Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, has urged the new leadership of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) to emulate the enviable qualities of late Major Isaac Adaka Boro in the struggle for a better Ijaw ethnic nationality.
Diri made the call during the formal inauguration ceremony of the 10th National Executive Council (NEC) of the IYC at the Ijaw House in Yenagoa on Wednesday.
Represented at the well-attended event by his deputy, Dr. Peter Akpe, the Bayelsa helmsman charged the newly sworn-in Dr. Doubra Okotete-led IYC leadership to lead the apex Ijaw youth body responsibly in the best interest of the Ijaw nation and strengthen its unity.
In a statement by the Press Secretary to the deputy governor, Mr. Doubara Atasi, Diri said the IYC was not just an advocacy organization, but also the custodian of the hopes of millions of young Ijaw people at home and in the diaspora.’
He called on the youth body to restore a strong voice for the Ijaw nation by making its advocacy strident, firm and constructive.
Diri, who pointed out that the issue of environmental justice should be one of the key focal areas of advocacy for the new NEC of the IYC, however charged them to leverage on the recommendations of the Bayelsa State Oil and Environment Commission.
He admonished the IYC to be always guided by dialogue and mutual respect in their engagements with government, industry and the traditional institution.
The Governor assured them of government’s readiness to support them in the struggle for a united and prosperous Ijaw nation.
His words: ” 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.
“Now the charge of His Excellency to the new IYC President and his executive is to lead IYC responsibly. The IYC is more than an advocacy body; it is the custodian of the hopes of millions of young Ijaw people at home and in the Diaspora.
“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 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 Ijaw youth council, stressing that Ijaw nation would not be where it is today in terms of recognition within the Nigerian federation without the agitations of IYC.
Igbadiwe attributed the institutionalization of the Amnesty Programme, the 13 percent derivation as well as the establishment of the Niger Delta Development Commission by the federal government to sustained agitations of the IYC.
He urged the new leadership to remain steadfastly focused on its goals.
The chairman of the occasion, Pondi, who was 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 thoughtfulness in forming the youth organization to advance the cause of the Ijaw nation.
Pondi, noted that the IYC had succeeded in repositioning the Ijaw ethnic nationality and called on its present leadership to continue to draw inspiration from the legacies of late Ijaw freedom fighter, Major Isaac Adaka Boro.
He said: “The formation of the IYC has appropriately placed the significance of our ethnic nationality in prosper 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.”
In his acceptance speech, the president of the IYC, 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 IYC.
The youth leader assured that the 10th NEC of the IYC 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 nation.
He called for legislative action for the amendment of the Petroleum Industry Act with a view to increasing the allocation to host communities from 3 to 30 percent.
He announced the constitution of a committee to embark on a fact-finding mission to Ondo State over alleged deprivations and injustice meted to Ijaw communities.
Earlier in his valedictory address, the outgone IYC president, Mr. Jonathan Lokpobiri, highlighted some of the achievements of the 9th executive, including the successful review of the IYC constitution.
He also mentioned the placement of several Ijaw youths on scholarship in collaboration with the Amnesty Office and the NDDC, as well as the ongoing construction of the ultramodern IYC secretariat in Yenagoa as other achievements.
Goodwill messages were also delivered by Elder Timi Ogoriba, Dr. Kingsley KuKu, the pioneer president of IYC, Dr. Felix Tuodolor, the pioneer president of the IYC.
Others were the chairman, Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, King Bubaraye Dakolo; the Amayanabo Elem-Kalabari, King Mujahid Asari Dokubo, and Miss World Nigeria, Miss Tamunosoye Karibi-George.
