₦airaland Forum

I am particularly delighted to make a speech for this year Late Major Isaac Adaka Boro’s Remembrance Day for the year 2008. I am an Ijaw (Ezon) by tribe from Sagbama local government of Bayelsa State of Nigeria. I believe in the sovereignty of Nigeria as a country just like my people do. However, let me emulate, Late Chief Bola Ige, who said he was a Yoruba before he became a Nigerian, in the same respect, may I say, I am an Ijaw before I became a Nigerian. Therefore, if there is a conflict between the two, I have no other options to take than the first.

A critical analysis of the Ijawman in the present day Nigeria will be incomplete if I do not look at the past, the present and the future. Therefore, let me quickly run you through the Nigerian history in relation to the Ijawman and analyse to the present day and future actions the Ijaws need to take to remain in this country called Nigeria.

When the Nigerian Civil War started, the military intentions of the coup plotters were not that of tribal, but tribal sentiments came in as a result of some sections of the country being more affected than others and therefore, there was a counter coup. These counter coups were still expressions or fears the tribal leaders had expressed before the independence. The resultant effect of these tribal sentiments finally resulted into the Nigerian Civil War. The Nigerian Civil War was fought primarily on tribal sentiments, and each of these tribes played different roles in order to protect their own tribal interest.

In the case of the north, their primary objective was to ensure that leadership remains with them and the protection of their groundnut pyramid industry. While in the case of the west, their primary objective is to ensure that their cocoa industry do not fall into the hands of whosoever comes into power and as such they were trying to balance between who should win at the end of the day. In the bid of this, they ended up agreeing with both Biafra and the North. While in the case of the Igbos, since they were already in the civil service in large numbers and also knowing that geographically the oil producing area is within their territory and as such they could easily protect both the oil and coal industries. While in the case of the minorities, since they do not have strong representation at the centre, they were constrained to fight along their various geographical representations.

The Ijaws who are the fourth largest tribe were grouped into the Western and Eastern Regions of Nigeria. However, they felt, the Igbos could not be trusted. They convinced Chief Ojukwu to call a meeting between the various tribes that will form Biafra as an independent state. The essence of the meeting was to discuss the parameters by which these tribes will be recognised as a state if they win the war. The response the Igbos gave was that, the status quo remains the same, meaning that, if you were a minority in the former state (Nigeria) then, those tribes will still remain minorities. The Ijaws were not comfortable with the response. This led to the Ijaws pulling out of the Biafran state. The Igbos had under-estimated the determination of the Ijaws and even considered them as insignificant. This misunderstanding finally led Port Harcourt being captured by the Nigerian troops with Boro. The Ijaws action relates to Late Chief Bola Ige’s statement ‘The relationship between Nigerians should not be like that of the big fish and Jonah in the bible, rather it should be symbiotic’. This statement simply reminds me the actions of the Ijaws. The implication is that no Nigerian should be treated like a second class citizen rather everyone should be treated equally. Furthermore, the Ijaws cannot leave the stomach of the big fish and jump into the stomach of the Lion, who will first chew them before swallowing. This implies that we rather remain with the devil we know than the angel we do not know.

In Article 3 of the Kaiama declaration stated that, “The division of the Southern Protectorate into East and West in 1939 by the British marked the beginning of the balkanisation of a hitherto territorially contiguous and culturally homogenous Ijaw people into political and administrative units, much to our disadvantage.

The fears expressed by the Ijaws before and after the independence are still the same today. The only difference is that, other tribes have overcome their fears and now consolidated a new position and have further compounded the issues with new groups struggling for the resources of the Ijawland. However, their new fear is let the Ijaw’s not realise that they are being exploited by the elite Nigerians. The various fears expressed by especially the majority tribes have been protected and they are now capturing new grounds and resources. They have effectively used the centre as a pretext to re-allocate the resources from the Ijaw land.

If Nigeria is a country with history and conscience, then the parameters in which proceeds from cocoa, groundnuts and coal were shared in the 50s and 60s, should have been the same parameters in which the present day Nigeria oil wealth should have been shared.

The gimmick immediately after the Nigerian Civil War was to keep Nigeria one, as one indivisible sovereign country. So, after the war, Gen. Gowon declared that ‘there was no victor and no vanquish’. This comment pleased Nigerians and it was expected that the government will abide by our words by ensuring that all tribal sentiments or fears being expressed before the civil war will be catered for. However, the contrary is the case up till this present day. The military did not only create chaos but rather fully implemented a tribal agenda by ensuring that major appointments go to the North while secondary appointment goes to the next strongest opposition who fought along with them i.e. the Yorubas. The Yorubas have not forgotten their rivalry between the major tribes and as such used Lagos as a pretext that it is the federal capital and so allocated most resources that goes to the centre to develop the west while continue to blackmail any other tribe person who might struggle appointments with them except those strong rivals from the north. The Igbos constantly struggle to remain in the Nigerian state even though defeated as a Biafran state, took their third position as a major tribe.

The implication of this kind of classification of tribes affected the Ijaws tremendously. They suddenly became an enemy to the Nigerian state because their considered to be Igbos and they also became an enemy to the Igbos because they [Ijaws] fought alongside with the Nigerian state. Today, the psyche of Nigerian has suddenly turned that oppressive word, ‘WAZOBIA’, to represent Nigerian tribes. This concept of classification of three major tribes led to the word ‘WAZOBIA’ which simply stands for “come” in the three major languages, “WA”, “ZO”, “BIA”. However since the word was formed through western press, it simply placed the Yoruba word first. Obviously, the Nigerian state today has never change from the pre-independence days up till today.

As Late PA Awolowo said “Nigeria is simply a geographical expression and not a country”. This observation was highlighted again during formal British Prime Minister, Lady Thatcher in 1985 when she visited Nigeria and later wrote in her book, The Downing Street Years, “It is not easy to govern a country like Nigeria and it is somewhat artificially created, divided into Muslim, and Christian and pagan south. I do wonder if there is any Nigerian in this country (Nigeria) who does not agree with this expression. However, there are strong binding factors and fears of the last Nigerian Civil War. The binding factors are the common resources of the Niger Delta oil being re-allocated to them at the centre while ensuring that resources of the victor of the war are kept for future development. The implication of this is that no single Nigerian tribe is willing to forgo, forfeit or negotiate with the resources of their areas. Therefore, various tribal leaders simply wait at the centre (FGN) for proceeds from oil revenue to be shared among themselves.

YES! General Yakubu Gowon (retired) had declared that the war is over, but is it really over? Even if the average man on the street accepts that the war is over but those tribal leaders who fought, have they agreed to drop their positions? The same leaders today have taken up traditional, ministerial, political, ambassadorial, senatorial and all kinds of appointment from the Federal, State and from all government parastatals and commissions. When they retire from appointment or service, they simply need to re-declare their ages and pick up another appointment or their stooges and children taking up those appointments. Some have to serve the military for a number of years, retire and after 20 years become president at the age of 60 years.

Immediately after the civil war, the military played a very important role in the present day crisis, rather than being an impartial judge of what happened, they [military] consolidated the position of the victor. In so doing, censor figures were manipulated to favour the victor, states and local governments were created to favour the victor, national identity was based on the victor, tribal leaders were promoted and propagated as national leaders, religion was manipulated to favour the victor, national dressing was manipulated to favour the victor, appointments were manipulated to favour the victor, the present day Nigerian currency also carries the faces of the victor(Tribal leaders) and virtually all national identities and characters were geared toward the victor. Today, these issues are becoming prominent and therefore some have presented themselves as Nigerians while the rest are appendixes. The victor now had a lot of bargaining power and a lot of wealth to influence the society at large. Those who are in love, have to create states on behalf of their lovers just like in the case of Delta state, where the Ijaws of Delta state have to pass through Benin (Edo State Capital), to go to their state capital in Asaba (Delta State Capital-considered to be an Igbo land). In the same Delta state, the Ijaws do not have local governments based on geographical area (No maps) but towns and simply associated with a particular local government area, based on passed tradition. [b]Port Harcourt had virtually fallen into the hands of the Igbos [/b]while the Ondo state radio station which used to broadcast news in Ijaw has totally been dropped.

Today, even though they have tribal agenda, they still parade themselves as national leaders. The present day Nigeria, the creation of states and local governments are major issues that cannot be treated with levity. This is because it is based on these parameters that various leaders can be represented at the Federal level and resources are also being allocated based on states and local governments. For example, Kano state has 43 local governments; Lagos state has 38 local governments while Bayelsa state has only 8 local governments.

the western press did a lot of damage by always placing the Ijawman as an Igbo man. The western press had always reported quarrels on the street among people as part of the struggle. Even if you are unduly treated in an office, when you react, they say that is Niger Delta struggle. Local government area which was created for the Ijaws were taken by the Itsekiri, by moving the Headquarter to their town outside the Local Government but when they say no, they say, it is Niger Delta struggle. So, when you graduate from their oppressive Universities with quota system attached to it to be admitted as a student (with 0.001% privilege as non-indigene even if you score 90% in JAMB) and you seek for a job, they say, it is Niger Delta struggle. The Ijaws are tramped by Yoruba’s, the Benin’s and Itsekiri’s (common history and background) from the western part while the Igbos is strongly contending with the Ijaws at the eastern part. In all these, the Ijaws are losing out because they are not represented properly at the centre.

For example, in the case of the Igbos, because of the Ijaw man’s culture of a child born by a slave or a bought woman becoming the head of the community, King Jaja of Opobo became the King of the Opobo’s with a bought woman from Igbo land. Today Opobo land is being considered as an Igbo territory. In similar type of story, the Yorubas had claimed that their ancestral father ‘Oduduwa’, came to Ile-Ife with a chain from above and conquered some minor tribes that were there and later ruled over them. Who were these people? Were they the Ijaws? Is it the same spirit ‘Odudu’ which the Ijaws fear up till today? Just like the Vice President had observed in his last speech that, “Some of our traditions are dying may not be news to those who care less of our collective survival as a people.”

The Ijaws who are the fourth largest tribe in Nigeria although balkanised into several states as minorities, covers Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers, Ondo, Edo, Akwa-Ibam, Lagos and Abia States. In all these states, they are only partially recognised in Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers alone, while in the rest they are almost completely absorbed.

To avoid this evil day, the Vice President in his remark at last years Boro day event, had spoken of a seven great cultures, that is, ‘... Collective action, courage and community spirit; Hard work; Love, friendship and brotherhood; Respect for elders; Peace and harmony with the environment; Knowledge and wisdom; Culture of positive resistance.’

This should be a thing of concern, to those who parade themselves as Ijaw leaders and traditional Heads. You cannot be a leader of militants without being one. Today, Nigerians are saying, it is Ijaw leaders who have stolen the money that came to that place. I doubt this position very strongly because if wealthy Nigerians are counted in that country, I wonder whether any so-called Ijaw leaders could be counted among the first 100. Obviously, they had used their names to steal. Otherwise, from where the Emirs from the north, the Obas from the west and Owelle/ Igwes get their monies from, to become one of the richest men in the country today? Are they the Niger Delta chiefs who we are hearing of? Is that the reason why every president, general, minister and ambassador who retires from active service, wants to be one traditional ruler? Is that the reason why, those strong first class chiefs wants a representation at the centre always to ensure that, the looting of the Niger Delta do not elude them? The way oil blocks (lands) are being shared in the Niger Delta to Nigerians, is it the same way lands from the north, west and east are being shared among Nigerians? Is that the reason why the land use decree is still being used despite the so-called democracy we are practicing? Is that the reason why, the traditional institution is booming today with every household producing princes and princess?

shachris:
Presently, Are the Ijaws a dyeing tribe with every dialect proclaiming to be a tribe of its own? For example, the Apos claiming to be Yoruba’s from Ondo state

madridguy:
A BIG SLAP TO NNAMDI KANU COWARD AND HIS GULLIBLE FOLLOWERS.

Omololu007:
the apois hav neva claim to b a yoruba tribe,get ur fact right

Kalvan:
10/10 post.

Deltagiant:
Wow! How addictive the Biafra opium has become

Feast on dogs! Feast on!!!

Come on!!!

shachris:
the opium is So strong that it has turned previously reasonable igbo boys like soundking into zombies on autopilot

shachris:
You don't coerce people into your struggle with lies. Some Niger Deltans inter-married with the igbos and bear Igbo names does not make them igbos. King jaja is an example.

Deltagiant:
More worrisome are those who've got little or nothing to do with the issue of Biafra...And you're certainly one of them on auto-pilot .

shachris:
I'm igbo and these zombies are trying to drag my tribe into some zombie fantasy and u expect I remain silent?

Deltagiant:
Please, explain

oweniwe:
People are ignorant

Biafra pre-dates the civil war.

Long before Nigeria ' s formal colonization, the areas from ebonyi to d bordrr of the Benin kingdom was known as Biafra.

What is presently called Bight of Bonny was formerly called Bight of Biafra.

So generalizing Biafra as igbo name/struggle/domination is very very wrong

Ugomba:
@OP. do you mean that there are no Igbos in Niger Delta?
I am a Proud Delta State Igbo, #representing always..
And Delta State is an oil producing state.

shachris:
Biafra as it is pursued now is only a scam ring with some zombie pawns as 'actualizers'. Real igbos are not in support of the present scam called biafra and neither are Niger Deltans

Deltagiant:
Btw,who are the "real Igbos"? And do u have any evidence to buttress the allegation against Kanu?And what law makes it an offence for one to declare his interest in self determination?

pazienza:
The OP, a northerner masquerading as an Igbo, hopes to pitch Ndiigbo against the Ijaws with this thread.

I plead with Ndiigbo here to not bit the bait. Our relationship with the Ijaws is a rough one, but is nothing that can't be mended.

We don't need Ijaws to be Biafrans, we need them to not be Nigerians, that alone is enough.

pazienza:
The OP, a northerner masquerading as an Igbo, hopes to pitch Ndiigbo against the Ijaws with this thread.

I plead with Ndiigbo here to not bit the bait. Our relationship with the Ijaws is a rough one, but is nothing that can't be mended.

We don't need Ijaws to be Biafrans, we need them to not be Nigerians, that alone is enough.

shachris:
A speech given by Sam-James Miriki Hebden, IPA member. It is long but i would break it down in bits.


I am particularly delighted to make a speech for this year Late Major Isaac Adaka Boro’s Remembrance Day for the year 2008. I am an Ijaw (Ezon) by tribe from Sagbama local government of Bayelsa State of Nigeria. I believe in the sovereignty of Nigeria as a country just like my people do. However, let me emulate, Late Chief Bola Ige, who said he was a Yoruba before he became a Nigerian, in the same respect, may I say, I am an Ijaw before I became a Nigerian. Therefore, if there is a conflict between the two, I have no other options to take than the first.

A critical analysis of the Ijawman in the present day Nigeria will be incomplete if I do not look at the past, the present and the future. Therefore, let me quickly run you through the Nigerian history in relation to the Ijawman and analyse to the present day and future actions the Ijaws need to take to remain in this country called Nigeria.

When the Nigerian Civil War started, the military intentions of the coup plotters were not that of tribal, but tribal sentiments came in as a result of some sections of the country being more affected than others and therefore, there was a counter coup. These counter coups were still expressions or fears the tribal leaders had expressed before the independence. The resultant effect of these tribal sentiments finally resulted into the Nigerian Civil War. The Nigerian Civil War was fought primarily on tribal sentiments, and each of these tribes played different roles in order to protect their own tribal interest.

In the case of the north, their primary objective was to ensure that leadership remains with them and the protection of their groundnut pyramid industry. While in the case of the west, their primary objective is to ensure that their cocoa industry do not fall into the hands of whosoever comes into power and as such they were trying to balance between who should win at the end of the day. In the bid of this, they ended up agreeing with both Biafra and the North. While in the case of the Igbos, since they were already in the civil service in large numbers and also knowing that geographically the oil producing area is within their territory and as such they could easily protect both the oil and coal industries. While in the case of the minorities, since they do not have strong representation at the centre, they were constrained to fight along their various geographical representations.

The Ijaws who are the fourth largest tribe were grouped into the Western and Eastern Regions of Nigeria. However, they felt, the Igbos could not be trusted. They convinced Chief Ojukwu to call a meeting between the various tribes that will form Biafra as an independent state. The essence of the meeting was to discuss the parameters by which these tribes will be recognised as a state if they win the war. The response the Igbos gave was that, the status quo remains the same, meaning that, if you were a minority in the former state (Nigeria) then, those tribes will still remain minorities. The Ijaws were not comfortable with the response. This led to the Ijaws pulling out of the Biafran state. The Igbos had under-estimated the determination of the Ijaws and even considered them as insignificant. This misunderstanding finally led Port Harcourt being captured by the Nigerian troops with Boro. The Ijaws action relates to Late Chief Bola Ige’s statement ‘The relationship between Nigerians should not be like that of the big fish and Jonah in the bible, rather it should be symbiotic’. This statement simply reminds me the actions of the Ijaws. The implication is that no Nigerian should be treated like a second class citizen rather everyone should be treated equally. Furthermore, the Ijaws cannot leave the stomach of the big fish and jump into the stomach of the Lion, who will first chew them before swallowing. This implies that we rather remain with the devil we know than the angel we do not know.

In Article 3 of the Kaiama declaration stated that, “The division of the Southern Protectorate into East and West in 1939 by the British marked the beginning of the balkanisation of a hitherto territorially contiguous and culturally homogenous Ijaw people into political and administrative units, much to our disadvantage.

The fears expressed by the Ijaws before and after the independence are still the same today. The only difference is that, other tribes have overcome their fears and now consolidated a new position and have further compounded the issues with new groups struggling for the resources of the Ijawland. However, their new fear is let the Ijaw’s not realise that they are being exploited by the elite Nigerians. The various fears expressed by especially the majority tribes have been protected and they are now capturing new grounds and resources. They have effectively used the centre as a pretext to re-allocate the resources from the Ijaw land.

If Nigeria is a country with history and conscience, then the parameters in which proceeds from cocoa, groundnuts and coal were shared in the 50s and 60s, should have been the same parameters in which the present day Nigeria oil wealth should have been shared.

The gimmick immediately after the Nigerian Civil War was to keep Nigeria one, as one indivisible sovereign country. So, after the war, Gen. Gowon declared that ‘there was no victor and no vanquish’. This comment pleased Nigerians and it was expected that the government will abide by our words by ensuring that all tribal sentiments or fears being expressed before the civil war will be catered for. However, the contrary is the case up till this present day. The military did not only create chaos but rather fully implemented a tribal agenda by ensuring that major appointments go to the North while secondary appointment goes to the next strongest opposition who fought along with them i.e. the Yorubas. The Yorubas have not forgotten their rivalry between the major tribes and as such used Lagos as a pretext that it is the federal capital and so allocated most resources that goes to the centre to develop the west while continue to blackmail any other tribe person who might struggle appointments with them except those strong rivals from the north. The Igbos constantly struggle to remain in the Nigerian state even though defeated as a Biafran state, took their third position as a major tribe.

The implication of this kind of classification of tribes affected the Ijaws tremendously. They suddenly became an enemy to the Nigerian state because their considered to be Igbos and they also became an enemy to the Igbos because they [Ijaws] fought alongside with the Nigerian state. Today, the psyche of Nigerian has suddenly turned that oppressive word, ‘WAZOBIA’, to represent Nigerian tribes. This concept of classification of three major tribes led to the word ‘WAZOBIA’ which simply stands for “come” in the three major languages, “WA”, “ZO”, “BIA”. However since the word was formed through western press, it simply placed the Yoruba word first. Obviously, the Nigerian state today has never change from the pre-independence days up till today.

As Late PA Awolowo said “Nigeria is simply a geographical expression and not a country”. This observation was highlighted again during formal British Prime Minister, Lady Thatcher in 1985 when she visited Nigeria and later wrote in her book, The Downing Street Years, “It is not easy to govern a country like Nigeria and it is somewhat artificially created, divided into Muslim, and Christian and pagan south. I do wonder if there is any Nigerian in this country (Nigeria) who does not agree with this expression. However, there are strong binding factors and fears of the last Nigerian Civil War. The binding factors are the common resources of the Niger Delta oil being re-allocated to them at the centre while ensuring that resources of the victor of the war are kept for future development. The implication of this is that no single Nigerian tribe is willing to forgo, forfeit or negotiate with the resources of their areas. Therefore, various tribal leaders simply wait at the centre (FGN) for proceeds from oil revenue to be shared among themselves.

YES! General Yakubu Gowon (retired) had declared that the war is over, but is it really over? Even if the average man on the street accepts that the war is over but those tribal leaders who fought, have they agreed to drop their positions? The same leaders today have taken up traditional, ministerial, political, ambassadorial, senatorial and all kinds of appointment from the Federal, State and from all government parastatals and commissions. When they retire from appointment or service, they simply need to re-declare their ages and pick up another appointment or their stooges and children taking up those appointments. Some have to serve the military for a number of years, retire and after 20 years become president at the age of 60 years.

Immediately after the civil war, the military played a very important role in the present day crisis, rather than being an impartial judge of what happened, they [military] consolidated the position of the victor. In so doing, censor figures were manipulated to favour the victor, states and local governments were created to favour the victor, national identity was based on the victor, tribal leaders were promoted and propagated as national leaders, religion was manipulated to favour the victor, national dressing was manipulated to favour the victor, appointments were manipulated to favour the victor, the present day Nigerian currency also carries the faces of the victor(Tribal leaders) and virtually all national identities and characters were geared toward the victor. Today, these issues are becoming prominent and therefore some have presented themselves as Nigerians while the rest are appendixes. The victor now had a lot of bargaining power and a lot of wealth to influence the society at large. Those who are in love, have to create states on behalf of their lovers just like in the case of Delta state, where the Ijaws of Delta state have to pass through Benin (Edo State Capital), to go to their state capital in Asaba (Delta State Capital-considered to be an Igbo land). In the same Delta state, the Ijaws do not have local governments based on geographical area (No maps) but towns and simply associated with a particular local government area, based on passed tradition. [b]Port Harcourt had virtually fallen into the hands of the Igbos [/b]while the Ondo state radio station which used to broadcast news in Ijaw has totally been dropped.

Today, even though they have tribal agenda, they still parade themselves as national leaders. The present day Nigeria, the creation of states and local governments are major issues that cannot be treated with levity. This is because it is based on these parameters that various leaders can be represented at the Federal level and resources are also being allocated based on states and local governments. For example, Kano state has 43 local governments; Lagos state has 38 local governments while Bayelsa state has only 8 local governments.



http://unitedijaw.com/analysis.htm