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ACCOUNT OF MY STEWARDSHIP/FORMAL DECLARATION SPEECH TO BECOME THE 9TH PRESIDENT OF THE IJAW YOUTH COUNCIL WORLDWIDE
“A NEW ERA”
Greetings (protocols).
l want to give my humble and undiluted thanks and praises to the Most High God for bringing this day to be.
A couple of days ago, on Tuesday, April 25, God added another year to my years, as I turned 36. Some of my family and friends asked if I wasn’t going to mark it and so I chose to mark it thus; With The Public Presentation of a book which documents the eventful journey and activities of the Office of the Spokesperson of the Ijaw Youths Council (I.Y.C), Worldwide, in nearly three years in office, titled; “The Chronicles of Ebilade Ekerefe”.
From the depth of my heart, I’m grateful to the galant Ijaw youths, most especially the delegates who found me worthy and elected me as their Spokesperson at the Oporoza Elective Convention.
Let me also seize this opportunity to profoundly thank and appreciate some notable leaders and associates, who helped in no small measure for the modest contribution of my office in advancing the course.
I thank the Governor General of the Ijaw nation, our amiable father and leader, Sen. Douye Diri, His predecessor, H.E. Sen. Henry Seriake Dickson, Maj. Gen. Barry Ndiomu (rtd.), Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Program, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, President, Ijaw National Congress, Amb. Godknows Boladei Igali, Dr. Jonathan Obuebite, Barr. Osom Blackson, Dr. Nimbofa Ayawei, Hon. Lucky Youbougha, Chief Alambo Nengi James(OON), Barr. John Sambo, amongst others. Indeed, their support played a significant role in this three years journey and I remain eternally grateful.
The journey has indeed been eventful. It’s been challenging, exciting, instructive and a great learning curve for my team and I.
As a young man who was prepared for leadership, upon my assumption of office, I quickly hit the ground running by first, renting and equipping a four room office space, furnished it which has enabled me to consistently attend to the day to day challenges of Ijaw youths for close to three years.
I equally assembled a small strategy team of competent and thought provoking Ijaw youths whom have effectively supported me in prosecuting the mandate of my office. Special thanks to Comr. Robert Igali, Chief John Jacob Ogoroki, Ambrose Esuemi, the capacity driven journalist, Osaro Okhomina , Johnson Ogbomade , Jehovah-nisi and my workaholic Secretary, Nanatuemi Talbort.
And also special recognition must be given to the practicing members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the State and the Niger Delta region, particularly the State Chairman, Comrade Samuel Numonengi, for their objective reportage of the new narrative of Ijaw Youths struggle through the office of the National Spokesman.
Within this time frame, we were able to engage in effective advocacy as well as interface with relevant interest groups, institutions and authorities on pertinent issues relevant to the overall well-being of our people. We’ve fearlessly and courageously spoken out to authorities and defended the Ijaw interest and the region at large when ever the need rises.
In doing this, our press releases and press conferences on critical national issues, which bothers on our security, development, economy and socio-political survival as Ijaw people and the Niger Delta region is contained and archived in over three hundred pages of national news papers where I stated our irrevocable stand as the Councils mouthpiece in the last three years.
I’ve countlessly granted live press interviews on national TV stations, most especially, with AIT legendary journalist, Mr. Imoni Amarere in his popular program; PEOPLES, POLITICS AND POWER.
I’ve equally featured in Ijeoma Osamor “DEMOCRACY TODAY” programs in countless times and many other national electronic media platforms just to put Niger delta question in the front burner of the national discuss.
I’ve equally featured in a 1hour live studio interview section on KAAKAKI, the AFRICAN VOICE just for for the sole purpose of defending the Ijaw nation when an overzealous political office holder in the region made uncharitable remarks about the Ijaw nation.
When it became apparently clear that the Nigerian state was reluctant to take action to address our plight despite our numerous press releases and diplomatic engagements with the authorities, i mobilized and led Ijaw youths to protest at the popular Mbiama axis of the East West road which stalled economic activities and vehicular movements four 4hours on the 22nd, Dec 2021 just to demand for the appointment of a substantive board of the NDDC.
Interestingly, That was the beginning of series of protests which took place at the region. While we do not pride ourselves for taken aggressive steps, it appears that the only language the government understand is radical confrontations which is not necessary, but inevitable.
I’m pleased that during the three years in review, I was able to influence the appointment of four Ijaw youths as Special Assistant’s to the Bayelsa state Governor, Sen. Douye Diri.
Let me ones again, seize this opportunity to thank His Excellency, for the confidence repose in me for approving this appointments to the Douye Diri/Lawrence Youth Network where I was the Director General during his 1st term gubernatorial elections.
I’ve equally facilitated the employment of Ijaw Youth from Southern Ijaw in the Federal Medical Center as a Senior staff and hopefully, more Ijaw youths will be employed.
I’ve equally facilitated the employment of an Ijaw Youth from Angalabri in Sagbama LGA as a senior staff in Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB) last year.
I’ve the firm believe that no society can make significant progress when the productive energy of the youths are not been harnessed. Therefore, in my quest to bridge this gap, I’m building the capacities of Ijaw youths in technology through a free ICT skill acquisition training program; tagged: Operation 301 ICT Savvy Ijaw Youths 2022/2023 put together by my office. Eighty Ijaw youths have undergone this laudable capacity building training program on computer appreciation, programming and coding in the first batch. Starter packs(computer laptops) were presented to the beneficiaries in a well organized graduation ceremony which took place on the 16th of December 2022 at the Bayelsa State Banquet Hall.
In keeping to my promise, the second batch of the free ICT skill acquisition training program has commence immediately at the Training Center in my office after an induction ceremony that took place on the 7th of April, 2023 at the Golden Tulip Hotels, Onopa, Yenagoa. Interestingly, another 100 Ijaw youths are currently benefiting from this free ICT skill acquisition training program and computer laptops will be presented to beneficiaries after three months of intensive training.
However, my vision is to ensure that 301 Ijaw youths are added into the ICT value chain by the end of 2023 and God willing, expand the scope of this training to accommodate more Ijaw youths who are interested in the program seeing its ingenuity. This trainings will help in reducing youth restiveness and the unemployment syndrome the Niger Delta region has suffered over the years.
Another pertinent reason why I have chosen to chronicle the activities of my office, in the last, almost, three years, is the hope that it will challenge and motivate those coming after us to strive to do even better than the little we have done, as there is so much work that still needs to be done.
As the 8th National Executive Council of the IYC is winding up, We all are in agreement that the Ijaw nation, most especially in the Ijaw Youth Council, leadership is missing and their is a dire need of leadership with direction. A leader that will be courageous enough to confront the issues headlong. A leader that will inspire hope and build the confidence of the people as we continue the journey for the socio economic liberation of the Ijaw people and the Niger Delta region.
I was inspired by the achievements of some of our great leaders who took up the challenge in defending the Ijaw nation when it was not fashionable to do so, the likes of Oronto Douglass, the environmental rights activist, Dr. Felix Tuodolo, the calm, but calculative pioneer president the Council has produced, Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo, the radical revolutionary who took the struggle to a different dimension when he was at the saddle, the infectious Kingsley Kuku, Dr. Chris Ekiyor, who superintended the Amnesty deal as president of Council and many others who took over from them.
Suffice to say that all these aforementioned names where less than 35 years of age when they fourth with both the arms and the pens for the liberation struggle.
The Ijaw Youth Council has come of age to look inward and come up with renewed strategy to confront the myriads of challenges that affects us as a people if we most get it right.
We can not continue to apply obsolete approach and expect to achieve desired result in an evolving world. We are currently in a jet age and we most prepare an army of young, vibrant and intellectually mobile Ijaw youths in a NEW ERA to drive home our demands.
This is exactly what informed me to set up the free ICT training institute to build the capacities of our youths in this direction and prepare them for the future challenges.
We are all aware that the President Buhari led federal government did not treat the people of the Niger Delta fairly despite the huge economic contribution of the region.
Under his government, all the institutions of government which was established by law to develop the region ran under interim or sole administration bases which stalled the development of region. Despite our outcries, the East West road remains an isour. Potions of the road remains a death trap with all the audio promises made. There were serious efforts to terminate the Amnesty program and annex the NDDC into the Niger Delta Ministry but we stood our ground and fourth very hard for the status quo to remain.
Majority of the projects awarded by the Buhari’s federal government in the Niger Delta region are all in “groundbreaking,” the worst of it is the climate change. The perennial flood which has made live very unbearable and yet, the federal government has refused to come to our aid. Unemployment is on the rise and our people remain constantly agitated.
Rampaging Fulani herdsmen have invaded our region, killing our people with impunity and the security apparatus of the country which is predominantly made of of the Fulani extraction are doing nothing.
In few days from now we shall be entering the Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s regime. Nobody knows his plans for the region and what will befall of us. The future is full of uncertainties and there’s no better time than now for a vibrant and courageous leadership.
Haven looked at our modest achievements and the support and admiration from our people, most especially, the energetic youths, the love and enthusiasm from even the downtrodden and the people with special abilities, I’ve come to that point of accepting the call from my teaming supporters, political stakeholders, elders of Council, various organs of Council and the masses to become the 9th president of the most revered revolutionary youth Council in the whole of the West African subregion.
I come with a message of “A NEW ERA”
An era of building on the solid foundation that we’ve laid in the past three years as Spokesperson of the Ijaw Youth Council.
An NEW ERA restoring the hope of the youths in the region and recruiting a new army of young intellectuals but radical in their views.
An Era of building strategic alliances for the overall good of the people.
I’m the bridge between the young and the old.
I’m young, vibrant and energetic to be your president for the next three years and make no mistake, I’m the representation of A NEW ERA.
Just as I did not sleep as Spokesperson in advancing the course, I’ll not still sleep as your president.
Under my watch, the Ijaw nation will be protected against arms banditry and marauding Fulani herdsmen who are terrorizing our land with no consequences. It will not be business as usual. I assure you.
In the New Era, my leadership will aggressively and strategically engage the Nigerian state in a more robust and coordinated manner that will produce desired results.
While we shall constantly keep the issues of resource control and fiscal federalism in the front burner of the national discourse, issues of climate change will be prioritized. We shall take the advocacy and engagements to the international scene and create global awareness on greenhouse emission.
In doing so, we shall set up a research team of young intellectuals from the Ijaw extraction who will help us with the white paper as our guide in our advocacies and engagements.
Of course, we’ve kickstarted the free ICT skill acquisition training program already, with the aim of building the capabilities of 301 Ijaw youths before the end of the year. It’s not rhetorics. We shall accomplish it and expand its scope to accommodate more youths across the region and other initiatives that will be attractive to youths, especially, agriculture and sport’s development.
Finally, our strategy and approach towards achieving our objective wish I’ll formulate with my Executives when sworn in to office as President will be on two fundamental pillars; the radical approach and intellectual approach.
Thank you as I’ll be formally starting a full scale consolidation on the quiet consultations we’ve been making for the past two years with stakeholders, opinion leaders and the potential delegates.
Solidarity forever.
Aaaaaah Izon………., aaaaaah Izon,
Izon keme emi?
Long live the Ijaw Youths Council, Worldwide.
God bless Izon-ibe!
Thank you..
