The people of Agwa in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State have distanced themselves from the proposed Anim State or any other new state to be carved out of the present day Imo State. The demand for Anim state is one of the proposals for the creation of new states before the National Assembly.
The proposed state will be carved out of Imo and Anambra states if the ongoing constitutional amendment exercise scales through all the necessary processes. The promoters of Anim State stretched their territorial boundaries to include Oguta local government area which Agwa is a part of. Whereas other segments of Oguta local government may wish to go with the new state, if created, Agwa clan has emphatically declared that it will not be part of any new state. Rather, they people are insisting on remaining in Imo State with Owerri as its capital.
In a petition addressed to the National Assembly Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Agwa Leaders under the aegis of Agwa Central Union led by Barrister Benson Akunya, said that even though they support the creation of new states for reasons of equity and accelerated development, they would not want to be part of any new state by whatever name it is called.
According to the leaders, the people of Agwa want to remain in Imo State with Owerri as its capital for reasons of geographical contiguity, cultural affinity as well as educational and ecclesiastical affiliations. Agwa, they pointed out, was part of the Owerri County Council which forms the present day Owerri West, Owerri North and Owerri Municipal Local Government Areas.
They expressed regret that Agwa is the only one out of the four native court areas in Uratta County Council that has not been carved into a local government area. They want this injustice to be redressed.
The submission made by Agwa leaders to the National Assembly Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution reads in part:
“We strongly oppose any attempt to cede any part of Agwa or its entirety thereof to any proposed new State whether it is Anim, Orashi or Orlu other than the present Imo State with Owerri as its capital.
We want our own local government under Agwa Local Government Area to enable us reunite with our kith and kin in old Uratta County Council of Imo State. The Right of self determination is an inalienable right of peoples guaranteed by the United Nations Conventions/Treaties, and such, we have determined where to belong and not anywhere else.”
