When A King Lied About His Esan Origin From The Throne — History 101 Lecture for Obi Anyasi of Idumuje Unor on his “Ned Nwoko is Right on Anioma Igbo Identity”
By Nwankwo T. Nwaezeigwe
Anioma are not the only people speaking a similar language with a larger language group that decided to maintain an exclusive ethnic identity. The Isoko are there with the larger Urhobo. The Okpe are presently denying their collective Urhobo identity. The Itsekiri still retain their ethnic identity outside the Yoruba
I read with revulsive patience what could best be described as an incoherent interview by a supposed respected traditional ruler of a respected Anioma town—Idumuje Unor, His Royal Majesty Obi Charles Chukwunwike Anyasi III and, his conclusive assertion that “Anioma is Igbo and Senator Ned Nwoko is right.” I saw a desperate drowning politician called Senator Ned Nwoko hanging on a wobbly traditional lifeline hanging in the hands of a politically limbless traditional ruler desperate for unmerited public notice.
My conclusion is nothing short of the emergence of a morally unguarded King who does not understand the distinction between the brown-envelope of Nigerian journalism, his former profession founded on lies and fabrications and, the sacred white envelope of Anioma Traditional Kingship, his current role, founded on the sacredness of truth and justice.
Let me open up this truth about the above assertion by quoting verbatim Chief Michael Brian Odiakose the Nwadialor of Idumuje-Unor Kingdom, who also doubles as the Osigie of Issele Uku Kingdom. This statement is accessible at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jz0muTcQSqg:
“There is no debate about it. We are Benin people that live in this side of the Delta State. According to history and by our tradition we are hundred percent Benin people, and there is no debate about it and there is no controversy about it. Now let me reemphasize it like I have said in the past, our people here in Anioma area are people that came from diverse area. We have Igbos that will not be eliminated, like Igbuzo and some few places. We also have very huge number of Igalas. Almost every town in this area has one or two Igala [villages]. Igala is very huge in this area. And we have as I have said, about, not quite, about 70% Binis. There is no community in this Anioma that does not have Binis. And back in the days when I was growing up I heard my parents spoke Bini.”
It is instructive that we should remind His Royal Majesty, Obi Charles Chukwunwike Anyasi that traditional rulers from Onitsha through Delta and Edo States to Yorubaland are sacred institutions driven by a carriage of dignity and respectability constructed on pristine ancestral heirlooms. Every traditional ruler or chief in Anioma today, whether Obi, Asagba, Obuzo, Diopka, Ogene, Okpala-Uku, Onotu-Uku, Iyase or Odogwu, is bound by certain ancestral codes of conducts and taboos, which are obligatory and supersede any other codes of foreign religion or culture, be it Christianity or Islam.
This explains why we view any disrespect to our traditional rulers as disrespect to our ancestors and our identity. And it is our understanding that His Royal Highness Obi Charles Anyasi III of Idumuje Unor Kingdom and the Clan Head of Idumuje Clan in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State understands these facts properly. He understands that under the covering customs and traditions of Anioma people, a King does not make statements he cannot prove historically, customarily, traditionally and factually.
His Royal Highness Obi Charles Anyasi III of Idumuje Unor Kingdom is equally aware that to do otherwise would translate to direct violation of his binding taboos; an action which might expose both him and his revered throne to mockery. As our people would often say, “Old man wey call small pikin my wife na him want make him insult am.”
But if it appears that His Royal Majesty is indifferent to the sacredness of his throne as a respected Anioma and Enuani Eze Ofuani, I, Odogwu Nwankwo Nwaezeigwe, acting in my capacity as Odogwu of Ibusa, will help him to properly package the new status for him. Let him not be deceived by Ned Nwoko that as an Obi of Anioma he is above reproach.
Anioma traditional rulers have spoken through the Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty Obi (Prof) Epiphany Azinge, SAN, and if Obi Anyasi feels that his words supersede those of Delta North Council of Traditional Rulers, then we will see how far he would go in this battle with Ned Nwoko.
If his colleagues, our other Kings feel it demeaning to condescend so low as to rebut his false utterances, those us conferred with the traditional responsibility to defend the traditional territorial integrity of our people will do so. By the authority conferred by our ancestors, we are determined to deter any evil spirit in human being that advances the idea of taking Anioma people to the political purgatory miscalled Southeast geo-political zone.
Indeed, we had expected that as a former member of the Fourth Estate (a Journalist), His Royal Majesty should know better than Ned Nwoko. But if His Majesty feels he can use his former professional connection as a journalist to spread fabricated accounts of Anioma history through the press, then we will see how far he would go from his throne of Idumuje Unor.
In fact, as it stands presently, the revered royal father has one of his prominent traditional Chiefs, Chief Michael Brian Odiakose, the Nwadialor of Idumuje-Unor Kingdom, to contend with on the matter of who between both of them is telling the truth about Idumuje Unor history and ethnic identity?
So between His Royal Majesty Agbogidi Obi Charles Anyasi III of Idumuje Unor and his subject and Chief, Chief Michael Brian Odiakaose who is speaking the truth and who is lying about Idumuje Unor and Anioma history and ethnic identity?
When the Obi of Issele-Uku Kingdom His Royal Majesty Agbogidi Nduka Ezeagwuna II spoke of his Benin ancestry, he restricted his assertion to his Kingdom, without even including other Umuezechima Kingdoms. When the Asagba of Asaba His Royal Majesty Obi (Prof) Epiphany Azinge, SAN, called Senator Ned Nwoko to order for his unilateral campaign to transfer Anioma to Southeast, he did so first, in his capacity as the Asagba and custodian of Asaba, the Delta State Capital, and second, as the spokesman for that purpose on behalf of Delta North Council of Traditional Rulers, of which His Royal Highness Obi Charles Anyasi III of Idumuje Unor Kingdom is a member.
We had expected His Royal Majesty Obi Anyasi III of Idumuje Uno to tell the people the factual history of his domain in order to confirm or dispute what professional historians like me are churning out to members of the public and, not to undertake a frivolous journey of intellectual disrepute that tells more to ridicule the sacred institution of Obiship in Anioma than to substantiate the narrow political interest and lies of one drowning politician named Senator Ned Nwoko.
In fact, the people of Anioma would like His Royal Majesty Obi Anyasi III to tell them under what capacity he proclaimed the entire Anioma land “Igboland?” Was he speaking as the Clan Head of Anioma people or, on behalf of Delta North Council of Traditional Rulers? Was he speaking as the Head of Idumuje Clan which is the least in terms of both population and period of settlement in the present Aniocha North Local Government Area, compared to both Umuezechime and Odiani Clans?
The Umuezechime were the first to settle in that portion of Anioma. They were followed by the Yoruba-speaking Odiani (Olukwumi Clan), before Idumuje people migrated from the present Ewohimi town in Edo State to join them. It is instructive to point out that Idumuje Unor shares common boundary in the north with the town of Ewohimi. Is Obi Charles Anyasi III disputing this fact of history? Historically, Idumuje Unor has no neighboring town that claims origin from the Igbo of Southeast.
Idumuje Unor is bordered to the west by Onicha-Ugbo which claims Benin origin; to the North by Idumuje-Ugboko, an off-shoot and, Ewohimi in Edo State; to the East by Onicha-Uku, another town that claims Benin origin and, finally Issele-Uku, another town of Benin ancestry to the south.
The six Quarters that make up Idumuje Unor include Imeogbe, Okunye, Idumuobu, Ogbeakwu, Atuma and Aniofu. His Royal Majesty should tell us which among these six Quarters of his Kingdom migrated from Igboland east of the Niger.
Available incontrovertible historical evidence asserts that Idumuje Unor was originally founded by Esan migrants from its northern border town of Ewohimi in Edo State led by one Obarogie who was nicknamed Ikeke and, subsequently founded Imeogbe Ihunmor Quarters, the head and founding Village.
There is therefore no denying the historical fact that His Royal Majesty Obi Charles Chukwunwike Anyasi III is ethnically and historically Esan, and not Igbo as he publicly claimed on the news media. Indeed, he only speaks and bears Igbo name by adoption occasioned by environmental and historical circumstances; the same way Idumuagbor and Idumuasaba Villages of Ewohimi speak Esan and bear Esan names even though they migrated respectively from Agbor and Asaba in the present Delta State.
No amount of paid propaganda and proclamation on national news media can change this fact of history. Your Royal Majesty Obi Charles Anyasi you are Esan and not Igbo by origin. There is no town in Ananbra State or any part of the Southeast you can claim origin from the way majority of Ibusa and Ogwashi Uku can claim today.
The ancestral home of Idumuje Unor is the present Idumuje Village of Eguare Quarters of Ewohimi. In fact, the reason for Idumuje claim of migration from Uzebu town in Benin Kingdom is anchored on Eguare Quarters’ claim of migrating from the same Uzebu. It is instructive to note that, the main Primary School in Eguare Quarters, Ewohimi is located at Idumuje Village. This is a verifiable fact of history and not speculative.
According to Idumuje Ugboko tradition, “Atuma village is said to have migrated from Owo, a town in present-day Ondo State, the Ogbe-Ofu [Aniofu] from Emu, an Ishan [Esan]-speaking town in present-day Edo State, the Ogbe-Obi [Imeogbe and Okunye] from Uzebu in the old Benin kingdom and Onicha-Ukwu from Onicha-Ukwu, a town in present-day Delta State.”
Your Majesty kindly confirm the veracity of the above statement of historical fact with Idumuje Ugboko Development Union United Kingdom website at: http://www.iudulondon.com/strategic-and-commercial-approach-with-technical-understanding/
Perhaps, we might have to compare the names of the eleven villages that make up the second Quarters of Ewohimi—Okaigben with those of Idumuje Unor and Idumuje Ugboko to ascertain their unity in origin. The eleven villages that constitute Okaigben Quarters said to be founded by a Benin warrior from Uzebu named Ezenomon are: 1. Uzebu, 2. Idumuobo, 3. Idinro, 4. Idumuagho, 5. Idumoguokha. 6. Idumueho, 7. Uhiee, 8. Idumuekhae, 9. Idumoleghe. 10. Idumuekemezenomon 11. Idumu-Odu.
Taking Idumuje Ugboko, Ned Nwoko’s town which has identical villages with Idumuje Unor as the point of comparison: In Ogbe-Obi which is Senator Ned Nwoko’s Quarters, we have the following extended families: Uzebu, Idumu-Ugo, Owu, Idumu-Isagbeme, Umu Omile and Ahama.
May I respectfully ask His Royal Majesty Obi Charles Anyasi of Idumuje Unor, which among these names correspond to names of Villages among the towns in Igboland of Southeast?
In Ogbe-Ofu Quarters we have the following extended families: Idumu-Obu, Idumu-Uzu, Idumu-Okhohue and Idumu-Uhu. Again, which of the names is Igbo in origin? The following extended families make up Atuma Quarters: Onije, Idumu-Ina, Idumu-Ekwulu, Idumu-Ona, Ikoko-Iyala and, Idumu-Ezi. Which is Igbo among them? For Onicha-Ukwu Quarters, Idumu-Uwadia, Idumu-Ukwu and, Idumu-Isa make up the extended families.
It should be noted that a section of these Esan settlers led by one Okunye, the direct ancestor of His Royal Majesty Obi Charles Anyasi III later left Idumuje Unor and migrated to Ubulu-Uku. However, shortly after they arrived at Ubulu-Uku, they were informed that the position of Odogwu was vacant and that Okunye was the better qualified candidate for the position than other contestants. That was during the highpoint of the period Idumuje Unor faced constant harassment by their Yoruba (Olukwumi) neighbors led by one Ukwunzu warrior named Nibokwu. Okunye was eventually conferred the Odogwu title.
Indeed, for many years after the settlement of Idumuje people, the Olukwumi led by Ukwunzu continued to raid and harass Idumuje people. It was in the process of confronting these raids that a powerful Native Doctor named Obu from Umudaike Village, Ugbomanta Quarters, Asaba, was invited to provide spiritual protection for the town. He eventually succeeded through the invocation of soldier-ants to chase Olukwumi invaders away.
As a reward, Obu was given a piece of land to settle and subsequently founded the present Idumuobu Quarters. He was further bestowed with the title of Iyase, a position his descendants hold till date. Thus historically, the only Quarter that could likely be said to be of Igbo origin in Idumuje Unor is Idumuobu. But that still remains under probability because Umudaike Village in Asaba is likely to be either of Igala or Benin origin and not Igbo of Southeast.
It should be noted that throughout those periods of conflicts with the Olukwumi, Idumuje Unor had no king, but were being ruled by the Ohen (Chief Priest) from the Imeogbe Ihunmor Quarters. Ohen in Edo is the Anioma version of Ohene. However, because Olukwumi people were equally well-known Native Doctors, they soon nullified the soldier-ant invocation by Obu and resumed their hostilities.
It was that constant invasion of Ukwunzu people that led to the founding of the present Idumuje Ugboko, Ned Nwoko’s hometown, when a section led by led by Onaifo whose grandfather named Ogbeide had to flee in search of refuge. We again humbly request His Royal Majesty Obi Charles Anyasi to tell us if the names “Onaifo” and “Ogbeide” are Igbo names of the Southeast which he claims to be.
This later resumption of Olukwumi attacks coincided with both the coming of Christian Missionaries and Ekumeku resistance Movement. Following the final defeat of Ekumeku in 1904, all the traditional rulers of Umuezechime, Odiani and Idumuje Clans were invited by the new British Colonial administration to Onicha-Olona for final peace treaty. The Ohen and traditional ruler of Idumuje Unor at the time named Baiyi felt that it would be taboo for him to leave the town. Consequently, he delegated Odogwu Okunye to represent him at the meeting.
On his return, Odogwu Okunye claimed that he had been appointed the Obi of Idumuje Unor by the Whiteman and consequently declared himself the Obi of Idumuje Unor. The declaration was generally opposed by the people leading to serious crisis in the town. Those supporting Okunye consequently seceded with him from Imeogbe Ihunmor Quarters and founded the present Okunye Quarters. This is the reason why Ogbe-Obi Okunye Quarters is second in the line of seniority today.
The crisis over the Okunye’s usurpation of the throne was eventually settled through the intervention of the Anglican Church with the assistance of the well-known first CMS School mistress in Southern Nigeria, Miss Sarah Nsenu from Idumuje Ugboko. It was finally resolved that Okunye will only be in-charge of political matters, while Baiyi will continue with spiritual matters. The Odogwu title was eventually transferred from Okunye to Atuma Quarters who are of Olukwumi (Yoruba) origins from Owo in the present Ondo State.
Imeogbe Ihunmor Quarters however insisted that they must retain the Odogwu title because it belonged to them and not to the usurper Okunye. They were however allowed to appoint a second Odogwu but junior to Odogwu Atuma as compensation. This explains why Idumuje Unor has two Odogwu titles—Odogwu Atuma and Odogwu Imeogbe Ihunmor. This also explains why Idumuje Unor has only produced three traditional kings since its founding as a community, the third being the current Obi Charles Anyasi III.
From the foregoing, it is clear that not only is Obi Anyasi III sitting on a usurped throne, his divestment from the spiritual and ritual components of the kingship seems to have affected his proper appreciation and understanding of the sacredness of the throne of a traditional ruler in Anioma and, by extension the whole defunct Western Region of Nigeria; otherwise he wouldn’t have readily made himself available to be used willy-nilly by Ned Nwoko for cheap political ends and propaganda, like a typical warrant-chief traditional ruler in the southeast would be used.
A typical respected Anioma traditional ruler surrounded with the prescribed customary taboos of the throne would not have descended so disgustingly low. It is therefore pertinent that His Royal Majesty Obi Anyasi III should first master his own history before dictating to the whole Anioma their collective history and ethnic identity.
It is instructive to inform His Royal Majesty even with his rich knowledge in journalism that the subject of ethnic identity is fundamentally defined by one’s ancestral root and not by language which can be learned at any point of a man’s life. A person born of Igbo parentage might not speak Igbo language on account of environmental circumstances but still remains Igbo by ethnic identity and origin.
In the same vein, a person of Yoruba parentage who learned to speak only Igbo cannot automatically transform to Igbo ethnic ancestry. We have so many of such people among the Olukwumi towns in Anioma today. We expect His Royal Majesty with his rich journalism experience to know this.
So it is as much absurd as it amounts to royal pettiness for His Majesty to appear on a national Television and pronounced that all Anioma are Igbo. Those communities who are of Igbo ancestry know their ancestral homes in the present Southeast. But can His Royal Majesty Obi Anyasi tell us the ancestral home of his Idumuje people east of the Niger? Can he equally tell us the counterpart meaning of Idumuje among the Igbo of the Southeast? When a King lies about his ethnic origin from his throne he was merely telling his subjects—Idumuje Unor that they are a people without a proud past.
While to describe Anioma people as Igbo-speaking is acceptable, but to describe all Anioma as being of Igbo ancestry is not only unacceptable from a royal father of Obi Anyasi’s status, but an outright disrespect to his royal colleagues of Ezechime and Odiani Clans in Aniocha North Local Government Area.
A son does not show his father his ancestor’s homestead. Idumuje Clan is the least in both historical right of settlement and size in population to the two clans. So, within Aniocha North Local Government Area, Obi Anyasi lacks the competence to dictate the origin and ethnic identity of the people.
We had expected him to begin by debunking all the copious accounts of Idumuje origins, and migrations from Benin if he was sincere in his claim of Anioma-Igbo identity. If Obi Anyasi is not proud of his Edo ancestry the Kings of Ezechime Clan are. Obi Charles Anyasi lacks the historical competence to dictate their ethnic origin and identity for them.
Odiani (Olukuwumi) people have not denied their Yoruba origins and identity. Did they direct Obi Anyasi to change such for them? Does it not amount to an act of royal pettiness that with Yoruba-speaking Olukwumi (Odiani) Clan as his next door neighbors, Obi Anyasi would speak of everybody in Anioma being Igbo? Was he then by such action telling the people of Odiani Clan that neither their language nor their ethnic identity as Yoruba matters in his narrow mono-identity equation?
Anioma are not the only people speaking a similar language with a larger language group that decided to maintain an exclusive ethnic identity. The Isoko are there with the larger Urhobo. The Okpe are presently denying their collective Urhobo identity. The Itsekiri still retain their ethnic identity outside the Yoruba. The Egun of Badagry still maintain their exclusive ethnic identity even though speaking Yoruba as second language. The Efik, Ibibio, Oron and, Anang are virtually different dialects of the same language, yet they are nationally classified as different ethnic groups.
Can His Royal Majesty Obi Anyasi III note the above facts and convey same to his prodigal subject Senator Ned Nwoko? We know that as a former journalist His Royal Majesty is not a stranger to brown envelops; but as a Royal Father, we had expected him to convert the brown to white envelopes in order to maintain the dignity and sanctity of his throne. It is a common knowledge that Senator Ned Nwoko has no respect for his own King, the Obi of his town of Idumuje Ugboko from whom he borrowed the title of “Prince.”
As the Head of Idumuje Clan we had expected Your Majesty to call Ned Nwoko to order and use your royal influence to compel him into submission to his traditional ruler. Unfortunately, instead taking such steps of royal dignity, His Majesty opted to play the role of Ned Nwoko’s advocatus publicus in Anioma Igbo identity campaign of calumny.
•Dr. Nwankwo T. Nwaezeigwe, PhD, is the Odogwu (Traditional Generalissimo) of Ibusa, Delta State. He lives in Manila, Republic of the Philippines.
•Opinions, positions or thoughts expressed here are personal and strictly of the writer/author and do not represent the views of The Daily Crucible.
