IYC Wants Governor Oborevwori Of Delta To Quickly End Ogbe-Ijoh/Aladja Crisis

Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide

Press Statement

14/08/2023

IYC Calls On Governor Oborevwori To Quickly Resolve Ogbe-Ijoh/Aladja Crisis

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 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, the umbrella body covering all Ijaw Youths in the World 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.

As a Council, we are cautioning against group of persons under any guise that are making provocative and incitive statements to spike up the already tensed situation in the state to desist from such act henceforth, because no one has the monopoly of violence. It should be noted clearly that nobody can threaten an Ijaw man with war, we are a peaceful people hence the result of pushing an Ijaw man to the wall could be very dangerous when he decides to fight back.

The Governor of Delta State, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori should do all he can to put an end to this reincarnating crisis. Government must take full responsibility and decision by implementing the reports submitted so far by the various committees.

IYC is using this medium to commend the Udu Urhobo Communities (UUC) leadership for coming out to reaffirm their love and brotherhood to the Ijaw people.

The IYC 9th NEC was represented by Comr. Freedom Atigbi, Deputy President of Council who led the IYC delegation in collaboration with the INC led by its President, Prof. Benjamin Ogele Okaba.

Other Council leaders that were part of the delegation are Amb. Binebai Yerin Princewill, Spokesman Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Comr. Fanny Amatoru, National Treasurer, IYC, Dr. Doubra Collins Okotete, Western Zone Chairman of IYC, Comr. Ebolo Samuel, Chairman of all Chairmen, Western Zone Clan Chairmen Forum, Comr. Victor Akemetubo, Chairman IYC Ogbe-Ijoh/Warri Kingdom, Comr. Samuel Uyadongha Ebiarede, Chairman of Ogulagha Kingdom IYC with the host of others too numerous to mention.

Signed.

Amb. Binebai Yerin Princewill

Spokesman Ijaw Youth Council (IYC ) Worldwide.

Photo credit #The_Liberator_Newspapers_Worldwide