Niger Delta Youth Leader, Comrade Mingo Sayami Ogumaka, Salutes Comrade Tony Kabaka for Speaking the Truth on Edo Ijaw Marginalisation,

By EgbemaVoice News

A prominent Niger Delta youth leader, Comrade Mingo Sayami Ogumaka, has commended Edo-born youth leader Comrade Tony Kabaka for what he described as his courage in speaking the truth regarding the growing concerns over the alleged marginalisation of the Ijaw people in Edo State.

In a statement made available to EgbemaVoice News, Comrade Mingo stated that the intervention of Tony Kabaka on issues affecting the Ijaw people has brought renewed attention to decades of alleged political, traditional and developmental injustice suffered by the indigenous Ijaw communities in Edo State.

According to him, the five Ijaw kingdoms in Edo State Egbema, Olodiama, Gbaran, Furupagha and Okomu—have consistently complained of exclusion, intimidation, oppression and neglect by successive administrations in the state.

He alleged that despite the significant contributions of the Ijaw people to the economy and development of Edo State, especially through their oil-producing communities, they have remained politically disadvantaged and denied equal opportunities.

Comrade Mingo further argued that the Ijaw people are one of the indigenous ethnic nationalities in the territory now known as Edo State and should not be treated as subjects under any other ethnic kingdom. He maintained that every ethnic nationality deserves equal recognition, dignity and constitutional protection.

He expressed concern over what he described as the continued weakening of the traditional institutions of the Ijaw people. According to him, historical government policies favoured the expansion of the influence of the Benin traditional institution across several local government areas, while recognised Ijaw traditional rulers and kingdoms were allegedly neglected.

He also alleged that recognised Ijaw monarchs have been excluded from benefits and statutory entitlements available to traditional rulers in Edo State, including the allocation meant for traditional institutions, calling on the state government to investigate and address what he described as long-standing injustice.

Speaking further, Comrade Mingo criticised the administrative structure affecting Ijaw communities, alleging that the division of Ijaw communities into different local government areas has weakened their political influence and limited their representation in governance. He argued that the location of local government headquarters outside Ijaw communities has further reduced access to government services and participation in decision-making.

He equally raised concerns over the ongoing voter registration exercise, alleging that many eligible Ijaw residents were unable to register because registration machines were available in several communities for only a very short period. He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that all eligible citizens in the riverine communities are given adequate opportunity to register and participate in future elections.

"I want to sincerely appreciate Comrade Tony Kabaka for speaking the truth without fear or favour," Mingo said.

"When people speak honestly about injustice, they should be encouraged, not condemned. The Ijaw people are peace-loving citizens who only seek fairness, equity and equal treatment under the law. We are asking for our constitutional rights, not special privileges."

He urged the Edo State Government, relevant federal authorities and other stakeholders to engage with Ijaw leaders to address the concerns of the communities through dialogue, justice and inclusive governance.

Comrade Mingo concluded by calling for unity among all ethnic nationalities in Edo State, stressing that sustainable peace and development can only be achieved when every indigenous community enjoys equal recognition, political inclusion and access to democratic opportunities.