Agorehmi Bright, Reporting
BAYELSA State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has called on the newly inaugurated leadership of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) to draw inspiration from the remarkable qualities of the late Major Isaac Adaka Boro in the ongoing struggle for a better Ijaw ethnic nationality.
Governor Diri made the appeal during the formal inauguration ceremony of the 10th National Executive Council (NEC) of the IYC, held on Wednesday at the Ijaw House in Yenagoa.
Represented by his deputy, Dr. Peter Akpe, the Governor charged the new leadership, led by Dr. Doubra Okotete, to steer the apex Ijaw youth body responsibly in the best interest of the Ijaw nation and to strengthen its unity.
He emphasised that the IYC is not merely an advocacy organisation but also the custodian of the hopes of millions of young Ijaw people at home and in the diaspora.
Governor Diri therefore called on the youth body to restore a strong, united voice for the Ijaw nation by making its advocacy strident, firm and constructive.
He pointed out that environmental justice should be one of the key focal areas of advocacy for the new NEC, urging them to leverage the recommendations of the Bayelsa State Oil and Environment Commission.
Admonishing the IYC to always be guided by dialogue and mutual respect in their engagements with government, industry and the traditional institution, the Governor assured them of his administration’s readiness to support their struggle for a united and prosperous Ijaw nation.
“The Ijaw nation needs progress, and if we are talking about progress, it can only be achieved under an atmosphere of peace, and there could be no peace without sacrifice,” he said.
“Major Isaac Adaka Boro was only 28 years when he took a deciding stand for our people, and his courage was marked by clarity of purpose and duty. Let your leadership draw from the qualities of our great patriot, Major Isaac Adaka Boro. Let your advocacy be firm, principled and constructive. Let your engagement with government, industry and our traditional institution be guided by dialogue and mutual respect.
“Our purpose is to restore one strong and united voice for the Ijaw nation. There is a further responsibility before you. The IYC must also be forceful on the front of environmental justice. As our youth arm, your advocacy on environmental justice must focus on the content of the recommendations of the Bayelsa State Oil and Gas Environment Commission.
“His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, and the government of Bayelsa State will continue to give you a listening ear and an open door for fruitful partnership.”
Other notable personalities who spoke at the event, including Chief MacDonald Igbadiwei and Chief Kestin Pondi, acknowledged the contributions of the IYC, stressing that the Ijaw nation would not be where it is today in terms of recognition within the Nigerian federation without the agitations of the youth council.
Chief Igbadiwe attributed the institutionalisation of the amnesty programme, the 13 per cent derivation principle, and the establishment of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to the sustained agitations of the IYC, urging the new leadership to remain steadfastly focused on its goals.
The chairman of the occasion, Chief Kestin Pondi, represented by the Member representing Burutu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, paid glowing tribute to the founding fathers of the IYC for their foresight in forming the youth organisation to advance the cause of the Ijaw nation.
Chief Pondi noted that the IYC had succeeded in repositioning the Ijaw ethnic nationality and called on the present leadership to continue to draw inspiration from the legacies of the late Ijaw freedom fighter, Major Isaac Adaka Boro.
“The formation of the IYC has appropriately placed the significance of our ethnic nationality in proper perspective in all national dialogue and discourse. As we continue in our emancipatory journey in the Nigerian state, let us continue to draw inspiration from the legendary Isaac Boro,” he said.
In his acceptance speech, the President of the IYC, Dr. Doubra Okotete, thanked the leaders and critical stakeholders of the Ijaw nation for their individual and collective sacrifices, which ensured the peaceful transition of leadership in the council.
Dr. Okotete assured that the 10th NEC would not let the Ijaw nation down and promised to hold all relevant private and public institutions accountable for the environmental pollution and marginalisation of the Ijaw people.
He called for legislative action to amend the Petroleum Industry Act with a view to increasing the allocation to host communities from three to 30 per cent, and announced the constitution of a committee to embark on a fact-finding mission to Ondo State over alleged deprivations and injustice meted out to Ijaw communities.
Earlier in his valedictory address, the outgone IYC President, Mr. Jonathan Lokpobiri Snr, highlighted some of the achievements of the 9th Executive, including the successful review of the IYC constitution, placement of several Ijaw youths on scholarship in collaboration with the amnesty office and the NDDC, as well as the ongoing construction of an ultramodern IYC secretariat in Yenagoa.
Goodwill messages were also delivered by Elder T.K. Ogoriba, Dr. Kingsley KuKu, the pioneer president of the IYC, Dr. Felix Tuodolor, the pioneer secretary of the IYC, the Chairman of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, King Bubaraye Dakolo; the Amayanabo of Elem-Kalabari, King Mujahid Asari Dokubo, and Miss World Nigeria, Miss Tamunosoye Karibi-George.
