Faces of those who carried placards with different inscriptions on Friday, calling on the Presidency to maintain the status quo
By Ejiro Nesisa
The Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, High Chief (Dr.) Dennis Brutu Otuaro has charged the Ijaw nation in particular and the Niger Deltans in general to build their courage in the pursuit of resource control like late Isaac Adaka Boro who played pivotal role in resource control in Niger Delta that everybody celebrates today adding, but it should be done intellectually.
High Chief Otuaro stated this on Friday as the Ijaw Youth Council, Western Zone gathered in Warri in Delta State, in commemoration of Isaac Adaka Boro who struggled for resource control among others for Ijaw nation and Niger Delta in general.
High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro, Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme addressing the gathering on Friday
According to him, while the people celebrate Isaac Boro, it should be noted that in no distant time, another Isaac Boro would emerged from among the people but in another form. According to him, now that since Ijaws form part of the government, they would always resort to intellectual approach in achieving this laudable goal. While charging the people to be peaceful in their various communities among themselves and with their neighbours, he said, everybody would benefit from the Presidential Amnesty Programme as it would be expanded to accommodate more people besides the 30,000 people who are in Data System at present.
According to him, he has spent barely one year in office and under his watch,many people have benefited and more would still benefit from the Amnesty programme. High Chief Otuaro said though, this opportunity which the people have from the government is minor, they should harp on it to better the lots of all.
Chief Monday Keme addressing the people on Friday
His words:” Anything we have from the government is not enough as far as the resource control is concerned but we should manage it well. We should not be selfish and greedy in managing it for our people and this is my philosophy”. He said, while he is ready to listen to all genuine complaints, he would not be cowed to do that which is wrong but carry Niger Delta communities along in all he does in the programme for the benefit of all.He therefore sued for more co-operation for him to do more for the people.
Faces of those present in the programme on Friday
Speaking on the reaction of Ijaw and Urhobo on the recent Warri Federal Constituncy- Warri South West, Warri North and Warri South- Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) delineation of polling Units in reference to Supreme Court judgment, Chief Monday Keme, Principal Secretary to the Pere of Ama-Okosu of Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom, HRM Couple Mackson Oromoni Monbene III said, recently, it is obvious that the Itsekiris seek to influence the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Ahmed Bola Tinubu, through his wife- Oluremi- who has maternal affiliation to Itsekiris in making certain political decisions to favour the Itsekiris over the job which has been done by INEC.
According to him, this action is unjustified move as Excellency was voted by all Nigerians and therefore belongs to all. His words:” We wish to once again warn Mr President to be careful and mindful of inlaws’ influence because we all are equal stakeholders in Nigeria”.
Faces of those present in the programme on Friday
According to him, they (Ijaws) are very peaceful people hence they followed the rule of law to this time, their peaceful disposition should not be taken for cowardise.He said when ijaws approached the Court years ago which led to the judgement of today, an Ijaw man, who is a person of the Former President, Goodluck Jonathan, they never put pressure on him for ethnic gains.
According to him, they would not fold their arms to allow the unfair delineation used some time years ago that robbed them of what belongs to them to continue. He therefore asked Mr. President to allow the status quo to remain for peace to reign. The highlight of the programme was dance and jubilation among the people.