INC IS NOT FOR SALE TO THE HIGHEST BIDDERS
Ijaw Nation is faced with existential threats in the midst of prevalent uncertainties, and there is absolutely no way offices in the most revered Ijaw National Congress (INC) will be for the highest bidders.
INC more than ever, needs vibrant, focused, visionary, highly resourceful, trustworthy and very competent leaders to serve at the echelon of its leadership.
In the history of humanity, Ijaw Nation is one of the nations that has fought the highest numbers of battles. But it is on good records that the battles were not for conquest or territorial expansion. Rather, they were battles to protect her territories and abundant natural resources that have always attracted hatred, envy, and jealousy.
Before proceeding, it is pertinent to state that beyond the ever presence of God among Ijaws at all times, UNITY OF PURPOSE and the general POWER OF UNITY has always worked in our favour.
Even though Ijaws disagree, there has been an ancient tradition for Ijaws from different kingdoms to always mobilize themselves to fight for their embattled brothers during crisis. The above is one of the secrets why other tribes have never conquered any part of Ijaw land.
From the unity and solidarity that were shown during the building of the Tower of Babel as recorded in the book of Genesis 11:1-9, to the Renaissance struggle by Ijaw kings like King Frederick William Koko of Nembe, King Amachree (Amakiri) of Kalabari, King Ibanichuka of Okrika, King Jaja of Opobo, King Perekule of Ancient Grand Bonny Kingdom and others during the 18th century, to the era of Reawakening of Ijaw Consciousness by High Chief Harold Dappa-Biriye during the 19th century, to the Major Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro revolution in the 20th century and the contemporary Ijaw cum Niger Delta struggle in the 21st century that revolves around Elder T.K Ogoriba and our revered ex-agitators, unity and truth have remained the driving forces.
The issue of monetization and commercialization of Ijaw struggle was never there. The leaders in all the epochs strived against all odds to promote, project, and protect collective interest of the Ijaw Nation and their Ijawness above personal interest.
As far as the 12th century when the first European explorers and adventurers who were mostly Portuguese encountered Ijaws, our great people identified themselves as Ijaws.
It was the positive reports of the European explorers and adventurers about the unity and hospitality of Ijaws that made other Europeans to subsequently mobilize their people to explore the hospitality and abundant natural resources in the area.
From time immemorial, Ijaws never follow the richest or highest bidders. Rather, they always pledge their loyalty and queue behind selfless and charismatic leaders who are ready and willing to speak for the Ijaw Nation.
Izon means truth and the successive leaderships of the Ijaw Nation in all the respective epochs always symbolized unity and truth.
High Chief Harold Dappa-Biriye and Major Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro who are the main symbols of the contemporary struggle sacrificed everything including their health and lives to promote, project and protect Ijaw interest. It is a matter of fact that their immeasurable sacrifices gave us a vocal voice and unique identity as a great people.
The two outstanding socio-cultural umbrella body of the Ijaw Nation, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) did not fall from the moon, they are the results of the selfless sacrifices of dedicated illustrious sons and daughters of Ijaw Nation.
Sadly, some persons now see the above most revered bodies as their cocoa farm and personal estates. For them, it is all about enriching themselves at the expense and detriment of the Ijaw Nation.
The above is basically due to the prevalent faulty leadership recruitment processes of the duo where delegates are encouraged to vote for the highest bidders and not necessarily based on what individuals who strive for leadership can offer.
I wish to conclude this piece with a brief history of the formation of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) in order to remind our great people about the rudiments behind its formation.
HISTORY OF THE FORMATION OF THE IJAW NATIONAL CONGRESS (INC)
The Ijaw National Congress (INC) is the umbrella body that shields all Ijaw people worldwide. In Nigeria, it is like Afenifere, a pan Yoruba pressure group that serves as the socio-cultural umbrella for the Yorubas in the South-West.
Afenifere serves as their mouthpiece in major national issues. It was a group of Yoruba elites that founded it in 1994. The Oodua People's Congress (OPC) is an offshoot of Afenifere. OPC serves as the militant wing of Afenifere.
In the North, we have the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the Arewa People's Congress (APC), which is the militant wing of the ACF. The ACF is an embodiment of Hausa-Fulanis and other northern minorities. It was formed in 1995 for the sole aim of protecting the socio-cultural, economic and political interests of the North. While in the South East, we have the Ohaneze Ndigbo and the Igbo Peoples Congress (IPC). Ohaneze Ndigbo which was formed in 1976 has remained as the rallying umbrella for the Igbos.
The Ijaw National Congress (INC) was formed in 1991 by High Chief Harold Dappa-Biriye, Chief F.H.E Brisibe, Chief George A. Weikezi and others.
These illustrious sons and daughters of the Ijaw Nation saw the yearning need for the formation of a distinct unifying umbrella body that would pilot the affairs and activities of Ijaw people worldwide especially in the presence of daunting challenges that faced the Ijaw people.
Some of these challenges included the strong determination of leaders of the three other majority tribes who were bent on strangulating Ijaws and other minority groups.
Before the formation of the INC, there were other pressure groups and socio-cultural organizations within the Ijaw Nation which were solely aimed at attracting the attention of the Nigerian government and IOCs to the plights, yearnings and aspirations of Ijaw people. But one of the major distinctions between the INC and the other bodies is the INC's ability to effectively bring majority of Ijaw people together under one single umbrella. Unlike most of the other organizations which actually agitated for the welfare and well-being of Ijaws, but were unable to unite all Ijaws under one united roof.
Through the formation of the INC, Ijaws in far Arogbo in Ondo State, those in Ibeno and Eastern Obolo in Akwa Ibom state were able to come together with their Furupagha brothers in Edo, their brothers in Delta, Rivers, Abia, Imo and Bayelsa states to chat a common united cause.
The need for a unifying body propelled the founding fathers of INC to coordinate other illustrious sons and daughters of the Ijaw Nation especially those who were resident in Lagos state to form a body that will be the mouthpiece of Ijaws.
The meeting was initially under the umbrella of Ijaw People Union (Lagos Chapter). Because of the overwhelming importance of this unifying body, they held the final meetings that gave birth to the INC on 25th, 29th and 30th of October, 1991 at No. 29 Calcutta Crescent, Apapa-Lagos, which was the residence of Chief George A. Weikezi. The noble body was finally formed on the 30th October, 1991, after the detail structuring of the new body was fully worked out.
The aims and objective of the INC, therefore include;
1. To adopt a coordinated, centralized and united approach to finding solutions to Ijaw problems.
2. To work for Ijaw unity and promote national (Ijaw) consciousness.
3. To create a forum for all Ijaw people to meet to discuss the plights of the Ijaw man in Nigeria.
4. To familiarize the Ijaw people with the problems of the various Ijaw zones.
After the formation of the INC, the founding fathers and other elites of the Ijaw Nation saw the need for the meeting of All-Ijaw people worldwide. This led to the All Ijaw National Convention that was held at Patani in Delta State on the 23rd November, 1991. Two major successes of the Patani Convention was the selection of Prof. C.A Dimie as the leader of the Coordinating Committee, while P.Z Aginighan was made his Secretary and the communique that was drafted after the convention the following resolutions were reached thus;
(a) The demand made on the Federal Military Government to create homogeneous Ijaw states and local government areas in the Ijaw country, in the firm conviction that the Ijaw question was more political than economic and could only be resolved by situating political power in Ijaw land so that the Ijaws could solve these problems by themselves; and
(b) The constitution of a committee later to be known as the Ijaw National Coordinating Committee, (INCC) which was mandated to "examine various issues raised which affect collective Ijaw interest in the Nigerian federation" and to be the eye of the Ijaws in the affairs of the nation.
The successes of the Patani 1991 Ijaw National Convention opened a new chapter in the history of the Ijaw people, who automatically began to speak with one voice under the guide of the Ijaw National Congress (INC).
The first duly elected officers of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) emerged at the INC Convention at Port Harcourt on the 12th January, 1995 with the following;
1. Mr. Joshua B. Fumudoh - President
2. Dr. Dinma Denni-Fiberesima - Vice President
3. Chief Francis J. Williams - National Secretary
4. Mr. Erasmus U. Patrick- National Asst. Secretary
5. Chief M.Y. Waritimi - National Treasurer
6. Mr. Eric Senibo - National Publicity Secretary
7. Mr. A.E Esete - National Asst Publicity Secretary
8. Mr. Douye Diri- National Organizing Secretary
9. Mr. Godspower T. Oporomo - National Asst. Organizing Secretary
10. Mr. Pius Uromi-Owu - National Financial Secretary
The above National Executive thereafter, gave birth to successive Executives till the present outgoing Prof. Benjamin Okaba led Exco whose emergence is also a story and testament of the resilience of Ijaw people.
Events leading to the emergence of the Prof. Benjamin Okaba led National leadership proved that Ijaw people can resist monetary inducement and government and military might when and where the need arises.
Ijaws spoke in a very loud voice and they proved that they could not be bent or deterred.
As we countdown to the forthcoming 2026 INC National Convention, I am very optimistic that all well meaning sons and daughters of the Ijaw Nation particularly the delegates will once again place the collective interest of the Ijaw Nation above monetary inducement or other parochial and primordial sentiments.
They most place competence above every other considerations.
Haa Izon!
COMRADE WISDOM ONIEKPAR IKULI
Aspirants for National Publicity Secretary
Ijaw National Congress (INC)
27/01/2026.
Comments