Hon. Benjamin Kalu,
The Chairman,
House Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution,
House of Representatives,
National Assembly Complex,
Three Arms Zone,
Abuja.
Dear Sir,
PROPOSITION FOR BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT
The above subject matter refers.
Introduction
We are a group of interest and justice based association, who seek the unification of every Igbo speaking parts of Nigeria. Our membership base are drawn across all the Igbo speaking parts of Delta State, Rivers State, Bayelsa State, Kogi State, Benue State, Cross River State and Edo State. It is no longer news that during the course of state creation in Nigeria, many parts of Igboland were divided and added to other various states. This is why we have many Igbo natives and speakers in states like Delta, Edo, Rivers, Kogi, Benue, Bayelsa and Cross River. It is on this ground that we write this proposal to the Sixth Special House Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution for the adjustment of the boundary of Delta State, Rivers State, Kogi State, Benue State, Cross River State, and Edo State so as to carve out and include all the Igbo speaking parts to the various South Eastern states for inclusivity and unification. Or in the alternative, carve out and put all the Igbo speaking people of the identified states into a new state to be called Anioma State which will serve as the sixth state in the South East Geopolitical Zone.
Requirements for Boundary Adjustment
Section 8 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides that “An Act of the National Assembly for the purpose of creating a new State shall only be passed if –
proposal for the boundary adjustment is approved by –
a simple majority of members of each House of the National Assembly, and
the House of Assembly in respect of the area concerned.
Being that a Sixth Special Committee of the House on the Review of the 1999 Constitution has already been constituted, we hereby appeal and propose to you as the Chairman of the House Committee to use your good offices to cause a motion to be moved for the creation of Anioma State from all the Igbo speaking parts of the States in Delta and Edo State.Rivers, and the adjustment of the boundaries therein.
Igbo Speaking People Outside the South East Geopolitical Zone
For your kind consideration and for the purpose of the state creation and boundary adjustments, please find below a list of the Igbo speaking parts of Delta state, Rivers State, Kogi State, Benue State, Cross River State, Edo State:
Igbo Speaking Parts of Delta State
The Igbo speaking communities in Delta State include:
1. Abah
2. Abala
3. Nikoko
4. Abavo
5. Abi
6. Abodei
7. Aboh
8. Adai
9. Adonta
10. Afor
11. Agbor
12. Akakpan-Isumpe
13. Ankara
14. Akoku
15. Akuku-Akumazi
16. Akumazi-Umuocha
17. Akwuku-Igbo
18. Alasime
19. Alidinma
20. Alihagu
21. Amai
22. Anakwa
23. Anifekide
24. Aninwalo
25. Aninwama-Jeta
26. Aniofu
27. Aniogo
28. Anioma
29. Anuregu
30. Anwai
31. Asaba
32. Asaba-Ase
33. Asaba-Ubulu
34. Ashaka
35. Ashama
36. Atuma
37. Atuma-Iga
38. Azagba-Ogwashi
39. Azagba-Ubieni
40. Ebedi
41. Ebu
42. Edo-Ogwashi
43. Egbudu-Akah
44. Egbudu-Ogwashi
45. Ejeme-Agbor
46. Ejeme-Aniogo
47. Ejeme-Unor
48. Ekpecho
49. Ekpon
50. Ekwuemusana
51. Emu
52. Emuhu
53. Etua Etiti
54. Etua Ukpo
55. Ewulu
56. Ezi
57. Eziokpor
58. Ezionum
59. Ibodoni
60. Ibrode
61. Ibusa
62. Idumuesah
63. Idumuje-Ugboko
64. Idumuje-Unor
65. Idumu-Ogo
66. Igbanke
67. Igbodo
68. Igbuku
69. Illah
70. Isa-Ogwashi
71. Iselegu
72. Isheagu
73. Isikiti-Ishiagu
74. Issele-Azagba
75. Issele-Mkpitime
76. Issele-Uku
77. Isumpe
78. Kwale
79. Mbiri
80. Ndemiri
81. Ndokwa
82. Nkpolenyi
83. Nsukwa
84. Obeti
85. Obi Anyima
86. Obi Umutu
87. Obi
88. Obiaruku
89. Obikwele
90. Obinumba
91. Obior
92. Obodo-Eti
93. Obomkpa
94. Ogbe
95. Ogode
96. Ogume
97. Ogwashi-Uku
98. Oko Anala
99. Oko/Ogbele
100. Oko-Amakom
101. Okotomi
102. Okpa
103. Okpanam
104. Okwe
105. Oligbo
106. Olor-Usisa
107. Olu-Odu
108. Omaja
109. Onicha Olona
110. Onicha-Ugbo
111. Onicha-Uku
112. Onitsha-Ukwuani
113. Onogbokor
114. Onuseti
115. Onya
116. Oolor-Ogwashi
117. Otolokpo
118. Otulu
119. Owa Nta
120. Owa-Abi
121. Owa-Alero
122. Owa-Ofie
123. Owa-Oyibo
124. Owerri-Olubor
125. Ubulubu
126. Ubulu-Okiti
127. Ubulu-Okiti
128. Ubulu-Ukwu
129. Ubulu-Unor
130. Udumeje
131. Ugboba
132. Ugbodu
133. Ugbolu
134. Ugiliamai
135. Ukala-Okpunor
136. Ukala-Okwute
137. Ukwuani
138. Ukwunzu
139. Ukwu-Oba
140. Umuabu
141. Umu-Ebu Adonishaka
142. Umukwem
143. Umukwota
144. Umunede
145. Umuolu
146. Umute
147. Umutu
148. Unor
149. Unor
150. Unuaja
151. Ushie
152. Usisa
153. Utagba-Ogbe
154. Utagba-Unor
155. Utchi
156. Ute Aru
157. Ute Enugu
158. Utegbeje
159. Ute-Okpu
160. Utuoku
161. Ekuku Agbor
162. Obetim-uno
163. Ogbetiti
Igbo speaking part of Edo State
Igboakiri known today as Ignanke that constitute , omoluah, obiogba, idumuiru, igbontor, idumodin, Aki, Oligie and Ottah
Igbo Speaking Parts of Rivers States
The Igbo speaking communities in Rivers State include:
The Ikwerre are an indigenous Igbo tribe in Rivers State. The Ikwerre ethnic group in Rivers State, spans over four Local Government Areas such as: Port Harcourt, Obio Akpor, Ikwerre, and Emohua. The Ikwerre are believed to have originated from Ohaji-Egbema LGA of Imo State.
Igbo Speaking Parts of Kogi State
The indigenous ndi Igbo that are inhabitants in Kogi state, occupies Kogi East which is by far the most populated and the largest by its land mass. They are found under these local government areas:
The Akpanya people: They are under the Igalamela/Odolu Local Government Area which shares boundary with Enugu state in the east and Niger River in the west. With 95% of the locals speaking Igbo and the remaining 5 percent are conversant with the Igala native tongue.
The Nwajala people: It is made up of other communities like; Umuoye, Ubulie-Umueze in Ibaji LGA, in the south of Kogi state. The community is separated from Edo State by the Niger River.
Ebokwe: It consists of communities like; Amaeke, Amadiefoha, Amankpo, Amauwanu camp, Amaufulu, which are all under Igalamela/Odolu LGA.
Eke Avurugo: The people of Eke Avurugo are under Ibaji Local Government Area, they are bilingual as they speak Igbo as a first language and Igala as a second language, this is as a result of living together with the Igalas.
Onicha-Igo Community: This is a community in Ofu LGA that is located in the central part of Kogi State. They are indigenous Igbo-speaking natives.
The Odolu Community: The people in Odolu community are also bilingual but in their case, the predominant language is Igala while the Nsukka Igbo tongue is adopted as their second language.
All the Igbo speaking communities in Kogi State have four (4) market days which are, Eke, Oye, Afor, and Nkwo. The present deputy governor of the state in the person of Edward David Onoja is from an Igbo speaking community, Odidoko-Emonyoku in Ogugu District, to be precise. The indigenous Igbo communities still uphold their culture and traditional values as their brothers and sisters in the Eastern part of Nigeria.
Igbo Speaking Parts of Benue State .
The Igbos in Benue State particularly those in Ado, Oju, Obi and Okpoku LGAs of the state were in existence before the advent of Christian religion in Nigeria.
The Igbos in Benue can be found in Umuezeokoha, Umuezeoka, Oriuzor, Umuoghara, Amaekka and Amaezekwe all sharing common boundaries with Ezza communities, Izzi, Ezzamgbo and Effiu of Ebonyi State. The people of Umuezeokoha has many villages. If you are to calculate the number of Igbo-speaking villages in Benue State, outside Umuezeokaoha, you would be talking altogether about over 600 villages. Three of the biggest markets in Benue are all in the Igbo-speaking part. The markets are Inikiri Ichari, Iddah, Iduokpe. There are also some Igbo speaking Idoma towns in Benue State.
Igbo Speaking Parts of Cross River State
The Isobo are the most eastern sub group of the Igbo nation domiciled mainly in Obubra LGA of Cross River State as well as part of Ikwo LGA of Ebonyi State. They are possibly an offshoot of the Ikwo sub group and also within the same Obubra LGA are the Echara people who are by the way neighbors of the Isobo people. In Obubra, the three major clans are Isobo-Bikobiko; Isobo-Otaka and Isobo-Otaka.
The Igbo speaking Isobos dominate 2 Osopong wards out of the 11 wards in Obubra covering 18 polling units out of the 155 in the LGA. The Isobo people are said to occupy about 130km2 of land area and number some 20,705 people based on the controversial 2006 census exercise.
Remnants of the Isobo people are found in such places like Nd’Oka; Okwuenyim, Nd’Nkash; Appiapum; Nko; Imabana-Ochokwo; Igbo-Imabana and Igbudu mainly in Obubra as well as enclaves in Abi and possibly Yakurr LGA of the State.
History says they migrated from NCHONU which will put them as part of the Ikwo larger group. The major festival is the new yam festival called the AJI. The Isobobpeople also use the traditional Igbo week days of Eke, Afor, Orie and Nkwo(which is their market day)
Igbo speaking Parts of Akwa Ibom State
The Igbo speaking communities of Akwa Ibom State are:
1. Ohaobu Ndoki Community in Ukanafun LGA of Akwa Ibom: Ohaobu is an Igbo compound word coined from ‘Oha’ meaning multitude or people and ‘Obu’ which means heart as well as the entrance to a man’s house where he receives guests.
Ohaobu could easily translate to people’s heart. The full meaning is Ohaobu Ndoki meaning the heart of the Ndoki people. This marks it as one of the most important towns in Ndoki land. Ndoki people are a sub-group of the Igbo People. They are also indigenous to Abia and Rivers State.
Ohaobu Ndoki presently is in Ukanafun LGA as a result of unjust boundary demarcations which saw many Ndoki communities separated from their kiths and kins in Abia State. Ohaobu People in Akwa Ibom still retain their Igboness. They still speak Igbo fluently and bear Igbo names too.
2. Obuagu (Heart of a Lion) is another Igbo community presently in Ini LGA of Akwa Ibom State. It was caved out of the present Obuagu community in Ebonyi State.
3. There are other infinitesimal communities at the fringes of Akwa Ibom, between the boundaries of Akwa Ibom and Abia and Ebonyi that are mostly bilingual. They speak Igbo and Annang flawlessly and also intermarry. Such communities include Itumbauzo communities in Ini LGA, Umubueze Village in Ika LGA and other obscure communities in Ini, Obot Akara, Essien Udom, Ika and Etim Ekpo LGAs of Akwa Ibom State.
Igbo Speaking Parts of Bayelsa State
Igbo settlements are scattered all over the state but the most notable settlements are in the Sagbama area. It is also believed that the Ogbia area is dominated by ndi Igbo since their language, culture, and fashion are similar to that of the Igbo in Sagbama.
There are three Igbo villages housed by Sagbama; Osekwenike, Abuetor, and Eke-Okpokri which are opined to be from the Ukawuani stock of the Anioma Igbo clan.
The ancestors of the Osekwenike, Abuetor, and Eke-Okpokri people are believed to be mostly farmers that migrated from their kin network (at a different time) that settled in ancient Bini. The present-day of ndi Igbo in Bayelsa are mostly fishermen and traders with other occupations such as farming and manufacturing palm oil.
Our Propositions/Prayers
Having identified successfully all the Igbo people outside of the South Eastern Nigeria, we therefore humbly request the Sixth Special Committee on the Review of the Constitution to either carry out boundaries adjustments to bring back all the identified Igbo people outside the South East states to their kins in Anambra State, Imo State, Abia State, Enugu State and Ebonyi State respectively; or in the alternative, to create a new state to be known as Anioma State where all the Igbo speaking people outside the South East will be put together in one state. Where the new state is created, the Constitution should be amended to include it as the sixth state in the South East Geopolitical Zone. This will bring equality and justice as all the other geopolitical zones have six states each, except the South East which has only five states.
As we await your favourable treatment of this propositions and prayers, accept the assurances of our kind regards.
Thank you, Honourable.
My name is Onyenwemadu Kainebi from AKUMAZI UMUOCHA in Ika Northeast LGA Delta State.
OCHIKORO IGBO NILE ONU 1 GBURUGBURU
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