IJAW NATION SECURES PROVISIONAL UNPO MEMBERSHIP, MARKING MILESTONE IN GLOBAL ADVOCACY
By EgbemaVoice,
Yenagoa, Bayelsa State – The Ijaw National Congress (INC) has announced the Ijaw Nation’s provisional admission into the United Nations Unrepresented Peoples Organisation (UNPO), a development described as a major breakthrough in the Ijaw people’s long pursuit of global recognition and self-determination.
The INC confirmed that acceptance, effective from October 29, 2025, followed a formal review by the UNPO Presidency. The organisation, headquarters in The Hague, represents the interests of marginalized, indigenous, and unrepresented people around the globe.
Speaking from the Ijaw House in Yenagoa, INC President, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, said the decision marks a historic turning point for the Ijaw people, giving them an internationally recognised platform to spotlight decades of environmental degradation, political marginalization, and unaddressed human rights concerns in the Niger Delta.
According to Okaba, the management officers far more than symbolic recognition. It provides a strategic avenue for the Ijaw Nation to advocate for environmental justice, pursue stronger accountability from oil companies operating in their homeland, and amplify their longstanding demands for autonomy or genuine federalism within Nigeria.
He emphasized that the Nigeria Delta’s severe ecological damage – often described by activists as “environmental genocide” – would now receive greater global attention through UNPO’s channels. The membership also opens doors for technical support, capacity-building programmes, and international alliances with other indigenous and unrepresented groups.
The INC urged the Nigerian government to embrace the development as an invitation to renegotiate constructively and sincerely with Ijaw leaders on issues such as resource control, environmental remediation, and restructuring, rather than view the move as confrontational.
Okaba also expressed gratitude to individuals and allied ethnic nationalities who supported the INC through its application and advocacy process, describing the milestone as “a new dawn” for the Ijaw Nation’s aspirations.
With its new status, the Ijaw Nation now joins a global network committed to advancing the rights, dignity, and self-determination of communities whose voices have long gone unheard on the international stage
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