Ahead of constitution amendment being proposed by the National Assembly, Igbanke/Igboakiri people in Edo State have thrown their weight behind Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North Senatorial District’s call for the creation of Anioma State.
This is contained in a statement issued by Dr. Omenazu Jackson, Chancellor, International Society for Social Justice and Human Rights (ISSJHR) and made available to newsmen.
According to the statement, the creation of Anioma State will be a legacy of equity and national healing, sending a clear message that Nigeria is committed to restructuring based on truth and inclusion.
The statement read: “In the heart of Edo State, nestled among its ancient roots, dwell the Igbanke/Igboakiri people — a proud Igbo-speaking community with deep historical, cultural, and linguistic ties to the larger Igbo nation. For generations, they have stood firm in their identity, yet remained politically and culturally stranded, trapped in a system that neither fully embraces nor empowers them.
“With an estimated population of over 310,000 people, Igbanke comprises six autonomous communities: Omolua, Ake, Idumodin, Igbontor, Oligie, and Ottah. These communities are all located within the Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State, bordering Delta State. (Coordinates: approx. 6.1183 N, 6.3007° E).
“The Igbanke people are living witnesses to the painful reality of identity misplacement — an Igbo-speaking population consigned to the peripheries of Edo politics, and often denied equitable political participation, educational representation, and cultural autonomy. Their cry for justice, recognition, and self-determination has been met with bureaucratic silence.
“But hope is rising on the legislative horizon, Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North Senatorial District, has emerged as a visionary leader who recognizes the deeper need for justice in the federation’s structure.
“His active advocacy for the creation of Anioma State is not merely a political aspiration — it is a legislative lifeline for historically displaced and voiceless communities like Igbanke.
“His intentional inclusion of the Igbanke/Igboakiri people in the blueprint for Anioma State is a bold act of justice. It acknowledges the cultural reality of these people and charts a future where they can thrive politically, socially, and economically within a framework that respects their roots.”
Therefore, they argued, “Anioma State, as proposed, is more than a territorial adjustment; it is an instrument of historical correction. It would provide a constitutional and cultural home to Anioma people and their Igbo kin outside the current South-East zone — particularly the Igbanke, who have endured decades of marginalization in a state that does not reflect their identity.
“Let Anioma State be the beacon of justice for Igbanke. Let equity and legislative courage correct decades of neglect. And let Nigeria embrace all its indigenous peoples — not just in word, but in constitutional deed.”
They therefore called on the National Assembly, the National Boundary Commission, and the Presidency, to treat the proposal with the urgency and justice it deserves.
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