Shell’s Onshore Assets: IYC Takes Visitation To INC, Asari, Ateke, Young Shall-Grow

By Rejoice Egbaseimokumor

Following on Tuesday 23rd of January 2024 World Press Briefing held in Warri by the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide on their demands for Ijaw inclusion in the Shell’s planned sale of onshore assets, the IYC had been visiting critical stakeholders in the region to press forward their demands before the Federal Government of Nigeria and Shell.




It would be recalled that after the Tuesday World Press Briefing in Warri, the leadership of IYC comprising the National Executive Council, Parliament leadership, Zones and chapters, Clan structures and other key leaders proceeded to Oporoza, the traditional headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom to see and brief High Chief (Dr) Oweizide Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, a frontline leader of the Ijaw people and the Niger Delta region at large on the decision taken by the youths.

However, after visiting Tompolo, a national delegation was constituted to reach out to other stakeholders across the country.

The IYC met with Ijaw national leader, Chief (Dr) Edwin Kiagbodo Clark at his Asokoro residence in Abuja on Thursday 25th of January 2024 wherein the Deputy President of Council, Comr. Freedom Atigbi and Amb. Binebai Yerin Princewill, Spokesman Ijaw Youth Council briefed Clark on developments so far and the actions the IYC will take subsequently in the coming days. Nevertheless, on Friday 26th of January 2024, the delegation arrived Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State to brief the mother body of the Ijaw people, the Prof. Benjamin Okaba’s led Ijaw National Congress (INC) on the matter.

Shortly after briefing the leadership of the INC, the delegation proceeded to brief His Royal Majesty, Young Shall-Grow, Ayawei of Ajuju-ama in Bayelsa State as a stakeholder in the resource control and self determination struggle of the Ijaw people.

On Saturday 27th of January 2024, the delegation moved to Rivers State to brief foremost leaders in the struggle for resource control among whom are Alhaji Asari Dokubo, the pyramid of Niger Delta and His Majesty, Michael Ateke Tom.

In all of these visits, the IYC national delegation was well received and encouraged by the various leaders who charged the IYC to be focused enough in providing the needed leadership for the Ijaw people, adding that too much anti-Ijaw activities has been happening in the current administration.

They all acknowledged the marginalisation of the Ijaw people and have called on the IYC to table the Ijaw issues before authorities in the country without any fear.

High point of the visits was the presentation of the IYC communique to the leaders during the separate visits.

Amb. Binebai Yerin Princewill, Spokesman of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide maintained that the Ijaw Youth Council will not renege until the Ijaws are accommodated in this purported sale of Shell’s Onshore Assets, stressing that they will resist and fight until the Ijaws and Niger Deltans are included.

He also assured the Ijaw people that council will also be taking a clear and strong position by calling on the Federal Government of Nigeria to commence the urgent relocation of the IOCs
Headquarters back to the Niger Delta region just like President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the relocation of the FAAN and CBN Headquarters to Lagos.