Identity, Belonging & The Anioma–Southeast Debate

By ONINIOGWU ODOBOR NDUDI OGBONNIA

DEBATES over the proposed Anioma State have intensified longstanding questions about identity, heritage, and political belonging. At the centre of the conversation is the Asagba of Asaba, who insists that any new state should be limited to Delta North’s nine local governments, distancing it from ties to the Southeast.

For many in the Southeast, support for Anioma State stems from a desire to reunite Igbo communities historically separated by state boundaries. They see Anioma people not as outsiders, but as kin—part of a wider cultural family whose language, names, and traditions mirror those of the Igbo heartland.

Tensions have emerged as some Anioma voices argue that the Southeast seeks the region for its oil, a claim viewed by critics as both unfair and unfounded. They note that oil resources belong to the Nigerian federation and that Anioma’s local communities have long struggled to benefit from extraction in their own backyard.

Historical wounds further complicate the issue. While the civil war left deep scars across the former Eastern Region, many reject attempts to blame entire groups for past decisions or to use history as a wedge between related communities.

At its core, the dispute reflects broader questions about identity and self-definition. Whether Anioma aligns politically with the Southeast or maintains a distinct path, the conversation continues to reveal the emotional weight of heritage—and the need for dialogue rooted in respect rather than resentment.