Anioma people are one of the Igbo subgroups in present day Delta State, Nigeria. They encompass the communities which span across the 9 northeastern Local Government Areas of Delta State. They occupy the Delta North Senatorial District, which consists of the Enuani (Oshimili/ Aniocha), and Ukwuani/ Ndokwa and Ika geographical and linguistic zones of Delta State.

Anioma means "Good Land" in the Igbo language, and it is an acronym derived from the Local Government in Delta North district namely Aniocha, Ndokwa, Ika and Oshimili, however "MA" is added to give the acronym meaning and wholeness.

An ancient and industrious nation, Anioma is estimated to have a total population of approximately 1.8 million people.[1][2] The largest Anioma settlement and urban area is the Delta State Capital Territory which incorporates the city of Asaba along the Niger, with Okpanam and Igbuzor and surrounding communities.

Geography

The Anioma are located on the floodplains and hills of the West Basin of Niger River within the present Delta state of Nigeria, it encompasses a land mass of about 6,300 km2 . Politically, Anioma is often referred to as Delta North, as against the other peoples known as the Delta South and Delta Central in the same state. Anioma is bounded on the East by Anambra State, south-east by Imo and Rivers States, south Bayelsa State, south-west by Isoko, west by Urhobo people, north-west by Edo State and north by Kogi State. Anioma may therefore be regarded as highly contiguous to very many neighbours ethnic groups. The people have drawn their culture and experiences as a result of lying contiguous to numerous other ethnicities and communities which characterizes Anioma as a relatively peaceful region.[3]

There are 25 Local government areas in Delta State, and the nine underneath make up the Anioma region:

  1. Aniocha North
  2. Aniocha South
  3. Ika South
  4. Ika North-East
  5. Ndokwa East
  6. Ndokwa West
  7. Oshimili North
  8. Oshimili South
  9. Ukwuani

Language

Anioma people speak Igbo language with different dialects. These dialects include the Enuani dialect spoken in Ibusa, Ogwashi-Uku, Asaba, parts of Igbodo, Illah, Issele, Idumuje, Onicha etc.), the Ika dialect (Agbor, Umunede, Owa etc.) with heavy influence from the Bini language. Ukwuani-Aboh dialect of the Ukwuani-Aboh-Ndoni cluster mostly spoken by the peoples of Ndokwa. There are minority Anioma peoples in Edo state of Nigeria (Igbanke), Anambra state (Onitsha, Ozobulu, Obosi, Oraifite) Imo state (Oguta), Rivers state (Ndoni, Ogba) etc. A tiny minority of Igala exists in Ebu on the border with Edo State and Umuebu in Ukwuani.[4]

List of Anioma towns and communities

Anioma towns and communities alphabetically arranged below:[5]

Abah, Abala Anikoko, Abavo, Abi, Abodei, Aboh, Adai, Adonta, Afor, Agbor, Akakpan-Isumpe, Ankara, Akoku, Akuku-Akumazi, Akumazi-Umuocha, Akwuku-Igbo, Alasime, Alidinma, Alihagu, Amai, Anakwa, Anifekide, Aninwalo, Aninwama-Jeta, Aniofu, Aniogo, Anioma, Anuregu, Anwai, Asaba, Asaba-Ase, Asaba-Ubulu, Ashaka, Ashama, Atuma, Atuma-Iga, Azagba-Ogwashi, Azagba-Ubieni, Ebedi, Ebu, Edo-Ogwashi, Egbudu-Akah, Egbudu-Ogwashi, Ejeme-Agbor, Ejeme-Aniogo, Ejeme-Unor, Ekpecho, Ekpon, Ekwuemusana, Emu, Emuhu, Etua Etiti, Etua Ukpo, Ewulu, Ezi, Eziokpor, Ezionum, Ibodoni, Ibrode, Ibusa, Idumuesah, Idumuje-Ugboko, Idumuje-Unor, Idumu-Ogo, Igbanke, Igbodo, Igbuku, Illah, Isa-Ogwashi, Iselegu, Isheagu, Isikiti-Ishiagu, Issele-Azagba, Issele-Mkpitime, Issele-Uku, Isumpe, Kwale, Mbiri, Ndemiri, Ndokwa, Abbi, Inam-Abbi, Eziunm, Nkpolenyi, Nsukwa, Obeti, Obi Anyima, Obi Umutu, Obi, Obiaruku, Obikwele, Obinomba, Obior, Obodo-Eti, Obomkpa, Ogbe, Ogode, Ogume, Ogwashi-Uku, Oko Anala, Oko/Ogbele, Oko-Amakom, Okotomi, Okpa, Okpanam, Okwe, Oligbo, Oligbo, Olor-Usisa, Olu-Odu, Omaja, Onicha Olona, Onicha-Ugbo, Onicha-Uku, Onitsha-Ukwuani, Onogbokor, Onuseti, Onya, Oolor-Ogwashi, Otolokpo, Otulu, Owa Nta, Owa-Abi, Owa-Alero, Owa-Ofie, Owa-Oyibo, Owerri-Olubor, Ubulubu, Ubulu-Okiti, Ubulu-Okiti, Ubulu-Ukwu, Ubulu-Unor, Udumeje, Ugboba, Ugbodu, Ugbolu, Ugiliamai, Ukala-Okpunor, Ukala-Okwute, Ukwuani, Ukwunzu, Ukwu-Oba, Umuabu, Umu-Ebu Adonishaka, Umukwem, Umukwota, Umunede, Umuolu, Umute, Umutu, Unor, Unor, Unuaja, Ushie, Usisa, Utagba-Ogbe, Utagba-Unor, Utchi, Ute Aru, Ute Enugu, Utegbeje, Ute-Okpu, Utuoku.

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Federal Republic of Nigeria, Official gazette". 94 (24). 2007. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ↑ "About". ANIOMA VOICE WORLDWIDE FOUNDATION. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
  3. ↑ Kunirum Osia, Anioma Association Inc, USA, May 24, 1997
  4. ↑ "EBU, THE IGALA- SPEAKING COMMUNITY IN ANIOMA". nairapen.com. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  5. ↑ "The Anioma People - A History Lesson in Five Minutes (by Bolaji Aluko)". groups.google.com. Retrieved 2021-09-16.
  6. ↑ Nwafor (2018-04-14). "Achuzia,"Hannibal", buried in Asaba". Vanguard News. Retrieved 2022-09-07.
  7. ↑ "TONY ELUMELU: Exiting UBA as CEO at Age 47 was a Blessing – THISDAYLIVE". www.thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 2022-09-07.
  8. ↑ "Okowa: 60 Garlands for An Indefatigable Performer". THISDAYLIVE. 2019-07-12. Retrieved 2022-03-04.

Further reading

  • Udeani, Chibueze. (2007). Inculturation as Dialogue: Igbo Culture and the Message of Christ. p. 11. ISBN 978-9042022294.
  • Ikime O. (ed). Groundwork of Nigerian history. Heineman educational books (Nigeria) PLC, Ibadan, 1980: 89-121.
  • Onwuejeogwu MA. Igbo civilization: Nri kingdom and hegemony; London, Ethnographica, 1981.
  • Obi Efeizomor II (Obi of Owa). Community development in Owa kingdom – the Nigerian factor. University of Benin press; Benin City-Nigeria; 1994: 303.
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