Edith CHUKU
The Movement for the Survival of Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta, MOSIEND, said it was time to draw the line between the Izon Struggle and criminality in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.
The pan Niger Delta group blamed the supposed ugly developments happening across the Ijaw nation on poverty and hardship, which they said have had a negative toll on the people of the region.
While describing the Ijaw struggle as light and criminality as darkness, the group urged the people of the region to know that the development they seek will not come if they continue to engage in activities that causes instability, panic and drives investors away.
MOSIEND in a statement by the National President, Mr. Kennedy Tonjo-West, urged the stakeholders of the region, especially those of the Izon Nation, to ensure that the territories are peaceful and safe.
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The renowned socio-cultural pressure group in the oil rich region emphasized on the need for leaders in the Niger Delta to create, promote and advocate for a conducive environment, without which, they said businesses would not thrive.
Tonjo-West stated that, “despite the fact that the insensitivity of government actors and multinational companies has kept the region and its citizens in a difficult corner where weak minds have to engage in one form of criminality or another to survive, there’s need for a paradigm shift, as these activities, over the years, have brought nothing but pain, underdevelopment and misery upon the people.
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“People must now look inwardly and eke out a living through legitimate, business-friendly and environment favourable means, from the abundance of natural resources deposited in the Niger Delta such as agriculture, fishing, mining etc, rather than engaging in killing, sea piracy, oil theft, kidnapping, armed robbery, militancy and the recent trend of blackmail and pull down syndrome among Ijaw sons and daughters for selfish reasons.”
The MOSIEND National President advised that, “even though most of these ugly developments happening across Ijaw nation could be traced to poverty and the untold hardship which have had a negative toll on the people, the time has come to draw the line between the Ijaw struggle and criminality, these two are like light and darkness which never mix.
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“It is time for everyone to understand that the development they yearn for may never come if people continue to engage in activities that drive away investors or which cause instability, panic and uncertainty.”
Tonjo-West appealed to, “those who have influence or political power, either internationally, at the state or federal level should use it to the advantage of the people of the Niger Delta, so that poverty, hardship, underdevelopment, cultism, kidnapping, armed robbery, pipeline vandalism and other vices can reduce drastically, thereby increasing the chances of building a better and safer Ijaw nation which will be the envy of all.”
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He further emphasized the need for stakeholders and other players to collaborate with the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, to better the lots of the people and attract development to the communities.
MOSIEND president explained that, “there is more to achieve in working together with these federal government institutions, rather than going to war over personal, insignificant matters which have never yielded any positive result.”
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On the forthcoming Bayelsa State election, Tonjo-West called on Bayelsans to, “respect the views of one another and know that blood is sacred and not worth shedding for any political reason, even as they go about campaigning for their preferred candidates for the November 11 Governorship election.”
He emphasized on, “the need to avoid a repeat of the killings that marred the 2015 and 2019 Bayelsa State Governorship campaigns and elections, which many families are yet to recover from.”
