The fact that the people of the Niger Delta have been living in abject poverty as a result of the insensitivity of various Nigerian government can not be over emphasized. Over the years and since the discovery of crude oil in Oloibiri, an indigenous town of the Ijaws of Old Rivers State (now Bayelsa State) in 1956, the Ijaw people, the fourth largest ethnic group in Nigeria are the most affected in groups maginalisation in Nigeria.
You will not appreciate a tiny treasure until you lose it. The disregard of the ijaw race of the Niger Delta by the Nigerian government is an act beckoning on a looming danger that may soon errupt like volcanoe.
I blame the intermittent crises in that zone on the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Let me use this opportunity to educate those people especially Nigerians who have an erroneous impression about the Ijaw man. The Ijaw man is a peaceful, friendly and loving fellow. He tolerate other tribes and have co-existed with people of different ethic background along the coastal regions of different part of Nigeria, viz: Rivers, Bayelsa, Ondo, Delta, Edo and Akwa-Ibom States of the Federation. Though peace loving, the Ijaw man hates suppression and oppression of his people by an arrogant power. Do not push him to the wall because he will not plead for mercy, instead, he choses the only available alternative of fighting back with burning fury. You slap him on the left cheek, he plucks out your two eyes. He considers the offer of the right cheek an expensive humour. Trace the Ijaw man history to 1998 and you will discover a peaceful tribe co-existing with her neighbours. The mayhem in the Niger Delta started in 1999 when the Izons could no longer bear the pains on their own soil. Continous oil spillage by these multinational irritants; Shell, Cheveron, Mobil etc and years of neglect by the Nigerian government couple with the insensitive regime of ex-military leader turned civilian led to aggression resulting in the Odi saga. A whole town was wiped off the face of the earth on few days of civil unrest by Obasanjo soldiers. What a harrowing period of Ijaw history! Obasanjo has now been tagged the izon man "most wanted", sharing the same popular list with the world most notorious terrorist, Osama bin Ladin. He has scores to settle. He must pay the price for his wickedness whilst in office.
The Ijaws have also unavoidably been involved in various ethnic clashes with neighbouring inhabitants. The Ijaws and Itsekiri were involved in various contest for supremacy in Delta State over the traditional status of Warri , the popular and commercial nerve of the state. While the Itsekiris are of the opinion that they are the original indigenous inhabitants or settlers of Warri, accomodating the Ijaws, the latter oppined that the Itsekiri were welcomed with open hands by the Izons. The Izons argued that the name Itsekiri derives from Seikiri, an ijaw word for a bad land where dead bodies of those that perpetrated evil while on earth were buried. The area of land where the Itsekiris presently occupied was a grave yard for evil doers prior to their arrival. It was the only available land the Ijaws could relinquish as they do not vacate their land for immigrants. In effect, "Seikiri" is not habitable by Izons, it is forbidden. Thus, Seikiri was corrupted to Itsekiri. "We gave them the land, we accomodated them" echoes the voice of the Ijaw man. Also, the decision to install and impose an Itsekiri Oba or King on Warri fueled tensions in Warri. The Ijaws frowned at the installation of Olu of Warri in a community where no single tribe could claim supremacy or right to the original settlement of the area. The Ijaws argued that the imposition of Olu of Warri on the Ijaws and other tribes was wrong and that the Oba should have been crowned Olu of Itsekiri, the Overlord of the Itsekiri tribe and not the Ijaws. Thousands of people were killed, houses burnts and property worth millions of naira were destroyed in the ensuing violent clash between the two hither friendly neighbours. Although the crisis has ended, the Warri Question looms large.
In Ondo state, the Ilajes and Ijaws have been involved in agelong feud. Common cause of the violent clash is traceable to inability of two stocks to co-exist or most times land disputs. The Arogbo-Ijaw, located in Ese-Odo local government of Ondo state is the prominent Ijaw community in Ondo state. Their history can be traced to the Gbaran (Ijaw) people of Bayelsa state, speaking distinct language which is linked to the Niger-Congo family of languages. Since their natural habitat is coastal, the Ijaws finds settlement along the coast a suitable habitat. The Ilajes on the other hand are the decedants of the Mahins of the Yoruba race and reside in Ilaje Local government area of Ondo State. One common feature between these two tribes is their natural habitat: aquatic. Means of livelyhood: fishing is also another close attribute. Claims of tribal supremacy and land ownership are big issues that need urgent solutions. The inability to proffer solution to urgent issues of ethnic and national importance have led to schism on the part of two brothers. Obviously, the Divine has the only lasting solution, but we must learn to accommodate our differences.
You will not appreciate a tiny treasure until you lose it. The disregard of the ijaw race of the Niger Delta by the Nigerian government is an act beckoning on a looming danger that may soon errupt like volcanoe.
I blame the intermittent crises in that zone on the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Let me use this opportunity to educate those people especially Nigerians who have an erroneous impression about the Ijaw man. The Ijaw man is a peaceful, friendly and loving fellow. He tolerate other tribes and have co-existed with people of different ethic background along the coastal regions of different part of Nigeria, viz: Rivers, Bayelsa, Ondo, Delta, Edo and Akwa-Ibom States of the Federation. Though peace loving, the Ijaw man hates suppression and oppression of his people by an arrogant power. Do not push him to the wall because he will not plead for mercy, instead, he choses the only available alternative of fighting back with burning fury. You slap him on the left cheek, he plucks out your two eyes. He considers the offer of the right cheek an expensive humour. Trace the Ijaw man history to 1998 and you will discover a peaceful tribe co-existing with her neighbours. The mayhem in the Niger Delta started in 1999 when the Izons could no longer bear the pains on their own soil. Continous oil spillage by these multinational irritants; Shell, Cheveron, Mobil etc and years of neglect by the Nigerian government couple with the insensitive regime of ex-military leader turned civilian led to aggression resulting in the Odi saga. A whole town was wiped off the face of the earth on few days of civil unrest by Obasanjo soldiers. What a harrowing period of Ijaw history! Obasanjo has now been tagged the izon man "most wanted", sharing the same popular list with the world most notorious terrorist, Osama bin Ladin. He has scores to settle. He must pay the price for his wickedness whilst in office.
The Ijaws have also unavoidably been involved in various ethnic clashes with neighbouring inhabitants. The Ijaws and Itsekiri were involved in various contest for supremacy in Delta State over the traditional status of Warri , the popular and commercial nerve of the state. While the Itsekiris are of the opinion that they are the original indigenous inhabitants or settlers of Warri, accomodating the Ijaws, the latter oppined that the Itsekiri were welcomed with open hands by the Izons. The Izons argued that the name Itsekiri derives from Seikiri, an ijaw word for a bad land where dead bodies of those that perpetrated evil while on earth were buried. The area of land where the Itsekiris presently occupied was a grave yard for evil doers prior to their arrival. It was the only available land the Ijaws could relinquish as they do not vacate their land for immigrants. In effect, "Seikiri" is not habitable by Izons, it is forbidden. Thus, Seikiri was corrupted to Itsekiri. "We gave them the land, we accomodated them" echoes the voice of the Ijaw man. Also, the decision to install and impose an Itsekiri Oba or King on Warri fueled tensions in Warri. The Ijaws frowned at the installation of Olu of Warri in a community where no single tribe could claim supremacy or right to the original settlement of the area. The Ijaws argued that the imposition of Olu of Warri on the Ijaws and other tribes was wrong and that the Oba should have been crowned Olu of Itsekiri, the Overlord of the Itsekiri tribe and not the Ijaws. Thousands of people were killed, houses burnts and property worth millions of naira were destroyed in the ensuing violent clash between the two hither friendly neighbours. Although the crisis has ended, the Warri Question looms large.
In Ondo state, the Ilajes and Ijaws have been involved in agelong feud. Common cause of the violent clash is traceable to inability of two stocks to co-exist or most times land disputs. The Arogbo-Ijaw, located in Ese-Odo local government of Ondo state is the prominent Ijaw community in Ondo state. Their history can be traced to the Gbaran (Ijaw) people of Bayelsa state, speaking distinct language which is linked to the Niger-Congo family of languages. Since their natural habitat is coastal, the Ijaws finds settlement along the coast a suitable habitat. The Ilajes on the other hand are the decedants of the Mahins of the Yoruba race and reside in Ilaje Local government area of Ondo State. One common feature between these two tribes is their natural habitat: aquatic. Means of livelyhood: fishing is also another close attribute. Claims of tribal supremacy and land ownership are big issues that need urgent solutions. The inability to proffer solution to urgent issues of ethnic and national importance have led to schism on the part of two brothers. Obviously, the Divine has the only lasting solution, but we must learn to accommodate our differences.
The most disturbing crisis in the Niger Delta is the ongoing kidnapping of oil workers and bombing of oil pipelines. I am not an advocate of vandalism but the whole blame of the violence in the delta should be passed on the Nigerian government. They caused the present crises. The agelong neglect of the people of Niger Delta gave the restive youths the only option of carrying arms in a revolutionary style. The days of quietness are over. The Ijaws have been diplomatic and idealistic for so many years. Since ideas would not solve the problems in the delta, arms brandishing which equally is not the solution but which further provokes tensions seems to be the realistic option among the youth.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) is the most organised and sophisticated militant outfit among the militant groups of the region. The Movement has on many occassions claimed responsibilities for various high profile violence attacks mostly on oil companies (Shell, Chevron, Mobil etc), targets being expatriate workers of those companies. They speak not only for the Ijaws but the whole tribes of the delta. They are organised in outlook but ferocious in operations. They do not collect ransom money from their victims. Most times, high profile government representatives hold round-table talks with the group leading to the release of those in captivity. MEND only release its prisoners after successful dialogue with parties involved and unless answers are provided for their demands, release may not be possible. However, hundreds of criminal group have emerged kidnapping not only expatriate oil workers but also families of senior government workers, claiming ransom money from their victims. These groups are criminal in activities. They do not represent any ethnic group and are not fighting to alleviate the poverty in that region. Instead, they fight for selfish reasons. For instance, Port Harcourt, capital city of the oil rich Rivers State was thrown into pockets of civil unrest in 2007 as a result of clashes between rival gangs, fighting for selfish reasons. It took the intervention of the Joint Task Force (JTF) (a joint government security outfit comprising the Army, Navy, Airforce and Police) to quell the violence and flush Ateke Tom (popular militant leader in Port Harcourt) and his boys out of the city after which the inhabitants of the city could sleep with their eyes closed. Their activities have caused the erroneous notion that youths in Niger Delta are lazy and are not ready to work. This is not correct. I am from the Niger Delta, educated and a hardworking fellow. I am very certain that there are millions of Ijaw youths like my humble self in Nigeria and in diaspora, working assidiously and praying that one day the Niger Delta would transform from a slum to paradise. The struggle continues. Thus, this topic can not be exhausted. But we have to speak with one voice. "Haa Izon!...Izon Ibeh bai yough kumo o.....ebifiye bomini".
Long live Niger Delta, long live the Izon Nation.
Filatei J.P, the writer lives and work in Lagos.
