February 28, 2008
There seems to some uneasy calm in the creeks. Should we assume that peace has found its place?
People have to rest after a long day's work….don't you agree? Even then, during the period of rest, you have to sit back sometimes and have a critical look at the best way forward.
Peace cannot find its place in the Niger Delta now UNTIL the issues that establish peace are fully and finally resolved.
Why is it so difficult to quell the unrest in the Niger Delta?
The difficulty in quelling the unrest in the Niger Delta lies in the fact that key stakeholders have politicize the unrest for their selfish and mischievous interests.
Do not be deceived. The unrest in the Niger Delta today has created a profitable multi-billion dollar enterprise with stakeholders which include government, multinationals, hostage takers, ransom payers, security consultants and other middlemen. Some people are gaining from it. They will do everything they can to make sure it continues.
On our part, the unrest will continue because the Nigerian state has refused to put us properly at rest so we will take the rest at our own time.
Recently, during the burial of the father of the Vice President, Chief EK Clark declared that Ijaws were no more at war with Nigeria and that Ijaws were now ready to work with Nigeria. Do you agree with this declaration?
Did we tell you that we told Chief Clark to say so? Clark is a politician and he has to talk for the political interest of whatever sector he belongs to NOT for us. Chief Clark does not have the nerve, stamina or flair for the kind of revolution that we bring to bear today. Our revolution today is driven by hope and the need for change. It is driven by a quest for self determination for the Ijaw and Niger Delta territory.
How would you assess the performance of the various states of the Niger Delta?
Hmmm. Let me go easy here. I would describe and categorize the performance of governors of the Niger Delta within the confines of the following words: Ridiculous, Outrageous, Mischievous and Atrocious. You know why?
Rotimi Amaechi says he wants to build a brand new Rivers State University of Science & Technology in a different location somewhat in the outskirts of Port harcourt. …Outrageous!
What happens to the existing one? Why not upgrade, update and improve upon the existing infrastructures? It does not make sound fiscal sense to take on too many heavy and high budget projects at the same time.
Timi Sylva of Bayelsa state says he wants to host this year's AMAA (something about artists or so) awards. This one is both mischievous and atrocious. In fact ridiculous!
Not too long ago, the IMF President was in Nigeria and he made a comment which I read in the Guardian Newspapers. He maintained that fiscal indiscipline on the part of the leaders is the bane of Nigeria's problems. I agree with him although I believe it is a mixture of fiscal indiscipline and outright stupidity. I believe he had YarÁdua and the governors of the Niger Delta in mind.
Can anyone explain to me how hosting and footing the bills for AMAA awards can improve the quality of life of the average and shortchanged Bayelsa person? The level of poverty in Bayelsa state is infuriating and her governor believes that hosting AMAA will add value to the state???
Bayelsa state has hosted AMAA awards for about two times now. What gains have come to the state? Nothing except making more of our women prostitutes and adding a little more money in the pockets of government officials and politicians who own hotels.
We believe that about a billion naira (N1bn) of badly needed money of Bayelsa people would be required to fund the hosting of this ceremony. These monies could be put to better use in equipping primary schools, secondary schools as well as fast tracking other sectors of the enterprise of government and governance in Bayelsa state. It is wicked for Timi Sylva to even think about this at this time.
What Bayelsa state needs right now is an aggressive education programme to equip its people with skills and knowledge they require to live successful lives. Bayelsans in Diaspora have at various times indicated their interest to partner with the government on very productive vocational training programs. The government refuses to listen to these people but will prefer to waste tons of millions of hosting an award that will create little or no value for its people.
The only people who stand to gain from the hosting of AMAA awards are the politicians who own hotels, guest houses, motels and brothels in the town. This is disgusting! Shame on the government of Bayelsa state!!
Are you aware of the current state of Henry Okah?
We received newspaper reports today that Mr. Okah will be charged to court soon according to aging police boss Mike Okiro. He did not give explanations on why the government preferred to hold a court in contempt after a court has ruled that Mr. Okah must be allowed access by his lawyers and relatives.
Mike Okiro did not explain why the Nigerian state would breach a court order and refuse a man access to his lawyers one week after the court has issued its ruling.
How can you say you are interrogating a man and then you refuse him access to his lawyers? How can you proclaim justice and then you refuse to allow a suspect see his close relatives in spite of a ruling from a honorable court in the land? How do you expect him to defend himself in court?
It is our belief that Henry Okah will be brought to court eventually when the injury and gunshots he sustained during interrogation has been treated.
The declaration by the President Umar Yar Ádua that NDDC funds have expired created upheavals amongst several groups in the Niger Delta. Do you foresee a reversal of this declaration by the President?
Yar Ádua has been really unfaithful to the people of the Niger Delta especially those who fell for his quiet, sincere and humble look. It is difficult to even explain why Yar 'Adua would even make such a declaration in the first place.
Much more painful is the fact that the management at NDDC consists of people who have been very passionate and wholly optimistic of YarÁdua's presidency and the glad tidings it would bring for the people of the Niger Delta.
People like Mr. Alaibe talked so well about Musa YarÁdua until rumors began to make the rounds that he is a distant relation of YarÁdua. I believe some people are still investigating this.
We were made to believe that Yar Ádua would release all the held back funds. We were made to believe that more mass transit buses will be procured and provided to unemployed youths. We were made to believe that NDDC would expand its skills acquisition program so that more youths can benefit from it and more challenging and engaging programs would be introduced. We were made to believe that much more water projects will be deployed in many villages in the Niger Delta that lack good drinking water.
Considering the fact that almost all the states of the Niger Delta do not have effective skills acquisition program, it is unbelievable that YarÁdua would hold back funds for the only intervention agency that is bridging this gap. Something is wrong somewhere.
Now that the same YarÁdua has held back the funds, we do not know what to believe anymore.
Goodluck Jonathan's election as Vice-President seems not to have effectively pacified Ijaws and Niger Deltans. What is the view of your group on this? What specific benefits have his election provided to Ijaw people?
I am not in a position to describe in any details how much benefit Jonathan has brought to the people of Bayelsa state. I would however commend him for the quick surfacing on the Mbiama-Yenagoa junction during the burial of his father. Most people see that as one of the only benefits that Goodluck's reign has brought.
There has been increasing clamor for the removal of JTF (Joint Task Force) troops from the streets and creeks of the Niger Delta in spite of the fact that their presence may have reduced drastically incidents of crime and banditry. What other security solutions do you proffer?
This one is difficult to answer because somehow we must agree that increasing banditry and criminality gave rise to the current city siege by the bandit occupation forces of the Nigerian state called JTF.
These people are slowly turning into armed robbers. They have successfully hoisted an extortionist flag on major roads and streets in the Niger Delta cities.
Let us not forget that criminals and bandits have also found their way into the armed forces of the Nigerian state.
The Government insists that the violence and unrest in the Niger Delta is responsible for the stagnated development in the region. Do you agree? What is your position on this?
When there was so much rest and non-violence, what development came to the region? The government of the Nigerian state is driven by an ungrateful cabal whose hour of judgment will soon come. There is increasing consciousness in the hearts and mind of every true Ijaw and Niger Deltan. This increase in consciousness will be converted to progressive and productive agitations that will yield good value for all our people. Those who think the struggle is dead should have a rethink. Those who believe that we cannot overcome will die in unbelief for it is written, the just shall live by faith.
Let's face the facts. Is the unrest in the Niger Delta comparable to that of Palestine, Lebanon and Bosnia? Are we not much more shortchanged and deprived than these people? The whole of the contraption called Nigeria survives on the resources of the people of the Niger Delta yet the cabal that governs the Nigerian state refuses to use some of these resources to improve the quality of life of our people. Is this right? Tell me. The paradox of doom in the midst of boom is a painful and sad reality.
We have demanded the convocation of a sovereign national conference so that all ethnic nationalities that were forcefully and dubiously conscripted into the Nigerian enterprise can state their position on whether they want to continue in it or not. This call has been raised over the years by the flag-bearer of the Ijaw struggle Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari yet the government is turning a deaf ear.
Never before in the history of Ijaw people have we seen this much galvanization of all Ijaws worldwide. We still believe that we can pursue our agitations non-violently. A global coalition of Ijaws under the banner of the Ijaw Foundation headquartered in the United States is pushing the Ijaw Agenda for Self Determination.
The Ijaw National Congress (INC) has established formations in key parts of the world including the US and Europe.
Founding President of the Ijaw Youth Council Felix Tuodolor Ph.D. today heads the operations of INC Europe. Ijaws resources are being pulled together. The Ijaw struggle is certainly on course.
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