Great And Remarkable Things Happen Whenever Ijaw Nation Speaks

The resistance by Ijaw Kings gave birth to the Nigerian state.

When Sir Herbert Macaulay and his friend, Chief Ernest Sisei Ikoli, an illustrious son of the Ijaw Nation, started the struggle  for the independence of Nigeria, the British colonial administrators device a delay tactics.

When they realized that the nationalist consciousness was spreading through the African continent and it was very high in Nigeria, with the emergence of the second generation of nationalists like Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, High Chief Harold Dappa-Biriye, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Sir Ahmadu Bello the Sarduana Sokoto, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Chief J.S Tarka, etc they came up with different conferences.

The various London Conferences were not significant until the Ijaw Nation spoke through High Chief Harold Dappa-Biriye.

The brilliant and very excellent presentation and positive position of Ijaw Nation on the argument about Nigeria’s independence led to the constitution of the Sir Henry Willink Commission whose later recommendations led to the designation of the Niger Delta as an area with special developmental needs and the establishment of the interventionists agencies.

At independence, Nigeria had three (3) regions: northern, eastern, and western.

The persistent political crises in western region led to the creation of mid-western region.

The fusion of over 350 tribes and ethnic groups which were hitherto independent empires, emirates, nations and kingdoms before the amalgamation of Northern and Southern protectorates in 1914 into one entity that was standing on three (3) leprous tripod that had divisive, deceptive, destructive and distractive tag of WAZOBIA.

The murmuring, groaning, complaints, and protests by various tribes and ethnic groups that were subsumed into WAZOBIA never made any meaningful impacts until Ijaws spoke.

It is on good record that there was no National Government in Nigeria until two illustrious sons of the Ijaw Nation, High Chief Harold Dappa-Biriye who founded Niger Delta Congress (NDC) and Chief (Sen) Dr. Melford Obiene Okilo CFR, who is the only one that was elected into the National Assembly under NDC, went to form a political alliance between NDC and the Northern People’s Congress (NPC). That alliance led to the emergence of the First National Unity Government in Nigeria.

You can see that nothing happened then in Nigeria until Ijaw spoke.

After the collapse of the First Republic, there were several protests, agitation and others by Ijaws for Political Identity, and that led to the creation of twelve (12) states out of the then four (4) regions. The above development marked a detour from regionalism to stateism.

State creation in Nigeria is actually the idea of Ijaw people so it is to the credit of the persistent struggle of Ijaw people. The climax was before the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War.

Ijaws through High Chief Harold Dappa-Biriye suggested to General Yakubu Jack Gowon the then Nigerian military Head of State to create twelve (12) states out of the then existing four (4) regions in order to give the many neglected tribes and ethnic groups that were subsumed in WAZOBIA their own identities and by so doing, the civil war could be averted or curtailed considering the fact that each of the newly created states will go to protect their territories.

In the post-civil war Nigeria, the geographic Niger Delta region, also called the South South geopolitical zone, the hub of crude oil and gas wealth and activities in Nigeria was relegated to the background.

The people of the region were treated like second-class citizens. Their abundant natural resources were explored and exploited at their expense and detriment.

The unhealthy developments continued until Ijaw people spoke out. The outcome is the establishment of various interventionist agencies.

The 13% Derivation that was secured during the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo administration and the recent 3% Equity from the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) for oil and gas host communities during the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

The region has also produced the Vice President and President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, respectively, in the person of President Goodluck Jonathan GCON, GCFR.

The above were not gotten on a platter of gold, they were the results of the sweat and blood of Ijaw people.

Ijaw people spoke, and they were heard very loud and clear.

From the narrative, it is very obvious that nothing good actually happens unless and until the people speak out.

It, therefore, means that the people do not need to be docile. They must continue to speak out.

They must continue to place the collective interest of the Ijaw Nation above primordial and parochial sentiments and above the interest of few individuals.

Looking at prevalent realities, Resource Control and True Federalism that Ijaw people and other Niger Deltans have been agitating for are very possible now considering the present political atmosphere. All that is needed is a united voice and a little push.

On the political development in Rivers State, recall that the people of the upland actually wanted to hold on to power even in 2023 but they relinquished it when they saw that Ijaws were ready to fight for it.

Even now, nothing has gone wrong in Rivers State if Ijaws unite to demand for the completion of their two terms.

There are many political parties outside APC and PDP.

But it should be noted that such fight can never be left for the political class who are seated on the dinning table that has rendered them handicap.

They are observing the strict rules that those on the dinning table should never talk. They must observe table manner.

So, moving forward, Ijaw Nation must put in place very vocal and formidable leaderships of Ijaw National Congress (INC) and Ijaw Youth Council (IYC).

The two (2) apex socio-cultural umbrella bodies of Ijaw people all over the world need to have vibrant leaderships particularly the presidents and spokespersons who must be proactive and result-orientation.

Finally, Ijaws must learn to forgive and unite.

Ijaws are like endangered species. They are surrounded by jealous and very enviable people who are not only praying but also working round the clock to see the downfall of the Ijaw Nation.

All sons and daughters of the Ijaw Nation must be conscious of the above fact and be wise.

– Most Senior Comrade Wisdom Oniekpar Ikuli