High Chief Ebipade Kari: Veteran of the Niger Delta Struggle and APC Flagbearer for Warri North Constituency II,

High Chief Ebipade Kari: Veteran of the Niger Delta Struggle and APC Flagbearer for Warri North Constituency II

Mingo Meshach Sayami Ogumaka Commends Kari, Says 2027 Assembly Ambition Reflects Years of Service to the Niger Delta,

By EgbemaVoice 

Niger Delta youth leader, Comrade Mingo Meshach Sayami Ogumaka, popularly known as KingdomVoice, has commended High Chief Ebipade Deregbegha Kari, Chief Security Officer to High Chief Dr. Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, and the APC candidate for the Delta State House of Assembly, Warri North Constituency II, describing his political ambition as a significant new chapter in a life associated with the Niger Delta struggle.

Kari's candidacy for Warri North Constituency II in the 2027 general election has already featured prominently in political activities in the constituency, with reports of his campaign mobilisation and his stated intention to give the constituency a stronger voice in the Delta State House of Assembly.

Speaking on the development, Comrade Mingo said Kari's aspiration should be viewed against the background of his long involvement in grassroots activities, community advocacy and the wider Niger Delta struggle.

High Chief Ebipade Kari is not a stranger to the Niger Delta struggle. He is one of the men who have remained standing through different phases of the struggle. His journey from the creeks to the political space is a story that deserves to be documented and remembered.

Mingo described Kari as a “creek soldier and veteran of the Niger Delta struggle”, noting that many of the men and women who participated in different phases of the struggle have either passed away or withdrawn from public activities.

According to him, the history of the Niger Delta agitation cannot be separated from the long-standing demands for resource control, environmental justice, political inclusion, development and recognition of the rights of oil-producing communities.

Mingo recalled the historic legacy of Major Isaac Adaka Boro and the subsequent generations of Niger Delta activists and agitators who continued to draw attention to the region's grievances.

He said, the struggle evolved through different stages, with communities across the Niger Delta experiencing tensions, military operations, environmental concerns, political marginalisation and conflicts over land and natural resources. He further recalled the experiences of Ijaw communities in places including Egbema, Gbaramatu, Arogbo, Olodiama kingdom, among others.

Mingo stressed that, irrespective of differing perspectives on the methods adopted by various actors during the struggle, the historical contribution of Niger Delta communities to the national conversation on resource control and development should not be forgotten.

Reflecting on his own experience, Mingo said, I had the opportunity to participate in grassroots activities around the Niger Delta struggle and to witness the sacrifices made by many of our leaders and young people. I remember the role played by traditional institutions and community leaders, including the Agadagba of Egbema Kingdom, His Royal Majesty Bini Pere III, Isaac A. Thikan, in standing for the interests of the Ijaw people.

He recalled Ajakurama, the traditional headquarters of Egbema Kingdom in Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo State, as one of the places where discussions and gatherings relating to the Ijaw struggle took place.

Mingo said, that many of the personalities associated with those difficult years are no longer alive, making it important for the younger generation to preserve their history and understand the sacrifices that shaped the contemporary Niger Delta.

He paid tribute to deceased activists, community leaders and veterans of the struggle, while acknowledging the continuing contributions of surviving figures. alongside numerous other men and women whose names, according to him, remain part of the region's grassroots history.

Many have gone to rest. Some paid the ultimate price during different periods of agitation and conflict. We must not allow their stories to disappear. The younger generation needs to understand where the Niger Delta came from and why the struggle for justice, development and resource control became such an important part of our history.

Mingo said the emergence of veterans of the Niger Delta struggle in formal political and civic institutions represents another phase in the region's history. He described Kari's movement into electoral politics as an opportunity for him to bring his experience from the grassroots and community-security environment into legislative representation.

Kari has previously been publicly identified as Tompolo's CSO and as a figure involved in community and security activities in the Niger Delta. A 2022 report also highlighted his reported role in the interception of an oil vessel and an alleged refusal of a ₦25 million bribe; those details are attributable to media reports rather than independently established here.

Mingo therefore called on Niger Delta youths to study the history of the region and to participate constructively in the political process.

He said: The struggle has passed through different stages. Yesterday it was the creek; today it is the boardroom, the parliament, the community development table and the political arena. What matters is that the fundamental interests of our people peace, development, justice, environmental protection and meaningful participation—remain part of the conversation.

He congratulated High Chief Ebipade Kari on his emergence as the APC flagbearer for Warri North Constituency II and wished him well in his political journey.

Mingo concluded by saying that the Niger Delta must continue to honour its history while building a future based on peaceful political participation, accountable leadership and sustainable development.

We must honour our fallen heroes, respect those still standing and encourage the younger generation to understand the history of our people. The struggle for a better Niger Delta must not be reduced to the past. It must continue through education, responsible leadership, legislation, community development and peaceful democratic participation.

Comrade Mingo Meshach Sayami Ogumaka (KingdomVoice)

Niger Delta Youth Leader