By Austin Ogwuda
THE President, Ijaw National Congress (INC) Worldwide, Prof. (Chief) Benjamin Okaba says “The INC is working with Ijaws in the diaspora to facilitate the registration of the Ijaw Nation with the United Nations Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO), which is an international membership-based organisation established to empower the voices of unrepresented and marginalised peoples worldwide and to protect their fundamental human rights”.
President, Ijaw National Congress INC Worldwide, Prof (Chief) Benjamin Ogele Okaba, Global Peace Ambassador, Distinguished Star Award of Okrika Kingdom, The Ebebuloukereowei of Oporoma Kingdom disclosed this in his Welcome Address on the occasion of the 2024 edition of the celebration of the Ijaw National Day/Thanksgiving Service held at Ijaw House, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
He used the occasion to present a Mid-term Score Card of the 8th INC NEC on the specific steps taken to tackle common concerns and challenges on the way to actualize the self-determination goal in line with the theme of this year’s celebration.
According to him, “we embark on internationalising the Ijaw Struggle because the struggle has not gained enough international recognition.
“The lack of international recognition is reducing the impact of the Ijaw self-determination drive.
Already, the INC/IYC has applied to also register with some International Human Rights Organizations”.
On the issue of security challenge, Okaba said, “the increasingly worrisome insecurity situation in Nigeria and Ijaw communities in particular, resulting from both external and internal factors must be seen as existential threat that should be addressed urgently.
Therefore we have taken the following steps:
*1. A message from the INC has gone to all Ijaw Communities/Clans the their respective Kings and Amanana-oweis, advising and encouraging them on the imperative to – (a) Sensitize and mobilize their subjects on the need for unity and self-defence.
(b) Revive and strengthen other traditional – kinetic & non kinetic traditional security architecture.
(c) Ensure the enforcement of the Anti- Grazing Law in their respective domain. Resolve all inter and intra communal crisis in their domain.
*2. Revive the age long tradition of identification and registration of all visitors and non indigenes resident in our communities including forests.
*3. Monitor recruitment at all levels into the NDA, Police, Navy, Civil Defence etc to ensure that our quota is filled. Hold a Security and Unity summit involving all traditional rulers and other stakeholders in the business of security”.
In reeling out the midterm score card here are the following performance indicators:
* Promoting Ijaw Unity and Sense of common Purpose
* Managing internal crises
* Reviving the Ijaw Culture and Language
*Political Consciousness and Ijaw Political Party
*Economic Empowerment/setting up Ijaw Development Bank
*Internationalization of the Ijaw Struggle
*Security Challenges
*Promoting Awareness on Congress activities
*The Ijaw Contiguous Map
*Stabillization and Accountability
*State of the Nation; and
*Collaboration with other Ethnic Nationalities
In conclusion, the INC President stated that “Beyond articulating the challenges to our Self Determination Agenda and the bold steps taken by the 8th NEC to address each and every one of them, it is also apposite to set the records straight in the midst of critics who have worked so assiduously to demarket this administration.
This NEC is well focussed on its core mandate and will continue to be prudent in the management of its meagre resources”.
