IJAW LEADERS HOLD EMERGENCY MEETING OVER CRISIS

Ijaw Elder Stateman, Chief Edwin Clerk has hosted ijaw leaders at his country home in warri for an emergency meeting over the looming ijaw crisis.

Recent attacks on Lagos and Ogun states which are being blamed on the ijaws as well as the militancy in the niger delta region are some of the presumed issues as the ijaw leaders meet to discuss the way forward.

Read communique:

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF A CONSULTATIVE MEETING OF IJAW ELDERS AND LEADERS OF THOUGHT HELD IN WARRI, DELTA STATE ON 20TH JULY, 2016.

PREAMBLE

leaders and elders of the Ijaw Nation, worried by the current state of the Nigerian Nation held a consultative meeting at Warri, Delta State to brainstorm on the way forward.

The meeting presided over by Ijaw National Leader Chief  (Dr) Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, OFR, CON was attended by prominent Ijaw elders and leaders of thought including His Excellency Chief Seriake Henry Dickson,Governor of Bayelsa State, His Excellency Barr. Kingsley Otuaro, Deputy Governor of Delta State, His Royal Highness Alabo Tonye Graham Douglas, His Royal Majesty, Pete Charles Ayemi-Botu, JP, OFR, his Royal Majesty Couple M. Oromoni,Amakosu of Ogbe-Ijoh,Warri Kingdom, Alaowei Broderick Bosom, H. E Sir (Dr)  Gabriel Toby Former Deputy Governor of Rivers State, (Chief (Hon) TKO Okorotie, Hon. Justice Francis Tabai,Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria (Red), Chief Boma Obuoforibo (President,Ijaw National Congress), Chief Francis Doukpola, Arc E. I. Etteh, Chief Francis J Williams, Prof C. A Dime, Prof Dagogo Fubara, His Majesty Captain Joseph Timiyan,Ebenanaowei of Ogulagha, Chief Douye Douglas Naingba,Hon.P.Y Biakpara, Chief W. O. Okirika, HRH Diamond Tobin-West, Chief Hon. Justice CET ayama (red), Right Hon.. Hon Julius Pondi,Chief Barr JM Aseh, Chief Tons Fetepigi, Chief Allen Opungiako, Prof. Benjamin Opara, Dr. Alfred Mulade, Barr (Dr)  Bello Orubebe,Pastor Power Aginighan.

After exhaustive deliberation on political, social and economic development in the country and particularly the current resurgence of armed militancy in the Niger Delta Region, the meeting made the following observations and reservations :

(1) The elders and leaders of the Ijaw nation call for the immediate restructuring of the Nigerian Nation along the lines of Fiscal Federalism noting that this is panacea for the sustainable development of Nigeria.
(2) The meeting observed the prevailing trend of executive/legislature face-off that's impacting negatively on governance and calls on both arms to work in harmony in the interest of the nation.
(3) The meeting also noted the noninclusive policies of the present administration which have led to alienation of some components of the federation, particularly the Ijaw nation from the main stream of national development and calls on Mr President to redress this ugly state of affairs.
(4) The meeting noted the impact of the activities of various militant groups in the Niger Delta on the National economy with the concomitant devastation of the ecosystem of the region and calls on all the various agitating groups to seize any further attack on crude oil and gas facilities and embrace the offer of dialogue by the Federal Government.
(5) They further calls on the Federal Government, as a demonstration of sincerity of its commitment to dialogue, immediately withdraw the military from all occupied Ijaw Communities, particularly Gbaramatu Kingdom.
(6) The meeting noted that in spite of the fact that the Ijaw territory is the most impacted by the devastation arising from the conflict, the leadership of the Ijaw nation has not been reached by the Federal Government.
(7) The meeting condemn the move to scrap the Nigerian Maritime University approved by the proceeding Federal Government to be sited at Okerenkoko with temporary site at Kurutie both in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South -West Local Government of Delta State and calls for the immediate takeoff of the university.
(8) The meeting passed a vote of confidence on the Chief Boma Obuoforibo leadership of the Ijaw National Congress (INC).

the next meeting of the Ijaw Nation will be hosted by His Excellency Chief Henry Seriake Dickson the Governor of Bayelsa State .