Ijaw State Conditions For Peace In Niger Delta

THE Ijaw people of the Niger Delta, Nigeria's main oil and gas basin, has stated their conditions for lasting peace in the volatile region even as they are full of praises for the Federal Government for releasing Mujahid Dokubo-Asari.

The Board of Directors of Ijaw Foundation says the Ijaw people are greatly relieved and joyous over the release of Dokubo-Asari , leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF)by President Umar Yar’Aduaadministration after nearly two years of ''contrived, unlawful, cruel and inhuman'' incarceration.

The Ijaw Foundation is however, a platform for collective action by all Ijaw and all Ijaw organizations in the Diaspora and the Ijaw homeland. President of the group, Dr. Ebipamone Nanakumo, in a wire statement to our correspondent on Tuesday, said, ''we are thanking and commending President Yar’Adua and Vice President Goodluck Jonathan for acting swiftly, wisely and graciously to terminate the cruel torture and unspeakable deprivations Dokubo-Asari had suffered since September 20, 2005; for exercising his fundamental human rights of freedom of speech and of association, which are guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution, in legitimate agitation for Self Determination, socioeconomic justice, environmental protection, livelihood security and survival of his ruthlessly oppressed people of the Niger Delta''.

The Ijaw group said their kinsmen are delighted that Dokubo-Asari’s release has also ended what they described as ''the utter anguish and deprivations his immediate family suffered during his intractable imprisonment'', adding, ''we appreciate the enormous goodwill of the President Yar’Adua administration and offer our goodwill in reciprocity''.

They are also thanking and commending all Nigerians; particularly their Ijaw rights activists in the creeks, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, Alabo Tonye Graham Douglas, Chief Timipre Sylva-Sam, Mr. Festus Keyamo, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Chief Femi Falana, the Pro-National Conference Organization (PRONACO) and all others, for their ''selfless, passionate, noble and unwavering commitment and tireless efforts'' to secure freedom for Dokubo-Asari and all other political prisoners in Nigeria.

Special commendations equally going to the United States , the United Nations, international human rights agencies and the international press for ''truthfully adjudging'' Dokubo-Asari as a political prisoner and honorably condemning his indefinite incarceration, claiming that their unanimous defense of human rights, democracy and the rule of law was an important and critical factor in persuading the Nigerian government to release him.

''Above all, we give thanks, honour and glory to Almighty God for granting and orchestrating Dokubo-Asari’s release by His great mercy, grace and faithfulness'', the Ijaw group said.

According to his kinsmen, ''Dokubo-Asari was a political prisoner. Very importantly, he is innocent of the spurious and contrived allegations of plotting to overthrow the government of ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo. Therefore, in the interest of justice, we request the Nigerian government to drop all the charges against Dokubo-Asari and permanently discontinue his trial''.

To therefore heal what they see as ''self-inflicted grievous wounds'' of the Nigerian polity, the Ijaw people are calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all other imprisoned Niger Delta rights activists, Ralph Uwazurike of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Soverreign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and all other political prisoners in Nigeria .

For them, Dokubo-Asari’s release is an important step in the right direction to resolve the Niger Delta crisis, stressing it cannot be over-emphasized that the only just and effective solution to the Niger Delta crisis is the granting of political autonomy to the Niger Delta people to enable them have control and responsibility for the exploitation of their natural resources, including oil and gas, as well as the protection of the Niger Delta habitat on which they depend for their survival.

To this end, ''we call for the immediate convocation of a Sovereign National Conference to restructure Nigeria to give political autonomy to every ethnic nationality with a view to enthroning true federalism; whereby the geopolitical units of the country control and manage their respective natural resources. The Sovereign National Conference must provide for referendum on political autonomy by each ethnic nationality to make its own sovereign decision''.

To ensure a peaceful resolution of the Niger Delta crisis, they are also calling for the immediate demilitarization of the Niger Delta coupled with the pursuit of a peaceful settlement of the Niger Delta conflict by means of negotiations mediated by the United Nations.

''We commend Dokubo-Asari for his remarkable exemplary integrity and altruism for refusing to sacrifice or compromise the Ijaw struggle at the altar of personal aggrandizement and comfort by refusing all material inducements and rather submitting himself to cruel torture to stay the course for the benefit of our people. He is indeed a hero in the mould of Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro'', the Ijaw Foundation said.

In the mean time, the group has requested all Ijaw rights activists in the creeks to follow the exemplary footsteps of Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro and Dokubo-Asari to uphold the ''Ijaw heritage of righteousness'' by acting with utmost integrity and refraining from any acts that will bring dishonour to the Ijaw nation and the Ijaw struggle for self determination, socioeconomic justice, environmental protection and survival.

''Furthermore we call on all our Ijaw rights activists to eschew self-destructive factionalism and work together in indestructible solidarity and sincerity of purpose to actualize the ultimate goal of the noble Ijaw struggle'', the group said, pointing out that they want peace, progress and prosperity for Ijawland, the Niger Delta, Nigeria and the entire world.

Justice, however, for those who know better, is an absolute precondition to peace; because injustice in society renders the attainment of peace impossible. ''Therefore, let us enthrone and uphold justice in society'', they said.

Akanimo Sampson is the Co-ordinator of Journalists for Niger Delta (JODEL), a media group concerned with the affairs of Nigeria's oil and gas region.

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