Traditional rulers, elders, youths and women leaders from across Ijaw communities in the Niger Delta wore their best. It was at the Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. They were there for two reasons: to seek an alternative to violent agitation and to honour men who contributed to building the region.
The highpoint of the event was the honouring of some notable Niger Deltans, including the late Dr. Ken Saro-Wiwa (Ogoni); Chief Harold Dappa Biriye, (Bonny); Jasper Adaka Isaac Boro (Kaiama -Bayelsa); Dr. M. Fibresima (Okrika); Chief U.O. Ekeneoko (Andoni); Chief P. G. Wormate (Kalabari) and Dr. Obi Wali (Ikwerre).
The summit with the theme “The Niger Delta Struggle: Reviewing the old approach and the new alternative in evolving socio-economic and political realities”, suggested a new module opposed to militancy, hostage taking and shutdown of oil installations.
A former President of the jaw Youth Council (IYC), Prof Atuboyedia Obianime, said Ijaw youths must change from the Kaiama Declaration and use of violence to seeking attention. He urged them to embrace peaceful and intellectual articulation of the Ijaw demands. He said there was need to go back to the era where elders used their wisdom and youths used their strength to achieve a common purpose.
Another speaker, Dr. Sofiri Joab Peterside, recalled that it was the Ijaw struggle that led to the emergence of Dr Goodluck Jonathan as President. While he conceded that the pattern of the struggle must be reviewed, he said the outcome of the last general elections means that the Ijaw must negotiate, consult and set agenda.
He said: “Negotiation, partnering is the only way to go, we have the capacity to mobilise and to discuss our commonwealth. As an Ijaw man whoever wants to represent us as our leader must hear from us, must be part of us; that is why we must quickly draw an agenda that would be respected by all and until we have a common agenda, where elders and youths would come together and agree on a common goal, we would not get it right.
“Some of our agitations went right because the elders supported it. I remember when we convened a meeting in one of the Ijaw communities and the security agents said the gathering would not take place but the elders insisted that we have the right to hold meeting anywhere in Ijaw land and that was how we held that meeting. The Ijaw elders must play their role.
“Sometime the elders are the cause of the problem in Ijaw land, especially when it has to do with the proceeds of the oil. They hide from the youths and refuse to make clarification and explanation on how the money was used or misused. Now, the struggle started from the side of the youths who were desperate to look for an alternative that would guarantee them a say on the resources of their land. Because no one would voluntarily want to disrespect the elders, some elders became chiefs overnight or chief in the afternoon, even at the age of 60, they struggle to become youth leaders, just to take what does not belong to them. Sometimes the basis of who is a youth in our region becomes a major controversy. We must put together what we called Ijaw development agenda; there must be an agenda for Ijaw ethnic nationality.
“Goodluck Jonathan became a president without an Ijaw agenda; surprisingly some activists and militant leaders in the region went to sleep. Some became contractors while others got political appointments. It was when Jonathan failed that we now realised that we have an Ijaw agenda, perhaps if we had continued with regular meeting he (Jonathan) and those who took over from him would have known that there is Ijaw agenda.”
Other speakers at the event said 58 years after the Willink’s Commission recommended development of the region, the Niger Delta has remained the same without a tangible development in spite of the creation of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The National Secretary General of the IYC, who is also the leader of its Rivers State branch, Comrade Bristol Alagbariya Emmanuel, explained that the event was organised to chart a non-violent course for the youth. He called on the Ijaw youth to stop any act capable of tarnishing the struggle and image of heroes of the region who placed their lives on the line to attract respect in the struggle for the emancipation of the region.
