PORT HARCOURT: Let me disappoint those expecting me to speak as the President of the Ijaw National Congress. Today, I speak as a professor of sociology, he said. Having listened to all the contributions, it’s clear we are a house divided.
He continued by describing the ongoing political tension in Rivers State as a symptom of a deeper, systemic issue.
The crisis in Rivers is not isolated; it reflects a failing political system rooted in state captureno t just of Rivers State, but of the entire Niger Delta.
According to him, the drive to control the region stems from its vast oil wealth.
He accused the federal government of perpetuating policies of division and manipulation to maintain control and exploit the Niger Delta’s resources.
“Our region is immensely rich. Over time, strategies of balkanisation, divide and rule, and internal conflict have been used to weaken us.
Just like during colonial rule, crises are orchestrated using our people, and in the chaos, the federal government exploits our resources while we cheer for the very individuals causing the damage, he said.
He firmly rejected any attempt to portray the Rivers crisis as ethnically motivated.
“As President of the Ijaw National Congress, I have consistently emphasized that this is not an ethnic conflict. Anyone framing it that way is an enemy of the Niger Delta.
He concluded by calling for unity among the people of the region and condemned politicians who manipulate ethnic and regional tensions for personal gain.
