By Charles Okogene
The word Anioma that is now used to describe the area/the occupants of the entity known as Delta North Senatorial District in the present Delta State, was first used by Dennis Osadebay, the first and only premier of Midwestern region, now Edo and Delta states.
Today, the area and it’s people are known are more popularly known as ‘Ndi Anioma’ as against its official of Delta North and its comprises nine local government of Aniocha South, Aniocha North, Ika South/North, Oshimili North and South, Ndokwa East, Ukwani and Ndokwa West – thus making it an area with the largest number of local governments, even larger than Bayelsa State is only six local governments. The population of the area is estimated at ….. as at …..
The area also accounts for a large percentage of Nigeria’s mineral resources in form of oil and gas; in fact, the gas deposit in Okpai in … Local Government Area is …
The re-newed call for the creation of the state.
The agitation for the creation of Anioma State dates back to ’79 In the days of the late Senator Nosike Ikpo who represented the area at the senate in 1999 first on the platform of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and on the National Party of Nigeria (NPN). I recollect a massive campaign held at the held at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), to sensitise umuAnioma to the state creation with Ikpo as arrowhead. The agitation was big but everything collapsed like a pack of card when the military struck again in 1983 until Ibrahim Babaginda came on board and instead of creating Anioma State, decided to create Delta State with the capital of the state in Asaba, this provoking a section of the people of the state that believed that the real Delta State has not be carved out of the then Bendel State.
That was how the agitation for Anioma State died; even all those that represented Delta North at the National Assembly never thought it wise to reopen the issue until Nwoko came to political limelight as a member of House of representative in 1999.
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