IYC Frowns At Closure Of NDU, Call On Dickson To Address Grievances Of Students

Foremost Ijaw youth organisation, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide has called on the Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson to address the grievances of students of the Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Bayelsa State which led to a massive protest and eventual closure of the university on Wednesday, 25 April, 2018.

IYC, stated this in a statement by its President Barr. Eric Omare on Thursday while expressing displeasure that in recent times, the institution had experienced different challenges.

According to the statement, the shut down of the institution followed a massive protest by students of the Bayelsa State owned Niger Delta University, Amassoma against the increment in charges.

Earlier, some workers of the institution had protested against their purported sack.

The result of all these challenges, according to IYC is the eventual closure of the university by the Senate of the institution and therefore expressed serious concerns over the situation.

Omare, who gave a graphic details of the formation of the institution in the statement said, “The Niger Delta University, Amassoma established by the first Executive Governor of Bayelsa State and Governor General of Ijaw Nation, Late Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha is very pivotal to the development of the Ijaw nation.

“Before the creation of Bayelsa State and the eventual establishment of the NDU, the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Port Harcourt was the epicenter of the educational pursuit of the Ijaw people; hence most leaders of the Ijaw nation were trained in RSUST including the present Governor of Bayelsa State.

“However, with the creation of Bayelsa State and establishment of the NDU by late Chief Alamieyeseigha, the educational epicenter of the Ijaw nation moved from the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt to the Niger Delta University, Amassoma.

“Now, the greater percentage of Ijaw people desiring university education attends the Niger Delta University, Amassoma. The NDU is to the Ijaw nation what the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria is to northern Nigeria.

“The NDU is also to the Ijaw nation what the University of Nigeria (UNN), Nsukka is to the Igbo nation. It is also to the Ijaw nation what the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ife is to the Yoruba nation. And just like the NDU was founded by the late Ijaw leader, Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha, all these universities in the east, west and north were founded by the leaders of the Yoruba nation, Igbo nation and the north at the time of their establishment to give their people access to university education.

Hence, all efforts must be made to protect the founding philosophy of the Niger Delta University by our late leader, Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha which was to give Ijaw people access to university education in a school they can call their own, he said.

Continuing, the statement said, “The Bayelsa State Government must note that a vast majority of students of the NDU are children of environmental induced poor Ijaw people who cannot afford high charges. The parents of these students are fishermen and fisherwomen whose main source of income has been destroyed by decades of environmental degradation of Ijaw land and the Niger Delta region.

“Consequently, the IYC call on Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson and visitor to the Niger Delta University, Amassoma to holistically address the problems confronting the institution especially the increment of charges by the university authority.

“To the IYC, it does not matter whether it is called charges or tuition fee. What is important is that what the students of the institution are meant to pay should be affordable.

“The Bayelsa State government has a responsibility to ensure that children of poor Bayelsa fishermen and women have access to university education”.

Julius Eras-Olabowu