The Ijaws of the Niger Delta in their quest to accelerate development in their area have called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to increase the 13% oil derivation to 25% to enable the various state governments in the Niger Delta and the developmental agencies to fulfill their promises and the mandate to the people.
The Ijaws in their appreciation for what God has done for them in 2015 and for ushering them into 2016 embarked on prayers and thanksgiving in Warri last Saturday.
The guest preacher, Bishop Raphael Amaruntowa in his sermon said that the Federal Government of Nigeria should do more for the Niger Delta particularly the Ijaws whose land produce more than 60% of crude oil that sustain the Nigerian economy.
Bishop Amaruntowa said the Federal Government of Nigeria should stop complaining that Ijaw areas are difficult terrain and to develop, but engaged oil producing companies to drill oil on commercial quantity as main source of revenue for Nigeria, adding that the terrain they complained of remain where they got 85% of the National revenue and should therefore leave the oil for the Ijaws and allow them to decide what to do with it.
Bishop Amaruntowa disclosed that the resources in their land didn’t bring the necessary benefits to them but other people (tribes) that do not have oil in their land are asking them to 
bow to them before they partake in their God given resources.
According to him “Anyone that robs the Ijaws of their resources will pay back ten times. No nation build the people, it is the people that build the nation. Isaac Adaka Boro was an Ijaw leader that was betrayed even by his own people. We realized too late that he was fighting to liberate the Ijaws and the Niger Delta people. But God is still doing good things in our lives, God is also turning things around and He will make our enemies be at peace with us”.
He urged the Ijaws to continue with their demand and struggle but not in a violent way, adding that it will be their turn one day to recover their resources and liberate themselves from oppression and marginalization.
Bishop Amaruntowa who titled his sermon: An Encounter with God will Change Your Name” noted that the people who do not have covenant with God are called Gentiles, stressing that all true believers on the Almighty God are partakers in his kingdom, therefore we are also God chosen people just like the Israelites.
“Ijaw nation will have their rightful place in the comity of nations because we have an encounter with God. Ijaws will not bow to any tribe, but will continue to promote peace and love based on the Lord Jesus Christ. Ijaws will continue to fight the battle of liberation from oppression and continuous marginalization in Nigeria, and continue to demand for our benefits from our God given resources. We must not be denied of taking a fare share from our resources. We need to have a substantial portion from the resources God deposited in our land” he added.
Earlier, the chairman of Ijaw Christian Fellowship (ICF), Rev Emmanuel Imeleye said that the Ijaws have made some remarkable achievements since the commencement of the prayer day and thanksgivings, which began 19 years ago, adding that they were able to put some structure in place such as modern secretariat stocked with historical books and bibles.
Rev. Imeleye said that Ijaws particularly the executive of ICF meets every second Sunday of every month at the ICF Secretariat in Warri.
“In this 2016 we shall carry out crusades to seven communities in some kingdoms such as Ogbe Ijoh market, Warri Corner, Abari, Kaiama, among others. We need more bibles, crusade equipments, boats, buses and put ICF into limelight worldwide. We need more funds to build our own permanent secretariat.
The Ijaw Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving was attended by Rev. Dr. I.C. Tolar, Grand Patron, Delta State Deputy Governor Kingsley Otuaro, Rev. Dr. Godwin Soroaye (JP), and array of royal fathers added colour to the success of the occasion.
