Chairman of the Senate Committee on Reparation and Repatriation, Senator Ned Nwoko (APC, Delta North), has urged the Anioma people of Delta State to fully embrace their Igbo identity and unite with their eastern brothers in building a stronger and more united Nigeria.

Nwoko made the call in Asaba while addressing participants at a conference organised by the Igbo Unification Movement in collaboration with the Ndi na Asu Bia Socio-Cultural Organisation, themed “Igbo Bu Ofu” (Igbos are One).

In a statement from his office on Friday, Nwoko commended the organisers for their courage and vision, saying their work aligns with his long-standing advocacy for Anioma identity and the creation of Anioma State out of Delta North.

The Igbo Unification Movement and Ndi na Asu Bia have emerged in recent years as strong voices for the cultural, historical, and political unity of Igbo-speaking communities across Nigeria, including Anioma (Delta North), Igbanke in Edo, and other border areas. The groups argue that reclaiming a collective Igbo identity is vital for political strength, cultural revival, and correcting decades of distortion.

“There is no argument about our Igbo-ness. I understand history very well. I have a degree in history. I know the migration of the Igbo people, and I know clearly that we, the Anioma, are Igbo,” Nwoko said. “Time has come for us to reverse the old narratives that separated us from our brothers across the Niger.”

The senator, who has consistently pushed for the creation of Anioma State in the National Assembly, stressed that his agitation is not driven by politics or personal ambition but by the need to correct historical imbalances.

“This is not about APC, PDP, or Labour Party. It is about identity, justice, and fairness. I have no interest in being governor, but I want Anioma to stand tall with its own state, with Asaba as its capital. That way, we also fulfill the dream of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, which has always recognized Anioma as one of the Igbo states,” he said.

Recalling his childhood experience during the Nigerian Civil War, Nwoko revealed that Anioma communities suffered ethnic cleansing and were forced to deny their Igbo identity to survive. He said the lingering identity crisis from that era must now give way to truth and reconciliation.

He also commended academics and activists, including Professor Abigail Ogwezzy of the University of Lagos, whose research on Anioma linguistics and history has reinforced the people’s Igbo roots.

Highlighting the wider significance of the conference, Nwoko said: “The Igbo man is Igbo everywhere, whether from Delta, Imo, or Abia. Just like a Chinese man remains Chinese anywhere in the world, Anioma must rise to embrace its identity. That is the only way we can achieve unity and political relevance.”

Nwoko, who also chairs the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Crude Oil Theft, urged the Igbo Unification Movement, Ndi na Asu Bia, and other cultural organisations to continue their advocacy, education, and mobilisation, stressing that only through collective effort can the dream of a united Igbo nation and the creation of Anioma State be realised. (Saturday Vanguard)