Group Allays Itsekiri Fears, Says ‘Smaller Population Has Not Limited Their Political Influence’

The Ijaw Journalists Association Worldwide, (IJAW), says “Itsekiri’s long-standing smaller population in Warri never limited their political influence”, adding “that Itsekiri fears over non-representation in Nigerian democracy are unfounded”.

The IJAW advised the Itsekiri to “accept outcome of the fresh wards delineation by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), which reflected their relatively smaller population”.

National President of the IJAW, Bulou Kosin and its Secretary-General, Ezekiel Kagbala, in a statement stated: “Instead of staging series of protests over fair outcome of the INEC exercise ordered by the Supreme Court, all that the Itsekiri needs is to accept and pursue a new order of strategic relationships, dialogue and increased humility to weather perceived storms”.

“Itsekiri, despite smaller population, dominated the governance and political scene as Dore Numa during Colonial Nigeria. And they held sway from Alfred Rewane to former Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of independent Nigeria. Itsekiri have produced/had representation by Senator Atake, Ministers, Speakers of Delta State House of Assembly, Commissioners and even got democratically elected governor ahead of more populous Ijaws of Delta State.

“In similar vein, the wider Ijaw nation did not parade a larger population in the country to produce President Goodluck Jonathan. History thus proves that the repeated fears over non-representation expressed by the Itsekiri are unfounded and unnecessary”, the IJAW statement advised.

On Itsekiri claims of exclusive ownership of lands in Warri with court judgements, the IJAW said such were once ,placed before an investigating Human Rights Watch (HRW) in 2023.

The Ijaw journalists reminded that the verdict of HRW, an international NGO was instructive, namely: “The concept of “indigene” is itself problematic: all those concerned (in the Warri crisis) are Nigerians, and should have equal rights in relation to the government of the state where they live”.

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“The earlier Nnaemeka Agu (1993) and Alhassan Idoko (1997) Judicial Panels of Inquiry on the Warri crisis (led by fine and ranking legal minds) also did not attach any probative value to the trumpeted court judgements on ownership, likely because among other factors, such court judgements were trumped by compelling historical facts”.

“We are gladdened that a growing number of Itsekiri are no longer willing to stand against Nigerian independence and democracy by opposing citizen rights of the Ijaws who have lived in their areas in Warri federal constituency for centuries. These other progressive Itsekiris have demonstrated potential for inter-ethnic harmony and progress of the Warri territory”, the IJAW statement enthused.

“In Lagos, Urhobos of Delta State get elective offices. Abimbola Afolami, Nigerian, was Member, British Parliament, for Hitchin and Herpenden constituency. Earnest Ezeajughi of Anambra State, elected 2014 and 2018 as councilor, stonebridge constituency later became Mayor of London Borough of Brent in U.K. Elected 2019 as representative, District of Edmonton-South West, Kaycee Madu, of Imo State, Nigeria, was elected Minister of Justice and Solicitor-General of Alberta, Canada”, the statement observed.

“All over the civilised world, as we have shown, Nigerian foreigners, who have long resided in a place get voted into representative offices. The Itsekiri establishment must not stand transfixed in the illusion that a Hausa or Ibo man who has lived all his life in Warri and wishes to, cannot seek elective office to represent the area”, the statement concluded.