Ijaws Begins Self Determination Campaign At Summit (Read Full Communique)

COMMUNIQUE OF THE ALL IJAW SUMMIT HELD ON SATURDAY, 4^TH DECEMBER, 2021 AT IJAW HOUSE, SANI ABACHA ROAD, YENAGOA, BAYELSA STATE.

An All Ijaw Summit was held under the auspices of the Ijaw National Congress, the umbrella socio-cultural, politically non-partisan organization of the Ijaw Ethnic Nationality of Nigeria on Saturday, 4^th December 2021 at Ijaw House, Yenagoa. The Summit which attracted prominent sons and daughters of Ijaw nation was convoked to undertake self-appraisal and evaluation of the existential conditions of the people of Ijaw ethnic nationality. It was chaired by His Royal Majesty, Justice F. F. Tabai, JSC (rtd), the Ebenanaoweiof Tuomo kingdom. Notable leaders present were the Governor of Bayelsa State, His Excellency Sen. Douye Diri, the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, His Excellency, Sen. Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Sen. Chief Dr. Edwin K. Clark, OFR, CON, Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Ijaw National Congress (represented by Amb. Dr. Godknows Boladei Igali), Alaowei Broderick Bozimo, former Minister of Police Affairs, Hon. Abraham Ngobere, Speaker Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Konboye Benson Friday, Secretary to the Government of Bayelsa State, Hon. Funkekeme Solomon, former Deputy Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Elder Erasmus Patrick, Commissioner for Ijaw Affairs. Others present were traditional rulers led by HRM King Alfred Diete Spiff, Amayanabo of Twon Brass and Chairman Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, political leaders, captains of industry and youths.

After critical reappraisal and evaluation of the past, present and introspection into the future of the Ijaw nation, Summit noted as follows:

1. That the aboriginal Ijaws have been the oldest indigenous settlers in the Niger Delta area swith deep republican characteristics that abhors oppression, repression and suppression. The Ijaws were independent people, free from any hegemony before the advent of the British colonialists. These are evidenced by scientific and archeological validity.
2. That the Ijaw nation was conscripted into an amalgamated Nigeria in 1914 by the British colonialists through treachery and deception when the British reneged on their obligation of “protection”, the basis for which treaties were signed. All protestations by our forebears including King Jaja of Opobo and King Koko of Nembe to challenge the British were met with stern reprobation and assault. The crude effect of this deliberate traitorous and perfidious act of the British, over time, culminated in the balkanization of the Ijaws into voiceless minorities and today, the Ijaw people are relegated to second fiddle roles, and in some cases, appear to exist without notice.
3. That the Ijaws occupy the most difficult coastal areas of the country that is blessed with resources to the feed the Nigerian Nation but remains “backward and poor” sixty two (62) years after the Henry Willinks Commission report so describe it. We are not only poorer but are beggars of what rightly and naturally belong to us.
4. That the government of the federationhas poorly and unsatisfactorily managed the inherent ethnic diversities resulting in not only hues and cries over marginalization but ignited several separatists tendencies among some major ethnic nationalities.
5. That the duplicitous balkanization of the Ijaws have led to our cultural identity problems as our language is lost to the predatory effects of acculturation and assimilation.
6. That the balkanization of the Ijaw nation has also created a contracted and inadequate political space for Ijaws who, though is the fourth largest ethnic nationalities in Nigeria, continually suffer the pangs of discrimination, marginalization and suppression.
7. That the Nigerian federation has been an aberration as it does not conform to all known precepts of federalism which emphasizes division of powers between the central government and the constituent units on a coordinate and independent basis.
8. That despite the copious provisions in Chapter 2, Section13 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) on the Directive Principles of State Policies, the Federal Government has flagrantly reneged on the equitable application of the federal character principle to the chagrin of the Ijaw nation.
9. That the creation of only 23 homogenous local government areas for the entire Ijaw ethnic nation out of 774 local government areas that are funded from proceeds of oil and gas, for which the Ijaw nation accounts for about 70% is criminal, insensitive and perfidious.The creation of local government areas in Nigeria was used as an instrument of exploitation and oppression of the Ijaw people whose resources is used to sustain them.
10. That Summit expresses unequivocal dismay at the refusal of government to accede to the Ijaw ethnic nationality’s request for a paltry 10% of profit of the oil and gas proceeds to host communities, and the haste by the ruling hegemony to sign the bill into law with a paltry allocation of 3% of operational cost.  This does not only further the institutionalization of impunity and insensitivity but leaves the Ijaw nation haplessly to reflect on our continued relevance to the Nigeria stateas a people.
11. That the only visible reward to the Ijaw nation for feeding and sustaining an ungrateful Nigerian hegemonic class have been consistent degradation, despoliation and destruction of our environment, fauna and flora, with no remediation strategy. We live with the hazardous effects of gas flaring and the now pervasive challenge of soot, suffering unmitigated health hazards which have continued to send our people to early death.
12. That it is most unfortunate, callous and irresponsible and smacks indignation of consequential proportion for protégés of feudal hegemony to bemoan the challenges orchestrated by the failure of government and the international oil companies that impact negatively on oil bearing communities.
13. That even the 2012 United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) describes the Niger Delta area (Ijaw nation) as a disaster and most polluted site in the world.
14. That the present national security architecture is skewed towards only protection of the oil and gas assets in Ijaw land as against the peoples’ right to defend and protect their naturally endowed resources. Whereas this is against all known international laws of the inherent right to ownership of natural resources by indigenous peoples This has resulted in several cases of conflicts and insecurity in Ijaw land.
15. That the Ijaw people’s quest for political unification has been age-long, as this has been central in all the demands by our forebears to the pre-independent constitutional conferences.
16. That the Ijaw ethnic nationality can no longer bear the grave injustices, impunity, flagrant nepotism, marginalization, neglect, oppression and enslavement by the Nigeria state.
17. That the right to self determination, access and control of our resources is not only inalienable but backed by several international laws.

Accordingly, the Summit resolved as follows:

1. That the Ijaws would no longer depend on the Nigerian state for the protection of their environment.  To this end,an autochthonous Ijaw environmental protection strategy be evolved so as leave behind a sustainable Ijaw land for future generations.
2. That the Ijaw people shall explore the various international laws and statutes that offer protection for the enforcement of their right to self determination and the protection of their God endowed resources.
3. All Ijaws wherever they are in the world shallaffirm their Ijawness by signing a reaffirmation accord, abide faith and commitment to advancing the quest for united and egalitarian Ijaw nation.
4. The Ijaw nation shall continue to engage the federal government of Nigeria on its critical challenges, as well as the enthronement of a new federal constitution and this is without prejudice to our resolve to seek self determination.
5. That the IJAWS RESOLVE FROM THIS SUMMIT TO EMPLOY ALL PEACEFUL, DIPLOMATIC, NON-VIOLENTANDOTHER TOOLS OF CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE TO PURSUE AND ACTUALIZE OUR RIGHT TO SELF DETERMINATION AS A DISTINCT PEOPLE OF COMMON HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL AFFINITY AND GEOGRAPHICAL CONTIGUITY.
6. That IJAW PEOPLE SHALL STOP AT NOTHING UNTIL SELF DETERMINATION IS ACHIEVED.

Summit salutes the vision of those patriotic Ijaws who initiated the idea of an All Ijaw Summit now and commended the leadership of the INC for taking every practical step to actualize it. As Victor Hugh stated “No force on earth can stop an idea whose time has come”.

Haaaa Izon!

Long Live Izon nation.

Prof. Ogele Benjamin Okaba

National President

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