UGHELLI—A clash between Itsekiri youths and their Ijaw neighbours is
imminent as both groups are planning a protest in Abuja, for and against
plans to change the name of the location of the Nigerian Maritime
University, NMU, in Delta State, from Okerenkoko to Okerenghigho as
advised by the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami,
SAN, in a memo to the National Assembly.
Nigerian youths
Publicity Secretary, Itsekiri National Youth Council, INYC, Joseph
Uwawah, in a statement, had said its members in all the states of the
country are being mobilized to converge at the National Assembly, Abuja,
over the controversy of the ijaw landgrabbers
trailing the naming of
the university’s location. Reacting to the planned
protest by the Itsekiris, Chairman, Ijaw Youths Council, IYC, Gbaramatu
clan, Goodwill Wuruyai, said that the ploy by the Itsekiris was an
attempt to “force and cow the National Assembly to reject the ideal name
of the university’s location.” He noted that the protest, if not
instantaneously matched with a counter protest, will ridicule members of
both the green and red chambers and may erroneously create the
impression that both Houses are working in tandem with certain saboteurs
to undermine an important project.
He said: “For this reason, Ijaw
youths across the Niger Delta, under the aegis of the IYC, have
unanimously agreed to stage a five million-man-march in Abuja on the
same day with the INYC’s proposed project in defence of the position of
the lawmakers.” The youths also explained that they were ready to defend
the decision of the National Assembly with respect to fair hearing from
both Itsekiris and Ijaws as encoded in democratic principles. Omadino people laud AGF Meanwhile,
following the advice by the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF,
to the National Assembly to act in accordance with the judgment of the
Supreme Court on the issue and retain the name “Okerenghigho” as the
lawful name of the location of the proposed Maritime University, the
people of Omadino, who have been adjudged the owners of the said estate
by the judgment, yesterday, lauded the AGF for his dexterity, skilful
devotion to duty, uprightness and fearlessness as demonstrated in his
well-informed legal opinion on the subject.
Dr. R.
Eyekosi-Uwatse, Chairman of the Omadino Management Committee, who spoke
to Vanguard in Warri, Delta State, said: “I am deeply disappointed that
in this modern age, there are people who consider themselves educated
and desirous of a university but unfortunately at the same time are
exhibiting the primitiveness of absolute disregard not only for the
judgment of the court of law but that of the highest court in our land,
the Supreme Court.” He urged the National Assembly not to succumb to the
blackmail of the Ijaws of Gbaramatu, who have threatened that should
the said judgment be enforced, they would resume bombing of pipelines in
the Niger Delta region. “In a constitutional democracy like the type we
practise, it will be the blunder of biblical proportion for the
judiciary to interpret the law only for the legislative arm to act in
contempt of it,” he said. He called on all Nigerians to unanimously
speak out for once and speak the language of respect for the rule of law
as, according to him: “This is the only way this country can sustain
its gravitation away from the primitive state of nature where might is
king.” He requested members of the civil society, especially the
Nigerian Bar Association, NBA and the international community not to
maintain their silence on what he called a threat to civilisation.
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