By Admin

Warri – The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has strongly criticized the Delta State government for what it describes as the continuous marginalization and neglect of Ijaw communities in terms of infrastructural development. Through its National Spokesman, Ambassador Princewill Binebai, the group issued a firm call to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to take immediate action in addressing key developmental concerns within the Delta Ijaw region.

Speaking at a press briefing held on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, at the long-abandoned permanent site of the Delta State Marine Polytechnic in Burutu Island, Amb. Binebai highlighted a series of unfulfilled projects. These include the completion of the Ayakoromo Bridge, the full development of the Delta State Marine Polytechnic permanent site, the construction of the Ogulagha/Odimodi and Ohoroh/Bomadi roads, the upgrading of the Isena-Ibe Teacher Training College in Bomadi to a university, and the legal establishment of the Directorate for Riverine Infrastructural Development Agency—similar to the existing Warri, Uvwie, and Environs Development Agency.

Additionally, the IYC called on the governor to rectify political imbalances by appointing an Ijaw representative as a commissioner in Warri North LGA and ensuring that Ijaw youths who actively supported his 2023 election campaign are considered for appointments. The group emphasized that addressing these issues is not only in the governor’s best interest but is also essential for equity and justice.

While reaffirming its commitment to peace, law, and order, the IYC stressed that it will remain politically neutral but will not hesitate to mobilize in defense of Ijaw communities when necessary. The council issued a one-month ultimatum for Governor Oborevwori to take concrete steps in resolving these concerns, warning that failure to act would lead to the “Mother of All Protests” against the perceived ethnic bias in Delta State.

Read full statement:

“Press Briefing Held in Burutu by the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide Over Perceived Deliberate Neglect and Underdevelopment of Ijaw Areas in Delta State by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori

4/02/2025

“The Ijaw Youth Council, a leading youth movement in Nigeria, Africa, and the world at large, is saddled with the responsibility of speaking truth to power while protecting and advocating for the rights and better living conditions of the Ijaw people across the globe. We are compelled to address this press briefing due to the alarming situation of deliberate neglect and underdevelopment of Ijaw areas in Delta State.

“It is no longer news that Governor Oborevwori’s government will be two years old by May 2025. The IYC has closely and keenly followed, monitored, and observed the developmental strides and political activities of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori. Despite our political and economic contributions to the state and the emergence of Governor Oborevwori, the Ijaws are yet to see any concrete project that could be considered a landmark achievement for the Ijaw people in Delta State.

“We are beginning to perceive the Governor of Delta State, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, as a Governor who lacks developmental plans or an agenda for the Ijaws. His projects have been viewed as highly sentimental and against all known principles of fairness, justice, and equity. They appear to be twisted and skewed against the Ijaws of Delta State. The Ijaws cannot continue to be disproportionately burdened while others benefit from our contributions.

“The IYC is stating clearly that we cannot continue to be micromanaged by the Governor of Delta State. There is a need to balance his administration, ensuring that all ethnic groups in Delta State have a sense of belonging. Delta State belongs to all of us, and the Ijaw ethnic group is a serious stakeholder in the state. We must be given reasonable attention in terms of development, youth empowerment, and other areas to atone for our contributions toward the emergence of Oborevwori as Governor of Delta State, considering our political and economic contributions.

“As a council, we have keenly followed the 2024 and 2025 budgets of the Delta State Government under Oborevwori’s watch. Apart from the lack of full implementation of the 2024 budget, there is no adequate provision for the Ijaw people. Instead, we see a repetition of projects that could have been addressed in the previous budget.

“●Developmental Attention Be Given To The Delta State Maritime Polytechnic, Burutu

“We are using this press conference to call on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to urgently pay serious attention to the Delta State Maritime Polytechnic, Burutu, the only state-owned tertiary institution in Delta Ijaw land. The Polytechnic was established by an act of the Delta State House of Assembly in 2006 and began functioning in 2011. However, from 2011 till date, there is no structure that the Delta State Government has been able to complete at the permanent site. Snakes, reptiles, overgrown weeds, and all forms of dangerous creatures now inhabit the vast expanse of land donated to the school. This is worrisome, especially considering that within months of the establishment of the Southern Delta University at Orerokpe, gigantic structures are now visible everywhere. We need the same energy to be transferred to the long-standing Delta State Maritime Polytechnic, Burutu.

“●Completion Of Ayakoromo Bridge, Long Overdue

“For us, it is becoming shameful that the Delta State Government is deliberately manipulating the Ijaw people by deliberately abandoning the Ayakoromo bridge. From Uduaghan to Okowa and from Okowa to Oborevwori, the bridge remains a political subject of debate. What does it really cost for Governor Oborevwori to fix this bridge for the Ijaw people? We are worried if there is something the government is not telling us. We have never seen anywhere in the world where a project fights this hard to come to fruition. The IYC will not tolerate any further delay of this project.

“● The Urgent Need To Fix The Ohoro-Bomadi, Torugbene-Ojobo Road Projects

“Moreover, the Ohoro-Bomadi Road as well as Torugbene-Ojobo Road projects should be given serious attention. It is unfair that all these projects, so vital to the Ijaw people, have remained unattended to by the Delta State Government, particularly Oborevwori’s administration.

“The Ijaw people are also calling on the Delta State Government to send an executive Bill to the Delta State House of Assembly for the Directorate of Riverine Infrastructural Development, Delta State to be permanently backed by law, like the Warri, Uvwie, and Environs Special Area Development Agency and the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency.

“● Correction Of Poltical Anomaly In Warri North

“The IYC urges the Delta State Governor, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, to urgently correct the political error in Warri North Local Government Area. Only Itsekiris were given the two commissioner slots, whereas it is a local government purely dominated by the Ijaws of Egbema and the Itsekiris. This is highly unfair and a political anomaly that needs correction.

“●Ijaw Youths Who Worked For Governor Oborevwori Should Benefit Like Others

“A significant number of Ijaw youths who toiled and worked for the emergence of Oborevwori as Governor are yet to be appointed to serve in any capacity. Perhaps their crime is that they are from Ijaw, hence they should not benefit. This is appalling, especially when their counterparts from other ethnic stocks, who did not do more than they did during the elections, are thriving in his government. The Ijaw youths have been so neglected.

“● A State Owned University In Ogulagha Kingdom

“As critical stakeholders in Delta State, if our oil money is used to fund various institutions and projects in Delta State, we demand that Ogulagha Kingdom should have a state-owned university as compensation for the many years of oil revenue accruing to the Delta State coffers and the country at large from Ogulagha Kingdom and other Ijaw areas in Delta State.

“● A Tertitary Institution In Bomadi

“The growing population in Bomadi, headquarters of Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, makes it imperative for the Delta State Government to either convert the ancient Isena-ibe Teacher Training College to either a Polytechnic or University to meet the educational needs of Deltans in the area. Bomadi is a rallying settlement for most of the Ijaw people in Delta, Bayelsa, and beyond. We demand that a tertiary institution be established in Bomadi considering the political contribution of the good people of Bomadi towards the growth and development of Delta State.

“Finally, in view of the foregoing, the Ijaw Youth Council is giving the Delta State Government one month, beginning from the day of this publication to address the issues raised, failure to do so within the one month period, the IYC will converge in our large numbers to pass a vote of no confidence on the Governor and to also match our words with action by declaring the mother of all protest against the Governor. We pray that these issues are fixed before things deteriorate to that level, where the falcon can no longer hear the falconer. Let it be on record that the development of Ijaw areas in Delta State going forward is not going to be business as usual for some people.”

Signed.
Amb. Binebai Yerin Princewill
Spokesman Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide.

In remains to be seen how the Delta State Government will treat this ultimatum, and if the Ijaw youth will make good their promise should the government fail to take any action.