Editorial
IJAW NATION HAS COME OF AGE: IT IS TIME FOR INC TO NEGOTIATE FOR BETTER TREATMENT BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
IJAW NATION HAS COME OF AGE: IT IS TIME FOR INC TO NEGOTIATE FOR BETTER TREATMENT BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
The title of this piece was coined from the historic speech of General Murtala Ramat Mohammed, then Nigeria’s Head of State at the 1976 Extraordinary Summit of the Organization of Africa Unity (OAU) at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 11th January, 1976 and it was titled ‘AFRICA HAS COME OF AGE”.
The speech was in reaction to the letter from Gerald Ford the then President of the United States of America that was despatched to African leaders including Nigeria. That of Nigeria was taken to the Dodan Barrack, Nigeria’s seat of power by Mr. Donald Easum who was the US Ambassador to Nigeria.
The content of the letter was so Provocative that General Murtala Ramat Mohammed who had already delegated his Second-in-Command General Olusegun Okikiola Aremu Obasanjo to represent him at the OAU Summit decided to attend the Summit himself where he made the famous speech that we can Google and read the full content of “AFRICA HAS COME OF AGE”.
Sadly, General Murtala Ramat Mohammed was assassinated 34days after that famous speech that has remained ever fresh as guiding light and roadmap for Africa’s nationalistic movement. For the death of General Murtala Ramat Mohammed and the reasons for the dastardly act, we do not need to ask further. The ancient proverb “If a witch cries in the night and a child dies in the morning, we do not go to the soothsayer to ask what killed the child”.
Ijaw people who are among the aborigines of the geographic Niger Delta that they have occupied for centuries as farmers and fisher men and women have contributed more than every other ethnic group or tribe to the socio-economic and political sustenance of the contraption called ‘Nigeria’.
Since the discovery of Crude Oil and Gas at Oloibiri-Otabagi in present day Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State in 1956, the Ijaw Nation has continued to shoulder the economic burden of the country that is made up of over 250 distinct ethnic groups and tribes with a population of over 200 million people.
Unfortunately, Ijaws who are found in Abia, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, Rivers and other states with Bayelsa State as the only homogeneous Ijaw state have never gotten commensurate treatment or reward from the country by the successive regimes and administrations.
Well over 75% of the crude oil and gas in Akwa Ibom, Delta, Edo, Abia, Imo, Ondo and Rivers States respectively are domiciled in Ijaw territories. Ironically, those areas remain the most backward and most underdeveloped places in those states.
Moving Forward, the leadership of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) should organize a Security, Peace, Education and Economic Summit that will bring key and very notable Ijaw leaders together to discuss the fate of our great people in the Nigerian State.
One of the expected outcomes of the Summit or a Courtesy Visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that should precede the Summit should be the demand for the immediate relocation of the Headquarters of all Multinationals to their areas and places of operations. The relocation will not only make the companies to pay relevant taxes to the states, LGAs and Communities where they are operating, it will also make the host communities to benefit adequately.
The leadership should also demand for the immediate decongestion of Seaports in Lagos and for the resuscitation of the Seaports in the Niger Delta particularly the Calabar, Port Harcourt, Onne, Warri, Koko and others. The Federal Government should also collaborate with the Bayelsa State Government to commence the building of Seaports at Agge and Brass.
Ijaws need Oil Blocs. The Federal Government should allocate Oil Blocs to capable Ijaws so that Ijaws can also be Participants in the Oil Business in their land and not relegated to the positions of Spectators and Pipeline Surveillance security.
It is totally unacceptable that the owners of crude oil and gas which is the mainstay of the economy are mere spectators while others who do not even know the colour or smell of crude oil and gas are feeding fat, while the real/original owners are living in misery and abject poverty.
Ijaw Nation Has Come of Age and should no-longer be treated as a conquered people or second class citizens.
Beside the fact that Nigeria started in Ijaw land precisely at Akassa in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State after the infamous Akassa Raid of 1895, Ijaws have continually played pivotal roles in the peace, unity, growth and development of Nigeria.
But for the critical role of Ijaws during the avoidable thirty months Civil War (1967-1970), Nigeria would have been history.
Also, but for the patriotic stance of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015, Nigeria would have been in another civil war or would have even disintegrated.
The immeasurable and invaluable sacrifices of the Ijaws should not be mistaken for stupidity or cowardice.
Ijaws deserve better treatment and reward by the federal government instead of the present neglect and total abandonment despite the Billions of Naira and Dollars that are taken away from Ijaw land daily.
Haa Izon!
~~~ Most Senior Comrade Wisdom Oniekpar Ikuli aka Mirror and Conscience of Society.
Your Excellency,
SUBJECT: Strategic Proposal to Leverage Dangote’s Bayelsa Visit and Unlock Delta’s Coastal Industrial Corridor
Warm greetings to Your Excellency and continued appreciation for your stewardship over the affairs of Delta State.
I write to you with a sense of strateg urgency and patriotic commitment, in light of Alhaji Aliko Dangote’s recent visit to Bayelsa State, which has reunited national attention toward private-sector-led industrial development in the Niger Delta. As commendable as that engagement is, Delta State holds even more viable, strategic, and economically advantageous alternatives that demand immediate prioritisation and promotion.⁸
Deltas Host to Tree of the Many Oil Terminals in Nigeria
Delta State is host to Escravos Oil Terminal, Forcados Oil Terminal, and the Agbami Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading offshore facility (FPSO). This and many more makes Delta the highest Oil Producing State in Nigeria today. It is our firm belief that the Delta State Government can approach the Dangote Group or any other local or international oil and gas consortium to build mega/Modular Oil Refineries incorporated with power plats near these export terminals, construct a railway and dual carrage highway, and power transmission networks from the incorporated power plants to Warri city. This way, constant oil supply to the Refineries is guaranteed, constant power supply is guaranteed, constant supply of Petroleum products is guaranteed, and the issue of motorable road infrastructure from the city centre to the creeks/coastal coastal communities of the Niger Delta creeks is resolved. More than that, road access makes it more efficient for securing the oil-rich swampy terrain of Delta State.
Delta Coast Corridor: A Hidden Goldmine
Communities such as Pepper-Ama/Oporoza in Gbaramatu Kingdom, and Youbebe/Ogulagha in Ogulagha Kingdom, and Forcados/Beniboye in Iduwini Kingdom, located along the Coastline of Warri-Southwest Local Government Area and Burutu Local Government Area respectively, offer a rare confluence of economic advantages that make them ideal for:
a. A modular or full scale Crude Oil Refinery or petrochemical plant
b. A deep water Offloading depot and marine Terminal
c. A seaport connected to international shipplanes
d. A motorable road and rail linking the creeks to Warri city, the East-West road, and beyond
Unlike some other locations in the region, these areas are resources-rich, geostrategically positioned, relatively peaceful, and welcoming to industrial development.
Why Delta State MustAct Now
You Excellency, Delta must not be a spectator in the race to attract transformative investments. With Dangote, Ibeto, etc, and/or other industrial giants exploring new Refinery locations, the time is ripe for Delta State to present a unified, attractive, and superior proposition.
Here’s why this corridor stands out:
1. Superior Geographic Advantage
Pepper-ama, Ogulagha, Youbebeb, Forcados, and Beniboye lies along navigable coastal waters with direct access to the Atlantic Ocean, making them ideal for a deep-sea port and marine logistics hub that can serve the South-South, South-East, North-Central, and North-East regions.
2. Proximity to Existing Oil and Gas Fields/Installations
These communities are surrounded by operational oil and gas assets, iwned by major IOCs and national companies. A Refinery or depot sited here would reduce reliance on Lagos ports, minimizes inland transportation cost and problems that often lead to massive traffic jam due to influx of big Petroleum tankers sharing Limited road facilities with other users, by decentralizing fuel distribution.
3. Untapped Blue Economy Potential
With maritime infrastructure, these coastal areas can become hubs for logistics, ship repairs, offshore support services, and even export-based industrial and agricultural processing zones.
4. Community Willingness and Land Availability
The people Gbaramatu Ogulagha and Iduwini Kingdoms have consistently demonstrated hospitality towards industry, making land and support available-if development is inclusive, environmentally sounds, and consutative.
Key infrastructure Priority: An All-Se Road Network
To fully unlock this region’s economic value, the construction of a durable, all-season motorable road from the creeks to Warri and onward to other urban centres is non-negotiable.
This road will ensure seamless distribution of Petroleum products from future reginry/Offloading depots.
It will integrate these coastal communities into the broader Delta economy and reduce travel times and transport costs.
With federal alignment, it could feed into the East-West road, facilitating cargo movement to the South-East, North-Central, and North-East geopolitical regions.
Recommendations for Strategic Actions
1. Host a Coastal Investment Summit in Warri
Invite key investors, including Aliko Dangote, BUA, NNPC Ltd., Waltersmith, Renaissance, Transcorp Group, etc., and other global operators.
Showcase Delta’s Coastal Corridor as a viable industrial zone ready for investment.
2. Commission a Joint Feasibility Study
Assess Pepper-ama, Youbebe, Ogulagha, Forcados, and Beniboye communities for a Refinery, Offloading depot, and seaport.
Include road infrastructure needs and environmental safeguards.
3. Establish a Delta Coastal Development Authority (DCDA) or use the Delta State Ministry of Riverine Communities Development
Tasked with coordinating infrastructure planning, PPP engagement, and land/community integration.
4. Lobby Federal Government, NNPC, and other critical stakeholders
Secure destination of the area as a strategic industrial development zone.
Explore subsidy, tax, and logistics waivers to incentive private-sector eng.
Conclusively, let Delta take the lead
Your Excellency, it is time for Delta to reclaim its historic leadership as the industrial and economic heartbeat of the Niger Delta. By proactively showcasing our superiors’ sites and unlocking our creek-to-hinterland logistics corridor, we can attract investment that will create jobs, build infrastructure, and catalyze long-term prosour people.
Let us not watch others harvest the fruit of opportunities planted better our own terrain.
We look forward to bold leadership and swift action.
Yours in service and development,
Peretengboro Bibaikefie
Thanks you
Editorial
A-Z on How AI Can Help You Design Your Future; Hear Ngozi’s Story from Technology to Transformation
From the Editor’s Desk – IduwiniVoice
In an age where artificial intelligence is reshaping industries and disrupting traditional careers, Award-winning entrepreneur Ngozi Elobuike is proving that living your dream life is more possible than ever before. And she’s not just talking about it-she’s living it.
Once sleeping on her sister’s couch, Elobuike has since transformed her lowest point into a global, AI-powered life of purpose and creativity. Now splitting her time between the U.S., Ireland, France, she’s built a life that reflects both ambition and intention. From founding Ireland’s first black-led wine club and launching two luxury beverage brands to publishing an AI-powered travel book and teaching over 500 creatives how to use AI to unlock their potential, Elobuike’s story is a living blueprint for the modern dreamers.
“Most people stay stuck in lives they don’t love because they think transformation takes years,” Elobuike said in her recent TEDx talk, which has generated over 200,000 views. “They believe dreams lives belongs to other people-the lucky ones.”
For Elobuike, AI is more than just a tool-it’s a catalyst for reinvention. She sold her social media agency in 2021 and used AI to build her next business, handing off repetitive tasks to technology so she could focus on the things that matter: writing for Forbes, competing in powerlifting and living as a digital nomad across 35 cities.
“Your dream life is closer than you think with AI as your partner,” she said.
At the heart of her philosophy is the belief that life is a laboratory.
“What does a scientist do? They think about life as an experiment,” Elobuike explains. “You have dependent variables and you have independent variables. You have things that you can control in your settings.”
To her, AI is the Independent variable that “has the ability to act as an enzyme. It lowers the activation energy needed to complete a task.”
Identify what drains you, and delegate repetitive tasks to AI. Tools like Claude for writing, Zapier for automation, and Perplexity for research can reclaim hours of your day and give you space to create.
One of her most innovative ideas? Creating an AI advisory board-a team of specialized AI personas to advise on business, creativity, and personal growth.
“Instead of asking your friend who may be a naysayer, ‘hey, I’m thinking about starting this new idea venture, ‘ consider asking AI,” she suggests. “Prompt ChatGPT and say I have an idea for X. Give me advise as if you were Oprah.”
Elobuike also urges people to test their ideas with small, smart experiments.
“You don’t need to quit your job tomorrow, Want to write? Use AI to pushing one article. Want to Launch a wine? Don’t start with the wine-start with a product mockup and gauge your audience’s reaction.”
While many remain sceptical-only 32% of adults believe AI will benefit them, with scepticism highest amongst women and older adults-Elobuike sees a window of opportunity.
“While others debate whether AI is good or bad, you can be building,” she advises. “That hesitation is head start.”
The real magic, she says, comes from a mindset of continuous improvement.
“Growth hacking is what startup entrepreneurs created as a term back in 2010. What is growth hacking? Imagine if you got 1% better every day, but 10% better every day.”
Her advice is clear: Stop playing with AI like a toy. Start using it as a system. Use it to build, scale, and magnify things that make you uniquely you.
In a word still catching up to the power of artificial intelligence, Ngozi Elobuike is already living in the future-and showed the rest of us how to get there. Let Elobuike’s story fire your marrows and power your dreams today.
Editorial
Taming the Swampy Creeks, Bridging the Future: Bayelsa’s Nembe-Brass Coastal Road Begins to Take Shape
IduwiniVoice
The long-anticipated Nembe-Brass Road project, a monumental infrastructure initiative in Bayelsa State, is making steady headway as construction advances into its second phase, with the second major bridge now rising from the creeks, Arogbo-IbeVoice Newspaper reported.
Launched in June 2022, the 21-kilometre Nembe-Brass Road is designed to link the historically isolated Brass Island to Nembe and ultimately to the mainland, opening a new corridor of access and opportunity for the people of Bayelsa East Senatorial District.
New images emerging from the site offer compelling evidence of the ongoing work. Concrete pillars for the second bridge now tower above the swamplands, while heavy machinery continues the arduous task of road expansion through the difficult terrain.
Describing the pace of the project, a site engineer who spoke under anonymity noted: “We are tackling one of the most technically challenging sections now, and the progress is remarkable given the terrain. The second bridge is a critical component, and once it’s complete, we can begin surfacing the next stretch of the road.”
The road, when completed, will not only facilitate easier movement between Brass and Nembe but also serve as a strategic link to the Atlantic coastline — vital for trade, tourism, and security. Locals have long expressed hopes that the project would transform the economic and social landscape of the region.
Speaking at a recent inspection tour, Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to delivering the project: “We are determined to see this road completed. It is not just a road; it is a lifeline for our people, an artery of development that has been long overdue.”
Many community leaders and stakeholders have praised the government’s persistence in driving the project despite fiscal and environmental constraints. Chief Ebikesei Ben-Wills, a traditional leader in Brass, remarked: “This is not just concrete and gravel — this is our future taking shape before our eyes.”
As the second bridge nears completion and more sections of the road take form, optimism grows that Bayelsa’s coastal communities may finally be lifted from decades of isolation.
The Nembe-Brass Road is more than infrastructure; it is a symbol of long-awaited inclusion, bridging the gap between forgotten communities and a modern, connected Bayelsa.