ANIOMA: Asagba of Asaba has the customary authority to Speak on our behalf

By Nwankwo T. Nwaezeigwe, PhD
Odogwu of Ibusa

I think if any Anioma indigene has the need to present a rebuttal to my article on the position adopted by His Royal Majesty Obi (Prof) Epiphany Azinge, it should not be someone fighting for traditional legitimacy among his Ogwashi-Uku people. Anioma people deserve better by individual cerebral and moral equations. Onyema Okonjo is a contra mundum in these two Anioma qualities.
Onyema Okonjo has no traditional locus standi to speak on issues of collective Anioma interest nah his own Ogwashi-Uku town. He cannot even by Ogwashi-Uku customs and traditions speak for his senior brother, the king. And even his senior brother the king cannot speak on such matters without the approval of Ndi-Nzele (Traditional Chiefs) of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom. So, his recent utterances are impudently hollow, criminal in carriage, compositely infantile and moronic and, detestably disrespectful to His Royal Majesty Obi (Prof) Epiphany Azinge.
He referred to me as the ousted Odogwu of Ibusa. The question is who ousted me and who took over my position as the substantive Odogwu of Ibusa? Odogwu na for mouth? May be such a person can speak out and as well take over my traditional role as the Odogwu of Ibusa customarily and traditionally commissioned for the external defence of my people, which is the legitimate role I am playing today on behalf of Anioma people.
Indeed, if anybody in Anioma should challenge my stand on the issue of the proposed Anioma State remaining in South-South geopolitical zone, it should either come from a Traditional ruler or a fellow Odogwu from another Anioma town, and not from any drunkard who has neither customary nor traditional value among his Ogwashi-Uku people. Does being a Prince entrust Onyema Okonjo any customary and traditional responsibility?
Onyema Okonjo posited in his stark ignorance, seven hollow points of rebuttal in the following order:
THE ASAGBA OF ASABA CANNOT DICTATE FOR ANIOMA; 2. ANIOMA’S HISTORICAL ROOTS ARE IGBO – INCLUDING OGWASHI-UKU; 3. MY FATHER, HRM OBI PROF CHUKWUKA OKONJO, FOUGHT FOR BIAFRA; 4. THE ODOGWU’S COMMENTS ON FELLOW MONARCHS ARE DEEPLY OFFENSIVE; 5. ANIOMA’S PLACE IS WITH ITS KIN—IN THE SOUTH-EAST 6. GEOPOLITICS MUST SERVE IDENTITY AND JUSTICE—NOT FEAR, 7. PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE WITH EDO IS NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE WITH IGBO IDENTITY
I will take them seriatim.

1. On THE ASAGBA OF ASABA CANNOT DICTATE FOR ANIOMA
   For the information of the prodigal Onyema Okonjo, the decision of His Royal Majesty the Asagba of Asaba is the collective position of Anioma Council of Traditional Rulers long adopted last year during their Quarterly meeting at Owa. In the said Council meeting Senator Ned Nwoko was invited and appropriately cautioned but he continued behave a normal Southeast Senator who sees himself superior to his Traditional rulers. If the Onyema Okonjo’s elder brother, the current Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, was not in that Council meeting then his recognition among Anioma Kings becomes questionable.
   Onyema Okonjo did not even tell us who should be the right person to speak on behalf of Anioma people. Is it his senior brother the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku or Ned Nwoko his roguish Senator? Which Anioma traditional platform can speak authoritatively on behalf of Anioma people outside their traditional rulers?
   Is Onyema Okonjo telling us that the decision taken by his elder brother as the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku cannot be binding on Ogwashi-Uku people? Unfortunately Onyema Okonjo has just informed us that his gangrenous intellectual Lilliputism is incurable. I don’t think Onyema Okonjo’s elder brother His Royal Majesty the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku will address the Asagba of Asaba in that disrespectful manner even as a king talking to a king.
   For the information of Onyema Okonjo, the Asagba of Asaba His Royal Majesty Obi (Prof) Epiphany Azinge is the pride of Anioma land in every intellectual, professional and traditional ramification. On what level does Onyema Okonjo think his elder brother is comparable to him? Remove his royal status Prof Epiphany Azinge has the cerebral audacity, intellectual carriage, exalted professionalism and sublime humility to speak on behalf of Anioma people. So Onyema Okonjo simply shot himself on the leg by opening his stinking mouth to cast aspersion on the Asagba of Asaba.
2. ON ANIOMA’S HISTORICAL ROOTS ARE IGBO – INCLUDING OGWASHI-UKU
   It is unfortunate that Onyema Okonjo would exhibit such chronic ignorance of even the history of his town, Ogwashi-Uku. Ogwashi-Uku historically is not only a multi-ethnic community in origin made up of Benin, Ishan, Igala and Igbo migrants, but has people of Igala origin as the dominant political force.
   The aborigines of Ogwashi-Uku represented by the present Ikelike Quarters are of Benin origin. This is an indisputable historical fact. The Odionwere (Diokpa) of Ikelike Quarters performs the traditional crowning of Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, while the political confirmation is performed by the Onishe (Oliha), a tile of Benin origin. The Obi of Ogwashi-Uku was the creation of Oba of Benin Kingdom.
   Until the coming of British colonialism Ogwashi-Uku Kings were full vassals of Benin Kingdom, requiring confirmation by the Oba of Benin. May be, Onyema Okonjo who is proud to refer to himself as Prince, should tell us if the tradition of Ogwashi-Uku kingship originated from his mother’s hometown of Ogidi in Anambra State of Nigeria?
   The Aboh immigrants who are the second in population size can also claim Benin ancestry if their Aboh ancestral home claims so. The dominant Nri settlers, whose forebears migrated from the present Agukwu Quarters of Nri town, are Igala by origin, since Agukwu-Nri people are themselves Igala in origin.
   So, if we go by in-depth statistical historical analysis, Ogwashi-Uku should be treated as a Benin town with the dominance of the later Igala immigrants. If Onyema Okonjo therefore wants to locate his original place of origin he should go to Kogi State and not Anambra State. May be from that moment he would start campaigning for Anioma State to be included in North Central geopolitical Zone.
   Even Ibusa town where I come from cannot claim exclusive Igbo origin because after the Isu immigrants from Nnewi, followed by those from Isu-Aniocha and Oboshi, then came the Ogboli Quarters from Agukwu-Nri who are by extension Igala in origin. These were later joined by immigrants from Benin, Ishan, Aboh, Egbudu-Aka, Ogwashi-Uku, Okwe, Issele-Azagba, Utagba-Uno, Asaba, Akwukwu-Igbo, Ubulu-Uno, Awka and Okpanam, among others.
   If we further look at Aniocha North Local Government Area, which is Ned Nwoko’s homebase, one will discover that it is difficult to find a single town with pronounced tradition of Igbo origin. Aniocha North Local Government Area is made up three clans—Ezechime Clan which claims Benin origin; Odiani Clan which is Yoruba in ethnic origin whose ancestors migrated from Owo, Akure and Ife in the 16th century and; Idumuje Clan—Ned Nwoko’s home base, which has major Ishan (Esan) settlers.
   We can now agree that when Onyema Okonji described himself as authentic son of Anioma he was saying so not by right of being a core Igbo from the Southeast, but by the fact of his identity of alienism from the Igbo of Southeast, which is the characteristic basis of Anioma identity. I need not go into the Ika and Ndokwa area for want space; but the fact remains that Aniocha North Local Government Area is bi-lingual speaking Igbo and Yoruba; while Oshimili North Local Government Area is equally bi-lingual speaking Igbo and Igala.
   Anioma people are conscious of their history and respectful of their customs and tradition and, if Onyema Okonjo lacks these noble characteristics, then he might have mutated them from Ogidi Anambra State through his mother. In fact, his maternal identity with Ogidi clearly marks him out as moral incompetent to speak on the matter of which geopolitical zone Anioma people should be placed.
3. ON MY FATHER, HRM OBI PROF. CHUKWUKA OKONJO, FOUGHT FOR BIAFRA
   I consider Onyema Okonjo as one of those intellectually hedonistic children of cerebral parents gifted by the Devil to checkmate the probable arrogance of their parents. Indeed his father, His Royal Majesty Obi (Prof) Chukwuka Okonjo whom I met several times at University of Nigeria, Nsukka through my senior brother from Ogwashi-Uku Prof Joseph Okeibunor, was adroitly cerebral with uncommon humility and sublime historical consciousness.
   Unfortunately, the only cerebral son of his kind is his daughter Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who stole all the good qualities of his father and left the chaff for his biological brothers. So if I call Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iwela as a thief of her father’s good characters I am not ideally mistaking. It was like God originally created Dr. Ngozi Okonko-Iwuala as male and his brothers as females but mistakenly placed their sexual identities in reverse order. Of course I knew these qualities through my maternal uncle Osita Enenmo who served her as Personal Secretary both at the Ministries of Finance and Foreign Affairs.
   For Onyema Okonjo to tag his father’s involvement in the civil war on the Biafran side as a reason for his Southeast Igbo identity proves that he lacks the dynamic sense of historical consciousness and knowledge common with cerebral and responsible sons and daughters. It equally shows that he read the essay he purports to rebut with a dwarfed sense infantile comprehension.
   His father like my uncle Vincent Onyeachonam and thousands of Anioma officers and soldiers fought on the side of Biafra as conditional mercenaries following their betrayal by their Southeast Igbo kinsmen. The Southeast Biafran invaded Midwest State, oppressed our Benin brothers in the name of Biafra, retreated when the mission went awry, and abandoned us to be slaughtered by Murtala Mohammed after blowing up the only Niger Bridge linking us.
   Before that time, Anioma people and the entire people of the present Edo and Delta State were not involved in the civil war and only served as a buffer zone between the two warring forces. So his father like many other Anioma sons fought as refugee mercenaries for Biafra and not on behalf of Anioma people.
   In fact, throughout the civil war all Anioma towns including Ogwashi-Uku, Onyema Okonjo’s town were living peacefully with the Federal troops, while Ibusa my hometown was in the bush with Biafran forces fighting against the Federal troops. Many others were kept in Saint Patrick’s College, as refugees till the end of the war, including our Traditional ruler Obi Mordi Okocha who unfortunately died there.
   If we decide to count the illustrious Anioma sons who fought and sacrificed for Biafra, Prof Chukwuka Okonjo will not even gain a place at the bottom. Asaba produced the finest commander of Biafran army—Col Joseph Achuzia. If we speak of the veterans of Nigerian army who lost their command because of their support for Biafra Prof Chukwuma Okonji is not there.
4. THE ODOGWU’S COMMENTS ON FELLOW MONARCHS ARE DEEPLY OFFENSIVE
   Onyema Okonjo who calls himself prince of Ogwashi-Uku kingdom speaks of “real human tragedies, not supernatural morality tales.” This clearly shows that he lacks the customary carriage and sense of an Anioma prince. One is however not surprised to hear such comments come from him because, even the selection of his elder brother as king, while his elder brother is living under a custom guided by right of primogeniture, is a clear abuse of Anioma customs and tradition.
5. ANIOMA’S PLACE IS WITH ITS KIN—IN THE SOUTH-EAST
   Onyema Okonjo proves his stark ignorance with the dynamics of Anioma history by his wobbly summation under this caption. It is also probable that he did not read my essay; or that he read without understanding; for one thing is to read and another is to understand. I will not waste my precious time commenting on the above issue. I will like to refer him back to my essay for proper understanding of what he set out to rebut but did not understand the cause and course.
6. GEOPOLITICS MUST SERVE IDENTITY AND JUSTICE—NOT FEAR
   The question to Onyema Okonjo is who is afraid of Southeasters? Anioma people are not afraid of anybody or group in the Southeast. You are not a true son of Anioma if you don’t know the way of Ekumeku. The Asagba of Asaba His Royal Majesty Obi (Prof) Epiphany Azinge just acted the way of Ekumeku. If you are an Anioma son and you don’t accept his position, you’re on your own.
   We are traditional warriors by our customs and tradition. No group in Nigeria, including the Southeast confronted the British conquerors as bravely as Anioma people from Sokoto Caliphate to down South. We produced the most fearless commanders and soldiers on the Biafran side during the Nigerian civil war. Who are IPOB?
   All we are saying is that we don’t want to be adulterated politically and culturally. We want to maintain our historical identity as Anioma which is defined in multi-cultural and multi-ethnic terms. Beside language, politically, culturally and morally we blend more with our Edo-speaking kinsmen than with our Southeast language kinsmen. The Southeast should not think we are their political pawns without independence of choice and mind, to the extent that illiterates among them will be insulting our kings and people for declaring their origins from Benin.
   At least some of us who are proud of their Igbo origin have not stated otherwise. So why not respect someone’s preferred identity and origin? Is it by force that anybody who speaks Igbo language must be of Igbo origin? This is detestable and insulting to unimaginable degree. Those who don’t know the customary mindset of an average Anioma man should go and read our history.
   Nobody can intimidate our people nah our Southeast kinsmen. We thread where other people fear to thread if we decide in our minds. We have never been conquered by any part of the Southeast and, we have never been part of the Southeast politically in modern times. Why should Southeast think they can willfully decide the political destiny of Anioma people? Are we political nonentities? Our support for Nnamdi Azikiwe collectively with our Edo kinsmen gave NCNC political legitimacy outside Eastern Region. Or is that mistaken as Igbo domination again?
7. PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE WITH EDO IS NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE WITH IGBO IDENTITY
   At times Onyema Okonjo thinks and writes like an educated illiterate. Is the matter peaceful coexistence with our Edo kinsmen? We have lived mutually together with our Edo kinsmen for over one thousand years before coming into mutual contacts with our Southeast Igbo kinsmen. How much peaceful coexistence exists among the five Southeast States?
   Conclusion
   His Royal Majesty Obi (Prof) Epiphany Azinge did not make the pronouncement on behalf of Ogwashi-Uku but on behalf of Anioma people. Moreover, a drunkard-prince has not customary and traditional authority to speak on behalf of the great people of Ogwashi-Uku. Your father or elder brother being the King of Ogwashi-Uku does not make a king or a traditional chief. Your status remains the same with ordinary Ogwashi-Uku indigenes. In the alternative let us wait and see how Ogwashi-Uku decision can consume that of the rest Anioma.
   Fine if Onyema Okonjo uses the same title of prince that originated from Benin to scam his maternal Southeast brothers, but he should not use it to insult our Anioma traditional rulers because he will not survive the shock if we decide to pay back to his elder brother who is his Ogwashi-Uku king. We will not tolerate the culture of disrespect for constituted traditional institution in Anioma from Onyema Okonjo which he inherited from his mother’s family.
   Anioma is more than qualified to be defined as a separate ethnic group different from Igbo, common language notwithstanding. Isoko is not as heterogeneous as Anioma people in terms of language, culture and origin in relation to Urhobo, yet it is a separate ethnic group. Bini, Esan, Owan and, Etsako are only dialectal variations of the same language, but they are treated as separate ethnic groups. The Itsekiri speak the same language with the Yoruba, yet they are classified as a distinct ethnic group. Efik, Ibibio, Oron and Annang are the same language, yet they are classified as distinct ethnic groups.
   So those who do not know should know that Anioma can decide to reclassify their identity as a distinct ethnic group and nothing will happen. If our Southeast kinsmen won’t allow us to breathe for the choice of our political destiny, then we might help them to expand the distance to enable us breath freely.