By Sotu Godbless Oghenevwede
The Ijaw Youth Council has the right to speak for Ijaw youth. As part of the Niger Delta, it can also speak on Niger Delta issues. But our region is made up of many ethnic nationalities, and when the IYC speaks on regional matters it must take that diversity into account.
The Presidency has clarified it did not direct that the 750-kilometre dualised highway be discontinued at the East-West Road from Edo State. But instead, hinted that the East-West reconstruction is an additional project that will not affect the complete construction of the entire coastal highway. The Minister must not be quoted out of context. For the sake of truth, Nobody has announced a realignment.
A press conference declaring that such a decision has been made is a misguided adventure. The Minister has been very transparent when addressing media concerning this project, and his latest consideration does not amount to a Federal ExecutivevCouncil (FEC) decision.
Roads follow engineering, not microphone pressure, and not misleading outburst on matters professional considerations should reasonably take preeminence.
As we know, the East-West Road is below flood level because of climate change, and its pavement is currently badly damaged. Rebuilding it would serve the Niger Delta communities, regardless of the Coastal Highway corridor. That the Minister pointed to terrain and cost considerations on certain sections, does not warrant heating up the polity. Whether those concerns are right or wrong is a matter for engineers and its project designers, not media threats and bullying. Let the engineers do their work.
On 2027 votes, no group can gather the media and speak for the entire Niger Delta's ballot. Tying an engineering discussion to election threats is kindergaten, old-fashioned and has no place in today's reality.
Successive federal administrations have favoured the Niger Delta, partly by giving pipeline security contracts to our sons of the region. The Ijaw are the biggest beneficiaries today. The same applies to the Federal Amnesty Office, where this administration has continued to favour Ijaw sons. The collective struggle that earned these gains should not be weaponised against an administration that has kept the Ijaw Nation going, even while other ethnic nationalities have kept the peace. Let us be properly guided.
The people of the Niger Delta have seen the President's work and know his intentions for the region are positively clear. The IYC should stop presenting itself as the mouthpiece of every ethnic nationality in the Niger Delta. The Efik, Ibibio, Urhobo, Itsekiri, Bini, Esan, Ukuani, Ikwerre, Isoko, Ndoni, Kalabari, etc are not represented by that obviously sponsored press conference, even so, many of the leaders from Ijaw extraction have backed the President's return to Aso Rock, as cleatly seen in the PBAT DOOR TO DOOR campaign. The IYC can speak for itself, but it should err on the side of caution and embrace a more strategic approach by seeking clarity instead of playing to the gallery on the issue.
The language of the IYC in the so called press is very troubling. Accusing the Minister of "calculated deceit" is spurious and shallow. More disturbing is the IYC calling the President "Asiwaju of Lagos" and "Jagaban of the West" showing total disregard and a lack of the decorum that productive dialogue requires. Such language raises the suspicion that the IYC has been contracted by fifth columnist within the Ijaw stock to forment trouble when there is no reasonable cause. Whatever its origin, the tone was highly irresponsible, and condemnable.
We are a people of culture and respect, and we are not at war with Mr President or the Federal Government. Let us embrace reasonable dialogue and seek meaningful answers instead of issuing threats. The votes of the Niger Delta are not the IYC's to negotiate. They belong to the collective will of millions of people across its many ethnic nationalities.
The IYC should refrain from dishing out remarks capable of heating up the polity, because President Bola Ahmed Tinubu means well and the South-South stands with him fully. The support of the governors across the southern states also shows that the President is in sync with the region, and no amount of treachery by any group can diminish it.
