Communication and Strategy Consultant to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, Ken Okolugbo, has stated that some people from the Anioma area of Delta State do not identify as Igbo, despite their ethnic and linguistic similarities, due to the civil war.
Naija News reports that Okolugbo made this known during an interview on African Independent Television (AIT).
Okolugbo said the reluctance of many Anioma people to associate with the South-East stems from the lingering stigma attached to the Biafran War.
He said, “My full name is Ekenechukwu Chikwunonazu Okolugbo, that is pure Igbo. But some of my people will say, no, we are not Igbo because they don’t want to be with the South-East, because of the stigma the region has always had in terms of the Biafra war. So they will tell you, no, I don’t want to be identified with the South-East.”
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Okolugbo also commended the 10th National Assembly for addressing the imbalance in state distribution across the country, stressing that while the South-West, South-South, North-Central, and North-East each have six states, the North-West has seven, and the South-East has only five.
According to him, the proposal to create new states, including Anioma, Orashi, Adada, Etiti, and others, was part of efforts to promote inclusivity and reduce agitations in the South-East.
He added that granting the South-East a sixth state would help douse regional tension and send a strong message of equity and reconciliation.
He stated, “I give it to the 10th National Assembly for realizing that this imbalance has to be taken care of. It is not just about agitation for states, it is about fairness.
“One of the reasons we have unrest in the South-East has been marginalization. If a new state is created, it will give the people a sense of belonging and help address some of the grievances fueling the Monday sit-at-home.”
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