The President, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Barrister Peretubo Oweilaemi has said that the fight for resource control remains the cardinal point of Ijaw agitation, saying that the IYC will not stop the agitation until they achieve their aims.
Barrister Oweilaemi who spoke at the reception ground after a thanksgiving service promised the Ijaw nation that he would do all he can to ensure that he continues to fight for the emancipation of the Ijaw people adding that he believed in the corporate existence of Nigeria
“Resource control does not mean we are asking to leave Nigeria. but of course if we want to leave Nigeria we have all the resources to leave because we are the ones that have been feeding Nigeria. We still believe in the corporate existence of the country called Nigeria.
“What we are asking for is fairness, equity and justice. This is why we are saying that the federal government has to sit down with the Niger Delta people and redesign this country called Nigeria. Until that is done we will not relent in our struggle,” the IYC President said.
On his part Hon Julius Pondi, member representing Burutu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives said he was happy to be among his people who he represented in the green chambers, calling on the Ijaw nation to be united.
Pondi lamented that the ten billion naira appropriated for the Maritime University, Okerenkoko, for the take-off of the university is yet to released, calling on the leadership of the IYC to ensure that the money is promptly released for the take-off of the university.
He said the university was the only university around the coastal region in the Niger Delta region calling the Ijaw people not to allow the university to die a natural death.
Also speaking at the reception, Hon. Solomon Funkekeme who chaired the occasion, congratulated the IYC President for his victory urging the the executive and members of the council to work together with the new president for the development of the Ijaw people.
Hon Funkekeme, a former Delta State commissioner, also urged the Ijaw people to speak with one voice now that the issue of restructuring is on the front burner in the country, appealing to the leadership of the IYC to work together as one body and ensure that the Ijaw struggle continues.
On his part, the pioneer president of the IYC, Comrade T.K. Ogoribe, said there is no victor no vanquish in the emergence of the president of the IYC, calling on all Ijaw sons and daughters to work together for the development of the Niger Delta region.
Earlier Barr. Oweilami said during his thanksgiving service held at the Praise Liberate Church, Ekpan that Ijaw nation must forge ahead and be united for the development of the Ijaw nation saying his emergence as president of the council was by divine providence as he did not struggle for the position.
He said, “Anywhere the Ijaw people are gathered we will speak with one voice. My being the IYC president today is by divine intervention. I am not here today because I am the most qualified. I could not have been here today if not for your support.”
“I want to assure the Ijaw nation that I will not let you down. I want to promise the leaders of the Ijaw nation that I will continue to ask the government for the things which the Ijaw people want from the government. To the best of my knowledge what the Niger Delta people are asking for today is resource control.
“Resource control means different things to different people in different communities. To the Ijaw nation, resource control means, ‘let us sit down together to determine our faith in this country called Nigeria. That we feed this country called Nigeria, but we do not feel the impact of the economy is not right.
