By Tony Eluemunor

Even now, the nine local government areas of Anioma land of Delta State, can hardly speak with one voice. Looking back, the entire Anioma people must ever remain grateful to the late Sylvester Ifeanyichukwu Moemeka, of LINTAs, advertising company which he joined in 1962, and became its first African head, chairman and managing director in 1974.

He spoke for Anioma during the deliberations leading to the splitting of the fabled old Bendel state into two: Delta and Edo states. In one of the last meetings, which held at the Lagos home of the late Rear-Admiral Augustus Aikhomo, who announced that the split would follow the natural boundaries of Benin and Delta Provinces. Aikhomu’s decisive statement was clear; Bendel was simply coined from the two provinces that were joined into one to create the defunct Mid-West region in 1963, and which was renamed Bendel in 1975.

So, according to Aikhomu’s verdict, the Ukwuani Local Government (with headquarters at Obiaruku including Akoku-Uno, Amai-Nge, Ishikaguma, Umubu, Umuekum, Umuosele Adonishaka, Ebedei-Uno and Obi-Ebedei) towns, the  Ndokwa West Local Government with its administrative seat in Kwale (Utagba-Ogbe) with towns like Abbi, Ogume, Onicha-Ukwuani, Utagba, Utagbe-Uno, Ijeze, Imam-Abbi, Emu-Uno and other towns and Ndokwa East LGA headquartered at Aboh and the communities and towns of Abarra, Aboh, Afor, Ase, Ashaka, Ibedeni, Ibrede, Okpai, Onyia, Ossissa, Adiai, Akarai, Beneku, Igbuku, Obikwele, Onogbokor, Onuaboh, Ushie, Umuolu, Utchi etc, would be in Delta State.

Then the others:the Ika North and South, Oshimili North and South, and the Aniocha North and South LGAs would go with the Benin province to form their new state.  That would make them the minority of the minorities, and the ultimate outsiders in their new states—Delta and Edo.

There was only one dissenting voice, Moemeka’s. He announced that the Anioma people were one people and so should remain in one state.

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A mocking voice reminded him that the Ndokwa people had been a part of the Delta province since time immemorial and had been happy in that environment. That voice added that the so-called Anioma area never even spoke a common language. Moemeka refused to be infuriated. He calmly replied that all parts of the Anioma are known as the Western Igbo area and they speak Igbo language, but different dialects. He said that he at least knew the meaning of “Ukwuani or Ndoshumili,” but that the average Itsekiri or the Urhobo person does not even know what the Ndokwa person calls “water.”

A silence descended on the gathering.

Rear-Admiral Aikhomu broke the silence; he asked Moemeka pointedly: “So, as you are the voice of your people, where do you want your people to go; with Delta or Benin Province?”

Moemeka cleared his throat and replied; “I don’t want to be asking for too much. My people are a peaceful and understanding people, though we can fight if need be as the Ekumeku war showed. Whether we are in the state that will result from the Delta or Benin province is immaterial; the material thing to us is that we MUST remain as one and totally undivided in any state we find ourselves in. Finish!” That was how Anioma remained as one in Delta state instead of having three LGAs in Delta and six in Edo.

So, how did the Anioma area come to be carved up and thrown to different directions, unlike other such unanimous areas in Nigeria? Well, a sinister tale lies behind it; the Anioma people were so dastardly punished by the British for the Ekumeku revolution that lasted all of 31 years—from 1883 to 1914.

The British had for long identified the Anioma nation as unusually independent-minded (read belligerent).  For instance, in 1830, the Lander Brothers reported their sour experiences in the hands of the Anioma back home for they were captured by the Anioma community who did not understand their reason for crossing through their territory. The Aboh kingdom ruled the Niger from the Asaba area to Lokoja by then. So, for long, Britain was just waiting for an excuse to descend on the area.

By 1870, the crisis between Anioma and Britain had degenerated as the colonialists invaded Ndoni, an Anioma community now in Rivers state. The British parliament had supported the use of force against Ndoni to gain control of their market. The Royal Niger Company invaded Atani another Anioma community (now in Anambra state) in 1880; it was pure genocide. On November 2, 1897, Onicha-Ado (Onitsha) an Anioma community was bombarded.  The following year, Ibusa felt the sting of the British, in a surprise attack. The Ibusa forces retreated and the British was still savouring an easy victory when Ibusa counter-attacked in the first battle of the Ekumeku war. Writing in 1898, Father Zappa emphasized that rather than surrender, “the Ekwumekwu soldiers continued to resist as the Ibusa forces reinforced.” The British Commander, Major Festing’s, appealed for reinforcement of troops from Lokoja to help subdue Ibusa. Even then Ibusa held on until the devilish scorched earth tactics which led to the inhumane destruction of Ibusa farms and villages made them to give up the struggle. That was another war crime against the Anioma.

On February 11, 1904, Owa (near Agbor), had to defend herself against the British. W. E. B. Crawford Coupland, the Divisional Commissioner ordered for 4 Connaught Rangers, 2.95 artillery and other weapons. Ekute provided military support to the Ekumeku soldiers. The Commander, Lt H. C. Moorhouse would later defend himself on why he sustained casualties; he said Owa had well-trained soldiers and their geographical knowledge was an advantage. Mr. S. O. Crewe lost his life in the battle. This has been rated as one of the fiercest resistances the Ekumeku warriors put up as the fight raged for weeks.

The battle of Ogwashi-Uku began on November 2, 1909 with a mandate to the British Forces to kill everybody on their way. Yet, the British invaders sustained 34 casualties, most notably Captain H. C. Chapman. In 1910, the British made Ogwashi the Asaba Division Headquarters and built a prison there to contain the Ekumeku insurgency. Ekumeku fighters rallied from other towns to help Ogwashi in that battle.

Okowa, the jinx breaker straddling Delta

So the British made a deliberate effort to balkanise Anioma; and Anioma territories such as Onicha-Ado and Oguta were permanently lost to the Easterners. Onitsha’s change of name disassociated it from their Onicha-Olona, Onicha-Ukwu, Onicha-Uku or Onicha-Ugbo kins in Anioma.  Anioma was divided into four and thrown to other groups who would lord it over them. Asaba Division was joined to the Benin Province and Aboh Division (Ndi-Olu) were joined with Urhobo, Ijaws and Itsekiris to make up the Delta Province. Onitsha, Oguta and environs were joined to the Eastern provinces. This made political unity nearly impossible. This disunity continues to this day.

Anioma towns such as Isheagwu,  Kwale, Ugbolu, Obiaruku, Aboh, Ebu, Ubulu-Uku, Ogwashi-Uku, Akumazi-Umuocha, Obomkpa, Ezi, Issele-Uku, Ilah, Okpanam, Issele-Azagba, Owa and Ibusa partook in the war to stop British high-handedness such as commandeering of food stuff, forced labour, wanton assault of the “natives” especially women. Others include Idumuje-Ugboko, Agbor, Igbodo, Umunede, Ute-Okpu, Ashama and Idume-Ugbo. Their bravery will echo through the ages to come.