GIVE US NEW COUNCILS IN DELTA, EDO, BY IJAW LEADERS


SOME Ijaw leaders in the Delta-Edo axis of the Niger Delta say there will be no enduring peace in the oil and gas region, if the authorities fail to create local government areas for their kith and kin in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, and for those in Edo State.

In the creeks of Edo state, insurgents under the banner of the Niger Delta Freedom Fighters, told the then visiting Niger Delta Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee (NDPGRC), a presidential panel that was led by Senator David Bngidi, in November, 2007 that they were prepared to play ball with the Umar –Yar’Adua administration on some vital conditions.

They were pressing for the creation of four local government areas for the Ijaw people in Delta and Edo states. Three of the new councils demanded are to be in Edo, and the other in Delta.

The demand for the creation of the four-concil areas was made at their camp at Egbema I, in Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo state.
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Spokesperson for the freedom fighters, Jackson Ikinibor, told the Brigidi panel that the three new council areas they want for the Ijaws in Edo state are Egbema-Okomu, Olodiama, and Furupagha,, while the only one for Delta state is Delta Egbema.

On Thursday, a prominent Ijaw leader in that area, Mr. Robinson Uropa, reawaken the agitation for fresh council areas for the Ijaw in a phone interview. According to him, ''the Ijaws in Edo and Delta states are neglected, unidentified, and grossly marginalized’’.

Mr. Uropa is claiming that the Ijaw in Ovia North-East, and Ovia South-West Local Government Areas of Edo state as well as those of Warri North Local Government Area of Delta state, “ are made perpetual minorities” where they have found themselves.

Continuing, he said the only thing that could make them to stop further restiveness, is to bring the Ijaw together under four separate administrative units as earlier demanded by the insurgents.

''In demanding for the creation of the four local government areas, we are aiming to achieve five things to the Ijaw people in the affected areas. These five things are, bringing government nearer to them, ensuring even development, enabling them to develop at their own pave and be together as a people, minimizing hostager taking, ethnic conflict, crisis and agitations, and enabling them to have deep sense of belonging rather than being treated as second-class citizens’’, Mr. Uropa said.

While responding to the demand of the insurgents then, chairman of the visiting presidential panel, Brigidi, said they were aware of the challenges facing the coastal commuters in Edo state. ''We are of the view that it is time to find lasting solution to the challenges facing them, “ Brigidi said IN 2007.

According to Brigidi, “ this committee, the Niger Delta Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee, is here on the directive of President Umaru Yar’Adua . Mr. President sent us to come and talk with you with a view to finding a lasting solution to the problems in the creeks. From what we have seen so far, your area just like all the other coastal communities, are in urgent need of all the good things of life like access roads, schools, healthcentres/ hospitals, good drinking water, jetties, electricity, among others.

“But all these good things of life cannot come in a state of violence. Mr.. President is pleading for an atmosphere of peace in the whole of the Niger Delta to enable his administration address the perculiar needs of individual communities, “ the committee Chairman added.

While assuring the freedom fighters that their demand for the creation of four new council areas would be made Known to the authorities, Brigidi whose panel was inangurated by Vice President Goodluck Jonathan on July 2, 2007, urged the militants to cooperate with them.

With Birigidi on the visits to militant camps in Edo and Ondo states, were the committee secretary, Kingsley Kuku, John Amadi, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) then who represented the Nigeria Police in the panel, and his State Security Service (SSS) counterpart, Duke Fubara.

The area they are demanding for the four council areas comprises a network of creeks with swamp forests with intermittent land areas in Okomu, Ofunama, Ajakurama, Gelegele, Opuama /Polobobar, Ogbinbiri / Ogbudugbudu, and Safarogbo forest areas.

The Ijaw people in the four local government areas being demanded, appear to be living in the same geographical area contiguous to one another. Their custom, tradition and interest also seem to be common.
ENDS.