Isaac Ombe, Yenagoa
The Ijaw National Congress (INC) has carpeted the Federal Government for denying the Ijaw ethnic group of control of their God-given resources, describing it as unethical.
Prof. Benjamin Okaba, President of the Umbrella body of the Ijaw ethnic group , who spoke at the 8th memorial lecture of the late Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha the first executive governor of Bayelsa State at the DSP Alamieyeseigha
memorial Banquet hall in Yenagoa Tuesday lamented that the denial has led to impoverishment of the people.
The INC President noted that the Ijaw produced 75% of resources accrueing to Nigeria yet they wallow in abject poverty.
“The denial of our resources have made Ijaws poor. The Ijaw Nation contributes over 75% of resources to Nigeria. Denying us our resources is unethical. We need our resources to develop our degraded environment,” Okaba said and also called on the Ijaw ethnic group to have their Republic.
He described the Ijaw as republicans whose quest for a republic won’t be by violent means but by diplomacy.
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He added: “Ijaws need a republic .Having a nation of ours is desirable but won’t go about it violently”
While also calling for true federalism, the INC President appealed that the Ijaw territories shouldn’t be balkanized, saying Ijaw territories should be under one territory in the course of a true federal system in Nigeria.
Speaking on the lecture, titled: “The Ijaw question and the leadership imperatives: Lessons from Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha’s legacies”,
Prof Okaba noted that the best way to celebrate the late Chief Alamieyeseugha’s legacies is to dwell on the Ijaw question and leadership issues.
According to him, central to the development question is leadership.
He added that the Ijaw question postulates some pertinent questions, including who is an Ijaw man; what is the Ijaw man to Nigeria; what is Nigeria to the Ijaw man; what is the future of the Ijaw man in Nigeria?
Prof. Okaba who noted that all these questions were about the Ijaw man’s pursuit of sustainable development and advised leaders in Ijaw Nation to emulate the rich leadership qualities of the Alamieyeseigha.
“The late DSP as he was fondly called, meant different things to different people at different times.
“For me, ALAMCO was an enigmatic, visionary, proficient, focused, public spirited, unassuming yet uncompromising astute political institution.
“He was also a resourceful, intelligent, respectful, courageous, amiable, charismatic, dynamic and indefatigable personality and leader per excellence.
“The DSP will be remembered as the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State who impacted directly on the lives of his people. He was the people’s governor who would not be easily forgotten for his efforts at human capital development.
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“His topmost priority was to empower his people out of poverty and misery.
The first Bayelsa State owned university (Niger Delta University Wilberforce Island) is one of his uncommon outstanding accomplishments that has immensely contributed to the advancement of scholarship, human capital and the sustainable development of the entire ljaw ethnic nationality, the Niger Delta and beyond.
“Indeed, Alamieyeseigha was an avowed believer in the potency of education to liberate the mind as well as to build prosperous societies. As Governor, he invested so much in the education of young Bayelsans and ljaws in general. Through the State Scholarship Board, he sent so many persons abroad for the advancement of their educational pursuit and many indeed achieved their dreams of becoming Masters and Doctorate degree holders.
“He had ‘warned the federal government that if they fail to hearken to our peaceful plea for at least 50% ownership and management of our oil resources, a time shall come when the government will be placed under obligation to beg to have 1% of the same resources.
“The late Chief Alamieyeseigha was a fearless leader who braved every challenge life threw at him. With a gun pointed at his head’, Alamieyeseigha would still tell you what he had in mind. At the highest point of militancy in the Niger Delta region, when hostage taking was the order of the day, as Governor, rather than detail any of his commissioners to go on a rescue mission of abducted expatriate oil workers, Alamieyeseigha, at the risk of his life, would lead the team into the creeks to take delivery of the freed hostages. Fear did not exist in his dictionary!
“He was an avid lover, defender and supporter of the ljaw self-determination, self-actualisation, emancipation and prosperity cause.”
The event was graced by several dignitaries who spoke glowingly of Alamieyeseighs’s past, including Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State and his Osun State counterpart , Ademola Adeleke, among others.