By Cletus Opukeme, Warri
The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, under the leadership of Sir Jonathan Lokpobiri as its President has called on His Excellency, the Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori to swing into action by urgently resolving the lingering communal crisis.
The IYC in a statement signed by it’s spokesman, Comrade Binebai Princewill, said, “” The Ijaw Youth Council is well aware that the perennial crisis between the Ogbe-Ijoh people and their Aladja brothers has been on in the past 28 years (twenty eight years). In 1995, war broke out between the two communities which dovetailed to the burning of Ogbe-Ijoh community in 1996.
“Much later, in 2016, the war between the two communities returned again in full flesh as lives from both communities have been lost with properties worthing millions of naira have been destroyed.
”Since 2016 till this very moment, the war has become a reoccurring decimal with attacks and counter attacks between the two enstranged communities.
”The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, will continue to preach peace and have fully backed the peace move initiated by the Ijaw and Urhobo traditional rulers in Delta State.
“IYC is in full support of our parent body, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) in their solidarity visit to the traditional ruler of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri kingdom, His Royal Majesty, King Couple Markson Oromoni, Monbene III, the Amakosu of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom at his palace on Sunday 13th of August 2023 as Council was part of the delegation.
“”It is our call to the Governor of Delta State that he should prioritise resolving the age long communal crisis. The Ijaws and Urhobos are one, we are brothers and have intermarried over the years, hence there is no basis for us as a people to beat war drums. For us, Urhobos and Ijaws don’t have any problem but Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja are having issues for which we are going to work together in resolving the crisis.” He added.
