COORDINATOR of Ijaw Monitoring Group, Comrade Joseph Evah in this interview calls for unity of purpose among political leaders of the Niger Delta extraction. He opines that with a common voice, the long expected development of the region may become realistic.

By Charles Kumolu

What is your perception of the state of the nation?

The way the Federal Government is handling the Biafra agitation in the East is very dangerous. They are taking the wrong steps by ignoring the agitations that are going on. For the first time since the end of the civil war, we are seeing an organised aigitation. The Igbo man cannot ordinarily abandon his business for something else, but now we are seeing Igbo men leaving their businesses in order to agitate.

That tells you that they are serious. Seeing them sacrificing their time, energy and money, should be enough to make the Federal Government interested in the matter. Threats by the army, are not acceptable. We expect the government to tell us why they are detaining Kanu. Intimidation did not work when we had our Kaima Declaration during the military era. When they threatened us, we became resilient.

Do you think the Igbo man has a cause to protest?

Yes, the Igbo have something to protest against just as the Ijaw man has something to protest against. Why are they denying the Igbo the right of seeing their son, who was arrested? They can’t be denied that right. I went to court to stop the dredging of the River Niger during the military era because there was no environmental assessment. The government under Abacha awarded the contract through the Petroleum Trust Fund, PTF. I went to my lawyer, Femi Falana and we stopped the dredging through legal process.

Comrade Joseph Evah
Comrade Joseph Evah
If the government had not obeyed the judiciary on the matter, we would have resorted to other alternatives which would not have been in the interest of the government. I questioned the justification for wanting to have a sea port in Baro in Niger State, while our ports in Warri, Koko and Akasa were moribund.

Justification for seaport in Baro

They wanted to dredge the River Niger from Warri to Onitsha and to Lokoja before finally connecting it to Baro, which is close to Abuja. So the government should listen to the Igbo the way we were listened to during the military.

Do you think the Niger-Delta region is fairly represented in Buhari’s government?

Niger Deltans are not well represented in the government and we don’t know why they are doing that. Maybe it is being done because the region produced the immediate past president.

But those, who may be thinking in that direction, do not have conscience. If you look at the way Jonathan worked, it will not be difficult to know that the north benefited more from him. He did that because he believed in the unity of this country.

And the new administration has also started treating the Niger Delta people wrongly. For instance the Urhobo nation which is a sophisticated ethnic group has not been given any appointment. We have not seen any solid appointment that befits the Urhobo nation and we are asking them to correct this type of insult.

But Jonathan was also believed to have insulted the Urhobo nation in that regard?

Well, you must have seen my publications. I Joseph Evah, I told Jonathan, ‘You are embarrassing the Urhobo people.’ I don’t do Ijaw struggle, what I do is Niger Delta struggle. That has been our major setback. To see yourself as Ogoni man, Itsekiri man or Ijaw man and so when we are divided the external oppressors will now deal with us.

A number of persons from the Niger Delta region felt that the Ijaw took over everything and looked down on the rest of the Niger Delta people when Jonathan was in power?

A lot of our people were actually misbehaving and we cautioned them. They were behaving as if this was the time for Ijaw people as if it was Christmas Day and the Christmas Day is forever and we cautioned them.

We tried to caution them that Jonathan was representing all Niger Deltans.

In fact, not only the Niger Delta, when people tried to make Jonathan an Ijaw President or tried to do as if Jonathan ends with Ijaw we tried to warn them that it is very dangerous. For example, 100% of the Igbo committed themselves to Jonathan’s presidency. That was why when Ojukwu died, I organised farewell to Emeka Ojukwu. I mobilised over 5000 people to the National Theatre. I paid N1.5 million to mobilise over 5000 people to take over the National Theater for us to celebrate Ojukwu. The Eze Ndi Igbo were there. I took micro finance loan to organize it and I announced it.

Jonathan presidency

The reason was that during the war, we did not follow the Igbos. We supported the northerners against our Igbo brothers. Now, Jonathan is the President of Nigeria, Igbo had to forget about the way we maltreated them during the war, collectively decided to support Jonathan.

Now, the symbol of Igbo greatness, I call him the Ndi Igbo Black Moses, that is Ojukwu, I said there is need for us to celebrate Ojukwu. We will not allow Ojukwu’s burial without the Niger Delta people celebrating Ojukwu. That was why I organised that and thanked the Igbo for forgiving us because during the civil war, we joined outsiders to kill them. Today our son is the President, you Igbo decided to forgive us.

There are calls for the extension of the amnesty programme, which will end by December. Can you tell us the justification for such calls?

The training of the ex-agitators is still ongoing. Many of them still require to be trained. Even the trained ones are jobless. If the APC government is talking about N5,000 Social Security for the jobless, they should consider extending the amnesty programme because the idle mind is the devil’s workshop. It is not that we are encouraging people to be lazy. We are only concerned about how to make our youths productive and self sufficient.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/11/ndigbo-have-forgiven-niger-delta-for-civil-war-betrayal-evah/

Is it not when someone offers an apology that forgiveness comes in? I am yet to see any apology and that is because there was no betrayal in the first place. There was probably no agreement in the first place.

The call for Biafran sovereignty is really gathering momentum across the Eastern region. The escalation or de-escalation depends on how it is handled by the old relic in power. So far, he has shown he lacks what it takes to bring together all peoples that make up this geographical entity called Nigeria. He lacks wisdom and diplomacy and that will be his albatross.

This thread will be an interesting one.



#grabs-his-gun.

But we still have not forgiven Ndigbo for the oppression during the short period and trying to change our names and the names of our towns

if at this point Nigerians still can't figure that Buhari is a mistake... I have nothing else to opine!

Niger delta owes no one an apology......because no agreement was made in the first place....they did what they did to survive.....logically and pragmatically the sided with the side that won...nice decision

ITbomb:
But we still have not forgiven Ndigbo for the oppression during the short period and trying to change our names and the names of our towns

Lol..... Igbos tried to change your name and that of your town? Where did you get that from?

this pure truth will give some South West land an acute HBP. divide and rule is not working again

babyfaceafrica:
Niger delta owes no one an apology......because no agreement was made in the first place....they did what they did to survive.....logically and pragmatically the sided with the side that won...nice decision

Are you not ashamed? Some of your fathers betrayed the Biafran course to strangers and turned you to slaves and servants in your own land and you're happy? Your resources was lifted and used to develop their lands while the owners of the land perish in abject poverty and you're here clowning? Where's your dignity and pride? Tufiakwa! Fcking slave

Yerubas will be like, 'who wan spoil my day'? Ndi ofe sha.

warrior01:


Are you not ashamed? Some of your fathers betrayed the Biafran course to strangers and turned you to slaves and servants in your own land and you're happy? Your resources was lifted and used to develop their lands while the owners of the land perish in abject poverty and you're here clowning? Where's your dignity and pride? Tufiakwa! Fcking slave

bros leave that guy,he is an MTN scratched face from the land of the waste

eightsin:
Is it not when someone offers an apology that forgiveness comes in? I am yet to see any apology and that is because there was no betrayal in the first place. There was probably no agreement in the first place.

babyfaceafrica:
Niger delta owes no one an apology......because no agreement was made in the first place....they did what they did to survive.....logically and pragmatically the sided with the side that won...nice decision

ITbomb:
But we still have not forgiven Ndigbo for the oppression during the short period and trying to change our names and the names of our towns

Forty- five years after the end of the
Nigeria -Biafra civil
war , the Ijaw youths in Rivers State
have publicly denounced the role their parents played in the war .
They , however , pleaded for
forgiveness , saying that if the
level of awareness and information
available today were in
the country then , that the Ijaw would have supported the
Biafran cause .
Speaking at an Ohanaeze Youth
Council (OYC) submit held
in Owerri , the Imo State capital , the
president of Ijaw
Youth Council , Comrade Udengs
Eradiri , stated that the
Ijaw erred by not supporting the
Biafran cause , citing lack
of awareness and misinformation .
“ If we had the type of awareness and information technology we have today then, we would have stood firmly with Biafra to win the war , but we are working hard
to resolve the issue ,” he stated .
He expressed joy that notwithstanding their role in the
civil war , “ Ndigbo voted
overwhelmingly for President
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in 2011 and since then the zone
has been supporting his
administration . ”



www.newsstandngr.com/news/ijaws-apologies-to-igbos-for-their-neglect-in-civil-war/

warrior01:


Are you not ashamed? Some of your fathers betrayed the Biafran course to strangers and turned you to slaves and servants in your own land and you're happy? Your resources was lifted and used to develop their lands while the owners of the land perish in abject poverty and you're here clowning? Where's your dignity and pride? Tufiakwa! Fcking slave

pls leave that idiot,the mumu is not from Niger delta but tiny village in waste land ewedu eater

we cannot forget the rift they caused us ....



they wont be part of biafra





we are contented with what we have

warrior01:


Are you not ashamed? Some of your fathers betrayed the Biafran course to strangers and turned you to slaves and servants in your own land and you're happy? Your resources was lifted and used to develop their lands while the owners of the land perish in abject poverty and you're here clowning? Where's your dignity and pride? Tufiakwa! Fcking slave

I will ignore your insults.....before the civil war started ,was there any agreement bewteen the niger delta and igbos that the former should support the latter? Or you just expected that because we are neighbours we should support you like that?....decisions are based on facts not sentiments

babyfaceafrica:
I will ignore your insults.....before the civil war started ,was there any agreement bewteen the niger delta and igbos that the former should support the latter? Or you just expected that because we are neighbours we should support you like that?....decisions are based on facts not sentiments

Yes. There was an agreement cos the general assembly gave ojukwu the mandate to declare the state of Biafra cos all were being murdered in Northern and Western parts of the country. Just to let you know, when the chips are down, to Northerner or Yoruba man, any human from parts of Edo down down to all parts of eastern region is referred as an Igbo man. Do you think you will be spared if they go on their murderous rampage again? I'd!ot.

It's ironic how the igbos claim yorubas hate them but judging from what's been going on... It's the other way round #smh

babyfaceafrica:
I will ignore your insults.....before the civil war started ,was there any agreement bewteen the niger delta and igbos that the former should support the latter? Or you just expected that because we are neighbours we should support you like that?....decisions are based on facts not sentiments

don't mind them. That's how they said Yorubas betrayed the South by not voting the complete failure called GEJ. I asked them, was there ever an agreement between Southerners to always support each other even when the support is not beneficial to one of the parties?

The Yorubas did what they saw as best for them likewise the Niger deltans who have moved on after the war and GEJ's loss, except the irrational biafrans.

babyfaceafrica:
I will ignore your insults.....before the civil war started ,was there any agreement bewteen the niger delta and igbos that the former should support the latter? Or you just expected that because we are neighbours we should support you like that?....decisions are based on facts not sentiments

who gave the name Biafra? I'm sure you don't know!

warrior01:


Yes. There was an agreement cos the general assembly gave ojukwu the mandate to declare the state of Biafra cos all were being murdered in Northern and Western parts of the country. Just to let you know, when the chips are down, to Northerner or Yoruba man, any human from parts of Edo down down to all parts of eastern region is referred as an Igbo man. Do you think you will be spared if they go on their murderous rampage again? I'd!ot.

do you have empirical proof of what you just wrote?....which murderous rampage are they going?...abeg make I hear word jhoor.....biafra is SE.....SE is bafram....the minorities will rather stand alone than allign with you guys....how does niger delta republic sound??..nice.....SS don't trust you guys...you guys are too domineering and assertive

patrick89:

who gave the name Biafra? I'm sure you don't know!

He is an illiterate

He doesn't know

juicee1:
don't mind them. That's how they said Yorubas betrayed the South by not voting the complete failure called GEJ. I asked them, was there ever an agreement between Southerners to always support each other even when the support is not beneficial to one of the parties?

The Yorubas did what they saw as best for them likewise the Niger deltans who have moved on after the war and GEJ's loss, except the irrational biafrans.

for an average eaterner it is sentiment over reason...I don't understand

babyfaceafrica:
do you have empirical proof of what you just wrote?....which murderous rampage are they going?...abeg make I hear word jhoor.....biafra is SE.....SE is bafram....the minorities will rather stand alone than allign with you guys....how does niger delta republic sound??..nice.....SS don't trust you guys...you guys are too domineering and assertive

Illiterate


Who named the country Biafra.? An Ijaw man

warrior01:


Yes. There was an agreement cos the general assembly gave ojukwu the mandate to declare the state of Biafra cos all were being murdered in Northern and Western parts of the country. Just to let you know, when the chips are down, to Northerner or Yoruba man, any human from parts of Edo down down to all parts of eastern region is referred as an Igbo man. Do you think you will be spared if they go on their murderous rampage again? I'd!ot.

which general assembly? The one with majority ibos?

You guys are just hypocrites. You chose to agree with the decisions of a few of their elders who didn't consult their people nor held a referendum. Now that thesame elders and leaders of the SS are dissociation from biafra agitation today, you guys are shouting them down claiming it's the youths that should speak through a referendum.

@bold Nobody was killed in western nigeria then. Stop lying

EternalTruths:



Illiterate


Who named the country Biafra.? An Ijaw man

so, because a single ijaw man gave the name biafra, every ijaw man plus SS minorities must now become biafran?

Why not accept that every ibo man wants One Nigeria cos okorocha says so?

Na wah for this land grabbers and oyel thieves o

Well, you must have seen my publications. I Joseph Evah, I told Jonathan, ‘You are embarrassing the Urhobo people.’ I don’t do Ijaw struggle, what I do is Niger Delta struggle. That has been our major setback. To see yourself as Ogoni man, Itsekiri man or Ijaw man and so when we are divided the external oppressors will now deal with us

I believe we all are clear that Evah is committed to Niger-Delta and not Biafra struggle. Once again, we sympathise with the Igbos and wish them well, but we are NOT part of their Biafra.

warrior01:


Yes. There was an agreement cos the general assembly gave ojukwu the mandate to declare the state of Biafra cos all were being murdered in Northern and Western parts of the country. Just to let you know, when the chips are down, to Northerner or Yoruba man, any human from parts of Edo down down to all parts of eastern region is referred as an Igbo man. Do you think you will be spared if they go on their murderous rampage again? I'd!ot.

Which agreement? My friend go ans sit down! Nothing like agreement. It is O.Y.O things

TonyeBarcanista:

Which agreement? My friend go ans sit down! Nothing like agreement. It is O.Y.O things

You are so so overrated in nairaland.... Its obvious you know nothing about the eastern region....

SonOfEl:

You are so so overrated in nairaland.... Its obvious you know nothing about the eastern region....

Thank you 4 dat response. That guy is from a yoruba sub tribe if not yoruba.

There is nothing like NigerDelta. A region that Itsekiri, Ijaw, Urhobo, bini and Esan are at each other throat.

Ibibio and Efik are ever comfortable with the east. I think that group know the igbo have strong christian value and pose no threat to them in any form.

If Nigeria Break today they are the one group I can confidently say are with us. Rivers is going no where either.

The rest can get lost for all i care but Anioma to Igbanke are with us. Behold Biafra is born.