IGBOZURUOKE MEDIA

Stakeholders, including leaders of Ijaw ethnic nationality yesterday, held an emergency Congress in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital, to chart the way forward for the Ijaw Nation.
Traditional rulers, serving and past governors, deputy governors, ministers, National Assembly members, elders, and opinion leaders of Ijaw extraction attended the summit, organised by the Ijaw National Congress, INC.

Senator Douye Diri, the host governor, reviewed the political crisis in Rivers State, and concluded that the solution was not a declaration of a state of emergency, but a sincere and frank dialogue to resolve the impasse.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on March 18, 2025, proclaimed emergency rule on the oil-rich Rivers for six months and suspended Governor Siminilayi Joseph Fubara, his deputy, Prof Ngozi Odu and the 32-member state House of Assembly.
But at the parley of Ijaw leaders of thought, both in Nigeria and the Diaspora, Diri passionately appealed to President Tinubu to reconsider the emergency rule option on Rivers, but instead Institute a recon
ciliation committee on the lingering political stalemate in the state.
Governor Diri, who contended that the Rivers crisis can be resolved through dialogue, also clarified that the Ijaw ethnic nationality was not in conflict with the President or the Federal Government of Nigeria.
He urged President Tinubu and the National Assembly to constitute a committee of eminent personalities to immediately intervene and restore peace and bring the legally constituted government back to office in Rivers.
In his words: “Again, l restate that this is the time for dialogue because it is a lose-lose situation for people of Rivers State. l urge Mr. President and the National Assembly to waste no time in inaugurating a committee of eminent personalities that will immediately intervene and bring back peace and the constituted government of Rivers State back to office.
“The South-South Governors’ Forum, of which I am chairman, had urged the President to reconsider his stance and allow for dialogue among the parties.
Let me be unequivocal. The Ijaw nation is not in conflict with the federal government, nor do we have any dispute with President Tinubu.”
According to the Bayelsa helmsman, the Ijaw people remain committed to the unity and progress of Nigeria and as one of the major and largest ethnic groups, alongside other ethnic nationalities, had made immense sacrifices for the country’s unity and prosperity.
“Diri said, today, we must draw again from the fountain of wisdom. It is imperative that we resist being manipulated and refuse to be drawn into a conflict orchestrated by desperate people propagating their agenda. We must approach every situation with discernment, ensuring that our actions align with long-term goals rather than short-term interests.
“Our contributions —political, economic, and environmental — are undeniable. We should continue to advocate for justice, fairness, and inclusivity within a united Nigeria. I urge all Ijaws, especially our vibrant youths, to exercise restraint, maintain peace, and steer clear actions that could escalate tensions. Our future is best secured through engagement, dialogue, and strategic partnerships.
“Let us continue to build a harmonious and prosperous Ijaw nation and, by extension, the Niger Delta. However, while we embrace peace, let no one mistake our pacifist approach for cowardice. We are people of indomitable spirit, forged by history, rich with courage and stamina. Our heritage is outstanding, and we will defend our collective dignity against any form of denigration.”
Prof. Benjamin Okaba, the INC president, appreciated Ijaw men and women of good conscience, Niger Deltans, Nigerians, and the international community for their unflinching support for justice and equity in the ongoing Rivers political crisis.
‎He stressed that the position of emergency rule and suspension of any governor by President Tinubu, under whatever guise, constituted a great assault on the principles of justice, democratic governance and the sanctity of the people’s mandate.
‎The erudite scholar noted that the infractions on rights of the Ijaws in Rivers, who had been denied the governorship position for over 24 years, was not a partisan issue but a fundamental challenge to the constitutional framework that guides the rights and economy of every Nigerian citizen.
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‎Okaba added that the gathering was not another talkshop but to remind the Ijaws that their strength was not merely numerical but derived from the bond of unity and love for their motherland.
The INC leader also urged the federal government to reconsider its actions and respect the ‎sovereignty of the Rivers people.
Madam Annkio Briggs, the human rights activist, said the Ijaw nation forefathers like King Koko of Nembe, King Jaja of Opobo, Isaac Adaka Boro and others that fought for the rights of their descendants, foresaw the happenings of today and noted that it was now the responsibility of the people to safeguard and improve on what they hold in their custody.
Briggs emphasised that it would be a great disfavour if the current generation of the Ijaw nation does not do better than their forebears.
She commended those who stood with Rivers State since 2023 when Governor Siminalayi Fubara was sworn in, describing such action as the true demonstration of the Ijaw unity.
She extolled the qualities of the late Pa Edwin Clark, saying he always led from the front, preempting the oppressors of the Ijaws, and appreciated the INC for always standing for truth and justice.
Apparently mocking Senator George Sekibo’s newly formed Rivers Ijaw Group, she held the view that any other Ijaw group outside the INC, particularly in Rivers, was only speaking for themselves and not for the Ijaw people.
While the Ijaw leaders were assembled at the Ijaw House in Yenagoa, trying to find a peaceful resolution of the festering Rivers political imbroglio, hundreds of Ijaw people of Delta state extraction same yesterday organised a mock obituary for the FCT Minister, Chief Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike.
Chanting mourning songs with caskets which they inscribed R. I p, a viral post on X (formally Twitter), said they were taking the significant bold step to repay Wike for his wickedness against his people.
While dancing to the lyrics of burial songs, the people decorated the casket with Wike’s posters, depicting the FCT Minister was dead and buried while alive.

The Southernexaminer