On September 9, 2024, a delegation of the Abuja chapter of Izu Anioma Towns Union visited Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North Senatorial District, at his Abuja residence.

For those who do not know, Izu Anioma (for short) is the apex and umbrella body of all socio-cultural associations. Its membership is drawn from the nine Igbo-speaking local government areas that constitute Delta North Senatorial District in Delta State. The parent body of Izu Anioma is headquartered in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

For someone like me, who would ordinarily exercise deliberate caution, even restraint, in associating with Nigerian politicians, my membership of the delegation was inevitably thrust on me by my status as the secretary of the Abuja chapter. So, naturally, I had some mixed feelings when the visit was being planned, feelings informed by a montage of varied images of Ned Nwoko that are in the public domain.

The senator would not need an elaborate introduction anywhere in Nigeria and even beyond because his reputation precedes him. Even before he became a senator last year, he was already a household name for his philanthropic activities and adventurous undertakings, all the talk of the town.

Though Ned Nwoko was a House of Representatives member between 1999 and 2003, it was only recently that his political character, especially among his Delta North constituents, caught public consciousness and that came with the quest he is championing for Anioma State creation, which has become a major preoccupation for him.

Because of his determination in that regard, Ned Nwoko has in no time become the crusader for that cause, which had lost steam with the eternal exit of its progenitors, notably Chief Dennis Osadebay, the first and only Premier of the defunct Midwest Region, Chief Nosike Ikpo, the Second Republic senator for the Igbo-speaking people of the defunct Bendel State, and the renowned Prof. Benedict Imegwu Chukwuma (B.I.C.) Ijomah, a professor of Political Sociology.

For Ned Nwoko, the quest has become an obsession, and his obvious commitment to it attracts infectious support by the day from patriotic Anioma folk. The initial naysayers have become convinced and have joined the crusade; hence, on August 31, 2024, Anioma stakeholders from all walks of life gathered in their numbers at a summit in Asaba and passed a vote of confidence on Ned Nwodo for his efforts in championing the Anioma State creation cause.

The Asaba event put to rest every prior doubt about Ned Nwoko having the needed support to carry on. And that is heartwarming, being a categorical affirmative commentary.

The agitation for the creation of Anioma State should engage the interest of every Delta North person because of the potential laden in its realisation. The Anioma area of Delta State has remained largely marginalised in the scheme of political affairs in Delta State and Nigeria because even as distinct as they are as a people, they have been deprived of a state of their own, which will naturally drive their developmental process.

This deprivation is in total disregard of the area’s enormous contribution to national wealth derived from abundant crude oil and gas resources, especially the coastal areas of Ndokwa East. Moreover, the agitation for creating Anioma State ranks as the oldest state creation agitation in Nigeria yet unrealised.

The Izu Anioma Abuja delegation’s visit to the senator furthered the quest. It was to engage him in conversations on the vigour he has admirably injected into the quest, encourage him, and pledge abiding support to him. Of course, this is reflective of the prevailing sentiment in Delta North.

Such support can only be elicited from satisfied constituents, and it can only be for the clear reason that never in the history of the agitation has there been a single individual, politician or non-politician, who has made it his preoccupation. What is more, Ned Nwoko informed the delegation that he is the sole funder of every activity that he has facilitated for the state’s creation.

At the end of the visit, the delegation spent more than three exciting hours with the senator, during which I can say that the visit was worth the time sacrificed. On a personal note, I came away with an impression that would compel the timeless admonition that a book should not be judged by its cover.

Every other delegation member expressed delight and satisfaction with the quality of engagement that the meeting offered. Ned Nwoko is passionately committed to the cause of creating Anioma State and more. Remarkably, the passion is unselfishly propelled. He has said for the umpteenth time that on the realisation of Anioma State, the right to produce the first governor should be ceded to the Ndokwa area because of the indescribable deprivation that exists there.

With Ned Nwoko in the Senate, one can say that Delta North constituents are having, for the first time, an elective public officeholder who represents their interest. What with the Patrick Osakwes, the Ifeanyi Okowas, the Peter Nwaoboshis, the Mercy Alumona-Iseis, and the Ossai Nicholas Ossais that were representatives one time or the other at the national level in recent times.

As a senator, Ned Nwoko’s background in diverse interests would appear to have adequately prepared him to represent the Anioma people. Yet, being a first-time senator would ordinarily present some limiting factors that can only be overcome by learning the ropes. However, Ned Nwoko has demonstrated otherwise over and over in the one year he has been in the Senate. The bill for creating Anioma State has passed its first reading in the Senate.

The quest for Anioma State is just one aspect of his preoccupation. Of course, it is understandably the most popular because it is arguably the only pursuit that, on realisation, will benefit every Anioma person without exception. However, virtually every member of the Izu Anioma delegation that visited him had cheery information to convey to their people about a specific project he was pushing for them.

For my Ndokwa East constituents, Ned Nwoko understands the distinct peculiarity of the area, which is that it does not have a road linking it to other parts of Delta North and the wider Delta State. He disclosed that with his intervention, the project to construct a coastal road for the area is already captured in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) budget.

Although the project is estimated at N100 billion, he said he got the Commission for the initial N29 billion to kickstart the project. He assured me that it wouldn’t stop until completion once the project commences. The envisaged coastal road would stretch from the Second Niger Bridge through Oko, Aballa, and Utchi up to Okpai.

He said he is equally committed to actualising the following projects: the Okpai power step down from the national grid, which would generate 100 megawatts for the whole of Delta North, and the actualisation of the Ogwashi-Uku Dam, which will provide potable water to at least 60 communities.

At the end of the visit, the Abuja Izu Anioma delegation agreed that the visit was fruitful. Ned Nwoko, at a very interpersonal level, took us through his activities as the senator representing Delta North Senatorial District in the Nigerian Senate. One hopes that his commitment and enthusiasm will continue as long as he remains in the Senate.

The author is a lawyer and social commentator