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Tag: Ijaw leaders

  • Yoruba, Ijaw leaders restate calls for restructuring

    Yoruba and Ijaw leaders in Lagos, Friday, restated calls for restructuring of the polity, saying only the implementation of the relevant sections of the 2014 National Conference report would douse tension in the country.

    The leaders made the call at the end of a meeting between the ethnic groups following recent killings at Lagos and Ogun communities, which police authorities blamed on Ijaw militants.

    A communiqué jointly signed by Chief Ayo Adebanjo, leader of the Yoruba delegation and Chief Albert K. Horsfall, leader of the Ijaw delegation, noted that “the Ikorodu incidence underlines the urgent need for state police, the restructuring of Nigeria and the need for the review and adoption of all past national conferences including but not limited to the relevant sections of the 2014 National Conference reports.”

    Horsfall, who read the communiqué, said, “Informed by the need for peaceful coexistence and sustainable development of Ijaw and Yoruba nations, this meeting was initiated by elders from both nations to address issues of mutual interest for peace and well being of two great civilizations.”

    “in the past few months, there have been some developments which are of utmost concern to the two nationalities, some of these include but not limited to recent spate of violence in some Yoruba territories, the social and economic state of the Nigerian nation and the future of the people of the two nationalities in the context of the emerging trends in the country.”

     

  • Jonathan, Ijaw leaders to attend Dickson’s declaration

    Jonathan, Ijaw leaders to attend Dickson’s declaration

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan, former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha, Ijaw leaders and other political heavyweights from the South-South are among dignitaries that will attend the second term declaration of Bayelsa State governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson

    Others expected at the event scheduled for September 8 in Yenagoa are the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), PDP governors and National Assembly members.

    Alamieyeseigha described Dickson as a good product that will be easy to market for a second tenure in office.

    He spoke when Dickson visited him at his country home in Amassoma community in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.

    According to the former governor, Dickson has performed well and deserves a second tenure to consolidate on the gains of the restoration agenda.

    He stressed that, it is only a man like Dickson, who has performed creditably well that can bring victory for the PDP in the December 5 governorship polls.

    Party faithful, supporters of the governor from across the state as well as friends and well wishers are expected to also attend the event, scheduled for 10pm.

  • Ijaw leaders set post-Jonathan agenda

    Ijaw  leaders have met at the Ijaw House, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, to set agenda beyond the exit of their kinsman, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, from the Presidency.

    More than 1,500 Ijaw men, women and youths drawn from 78 clans, traditional institutions, professional and socio-political bodies, among others gathered under the auspices of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) to decide on their future beyond May 29.

    The event, which was co-hosted by the Bayelsa State Government, was chaired by His Royal Majesty, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, first Military Governor of Rivers State and Amanyanabo of Twon Brass. The Ijaw National Leader, Chief Edwin Clark was represented by the first civilian Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alameiseigha.

    Also, Prof. Ebiegberi J.; former Minister of Science and Technology, Prof.Turner Isoun and the Secretary of the Pan-Ijaw Congress, Pastor Power Aginighan, Archbishop G.E. Adaka, Prof. Francis Sikoki, Prof. Tuemi Asuka, Prof. E.J. Alagoa, were all in attendance.

    In fact, it was the gathering of who is who in Ijaw land. With the sea of Ijaw dignitaries,    it was obvious that the gathering was expected to chart a new course for the Ijaw Nation. Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, Dr. Georgina Ngeri-Nwagha, revered traditional rulers and community leaders were present at the meeting.

    The Niger Delta Community Rights Advocate, Ms. Annkio Briggs and Professor Ebiegberi Alagoa were among the resource persons who presented papers at the assembly.

    Briggs spoke on self determination and the Ijaw question, challenges and prospects; the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Iniruo Wills was bothered about threats to Ijaw environment; Atei Beredugo harped on building the Ijaw economy while Dr. Bello Orubebe was concerned about ethnic minority rights protection.

    At the end of the summit with a theme, “the Ijaw Agenda Beyond May 29, 2015”, the leaders in 13-point communique took positions on issues that would henceforth shape the Ijaw nation.

    The leaders in the communique expressed appreciation to Nigerians for the rare opportunity provided for their son, Jonathan, to preside over the affairs of Nigeria. They thanked persons who stood by Jonathan “in the heated ambience of the 2015 general elections”.

    The Ijaw leaders further eulogised Dickson for hosting the summit.

    “We appreciate the commitment of Dickson to the promotion of the strategic interests of Ijaw Nation in particular, the creation of Bayelsa State Ministry of Culture and National Affairs, appointment of non-Bayelsa Ijaws to political offices, the signing into law of the Bayelsa State Flag, Coat of Arms and  Ijaw Anthem Bill, 2012”, they said.

    The elders in the communique noted that the Ijaw nation is at critical moment in its history and called for unity of purpose to confront their challenges. Noting that the Ijaw question predates Nigeria, they lamented the current structure of the Nigerian state describing it as lopsided.

    According to them, the structure is skewed to favour the majority ethnic nationalities without adequate socio-political and economic space for the minority ethnic nationalities particularly the Ijaw.

    They also insisted that successive administrations in the country have proved unwilling to accede to the demand by the Ijaw to be united in homogeneous political entities of their own.

    “Nigeria is made up of diverse ethnic nationalities with varying histories, motivations and aspirations. Therefore, these ethnic nationalities should form the basis of a true Nigerian federation,” they said.

    They lamented that oil-producing communities have continued to suffer the dangerous effects of exploration and exploitation. According to them the Nigerian state has been unable to address the negative impact of oil on the health, economy, culture and environment of the Ijaw people.

    The elders maintained that threats from oil spillage were gradually eliminating the environment and resources for development and survival of the Ijaw.

    They said: “Conscious of the fact that the environment remains the most valuable physical resource for development and survival of the Ijaw ethnic nationality,  the summit notes that the Ijaw oil and gas communities suffer the deleterious effects of oil and gas exploration and exploitation.

    “But we regret the inability of the Nigerian state to address the concomitant negative impacts on the health,  economy, culture and environment of the Ijaw people. This reality is leading to the gradual extinction of the Ijaw people.”

    Governor Seriake Dickson called for unity of purpose and sacrifice as the Ijaw nation prepares for the challenges of the post-Jonathan presidency.

    Reminding the elders and other stakeholders in the Ijaw nation of their role in setting the pace for the development and progress of the Ijaws, Dickson noted that the stability, unity and prosperity of Bayelsa, the only homogenous state for the Ijaw people will go a long way in impacting on the people.

  • Ijaw leaders angry with Jonathan

    Ijaw leaders angry with Jonathan

    A section of Ijaw leaders has openly castigated ex-President Goodluck Jonathan for allegedly neglecting to promote the collective interest of the Ijaw in his six years as President.

    They accused him of paying attention to only his Ogbia and Otuoke kinsmen while ignoring other Ijaws.

    Jonathan is from Otuoke in Ogbia Local Government area of Bayelsa State.

    The Ijaw leaders under the aegis of Bayelsa Progressive Coalition Initiative are of the opinion that the Ijaw nation has little or nothing to show for his six years leading Nigeria.

    Consequently, some of them chose to boycott Friday’s reception for him in Yenagoa, the state capital and Otuoke on his return from Abuja.

    The President of the group, Mr. Godwin Ebikpo and the Secretary, Margaret Tei, in a statement in Yenagoa, accused Jonathan of abandoning  “the Ijaw in Southern Ijaw, Kolokuma-Opokuma, Sagbama and Ekeremor local government areas in his scheme.”

    According to them,  Jonathan merely “used Ijaw title to garner respect from other parts of the country but back home, he played the Ogbia brotherhood politics, empowering the Ogbia people directly and indirectly with juicy contracts, appointments, scholarship overseas and financial assistance.

    “He, however, excluded the Ijaw in the mentioned local government areas without realising that the Ijaw struggle took him to the exalted office.

    “The core Ijaw always fight the battle for resource control and self-determination with their blood but when by providence Jonathan got to the top he executed parochial agenda to enrich his nucleus enclave as demonstrated by Ogbia brotherhood in Jonathan’s leadership.”

    But the group pledged support for the reelection bid of Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State next year in view of the performance of his administration in his first term, and said his re-election should be viewed as a project for all Ijaw people.

    They hailed him for uniting the entire Ijaw and giving them a voice.

    The group expressed happiness that God destroyed the efforts of former first lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan who, in their view, attempted to destroy the Dickson administration.

    It was also gathered that the Ijaw leaders are unhappy with Jonathan for allegedly   resisting all entreaties from the state governor to pay a working visit to the state.

    The failure of the President to pay a working visit to the state had, at a time, fueled speculation that all was not well between him and the state governor.

    But the state government dismissed the insinuation.