OMU ANIOMA NOMINATED FOR GLOBAL ICON OF AFRICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE
-Emeka Esogbue
The good news for Anioma at home and in the Diaspora especially lovers of the Anioma culture is that HRM Obi Dr Martha Dunkwu, the Omu of Okpanam/Anioma and Nneoha has been nominated for the 2023 Global Icon of African Cultural Heritage.
The Omu nomination was conveyed in a press statement made known by the Award committee in Hamburg Germany on Wednesday.
Part of the release read, “HRM, we are thrilled by your excellent records educating, informing, and transforming the institution of Omuship and promoting the cultural heritage of the Anioma people, Nigeria, and the black race. Your footprints through your various books and publication are that of advancing Anioma’s cultural diversity and heritage. The African Diaspora Living Legend Award Committee have therefore the privilege and pleasure to nominate you as a recipient of the 2023 Award as Global Icon of African Cultural Heritage”.
The award ceremony will be taking place on the 5th of August 2023 at NH Airport Hotel West Frankfurt Germany.
The African Diaspora Living Legend Award was instituted by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution, A/RES/69/16, Programme of Activities for the implementation of the International Decade for People of African Descent.
Over time, the Anioma, a group geographically located in Delta State, Nigeria have emerged to promote their cultural identity to the globe, and Omuship, an age-long female traditional institution of the people, with its promotion championed by Omu Martha, has become projected to the world.
From a once-dying institution, Omu Dunkwu once coronated the Omu of Okpanam, and subsequently, the Omu of Anioma turned it around for the good of the people. Once turned around, the institution became re-birthed in several communities of the people including Akwukwu-Igbo, Ibusa, Obomkpa, Issele-Ukwu, and others.
Younger and more educated women further took interest and started to emerge as Omus in Anioma.
What followed were several publications and books on the institution unique to Anioma with global-acclaimed professors from Europe and America taking a deeper interest in the institution.
An Institute, Centre for Omuship and Women Development was established in Okpanam, the hometown of HRM Obi Dr Martha Dunkwu.
Today, the Omuship is perhaps, the best-known traditional institution of the Anioma people thus, the global recognition of Omu Dunkwu in faraway Germany.
The Omu of Okpanam/Anioma has been receiving congratulatory messages since the news broke on Wednesday.
