IYC Mourns Pa Clark, Describes His Death As A Big Blow To Ijaw Nation
By Rejoice Egbaseimokumor
The umbrella body covering all Ijaw Youths in the World, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has described the death of Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark as a big blow to Ijaw nation and beyond.
This was contained in a statement signed and made available to newsmen in Yenagoa earlier today by the Spokesman of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Amb. Binebai Yerin Princewill on behalf of council, a copy of which was sent to The Liberator Newspapers Worldwide.
The statement reads in full below:
Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide
Press Statement
18/02/2025
Death of Pa Clark, a Big Blow to Ijaw Nation – IYC
Today, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide joins other sons and daughters of the Ijaw nation, particularly the Clark-Fuludu Bekederemo family of Kiagbodo, in Ngbilebiri Kingdom, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta state is deeply mourning Ijaw National leader Pa Edwin Clark over his demise.
To us in the Ijaw Youth Council, Pa Clark is not just a leader but a core defender of the Ijaw struggle for resource control and self-determination, a true national patriot and a man Ijaw history and Nigerian history will never forget. This is truly a monumental and devastating blow to the Ijaw nation, the South-South region, and Nigeria at large.
The entire Ijaw nation is in deep mourning as the patriarch leaves at a time when the Ijaw nation needs him more than ever. His unwavering intellect, unprecedented wisdom, and knowledge are unparalleled.
The Ijaw people in the Nigerian State will not only miss Pa Clark, who was a former Senator in Nigeria and a First Republic Minister, his death has left a significant void in the leadership structure of the Ijaw nation. His vocal opposition to oppression will be greatly missed.
Pa Edwin Clark, until his painful death at 97 years, was a former Federal Commissioner of Information and a prominent Ijaw leader.
Our dear leader Pa Edwin Clark, until his excruciating demise, was a prominent figure in Nigerian politics and a respected Ijaw leader who led the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), a regional advocacy group championing the rights of the Niger-Delta.
Clark was a committed advocate of resource control and regional development who dedicated his life to promoting unity in Nigeria while fighting for the interests of his people.
He began his political journey in 1953 as a councillor in Bomadi, present-day Delta State, before joining the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC).
He later served as Commissioner of Education in the Mid-Western Region from 1968 to 1971 and Commissioner for Finance and Establishment in Bendel State from 1972 to 1975.
Clark’s influence extended to the federal level, where he was Commissioner of Information in 1975 and a Senator from 1979 to 1983.
Beyond politics, Clark was a mediator and peacemaker in the Niger Delta, known for brokering peace among warring communities and resolving political disputes.
Clark’s legacy as a true nationalist, freedom fighter, and tireless advocate for the Niger-Delta remains deeply etched in Nigeria’s political history, he was a true democrat.
Indeed an Iroko had fallen in Ijaw nation.
Signed.
Amb. Binebai Yerin Princewill
Spokesman Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide.
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