By Austin Ogwuda
THE Ijaw National Congress (INC), Worldwide, has dismissed the claim to the effect that Rivers State should be regarded as the “6th Igbo State” in Nigeria by the mere fact that one factional Ohaneze Ndigbo President is from the Ikwerre extraction.
In a sharp reaction to the claim INC’s National Publicity Secretary, Engr (Chief) Ezonebi Oyakemeagbegha, in a Press Release issued today, (Tuesday) made it clear that Ijaws lay claim only to Bayelsa State as an Ijaw State simply because it is predominately occupied by the Ijaws.
The Press Release, titled ‘AVOID STATEMENTS THAT COULD RESULT INTO ETHNIC CRISES IN RIVERS STATE’ reads in full:
“The attention of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) Worldwide has been drawn to a publication in the News Week Nigeria Online of January 12, 2025 with the Breaking News headline:
“Media Personality Declares Rivers State as the 6th Igbo State”.
“The report was credited to one irritable “General Show” an Ikwerre by tribe and a self styled “Media Personality who was said to have ignorantly declared Rivers State as the “6th Igbo state” in Nigeria by the mere fact that one factional Ohaneze Ndigbo President is from the Ikwerre extraction.
“The INC ordinarily would not have responded to such reports if not for the fact that such publications can mislead the gullible reading public.
“For the education of our people and the entire reading public, the INC wishes to state categorically that Rivers State, as currently populated cannot be referred to as an Igbo State. Rivers State population currently have over 50% as Ijaws. There are also other ethnic nationalities like Ogoni, Ekpeye, and Eleme etc.
“Concede that there are people within the lkwerre ethic nationality who traces their origin to the Igbo ethnic nationality. The fact still remains that they are infinitesimal as some historians within the same Ikwerre ethnic nationality are daily disputing their ties to the Igbos.
“It stood logic on its head if the reason for classification or labeling Rivers an Igbo state is because a factional Ohaneze Ndi’gbo President is from Rivers.
“For sake of clarity. The fact that Ijaw exists in states like Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Abia does not make such states Ijaw State. Also that Prof. Benjamin O. Okaba, the President of INC is from Delta does not automatically convert it to Ijaw State.
“Ijaws lay claim only to Bayelsa State as an Ijaw State simply because it is predominately occupied by the Ijaws. This cannot be disputed as the fact of geography, history and ehnic web does not lie.
“Recall, an INC Press Release on the 25th, November, 2O24 when we warn against any form of encroachment on Ijaw ancestral land by anybody, no matter how powerful or influential. Ijaws are not ready to concede any inch of their land to anybody. For those who have little flair for history, ljaws are known never to bow to anybody. The history of ljaws as the only ethnic nationality that was never conquered by the colonialists abound.
“The INC will continue to resist any attempt to annex an ancestral land of the Ijaw people. The reading public is advised to take note of the above and be properly guided accordingly, please”.
SIGNED:
Engr (Chief) Ezonebi Oyakemeagbegha,
National Publicity Secretary,
Ijaw National Congress (INC) Worldwide.
14th, January, 2025.
