Ijaw Youths’ Body Calls For Referendum . . . Urges South -South Governors To Be More Proactive
4 min read
MOSIEND President
by Chris Mark
YENAGOA: An Ijaw youths body, Movement for the Survival of Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND), has said the 1999 Nigerian constitution is faulty and does not represent the wishes of various ethnic groups.
The body said the only way to stop the constant agitations and clamour for justice, equity and fairness in the Nigeria is to initiate a referendum for the people to decide how the federation should be run, deviod of oppression and suppression of the minorites.
The National President of MOSIEND, Kennedy Tonjo West who spoke in Port Harcourt, Rivers State at a Town Hall meeting, to commemorate this year’s Major Isaac Adaka Boro rememberance day celebration with the theme: Navigating Our Way Out of Turbulence In These Perilous Times, said Major Isaac Boro was a visionary and a distribalised Nigerian who fought for the emancipation of the minorites in the Niger Delta.
West, noted that the Kaiama Declaration further re-echos Major Boro’s vision as it concerns minorites rights and natural resources ownership and promoting the ideals of restructuring, adding that a Nigerian that seeks to protect the right and dignity of every Nigerian irrespective of tribe or religious stance is what the people yearn for.
He urged the FG for the interest of peaceful coexistence and oneness of Nigeria to commence the implementation of 2014 Constitutional Conference recommendations by overhauling the Constitution of Nigeria, rather than engaging in fruitless constitutional ammendment.
“We are gathered here to celebrate a hero, an enegma, an activist, a father, an excellent student, a teacher, a detribalised Nigerian, a soldier, a police officer, one whose vision in the protection of minority rights is still resonating across the world, making many wonder why they refused to listen.
“Many ethnic Nationalities who felt Boro was then overzealous are now awake to the reality and neck deep in the call for the equity and justice of the minority people.The Kaiama declaration further amplifys this vision as it concerns minorites rights, natural resources ownership and promoting the ideals of restructuring.
“We categorically state our believe in the oneness of Nigeria that seeks to protect the rights and dignity of all in respective of tribe or religion.
“Way back during the Kaiama Declaration, we talked about restructuring, we talked about resource ownership, we followed the pathway of our patriach and progenitor but other ethnic nationalities felt that the Niger Delta people and the Ijaw people are overzealous. They want this, they want that and we have given them NDDC, we gave them amnesty and they are not yet satisfied. No man in the position of Ijaw nation will be satisfied most especially when you have a resources and have been shared to you by a foreigner.
“Nigeria is fast nosediving, we cannot gaurantee our tomorrow. The first duty of any Government is to safeguard lives and property, that we have completely failed, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Our politicians and leaders should make room for change, not as we have at the federal level. They should know that if today Nigeria is torned apart, none of the monies they arrogated to themselves will save them. Nigeria right now is sitting on a keg of gunpowder, the leadership of this generation has not led well, we have leadership deficit.
“During and after Kaiama Declaration national ethnic groups condemned the Kaiama Declaration.The same people who condemned Boro when he called for the independence of Niger Delta are now on the front pages of newspapers going to UN, Chattham House, the Buckingham Palace, going to White House. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. What we want from the Nigerian government is give us our own that belongs to us let us manage. Give us our resources let us manage it and let us bring to the centre. It will be less provocative, we need to learn to manage ourselves.
“We are seeking for one Nigeria, we are asking that the federal government should jettisoned the 1999 Constitution and called for a referendum, if there is nothing like referendum, invoke one. The constitution does not give the room to the National Assembly to give that veto power to Vice-president but during the Yar Adua President, the National Assembly came up with the Doctrine of Necessity. So our leaders in authority, If the country is drifting apart, want to tear apart and there is need to invoke the Doctrine of Necessity, invoke it,” West added.
MOSIEND called on the Governors of the South-South to give direction by setting up its own security outfit as done by the other Southern regions, expressed worry that up till this moment the South-South is yet to take the bold step.
The MOSIEND President further said; “If the federal government needs the support of the State Governments and the Niger Delta they should change their narrative. The kind of narative that comes from Aso Rock Villa does not show one that soothe nerve but is that of fire for fire.
“Let the various Governments try as much as possible to endure. We have said that every good leader you must persevere, there must be resilient, and tolerance, our politicians must toe the path of tolerance, build legacies, must pass the right narrative and must keep are United Nigeria where the resources of the region are managed by the people of the region by dropping something to the centre. There is nothing wrong with political evolution.
