By Etete Enideneze
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The enthusiasm of stakeholders towards the maiden Pan-Ijaw Economic Summit, affirms a concern to synergize ideas and chart a new path to economic wellbeing of Ijaws in the Nigerian State.
This is coming after series of consultations and interactive sessions with leaders of thought, experts and groups within states where Ijaws are indigenes, Ijaws resident in Lagos and Abuja, as well as those in the Diaspora, who endorsed the epochal conference.
The interest shown is understandable from the more than sixty years of generating trillion dollars from oil and gas in Ijaw lands, which have contributed enormously to Nigeria’s economy, but without remediation of environmental damage, infrastructural and business investments to boost the local economy.
Exploration of the natural resources by multinational and local companies in alliance with the Federal Government, aided by suppressive mineral laws that have impeded true fiscal federalism, is the economic albatross of the Ijaws in the midst of plenty.
The sad scenario has left the people as wailers over the years, until now, considering the effects of environmental degradation on the ecosystem occasioning low farm yield, inequitable economic development, diseases and abject poverty.
Past technical reports, for instance, the Henry Willinks’ 1957 minority report in the colonial era, the Ledum Mitee report for development of the Niger Delta and recently that of Professor Yemi Osinbajo, ended in the smoke screen.
Colonial and post-colonial political and constitutional conferences did not also yield the much-needed results, to meet the aspirations of the Ijaws.
Interventions through administrative agencies, such as the defunct Oil Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC) fizzled out without fully realizing its mandate for the communities. The Niger Delta River Basin Authorities and Niger Delta Basin Development Authority (NDBDA) have not achieved much of the purposes.
Efforts through creation of states and local government areas, which are lopsided, compared to the number created for other large tribes, even as these exercises balkanized some Ijaw groups; the politically conceptualized Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Ecological Fund, 13% revenue derivation formula, and amnesty programme are not out of place. However, the fundamental issues of environmental degradation, inadequacy of major infrastructures, industrialization and economic development in Ijaw are yet to have holistic and lasting solutions.
Whilst the past and present agitators for a better deal for the Ijaws, as well as efforts of political leaders have brought about some achievements, it is indeed not yet Uhuru for communities and the ordinary Izon person. In fact, there is still a wide gulf between Ijaw’s natural wealth oiling Nigeria’s economy, and the stark reality of underdevelopment in Ijaw Land.
Therefore, it becomes pertinent for Ijaw, one of the major tribes in Nigeria to look inwards and take its economic destiny into its hands, by renewing the approach to the struggle for self-determination.
This time around, an intellectual and discursive approach, which the Professor Benjamin Ogele Okaba-led Ijaw National Congress (INC), has adopted, is a step in the right direction. This is because a confrontational method leads to destructive anomie, which lingers and even hampers development.
Among the intellectual solution, laced with practical-orientation, is the convocation of a maiden Pan-Ijaw Economic Summit, which first phase is taking place today at the Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha Banquet Hall, Government House, Yenagoa.
Sponsored by Azaiki Foundation and endorsed by the INC and other local and international partners in the private and public sectors, the Pan-Ijaw Economic Summit is indeed a timely one.
This is in view of the dire need for environmental regeneration and economic sustainability in Ijaw, as the theme of the summit aptly captures.
Besides this reason is the fear of imminent exhaustion of crude oil and gas, and the imminent sale or exiting of major multinational oil companies. Another justification for the summit is the global shift to renewable energy, information and digital economy; marine and blue economy; entertainment and tourism, which Ijaw needs to prepare for and leverage.
It is more so as Nigeria’s Government and some states where Ijaw indigenes are of significant population, have created ministries and agencies for these emergent-viable sectors, even as the conventional industrial sector needs to be developed, to ease the shift.
Moreover, the devolution of jurisdiction over production of electricity to states, as well as autonomy for local government areas, are auspicious to the Izon’s quest for a better life, hence the Pan-Ijaw Economic Summit is vital.
As stated by the principal convener of the summit, Professor Steve Sinikiem Azaiki, OON, and the co-convener, Professor Benjamin Ogele Okaba, the Yenagoa Pre-Summit Conference will produce templates for nine sub-themes, covering key sectors and issues.
Thereafter, the input from guests and participants drawn from all occupations, will guide deliberations at a final summit, coming up later this year.
At the end, the organizers will raise a blueprint from the resolutions, and form committees to ensure production of a whitepaper. Private and public sector actors would thereafter collaborate and implement the programmes and projects. In doing so, states and federal governments, local and foreign investors as well as donor organizations, some of who are already willing, would support the programmes.
As the participants meet today, to brainstorm on the way forward for environmental and economic wellbeing of the lands and the peoples of Ijaw, the utmost desire is that the essence of the summit should be achieved.
To achieve this, Nigeria’s Federal Government should abolish laws expropriating the God-given resources of the Ijaws, and return the country to true fiscal federalism in order to enhance regional and grassroots development.
Henceforth, Izon leaders should also unite and provide purposeful leadership for the overall progress of the people, while seeking external support for development.
Indeed, the maiden Pan-Ijaw Economic summit is another verital chance for Izons to synergize and realise the dream of taking their economic destiny into their hands, for the common good, and now is the time!
*By Etete Enideneze is a Journalist and writes from Yenagoa, Bayelsa State
Kindly share
