Western Zone IYC Tackles Itsekiri Group Over Incendiary Remarks On Tompolo, Otuaro

Newly elected leadership of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Western Zone has tackled an Itsekiri group under the aegis of Movement for the Protection of Iwere Homeland Development and History (MPIHDH) over an alleged incendiary remarks on High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo and His Excellency, Barr. (Dcn) Kingsley Burutu Otuaro, Deputy Governor of Delta State over the lingering Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Substantive Board matter. 

The Western Zone IYC gave the warning via a statement signed by its Chairman, Dr. Doubra Collins Okotete and Comr. Lugard Izoukumo, information officer of the Zone, a copy of which was sent to The Liberator Newspapers Worldwide earlier today in Warri. 

The Ijaw youths said they would not condone any insult on their revered leaders from the said Itsekiri group or any other group in the Niger Delta region, stressing that such comments against their leaders is capable of hitting up the polity. 

The statement reads in full below:

Press Statement June 9, 2021

‘We’ll not condone Insults on Tompolo, Otuaro anymore’ IYC warns MPIHDH
The Ijaw Youth Council, IYC—Western Zone attention has been drawn to a divisive statement by Monday Vanguard, dated on the 7 of June, 2021, credited to The Movement for the Protection of Iwere Homeland Development and History (MPIHDH) denigrating, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo and Barr. (Dcn) Kingsley Otuaro—adding that as Ijaw people it will not be condone; henceforth. 

IYC {Western Zone} ordinarily ought not to respond to the statement, titled: “A Call To Appoint An Itsekiri Person As The Substantive Chairman/Managing Director Of The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Board Pursuant To The Express Provisions Of The NDDC Act 2000 Devoid Of Any Parochial Interest Masquerading As Ethnic Leaders To Forestall The Total Destruction Of Oil And Gas Facilities In Our Homeland.” This is so because the IYC believes it is a statutory provision in the  1999 Constitution of Nigeria, for any ethnic group in the Nigerian State, particularly, the Niger Delta region to lobby for any political appointment in regards to a direct approach in view to redressing horizontal inequalities.

However, the IYC will not condone an ethnic group or any social cultural organization such as the MPIHDH or anyone of that: desperately traveling the path of deceit to disparage and ridicule our living legend, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo who has made enormous sacrifice to the socio-economic development, and of course the sustenance of peace in the Niger Delta. Hence, we make bold to state that: 
i. First, the statement by MPIHDH is mischievious, intolerable and may likely instigate violence with regard to the relatively prevailing peace that has been sustained, penultimate to the Warri crisis. Thus, we call on MPIHDH to as matter of urgency render a public statement of apology. 

ii. That the statement by MPIHDH shows a clandestine bigotry and a desperate move of their hate against High Chief Tompolo and the Gbaramatu Kingdom. Rather for MPIHDH to have made case on how an Itsekiri son or daughter ought to be appointed in the NDDC Board in line with the principle of competency, credibility and professionalism for the NDDC to achieve its core vision and objective as an interventionist agency established to address Niger Delta’s developmental challenges, and not to be a breakfast or dinner buffet by some political traducers. Instead the organization (MPIHDH), for instance, wasted a reasonable number of its energy trying to malign High Chief Tompolo and Barr (Dcn) Kingsley Otuaro, as well as giving a fixated and contradictory history of the ancient Gbaramatu Kingdom.

iii. We restate again that as Ijaw people; while we recognize and respect the right of other ethnic groups to agitate for whatever political contraptions albeit with decorum, we will henceforth not accept their insidious and provocative remarks.  

In conclusion, we ask few questions (1) Where  was MPIHDH when Ijaw people have been agitating for the overall well-being of the Niger Delta? (2) How many of their communities were set ablaze? 

Signed: for IYC, Western ZoneComrade Dr Doubra Okotete, Chairman &Comrade Lugard Izoukumor, Information Officer