A long pathway to peace in the troubled Ijaw National Congress, INC, may have been created, following the findings of the team set up by the governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, to reconcile feuding stakeholders.
The governor had set up the reconciliation team in the aftermath of the INC election which led to the polarisation of the organisation. The team was led by Dr. Mathew Seiyefa, a former officer of the Department of State Services, DSS.
On Friday when the committee submitted its report to the governor, the chairman told the governor that in the course of their consultations, one thing was clear: the desire by all stakeholders to have a united Ijaw forum.
Saying that the expectation of the committee was that the INC would speak for the Ijaw nation, its people and their causes, Seiyefa said the resurgent INC will be more consultative and inclusive, giving primacy to its role as a platform for advocacy, which will enable the body gain greater traction and resonance in the lives of the people.
“A common trend, which permeated this interaction, was the overwhelming passion for not just the survival of the INC but its renewal and reinvigoration.
“There was a yearning for an INC that would rise to the challenges of the moment with respect to the cause of the Ijaw nation and its people. This sentiment was a key driver in the deliberations of the committee and has informed the recommendations that we have made.”
Diri, while receiving their report said his administration would study the recommendations of the Reconciliation Committee of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and consult widely before implementation.
He expressed optimism that the recommendations of the committee would foster peace, progress, stability and reposition the Ijaw nation for greater relevance in Nigeria.
According to him, “we cannot stand aloof while such a vital institution drifts without direction. The congress and the people rise or fall together.
“You were given a sacred mandate: to find reasons to stay together. You have discharged it with diligence and courage. You have given us not just a report, but a pathway back to trust and collective purpose.
“When I inaugurated this committee, I said the destiny of the Ijaw Nation was too precious to be left unattended. You heard that urgency. You responded to it.
“Given the high calibre, sterling pedigree and unimpeachable integrity of this committee, nothing less than excellence was expected. You have delivered a report that speaks to our divisions and to our future possibilities.”
