The Aniomapeople are a predominantly Igboidethnolingustic group and nationality located in present day Delta State, Nigeria.
They encompass and are native to the communities which span across the 9 northeastern Local Government Areas of Delta State. Politically, the Anioma occupy the Delta North Senatorial District where they are the majority group. Today, the senatorial district consists of the Enuani (Oshimili/Aniocha), and Ukwuani/Ndokwa and Ika geographical and linguistic zones of Delta State.
An ancient and industrious nation, the Anioma are estimated today at a total population of approximately 1.8 million people.[1][2] The largest Anioma settlement and urban area is the Delta State Capital Territory which incorporates the city of Asaba along the Niger, with Okpanam and Igbuzor and surrounding communities.
The Anioma are located on the floodplains and hills of the western basin of the Niger River within the present Delta state of Nigeria. The homeland of the Anioma encompasses a land mass of about 6,300 km2[citation needed]. Politically, Anioma is often referred to in state affairs as Delta North, as against the people of the Delta South and Delta Central districts within Delta. Anioma is bounded on the East by Anambra State, south-east by Imo and Rivers States, south by Bayelsa State, south-west by Isoko, west by the Urhobo ethnic nation, north-west by Edo State and north by Kogi State. Anioma may therefore be regarded as highly contiguous to its very many neighbours ethnic groups.
The people have drawn their culture and experiences as a result of lying contiguous to numerous other ethnicities and communities which characterises Anioma as a relatively peaceful region in terms of national affairs.[3]
There are 25 Local government areas in Delta State, and the nine underneath make up the Anioma region:
Today, the Anioma people predominantly speak Igbo language with varying native dialects including the Enuani dialect spoken in Ibusa, Ogwashi-Uku, Isheagu, Asaba, parts of Igbodo, Illah, Issele, Idumuje, Onicha etc., Ika dialect of Agbor, Umunede, Owa etc. with heavy linguistic influence from Bini, an Edoid language, Ukwuani-Aboh dialect of the Ukwuani-Aboh-Ndoni cluster mostly spoken by the peoples of Ndokwa. There are minority Anioma peoples in Edo (Igbanke), Anambra(Onitsha, Ozobulu, Obosi, Oraifite) and Imo states (Oguta). Minorities of historically non-Igbo speakers exist with a Igala minority in the northernmost extremities of the Anioma homeland at Ebu on the border with Edo State and Umuebu in Ukwuani[4] as well as the YoruboidOlukumi[5]ofAniocha.
Sunday Oliseh, former Captain of super Eagles of Nigeria
Lisa Omorodion, Nollywood Actress, producer and entrepreneur
Dennis Osadebe, politician, poet, journalist and former premier of the now defunct Mid-Western Region of Nigeria, which now comprises Edo and Delta State.
Zulu Sofola, the first published female Nigerian playwright and dramatist and first female Professor of Theater Arts in Africa.
Nduka Ugbade, Nigeria's former football player and the first African to lift the world cup
Patrick Utomi, Presidential Candidate and Founder of Lagos Business School
Raph Uwechue, was a Nigerian minister, diplomat and publisher. He is a former president-general of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, an Igbo socio-cultural organization in Nigeria
