ISAAC ADAKA BORO’S LEGACY: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS.
Your Excellencies, Ijaw Leaders, IPA President, Invited guests, Fellow IPA Members, Ladies and Gentlemen.
INTRODUCTION
AH! IZON!!!
I am particularly delighted to make a speech for this year Late Major Isaac
Adaka Boro’s Remembrance Day for the year 2008. I am an Ijaw (Ezon) by
tribe from Sagbama local government of Bayelsa State of Nigeria. I believe
in the sovereignty of Nigeria as a country just like my people do. However,
let me emulate, Late Chief Bola Ige, who said he was a Yoruba before he
became a Nigerian, in the same respect, may I say, I am an Ijaw before
I became a Nigerian. Therefore, if there is a conflict between the two,
I have no other options to take than the first.
A
critical analysis of the Ijawman in the present day Nigeria will be
incomplete if I do not look at the past, the present and the future.
Therefore, let me quickly run you through the Nigerian history in
relation to the Ijawman and analyse to the present day and future
actions the Ijaws need to take to remain in this country called Nigeria.
When
the Nigerian Civil War started, the military intentions of the coup
plotters were not that of tribal, but tribal sentiments came in as a
result of some sections of the country being more affected than others
and therefore, there was a counter coup. These counter coups were still
expressions or fears the tribal leaders had expressed before the
independence. The resultant effect of these tribal sentiments finally
resulted into the Nigerian Civil War. The Nigerian Civil War was fought
primarily on tribal sentiments, and each of these tribes played
different roles in order to protect their own tribal interest.
In
the case of the north, their primary objective was to ensure that
leadership remains with them and the protection of their groundnut
pyramid industry. While in the case of the west, their primary
objective is to ensure that their cocoa industry do not fall into the
hands of whosoever comes into power and as such they were trying to
balance between who should win at the end of the day. In the bid of
this, they ended up agreeing with both Biafra and the North. While in
the case of the Igbos, since they were already in the civil service in
large numbers and also knowing that geographically the oil producing
area is within their territory and as such they could easily protect
both the oil and coal industries. While in the case of the minorities,
since they do not have strong representation at the centre, they were
constrained to fight along their various geographical representations.
The
Ijaws who are the fourth largest tribe were grouped into the Western
and Eastern Regions of Nigeria. However, they felt, the Igbos could not
be trusted. They convinced Chief Ojukwu to call a meeting between the
various tribes that will form Biafra as an independent state. The
essence of the meeting was to discuss the parameters by which these
tribes will be recognised as a state if they win the war. The response
the Igbos gave was that, the status quo remains the same, meaning that,
if you were a minority in the former state (Nigeria) then, those tribes
will still remain minorities. The Ijaws were not comfortable with the
response. This led to the Ijaws pulling out of the Biafran state. The
Igbos had under-estimated the determination of the Ijaws and even
considered them as insignificant. This misunderstanding finally led
Port Harcourt being captured by the Nigerian troops with Boro. The
Ijaws action relates to Late Chief Bola Ige’s statement ‘The
relationship between Nigerians should not be like that of the big fish
and Jonah in the bible, rather it should be symbiotic’. This statement
simply reminds me the actions of the Ijaws. The implication is that no
Nigerian should be treated like a second class citizen rather everyone
should be treated equally. Furthermore, the Ijaws cannot leave the
stomach of the big fish and jump into the stomach of the Lion, who will
first chew them before swallowing. This implies that we rather remain
with the devil we know than the angel we do not know.
In
Article 3 of the Kaiama declaration stated that, “The division of the
Southern Protectorate into East and West in 1939 by the British marked
the beginning of the balkanisation of a hitherto territorially
contiguous and culturally homogenous Ijaw people into political and
administrative units, much to our disadvantage.
The
fears expressed by the Ijaws before and after the independence are
still the same today. The only difference is that, other tribes have
overcome their fears and now consolidated a new position and have
further compounded the issues with new groups struggling for the
resources of the Ijawland. However, their new fear is let the Ijaw’s
not realise that they are being exploited by the elite Nigerians. The
various fears expressed by especially the majority tribes have been
protected and they are now capturing new grounds and resources. They
have effectively used the centre as a pretext to re-allocate the
resources from the Ijaw land.
If Nigeria is a country
with history and conscience, then the parameters in which proceeds from
cocoa, groundnuts and coal were shared in the 50s and 60s, should have
been the same parameters in which the present day Nigeria oil wealth
should have been shared.
The gimmick immediately after
the Nigerian Civil War was to keep Nigeria one, as one indivisible
sovereign country. So, after the war, Gen. Gowon declared that ‘there
was no victor and no vanquish’. This comment pleased Nigerians and it
was expected that the government will abide by our words by ensuring
that all tribal sentiments or fears being expressed before the civil
war will be catered for. However, the contrary is the case up till this
present day. The military did not only create chaos but rather fully
implemented a tribal agenda by ensuring that major appointments go to
the North while secondary appointment goes to the next strongest
opposition who fought along with them i.e. the Yorubas. The Yorubas
have not forgotten their rivalry between the major tribes and as such
used Lagos as a pretext that it is the federal capital and so allocated
most resources that goes to the centre to develop the west while
continue to blackmail any other tribe person who might struggle
appointments with them except those strong rivals from the north. The
Igbos constantly struggle to remain in the Nigerian state even though
defeated as a Biafran state, took their third position as a major
tribe.
The implication of this kind of classification
of tribes affected the Ijaws tremendously. They suddenly became an
enemy to the Nigerian state because their considered to be Igbos and
they also became an enemy to the Igbos because they [Ijaws] fought
alongside with the Nigerian state. Today, the psyche of Nigerian has
suddenly turned that oppressive word, ‘WAZOBIA’, to represent Nigerian
tribes. This concept of classification of three major tribes led to
the word ‘WAZOBIA’ which simply stands for “come” in
the three major languages, “WA”, “ZO”, “BIA”. However since the word
was formed through western press, it simply placed the Yoruba word
first. Obviously, the Nigerian state today has never change from the
pre-independence days up till today.
As Late PA Awolowo
said “Nigeria is simply a geographical expression and not a country”.
This observation was highlighted again during formal British Prime
Minister, Lady Thatcher in 1985 when she visited Nigeria and later
wrote in her book, The Downing Street Years, “It is
not easy to govern a country like Nigeria and it is somewhat
artificially created, divided into Muslim, and Christian and pagan
south. I do wonder if there is any Nigerian in this country (Nigeria)
who does not agree with this expression. However, there are strong
binding factors and fears of the last Nigerian Civil War. The binding
factors are the common resources of the Niger Delta oil being
re-allocated to them at the centre while ensuring that resources of the
victor of the war are kept for future development. The implication of
this is that no single Nigerian tribe is willing to forgo, forfeit or
negotiate with the resources of their areas. Therefore, various tribal
leaders simply wait at the centre (FGN) for proceeds from oil revenue
to be shared among themselves.
YES! General Yakubu Gowon
(retired) had declared that the war is over, but is it really over?
Even if the average man on the street accepts that the war is over but
those tribal leaders who fought, have they agreed to drop their
positions? The same leaders today have taken up traditional,
ministerial, political, ambassadorial, senatorial and all kinds of
appointment from the Federal, State and from all government parastatals
and commissions. When they retire from appointment or service, they
simply need to re-declare their ages and pick up another appointment or
their stooges and children taking up those appointments. Some have to
serve the military for a number of years, retire and after 20 years
become president at the age of 60 years.
Immediately
after the civil war, the military played a very important role in the
present day crisis, rather than being an impartial judge of what
happened, they [military] consolidated the position of the victor. In
so doing, censor figures were manipulated to favour the victor, states
and local governments were created to favour the victor, national
identity was based on the victor, tribal leaders were promoted and
propagated as national leaders, religion was manipulated to favour the
victor, national dressing was manipulated to favour the victor,
appointments were manipulated to favour the victor, the present day
Nigerian currency also carries the faces of the victor(Tribal leaders)
and virtually all national identities and characters were geared toward
the victor. Today, these issues are becoming prominent and therefore
some have presented themselves as Nigerians while the rest are
appendixes. The victor now had a lot of bargaining power and a lot of
wealth to influence the society at large. Those who are in love, have
to create states on behalf of their lovers just like in the case of
Delta state, where the Ijaws of Delta state have to pass through Benin
(Edo State Capital), to go to their state capital in Asaba (Delta State
Capital-considered to be an Igbo land). In the same Delta state, the
Ijaws do not have local governments based on geographical area (No
maps) but towns and simply associated with a particular local
government area, based on passed tradition. Port Harcourt had virtually
fallen into the hands of the Igbos while the Ondo state radio station
which used to broadcast news in Ijaw has totally been dropped.
Today,
even though they have tribal agenda, they still parade themselves as
national leaders. The present day Nigeria, the creation of states and
local governments are major issues that cannot be treated with levity.
This is because it is based on these parameters that various leaders
can be represented at the Federal level and resources are also being
allocated based on states and local governments. For example, Kano
state has 43 local governments; Lagos state has 38 local governments
while Bayelsa state has only 8 local governments.
WHO IS LATE MAJOR ADAKA ISSAC BORO?
This is an Ijawman from Kaiama town of Kaiama local government area in
Bayelsa state of Nigeria and a Christian with a military background. He
fought along with the Nigerian troops to ensure that Nigeria was kept as
one country. He died at the age of 30 years, and betrayed by some tribal
leaders who presently are still parading themselves as national leaders.
His 12 days revolution was killed by either General Obasanjo or General
Adekunle (black scorpion) who are all Yorubas. This is not surprising because
the Yorubas have continue for a long time betraying the Ijawman, using
various means as cover including the use of Land Use Decree, the western
press, bombing of Odi town, using the Benin and Itsekiri’s as fronts to
struggle for land while ensuring that oil companies’ headquarters are located
within their territory. Boro was married and had children and his principles
were primarily national but they were not recognised and up till today,
they’re still not recognised. His concepts were influenced by his home
upbringing, which is, identifying with the truth just like any other Ijaw
man. He had friends across every tribe irrespective of religion and sentiment;
primarily his beliefs are that “what goes to the goose must go to the gander”.
The implication of this is that Boro felt, if resources of the major
tribes are sent to the centre at the rate of 50% while the remaining 50%
is retained for the development of that area where the resources come from,
why are the resources from the Niger Delta shared without consideration
of the area that produces it? Does Nigeria have two types of constitution,
one for the major tribes, while other for the minority tribe? Likewise
states and local governments were created on tribal sentiments and he realised
that the Ijaws had no state. His observations later led to the creation
of the Mid-western state and later Rivers state and presently to Delta
and Bayelsa states. However, these states were re-absorbed either by the
major tribes or minor tribes that are organised and represented at the
Federal level.
MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS THAT LED BORO TO ACT
Boro as an Ijawman and a fair minded human being looking at the Nigerian
scenario could not comprehend why the Ijaws are treated so badly considering
their population as the 4th largest in the country and making significant
contribution to the economy. All attempts to make the Nigerian state understand
the plight of the Ijaws went into deaf ears; therefore he had no option
than to act. However, he was misconstrued by both the Ijaws and other tribes
as a rebel. Today, do the Ijaws realise what Boro was fighting for? How
can we represent him properly as a people he died for? Have the Ijaws today
achieve those objectives he has been fighting for? Is it better now or
worst with the balkanisation of Ijaws into various states with no central
administration? Presently, Are the Ijaws a dyeing tribe with every dialect
proclaiming to be a tribe of its own? For example, the Apos claiming to
be Yoruba’s from Ondo state, the Kalabaris of Rivers state claiming to
be a tribe of its own, the Opobos of Rivers state claiming to be Igbos,
the Nembes claiming to be a tribe of its own, the Ogbias claiming to be
a tribe of its own, the Okirikas claiming to be a tribe of its own, etc.
SO WHO ARE THE IJAWS?
According to the Vice President in his speech delivered last year at
the Boro Day event, “This year, I intend to draw attention to the
urgent need to get things right so that the sacrifices of our leaders
and elders will not have been in vain. Among other things, I would also
serve a reminder of the seven great cultures that have kept the Ijaws
and their neighbours as one people under God.” Does the Vice President
who is from Ogbia dialect agree to be an Ijaw man? The remaining ones
have dialects of their own like the Mein of Delta state, the Tuburu of
both Bayelsa and Rivers state, the Ogbe-ezon of Delta state, the
Arogbos of Ondo state, etc are still presently representing the Ijaws
but I wonder how the language will be if each one of them claim to be a
tribe of its own. Ladies and Gentlemen, you can tell the remaining
story. In the same vain, like other Nigerian tribes, they have various
dialects. The Yoruba’s have Egbas, Ijebus, Oyos etc, while the Hausas
have various minor ethnic groups like Kanuri, Fulani,Gwaris, with
strong dialectical differences but yet have close associate with the
Hausas and finally the Igbos have the Anambra Igbos, the Imo Igbos, the
Abarkaliki, etc but yet they all have a central dialect that they
speak. What is the difference between what the Ijaws have and the rest
of the major tribes? It is simple, a common central dialect which
should be coined out of all the various dialect of the Ijaw language.
Today we gather here to mark Boro’s Day; Does the Boro Day represent a
tribe or a group of tribes? Please let each one of us analyse ourselves
and see what category we fall into. If we are on the wrong side , for
the sake of BORO let us represent him by not only marking his day but
also carrying out his ambitions or wishes by ensuring that we are
united as a people.
WHAT MADE BORO TO FAIL
There are many factors that constitute our great leader Late Major
Isaac Boro’s failure. Some of these factors include --- Government at
the centre, the other major tribes, lack of communication, ignorance of
his people and finally lack of central leadership of the Ijaws. May I
kindly expanciate some of these factors that led Boro to fail. In the
case of the government at the centre level, there was a deliberate
attempt to divide and rule the people by means of creation of states
and the local government areas which created new identities for the
people.
The
quota system which was created then was to balance appointing leaders
from various tribes and finally to ensure that resources coming to the
centre were fairly distributed. However, when the victors realised
that they could absolve everything without the consideration of other
tribes, they were only implemented where they are disadvantaged.
Presently, quota system are no more respected because those who
agitated for this type of system have consolidated their position as a
result of long period of military rule. In implementing this system,
schools and ministries were located based on the north and south of the
country. The press really influenced a lot of these issues, thereby,
anything that comes to the southern part of the country goes to the
west, anything that goes to the federal capital goes to the west and
the north was simply contented with the position of being leaders only.
In
the case of traditional rulers, some tribes have promoted their various
traditional rulers as first class chiefs, emirs, obas, olu etc and
being recognised by the Federal Government while others are being
portrayed as puppets of those first class traditional rulers. It is sad
to know that a government at the centre which is supposed to be
impartial towards every tribe has now become a tool of oppression. In
the same vain, it has become a caricature that a government in the
centre now re-creates another government in the name of traditional
rulers to oversee all other tribes.
Therefore, the
western press did a lot of damage by always placing the Ijawman as an
Igbo man. The western press had always reported quarrels on the street
among people as part of the struggle. Even if you are unduly treated in
an office, when you react, they say that is Niger Delta struggle. Local
government area which was created for the Ijaws were taken by the
Itsekiri, by moving the Headquarter to their town outside the Local
Government but when they say no, they say, it is Niger Delta struggle.
So, when you graduate from their oppressive Universities with quota
system attached to it to be admitted as a student (with 0.001%
privilege as non-indigene even if you score 90% in JAMB) and you seek
for a job, they say, it is Niger Delta struggle. The Ijaws are tramped
by Yoruba’s, the Benin’s and Itsekiri’s (common history and background)
from the western part while the Igbos is strongly contending with the
Ijaws at the eastern part. In all these, the Ijaws are losing out
because they are not represented properly at the centre.
For
example, in the case of the Igbos, because of the Ijaw man’s culture of
a child born by a slave or a bought woman becoming the head of the
community, King Jaja of Opobo became the King of the Opobo’s with a
bought woman from Igbo land. Today Opobo land is being considered as an
Igbo territory. In similar type of story, the Yorubas had claimed that
their ancestral father ‘Oduduwa’, came to Ile-Ife with a chain from
above and conquered some minor tribes that were there and later ruled
over them. Who were these people? Were they the Ijaws? Is it the same
spirit ‘Odudu’ which the Ijaws fear up till today? Just like the Vice
President had observed in his last speech that, “Some of our traditions
are dying may not be news to those who care less of our collective
survival as a people.”
Boro also failed as a result of
ignorance of the Ijaws and the challenges they were facing. Even now I
wonder whether the Ijaws have learnt their lessons. While they were in
their comfort zone of plenty fishes and little agricultural support,
the present reality have shown that nothing lasts forever.
Today, the Ijaws could not fish anymore because of pollution caused by
exploration of crude oil and gas on their lands and rivers whose proceeds
are being shared by other tribal leaders who are still parading themselves
as national or traditional leaders. The price the Ijawman is paying cannot
be quantified. For example, when Bayelsa State was created, it had just
only one filling station even though it produces oil, or when their children
look for work within the oil fields in their backyard, they have to travel
all the way to Lagos or Abuja because the Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation
(NNPC) is located in those cities. This reminds me of what Former President
Obasanjo did when he came into power, within six (6) months, he changed
Nigeria Ports Authority and the maritime Headquarters back to Lagos and
at the same time, was bombing Odi village. He [Obasanjo] never waited
for any legislation or consultation to move these Headquarters’ back to
Lagos knowing fully well that it will not benefit his people if they are
sighted in Abuja.
Reference to retired Major Umar Article in the Daily Independent Newspaper
of 15 July 2008 where he stated that, “I also want it to be on record that
the essence of fighting in that area is because the Nigerian Navy is at
the vanguard of bunkering of oil in that area. They don’t want stability
in that area so that if there is stability, the amount of money they are
siphoning out of this country through illegal means will be stopped completely.
This is why the Nigerian Navy is completely from a particular tribe, the
South West, tutored by Obasanjo.”
However, the same government refused to move neither the NNPC Headquarters’
nor agree for oil companies to move their Headquarters’ to the Niger Delta
area because jobs which are presently enjoyed by the Yoruba’s will be taken
by the Niger Delta people. When the issue of the formation of the NDDC
was requested, it took the National Assembly two years to pass a legislation
and the headquarters’ was sited a year after in Port Harcourt instead of
Yenegoa to ensure that the Ijawman does not have anything at all. Even
when the NDDC was given funds to start; it was given 700 million naira
(about 2.5 million pounds) which was far less than the money given to the
reconstruction or repairs of Ogunpa River/ stream in Ibadan town of Oyo
state. Both Ogunpa and Lagos beach were given 1.5 billion naira respectively
in sharp contrast to what was given to the NDDC to start. Even more painfully,
a house confiscated by the Federal Government from Late Gen. Abacha which
was auctioned at 950 million naira in Lagos. If a house could cost that
amount of money, what does Obasanjo expect the NDDC to do with 700 million
naira? Is it for building tents? Or photocopying of documents? Or is it
meant for sharing?
The Niger Delta area is one of the most backward areas of the country today
with degradation, pollution, environmental oil spillage, gas flaring, acute
unemployment, extreme poverty, no schools and industries and no sign of
Federal presence, even though 90% of the Nigerian economy depends on this
area. It has nothing to show for it, for example, the schools and Federal
industries in Yaba (part of Lagos) are far more than all the schools or
Federal presence in the whole of the Niger Delta. This is a sharp contrast
to the case when the Western Region was using cocoa (whose house is located
in Ibadan, Cocoa House). Today the Ijawman is still making the same mistake
of building houses in Lagos and Abuja after they have been compensated
with peanuts for making noise about the Niger Delta. I wonder who is going
to develop the Niger Delta if we cannot do so as a people from that region.
According to Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, an Ijawman from the Niger Delta in
his opening remarks of last years Boro Day speech that, “... Today, the
Almighty God has kindly changed my designation to Vice President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria and my residential address to Aso Rock Villa...”
Let
us make absolutely clear that today the resource control struggle is
perceived to be a struggle of the South-South but in reality it is the
struggle of the Ijawman, its resources, lands and rivers and its
existence as a tribe. This is because the crisis and the killings are
happening in Ijawland and no other place in the South-South. It is at
the point whereby the Federal Government wants reconciliation or there
is a little compensation or payment, that you will see the rest tribes
surfacing themselves as part of the struggle. It is also in Ijawland
that soldiers are presently stationed in the South-South and killing
our people.
Most sadly, there is no edifice or
infrastructure which could be used for conferences in the Ijaw land.
When we want to gather, we are always at Lagos or Abuja or London
talking about the South-South. I have never seen where AREWA or ODUA
meetings are held in any other part of the country except within their
geographical area.
THE POSITION OF THE NIGERIAN STATE TODAY
We thank God that Nigeria is practicing democracy today after a long period
of military dictatorship and adventure with unitary system of government.
According to Late Fela Anikulapo Kuti, “Democracy simply means the Demonstration
of craze” we can say that this is a layman’s interpretation of democracy
and I hope Nigerians are not laymen. In analysing this issue, the military
has consolidated the position of the North and the South-west and also
compensated the Igbo’s by recognising them as the third major tribe. In
this scenario, the Ijaws are the Guinea Pigs whose resources are still
being shared among these three tribes. As retired Major Umar remarked in
his article, “Secondly we must not forget why they don’t want stability
in that area. All the Generals in the Armed Forces of Nigeria today, all
of them have oil blocks in that area. Are the oil blocks in their own states
of origin? But then they are disfranchising this people and the same constitution
made us citizens of this country. We have the same equal and moral rights
to be citizens of this country. So there is no justification whatsoever
to fight the Niger Delta. If we want to fight, the Chadians have been infiltrating
this country, let’s go and fight the Chadians. But the Niger Delta people
are fighting for their own rights. They are not saying they don’t want
to be Nigerians what they are saying is that they should be given equal
rights like any citizen of this country. What is Borno State contributing
to this country? What is Sokoto State contributing to this country? You
are using their money to develop the Sharia States. All the governors of
the 19 northern states have been accused by the then Chairman of the EFCC
to have looted their states treasuries. And the money actually came from
the Niger Delta area. So what moral justifications have we to war with
them? Let’s arrest these corrupt people first, try them, retrieve this
money and see what we can do to that area. There is no development in that
area. This people have the moral right to agitate. And I am one who is
saying that they have every right to agitate for what they are doing and
we have no moral right to send any troop there.”
The
constitution is created based on these parameters, states and local
governments were created based on these parameters. As Late Fela
Anikulapo Kuti said, this is a clear demonstration of craze by the
constitution towards the Ijaw people. This is because the Ijawman is
neither here or there in any of the states and therefore cannot be
represented properly at the federal level.
Now asking the
Ijawman to follow constitutional means is like a scenario where there
are nine thieves and one owner. The ten men constitution in this
scenario says that, the owner should look for legal means of ensuring
that he has a majority vote among them. Obviously, it is an impossible
scenario. Therefore, stealing will become a legal entity just like
Nigeria.
The June 12 struggle of 1993 led to Obasanjo
becoming the president of Nigeria, despite all the condemnation of his
administration by Nigerians, the major beneficiaries were the Yorubas.
The Ijaws whole heartedly supported the struggle by boycotting the
constitutional conference organised by Late General Sani Abacha.
However, the Yorubas were properly represented at that conference. The
Yorubas never left the struggle for street protest only but almost
everything which were controlled by them were totally crippled because
the elites and technocrats along with the street boys joined the
struggle. Today, Ijaw leaders are still looking for constitutional
means of addressing the Niger Delta struggle. Where the youths have
struggled and some people are given appointments then they will say,
please, I do not want any problems but they end up being stooges to
other tribal leaders. How long can the people of this area bear this?
Another
action taken by the Yorubas was that of the Odua People’s Congress
(OPC), a youth organisation formed to protect the Yorubas interest was
not only supported by the street boys, elites and technocrats but was
supported by the Obasanjo’s Administration. Funds were raised and arms
were also given to them by the administration. Today those who parade
themselves as Ijaw leaders are still negotiating in Abuja and Lagos. I
wonder when we will learn our lessons. I am disturbed because our
children are still going to fight because our fathers refuse to fight
for our rights and we are also refusing to fight for it. Let me make
reference again to Umar’s article when he said, “Very good. Now there
is nowhere in this country, in the world where a peaceful agitation
brings out results. We have seen in the past what happened to Moses in
Egypt. The Israelites agitated peacefully for 430 years and they were
oppressed y the Pharaohs. And what God did was to destroy the Pharaoh
and his troops. And this is exactly what has been happening in the
history of the world. Those who fight peacefully end up being
brutalised. Zimbabwe got its freedom not on a platter of gold, but by
violent agitation. Namibia got its freedom not on a platter of gold but
by agitation. South Africa got its freedom not on a platter on gold.
They got their freedom by violent agitation. We must not forget that
the people that are supposed to protect these individuals are the same
people that are oppressing them. The only way they can be heard is by
agitation. Ojukwu came with agitation and he was heard at the end of
the day. That was why more states were created in the Eastern part of
the country so that it would be developed. But what has happened in the
Niger Delta? The area is completely creeks, just oil area. The Niger
Delta area, the oil it produces is much more than what is produced in
Dubai. Today, Dubai’s development is much more than what is happening
in the Niger Delta. So I foresee that a peaceful solution cannot bring
about changes, then automatically violent revolts can bring about
changes.”
No matter how we negotiate, oppressing the Ijaw man
looks constitutional and so they will never accept it. They always
maintain their position until the Ijaws give up. Negotiation is all
about give and take. We are always giving and they are always taking.
When you ask, they say it is for the general interest of Nigerians.
General interest is a collection of individual interest and so if that
interest does not include the Ijaws then how can it be a collective
interest? Remember, every creature gives birth to its kind.
For example, Odua People’s
Congress (OPC) was operating very freely and their leaders were coming
out publicly in TV and radio stations announcing that they (OPC) will
protect the Yorubas at any given cost. The Obasanjo Administration had
not seen that as a threat to the Nigerian sovereignty. The Ijaws was
forced out of Ajegunle and Mile 12 in Lagos while the Ilajes were busy
capturing Ijaw lands in Ondo State. The Bakassi boys from the Eastern
part of the country were busy bullied along with Ijaw Youths Congress
(IYC) from the Niger Delta by the Government; the OPC and Arewa youths
were operating freely. Sharia was a no go area for Nigerians to openly
and freely discuss but the Niger Delta issue is a general issue
discussed, without representation from the Niger Delta.
Today, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND)
is not only targeted by the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) but
other countries like Britain is being invited to join forces with the
Nigerian Troops to properly colonise the Ijaws for the rest tribes of
Nigeria. I do not blame these tribal leaders because the Ijaws are not
organised like the rest. Even if the approach taken by MEND today seems
wrong to so many Nigerians, we the elites, democrats, technocrats,
colonised traditional leaders, government stooges etc must remember to
join forces with these youth groups to stop this colonisation. The
approach might be slightly different but we must be focused. Today,
most people who are showing signs of interest in the struggle are not
coming with clean hands because they know the source of the problem.
Today, Tribal leaders are looting the Niger Delta resources pretending
to be government officials. If they are government officials, is the
Niger Delta not part of Nigeria? If so, why does the government show
blind eye to the development of the area? Even, out of 52 weeks of a
year production of crude oil, if one week production is committed to
the development of this area for 5 years the crisis will stop, rather,
they prefer to play politics with it.
THE POSITIONS OF THE IJAWS AS A TRIBE
The Ijaws who are the fourth largest tribe in Nigeria although
balkanised into several states as minorities, covers Bayelsa, Delta,
Rivers, Ondo, Edo, Akwa-Ibam, Lagos and Abia States. In all these
states, they are only partially recognised in Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers
alone, while in the rest they are almost completely absorbed.
To
avoid this evil day, the Vice President in his remark at last years
Boro day event, had spoken of a seven great cultures, that is, ‘...
Collective action, courage and community spirit; Hard work; Love,
friendship and brotherhood; Respect for elders; Peace and harmony with
the environment; Knowledge and wisdom; Culture of positive resistance.’
This
should be a thing of concern, to those who parade themselves as Ijaw
leaders and traditional Heads. You cannot be a leader of militants
without being one. Today, Nigerians are saying, it is Ijaw leaders who
have stolen the money that came to that place. I doubt this position
very strongly because if wealthy Nigerians are counted in that country,
I wonder whether any so-called Ijaw leaders could be counted among the
first 100. Obviously, they had used their names to steal. Otherwise,
from where the Emirs from the north, the Obas from the west and Owelle/
Igwes get their monies from, to become one of the richest men in the
country today? Are they the Niger Delta chiefs who we are hearing of?
Is that the reason why every president, general, minister and
ambassador who retires from active service, wants to be one traditional
ruler? Is that the reason why, those strong first class chiefs wants a
representation at the centre always to ensure that, the looting of the
Niger Delta do not elude them? The way oil blocks (lands) are being
shared in the Niger Delta to Nigerians, is it the same way lands from
the north, west and east are being shared among Nigerians? Is that the
reason why the land use decree is still being used despite the
so-called democracy we are practicing? Is that the reason why, the
traditional institution is booming today with every household producing
princes and princess?
The Boro legacy is better
remembered if we can recognise ourselves as a people with the same
culture having the same type of difficulties. That is oppressed and its
resources being reallocated by other tribal leaders under the pretext
of one Nigeria.
Nigeria is a multi tribal society with
multiple interest and several reclassifications. The leaders of other
tribes have known this as a problem and since the military rule has
positioned them properly, they want to retain that position the
military dictatorship had placed them. The western press has to be
controlled and the Niger Delta people have to be continuously
blackmailed so that the wider world will not see the truth. If the
Nigerian Government is confident of what they have done for the Niger
Delta people, let them show it on video to the whole world; an area
which makes Nigeria to be the six largest producer of crude oil (all
from the Niger Delta) in the world.
Today, when the Ijaws
talk, most Nigerians will tell you, it was the cocoa, groundnut, and
coal money that was used to start the oil industry. This is a complete
fabrication and lies. The Nigerian Government had never used these
monies anywhere neither was these monies reserved for any development.
The oil companies used their monies for everything while Nigerian
Government officials simply sat and shared the money the oil companies
claimed to have realised from the sale of these products. Up till
today, the Nigerian Government does not have any means of measuring the
quantity of crude oil that leaves the Nigerian shores. When this money
comes, they simply divide it among themselves as government officials,
traditional rulers etc and wait for the next, the oil companies will
declare.
THE WAY FORWARD FOR THE IJAWS
In most cases, crises do not start overnight. Always, it starts in the
form of grumbling, rumours, skirmishes, clashes and then political
agitation. If not properly handled, the resultant effects are terrorism
and finally to war. In most cases, the longer these issues are not
resolved the bigger the wound and even where it is heeled, the bigger
the scar.
It
is a common belief that issues are easily resolved at their early
stages than waiting for the appropriate time. The appropriate time of
doing anything is the earliest possible time of rumour, clashes and
skirmishes and then political agitation. Once issues are not resolved
after these stages, the after-math of such silence or pretence is
simply the postponement of the evil day.
Modern war-fare
neither knows size nor might. The elements of good propaganda and
surprise are lethal tools that cannot be eliminated. Moreso, the world
order does not have permanent friends but permanent interest. Grouping
of interest are everywhere. The days of clear distinctions of classes,
tribes and colour are long gone and the whole world is a
reclassified-simple-global-village of classes of group of people with
common interest.
Man has used centuries to build
civilisation up to the point he is. It will take him less than 1% of
the same time and effort he used to build to destroy. Every man has the
potentiality to destroy but not to create. While man takes conscious
effort to guide where he has found himself, create and own property,
capture and re-allocate resources, he must also be conscious to reach
out to those he has deprived. For those who are deprived, the
struggling process is a daily affair which he cannot ignore. For those
who had re-allocated resources to themselves, they continue to look out
for those who will oppose their new acquisition. Life is a rolling
stone, for those who are on top today could be below when it turns down
on their side. Man had continues to try to put a wage on this stone but
it must roll on. That is why change is the only constant thing in life.
Some had decided to put a wage on change, so that, they will only be on
the better side of life but God is perfect and this change is a
reflection of perfection.
The Niger Delta crisis is all
about the Ijawman, there is no other tribe who is strongly agitating
for the Niger Delta. That is the more reason why the Nigerian troops
are stationed in Ijawland. The proposed British troops for the
Nigerian Army are further actions taken by the Nigerian Government to
enslave and continuously colonising these people with stooges from that
area as retired Major Umar had clearly remarked in his article that,
“The Chief of Defence Staff is from Niger Delta. The Inspector- General
of Police is from Niger Delta. The Vice President himself is from the
Niger Delta and was among the people who destroyed the region. After
all when the former governor of Bayelsa State, in the Niger Delta,
Alamesiegha was accused of stealing so many billions, the Vice
President was his deputy. What did he do to revamp the situation? Why
didn’t they agitate for their people when they were there in power as
governors of Niger Delta area? … Because what is happening there is
exactly what is happening in Darfur, Sudan. It is the same thing
happening in Zimbabwe, Iraq, Iran and Palestine”. This reminds me of
the presentation given by Alpha Building Services and Engineering
Training in London during the Bayelsa Business Forum held at the
Kensington Hotel in June 2006, in respect of Alpha Affordable Homes and
Vocational Training Courses. This was meant for training youths on
various skills acquisition in the Niger Delta Area and was presented to
the Bayelsa State government for implementation. However, till today,
nothing has been done.
The British government has
forgotten the American revolution of 1770s where they were imposed with
various taxes like, New taxes 1764, Stamp Act 1765, Tea Act 1773 etc
which finally led to the American Revolution in 1776. Today, Scotland
is benefiting from the North Sea Oil in their geographical territory
whereby the income per head of Scotland is at a ratio 5:1 compared to
England and Wales. Today, Scotland has their own parliament and are
still agitating for a break-away from the United Kingdom. This is a
sharp contrast with the present day Niger Delta Crisis, where they do
not have access to any of their resources.
The Ijaws
represents the Niger Delta oil whether by the political or geographical
definition of the Niger Delta. There is no other ways by which the
Niger Delta crisis can be resolved if the Ijaws are not included. This
is the main issue Boro was fighting for, 40 years ago. The Nigerian
state had always used various tribal leaders to represent the Ijawman
and it has never worked out and they are still struggling to do so.
The way forward for the Niger Delta crisis is simple and can be grouped into the following:
- Implementation of the Kaiama declaration.
- Resources relating to the Ijawman MUST be controlled by the Ijaws.
- Fair distribution system where individual state will be contributing to the centre (confederation)
- States and local governments MUST be created to reflect our size as a people.
- Nigeria MUST not
be seen as an occupying super power over the Ijaws, but they must be
seen as Nigerians and must be given the deserved respect like any other
tribe.
- Traditional rulers claiming to be first class
and third class which is not part of the Ijawman’s culture should be
totally removed from the centre to where they are only applicable.
In
all these Federal Government should allow the Ijaws to have a central
governing body that will control and oversee the activities of Ijawland
and his people, just like the way the Emir of Sokoto represent the
Muslim of Nigeria though contested by the Yorubas.
Boro
as a leader had envisaged this kind of problem that was coming in the
future, because he knew that Nigeria is a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic,
multi-interest with strong cross marriages will be faced with a lot of
problems if we continue to conduct ourselves this way. What he
highlighted then was seen as being rebellious and Obasanjo/Adekunle
took the opportunity to blackmail him and finally was killed. Today the
misery is till not solved as to who killed BORO?
For now
the Ijaws must carry Boro’s legacy forward irrespective of the side
distractions and manipulation by both internal and external forces. The
Ijaws must be united and set a goal to achieve i.e. controlling our
resources and moving forward as people in a multi tribal society.
On the part of the Ijaws for us to move forward, we MUST re-classify our objective in hierarchical order:
- The
Unity of the Ijaws as a tribe of people should be paramount. That is,
every Ijaw dialects must identify themselves as Ijaws for us to move
forward as a people in Nigeria.
- Communication – We
must have common central Ijaw language and information systems like TV,
Radio, Internet, Newspaper etc to inform our people to continue with
the struggle to ensure that victory is achieved.
- Political
Activities – Political activities that will lead us to the centre and
redefine the situation, either to accept the Nigerian state as a
legitimate State of ours, in which our interest is also protected as
other tribes or….
- Development – Conscious efforts
should be made by individuals or government representatives, who have
Ijaws interest at heart to make little contribution to the well being
of the Ijawland while the struggle continues (ALUTA CONTINUAL).
- Youths/cultural
activities – I categorically state here that it would have taken us
another 100yrs or if possible eliminated by the other tribes if not for
the present youths activities in the Niger Delta area. We as elders
present here today from Ijawland representing about 60% of Ijaws in
Diaspora and the homeland representatives should make conscious efforts
to either redefine some of the activities of the youths since we do not
know what to do. We should support the youths and stand as elders to
advise them on how to move forward. I categorically state here that
most of the activities of the youth today are out of frustration either
because we do not represent them fairly, as elders or various Federal
Government representatives.
CONCLUSION
AAAHHHH! EZON!
The Ijaw People Association (IPA) as been in the vanguard of promoting
and bringing Ijaws together to create awareness to the world at large.
Just like the way, the IPA President has observed in some of his recent
comments relating to the Niger Delta issues that “...
Therefore, we appeal to you to persuade the Nigerian Government to do
the right thing for the people of the Niger Delta. The people of the
region have suffered in silence for over 50 years. ... Every successive
government during this period treated the Niger Delta and its people as
‘spoils of war’. The people are now saying enough of this oppression
and slavery... ”.
As I have said earlier on, the Ijaws had
not learnt their lessons. We are being used by other tribes especially
the Yorubas who continue to milk us dry while pretending to be our
friends. The Obasanjo’s Administration is one the Ijaws should never
forget in a hurry. According to Dr Okadigbo’s remarks, “Obasanjo’s Blunder-
In the biggest internal military operation, Nigerian soldiers destroyed
an entire village in the restive Niger Delta, igniting local and
international condemnation for President Olusegun Obasanjo.”
I
wish to add what Mrs Adaka Boro said in relation to the oppression of
the Niger Delta People in which she declared that, “A million Obasanjos
cannot stop us, the struggle continues.”
Well,
let me finally rest my case here with what the IPA President has
commented relating to recent issues of the Niger Delta that “They
insisted that the people of the Niger Delta are not criminals or a
lawless bunch. We are very peaceful and tolerant. Niger Deltans will
always choose life so that they and their children may live. But the
Nigerian Government has mistaken this great virtue of peaceful
co-existence as weakness”.
Sam-James Miriki Hebden
IPA Member
15th August 2008
ALLUTA CONTINUAL!!! YES WE WILL! YES WE WILL! YES WE WILL!