As the agitation for the creation of Anioma State continues to gain national momentum, Professor Dozie Chukwuokolo, National Secretary of the Igbo Leaders of Thought (ILT), has called on proponents of other proposed Igbo states to step down their demands and rally behind Anioma as the legitimate sixth state of the South East.
Professor Chukwuokolo made the declaration during a courtesy visit to Senator Ned Munir Nwoko on Tuesday, describing Anioma as the most unifying and sensible option for the South East’s long-standing quest for parity with other geopolitical zones.
“I am excited that the sixth state is coming for Ndi Igbo, and that sixth state is Anioma. Igbo is one and will continue to be one. This is my personal view. Other Igbo people need to understand the need for Anioma to be the sixth Igbo state,” he stated.
In his response, Senator Ned Nwoko, who is sponsoring the Anioma State Creation Bill (SB. 481) in the Senate, commended Professor Chukwuokolo’s position, saying it reflects what “every fair-minded Nigerian already knows.”
According to the Delta North senator, the creation of Anioma is “not just an ethnic aspiration but a constitutional correction” necessary to address the imbalance faced by the South East.
“We should be thinking of integration, not fragmentation. Anioma is the natural and historical sixth state of Ndi Igbo. Its creation will heal wounds and reinforce the Igbo position on restructuring the Federal Republic of Nigeria in a tangible way,” Nwoko stated.
Echoing this sentiment, veteran columnist and political analyst Dr. Amanze Obi, in his Vanguard column, urged the Presidency and the National Assembly to focus on Anioma as the most viable and well-defined proposal among all ongoing state creation agitations.
“Unlike Anioma, whose territory is well defined, those behind Orlu or Njaba State have not taken time to delineate the areas their proposed states should cover. That explains why there have been pockets of disclaimers about their ideas,” Obi wrote.
He argued that the federal government should take the least rancorous route to balancing Nigeria’s geopolitical structure, starting with granting the South East its long-demanded sixth state.
Obi further described the Anioma movement as a model of unity, structure, and purpose, contrasting it with other less cohesive efforts.
“Those behind Anioma have done a good job of their agitation, including properly grouping it as a South-East state. Such a step will heal wounds, calm frayed nerves, and right the wrongs of the past,” he added.
With growing endorsements from thought leaders, political figures, and regional advocates, the push for Anioma State has evolved from a local aspiration into a national rallying point for equity and justice in Nigeria’s federal structure.
