Barr. Pereotubo R. Oweilaemi, National President IYC
WARRI- National President of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) world-wide, Barr. Oweilaemi Pereotubo has sued for peace among leaders in Ijaw ethnic Nationality in Niger Delta region for progress and development. Saying that no nation grows in the midst of confusion, crises and disunity.
The Ijaw youths National President made this assertion today (Wednesday) in a press release which was made available to Daily Watch, said, ‘‘Peace is a veritable instrument and key ingredient that drives every society to prosperity. While its prevalence attracts unprecedented growth and development to a people, on the other hand, its absence causes unimaginable collateral damages.’’
He averred, it is very sad that the absence of peace, unity, harmony, mutual corporation and lack of understanding among Ijaw elites has resulted to the acceptance of the inferiority garb that was forcefully worn on the Ijaw people resulting to designation as second class citizens in a country that is run and managed with natural resources from the Ijaw Nation.
His words ‘‘Beside our position as the major ethnic tribe that has continued to shoulder the economic burden of this country from 1956 when crude oil and gas was discovered in commercial quantity and quality at Oloibiri in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State till date, the Ijaw Nation is also the fourth largest ethnic tribe in Nigeria after Hausa/Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo (Ibo). Thus, there is no reason whatsoever to continue to hold on to the current “Victim Mentality”. It is time to jettison that negative mindset if we must move forward as a great people who are richly blessed and endowed in terms of human and natural resources and also spiced up with our enviable cultural heritage.
‘‘It is therefore pertinent and imperative too for our political elites to come together in the interest of our common good especially at this point in the political history of Nigeria that is full of so much uncertainties. Agreed that Nigeria operates a multiparty democracy that makes it near impossibility for all leaders to belong or subscribe to one political party ideology but we appeal for decorum’’ he urged Niger Delta leaders.
According to him ‘‘It is paramount to learn the politics of the South West. While the Yorubas also have their political differences, they do not allow such differences to divide them so deep or affect their collective development. They do not play politics with the development of their people. For instance despite the seeming political differences between Gov. Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State and Chief Ahmed Tinubu and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, they always go about their political activities with decorum. They have mutual respect for each other. Same is applicable in the North and South East who all believe in unity in diversity. Their style of politics without bitterness is attracting unprecedented growth and development to their people while we are antagonizing each other in the Ijaw Nation.’’
Barr. Pereotubo, however, appealed to Ijaw leaders especially those from Bayelsa State should embrace peace, unity and total reconciliation between former President Goodluck Jonathan, Gov. Henry Seriake Dickson, Chief Timipre Sylva, Chief Ndutimi Alaibe and others on whose great shoulders the peace, unity, growth, development and prosperity of our great people lie which is the Headquarter and Jerusalem of the Ijaw Nation to see how they could work together to bring about growth and development to make the Ijaw a proud nation.
