South, Kogi, and Benue still struggle with issues of identity, which he traced to the legacies of the Nigerian Civil War.
He recalled the 1966 Asaba massacre, describing it as a tragic turning point when Anioma people and other Igbos outside the Southeast were forced to conceal or renounce their identity to survive.
“Frightened by the rampaging soldiers, many of our people had to deny their Igbo heritage just to escape death. Some even adopted Benin names because troops were combing villages in search of Igbos,” Nwoko said.
According to him, this painful history explains why some Igbo groups outside the Southeast remain hesitant to openly identify as Igbo. However, he stressed that the renewed push for identity restoration aligns with the vision of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex socio-cultural body of the Igbos.
“The larger Igbo society should embrace its kith and kin scattered across Nigeria. Restoring our shared identity is a vital step towards true unification,” he added.
On the Anioma question, the senator wondered why some people in Delta State still deny their Igbo roots despite overwhelming cultural evidence.
“Names, traditions, cuisine, attire, market days, and ancestral practices of Anioma people remain identical to those of the wider Igbo community. As far as I know, there has never been a time when Igbos from across the Niger waged any expansionist war to force Anioma people to become Igbo. So why the fear?” he asked.
While acknowledging that individuals are free to identify differently, he insisted that the overwhelming majority of Anioma people are Igbo.
“Those who prefer to claim Benin should go ahead, but 99.9 percent of Anioma people are Igbo,” he maintained.
Nwoko, who has consistently championed the creation of Anioma State, reiterated his call for it to be carved out as the sixth state of the Southeast geopolitical zone.
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