…as Ijaw remembers hero, Isaac Boro
ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide has said the widespread agitations for secession across the country showed that it was time Nigeria restructured to reflect the principles of true fiscal federalism.
The position is contained in a speech on Sunday by the National Spokesman of the IYC, Mr Ebilade Ekerefe, on the Remembrance Day of Ijaw icon and hero, Major Isaac Adaka Boro, who was killed during the Civil War in Nigeria, 53 years ago.
The IYC said: “The secession agitations as a result of the perceived expansionist agenda by the Fulani caliphate is taking a dangerous dimension in Nigeria. We believe there’s no better time to restructure this country than now.
“President Muhammadu Buhari should as a matter of urgency call for a national dialogue which will serve as a roadmap towards the total restructuring of Nigeria that will reflect the principles of true fiscal federalism. The 1999 constitution as amended is lopsided and it can not guarantee equity, fairness and justice.”
Speaking on Boro, the IYC described him as Nigerian nationalist, Ijaw leader and a gallant soldier who was one of the pioneers of minority rights activism in Nigeria and gained renown with his 12 Day Revolution struggle before he was eventually arrested by the government.
The group said the Niger Delta people would not forget Boro’s vision of a region that should be economically independent to transform its landscape with its resources which many believed were being used to develop other parts of the country at the expense of the Niger Delta.
The IYC said: “Boro, like the Ijaw youths, clamoured and drew attention to the plight of the Niger Delta region, and possibly, set it free from the dominance of other major ethnic groups.
“Boro’s vision, and the visions of our forefathers, seem to have moved from violent revolution, armed agitation to intellectual agitations. But the Nigerian government seems to have developed a “steel heart” towards the calls by the people of the region.
“Despite their coloured and window dressing of the issues in response to years of agitation, and the ego creation of intervention agencies, which they acceded to and now controlled politically and financially, the Federal Government has become a ‘Pharaoh’ to the Niger Delta people. They created the NDDC, the Presidential Amnesty Programme and a few others to corrupt the political class in the region and weaken these institutions.”
It said the IYC, with the support of critical stakeholders, had never taken the issues bedevilling the region with kid gloves, noting that it had agitated through successive National Executives of Council to clamour for the needed change that would fully actualise the vision of Boro.
The IYC further said the 30-day ultimatum handed to the Federal Government on April 25 still subsisted, stressing that the council is ready and will not back down from demanding the immediate reconstitution of the substantive board of the Niger Delta Development Commission.
“We have stated that the people of the region take strong exception to the politics of personal interests that has delayed the inauguration of a substantive Board. When it comes to the issue of the Niger Delta people, the response is politicised. What is forensic audit that PWC (Price Water House Coopers) didn’t do in NNPC? Did the Board step aside? No! The Board was there, investigations were done, and they did their report.
“If the frivolous excuse of the Buhari-led administration on NDDC is forensic audit, what excuse would they present for the delay in the completion of the East-West road? Many travellers have died irrespective of their status. And many are still dying due to the deplorable condition of the road.
“At the Presidential Amnesty office, the status of the substantive head has become interim with policy formulation handed to a stranger from the North under the cloak of the National Security Adviser. And the ex-agitators are subjected to frequent change in policy and funding review.”
On President Buhari’s orders to review the security architecture in the South-South, the council commended the President but insisted that more attention should be paid to the North-East and North-Wwest where Boko Haram and bandits are killing people on a daily basis.
It noted: “The President should focus more on regaining the confidence of the Nigeria people who voted him into power instead of playing politics. We believe strongly that Buhari is not bothered about insecurity in the Southsouth because of the safety of our people, but rather because of the oil and gas infrastructure in the region.
“It is worthy of note that the Niger Delta is the most secure region in the country, that is why the oil production capacity of the country is still stable. This is not rocket science. This is as result of stakeholders’ engagement and the time to review our strategy is also gradually emerging as evidence shows the Federal Government is only interested in our oil and not the environment, our development and the safety of our people.”