Press Statement
PRESS STATEMENT: OFFFICE OF THE INTERCONTINENTAL COORDINATOR, IJAW STUDY GROUP (ISG) INTERNATIONAL
Date: June 3,2025
RE: Misguided Assertions in Kabowei Akamande’s “ ” Purities and Impurities: Discourse on Ijaw Leadership” Lecture – Setting the Records Straight
The attention of the Ijaw Study Group (ISG) has been drawn to a recent lecture titled “Purities and Impurities: Discourse on ijaw Leadership” delivered by Mr. Kabowei Akamande during the 2025 Isaac Adaka Boro Day held in the United Kingdom.
While we acknowledge and welcome critical reflections on the state of Ijaw affairs, we must categorically reject the misleading claims and poorly researched assertions directed at the INC and its current leadership.
1. On Allegation of Decaying Leadership:
Mr. Akamande opens with a sweeping dismissal of the present-day Ijaw leadership, accusing it of being compromised and ineffective. We consider this not only ahistorical but deeply uninformed. The INC under Professor Okaba has actively defended the interests of the ijaw people through relentless advocacy, consistent community engagement, and robust policy positioning. Accusing the leadership of capitulation without offering verifiable evidence is a disservice to those who have risked reputation and comfort for the cause of ijaw survival.
2. On the INC’s Response to the Fubara Political Crisis:
It is patently false to claim that the INC and its President were silent during the political crisis involving Governor Siminalayi Fubara. From issuing prompt and unambiguous press statements to participating in street protests and granting multiple national and international interviews, Professor Okaba and the INC stood firmly against unconstitutional attempts to unseat Ijaw-born Governor of Rivers State. We challenge Mr.Akamande or any objective observer to produce evidence contradicting this assertions that are sufficiently in the pubic domain.
3. On Claims of Lack of Revolutionary Leadership:
Contrary to Mr. Akamande’s claims, Professor Okaba’s leadership has been measured, strategic, and deeply committed to sustainable action-not performative louting. The INC understands that meaningful leadership is not about noise but results.it was through behind-the scenes consultation, engagement with other ethnic nationalities, and peace-building interventions that the INC helped de-escalate tensions while affirming the will of the people.
4. On Youth and Generational Dynamics:
The attempt to discredit an entire generation of ijaw leadership as lacking backbone or courage is a dangerous generalization. Under Professor Okaba , the INC has broadened its leadership inclusion structure, bringing young voices into its executive and policy platforms. Leadership in this era is not about age; it is about capacity, commitment, and community trust. If Mr. Akamande is truly concerned about youth relevance. He is welcome to contribute constructively through engagement rather than grandstanding.
5. On the Role of “Made Ijaw Men”:
Mr. Akamande’s lecture fails to interrogate the silence of powerful Ijaw elites during the political upheaval. The question remains: Where do these “made Ijaw men” when the INC stood alone in many battles? Leadership is a collective task, not a spectator sport. The INC President has not only shown up but has stayed standing, often without the support of those with means and influence. Casting blame on the who bears the weight of responsibility while others retreat is both unfair and intellectually dishonest.
6. Commercial and Industrial INC:
On the subject of Commercial and Industrial INC, one is somewhat compelled to state that better and adequate knowledge is required for anyone to delve into an area such as this. This is premised on the fact that the INC has but only very limited resources to run it’s affairs at the moment.
To address this issue of Commercialization and Industrialization of the INC, the leadership organized a meeting in January 2024 to plan a Summit that would bring together key stakeholders from the Political and Business sectors in Ijaw Land. A team, led by the INC President, was tasked with meeting the Governor of Bayelsa State, which was indeed held, to discuss potential collaborations. The outcome of this meeting is still pending.
The emphasis is on the importance of careful planning and adequate knowledge in tackling complex issues, highlighting the need for a well-organized Summit with clear plans. It also underscores the INC leadership’s role as servants of the Ijaw Nation, drawing strength from the Community, Clan and Zone, including individuals like Kabowei Akamande and his network.
Of a truth, adequate knowledge is required before speaking on such important matters, lest the whole effort would packed in sensational baskets rather than meaningful ventures.
Except such well thought out and organized Summit takes place and comes up with very astute and clear cut plans, the INC alone cannot do everything on its own. The Leadership of the INC are only leading the people of Ijaw Nation by service. Emphatically speaking – the people at the helms of affairs in the INC draw their strength from the generality of the Ijaws.
Conclusion:
The Ijaw National Congress reiterates its openness to constructive criticism, but such critique must be rooted in facts and respect for the truth. Mr. Kabowei Akamande’s lecture, though well-packaged in tone, lacked the rigorous engagement and factual basis necessary for serious public discourse. Professor Benjamin Ogele Okaba remains a pillar of principled leadership and will continue to serve the Ijaw Nation with clarity, courage, and conviction.
We encourage well-meaning Ijaw sons and daughters to rise above sensational commentary and instead join hands in building the future we desire.
Signed:
Kemegha Albert,
Ijaw Study Group (ISG) International.
Press Statement
NIGERIA AT 65: A SOLEMN REMINDER OF THE UNFINISHED BUSINESS OF JUSTICE AND SELF-DETERMINATION FOR THE IJAW NATION
PRESS STATEMENT:
October 1, 2025
NIGERIA AT 65: A SOLEMN REMINDER OF THE UNFINISHED BUSINESS OF JUSTICE AND SELF-DETERMINATION FOR THE IJAW NATION
By: Professor Benjamin Okaba
President, Ijaw National Congress (INC)
Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
On the occasion of Nigeria’s 65th year of political independence, the Ijaw National Congress (INC), the apex socio-cultural and political organization of the Ijaw people, finds no serious cause for any grandiose celebrations, beyond appreciating God and providence for getting us together as one single political entity. Instead, this anniversary serves as a solemn and painful reminder of 65 years of internal colonialism, calculated marginalization, and the systemic expropriation of our wealth and rights.
For the Ijaw nation, the Nigerian project has been a story of broken promises and brazen injustice. While our land and waters have produced the oil and gas that have fueled the nation’s economy for decades, we have been rewarded with nothing but extreme poverty, environmental devastation, and political suppression. The much-celebrated unity of Nigeria remains a myth, built upon the foundation of our oppression.
Our stance is not one of mere grievance, but one grounded in historical fact and legal right. The Ijaw people, as distinct owners of a territory with pre-1914 treaties with the British Crown, never willingly surrendered our sovereignty. The Nigerian state, as it is constituted, has consistently violated the principles of true federalism upon which it was supposedly founded.
The recent political crisis in Rivers State, where the rights of an Ijaw son were trampled with federal acquiescence, is only the latest chapter in this long history of disrespect. It demonstrates a persistent pattern where the might of the state is deployed not for justice, but to subjugate the Ijaw will.
Furthermore, laws like the Land Use Decree, Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) are not instruments of reform but a continuation of the legalized plunder of our resources. Our environment remains a sacrifice zone, with oil spills and gas flaring destroying our ecosystem and livelihoods with impunity.
Given this reality, we have come to a definitive conclusion: the pursuit of justice within the current Nigerian framework is a futile endeavour. Our hope no longer resides within Therefore, on this 65th anniversary, we reiterate our commitment to the Global Awakening of the Ijaw Struggle for Self determination.
We hereby call upon the international community, including the United Nations, the African Union, and all global citizens of conscience, to take note of the plight of the Ijaw people. We invoke the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to legitimize our quest for self-determination. Our demand is for the right to manage our resources, protect our environment, and determine our political destinies.
Let it be clear: our quest is for justice, not secession by force. We shall pursue this cause through peaceful, strategic, and diplomatic means, as is our right under international law.
To the Nigerian State, our message is this: the Ijaw people can no longer be spectators in a nation built on our backs. The current structure is unsustainable. The time for a sincere national dialogue that addresses the fundamental issues of resource control, true federalism, and the rights of nationalities is long overdue.
Until that day of reckoning, do not expect us to celebrate an independence that has only deepened our chains.
Long live ljaw Ethnic Nation
Professor Benjamin Okaba
President,
Global Ijaw National Congress (INC).
Press Statement
PRESS STATEMENT: INC COMMEND INEC FOR THE PROMPT REFUTAL OF THE REPORTED SUSPENSION OF WARRI FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY DELINEATION EXERCISE, INSIST THAT CONTINUOUS VOTERS’ REGISTRATION CANNOT BE DONE IN A CONSTITUENCY THAT HAS NO WARDS, POLING UNITS AND REGISTRATION AREAS
Issued by: Prof. Benjamin Okaba, President, Ijaw National Congress (INC) Global
Date: September 30, 2025
The Ijaw National Congress (INC) received great relief, the news of INEC official denial of an earlier report that sparked utter dismay and profound indignation, credited to INEC issuing a directive of the Federal Government, through the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), which porportedly suspended the Supreme Court-ordered delineation of wards in the Warri Federal Constituency.
While we commend the INEC leadership for their swift reaction to an unpalatable news that had already fuelled discontent, we at the Ijaw National Congress condemn the insistence of the INEC to continue with the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise in a constituency that the Supreme Court judgement has abolished all existing Wards. It amounts to an attempt by the INEC to build a structure in the air. If we must ask, what is the driving force? Is there going to be an off-season election in the constituency this year?Even if there are, the Supreme Court was very unequivocal; FUTURE ELECTORAL ACTIVITIES MUST NOT BE CARRIED OUT UNTIL THE REDELINEATION EXERCISE IS COMPLETED. How difficult is that to understand? Let us be clear that ongoing CVR exercise in Warri Federal Constituency is unconstitutional, illegal, and a politically-motivated assault on the sanctity of our judiciary and the rights of the Ijaw people to equitable representation.
For the record, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was not undertaking a voluntary exercise and hence, must act in total compliance with the landmark judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria delivered on December 2, 2022. The CVR exercise is a rape on the ongoing fresh delineation process, in all terms and pretexts, and is nothing short of a subversion of the Rule of Law itself. It is a dangerous precedent that signals to the nation that court orders can be trifled with or partially obeyed when they do not serve the political interests of the powerful.
The Legal Implications of the foregoing is a descent into Constitutional Anarchy and:
1. Contempt of the Supreme Court: The insistence to go on with an illegitimate CVR exercise places INEC in an impossible position, indicating that institutions of government can choose to obey or disobey the highest court in the land clandestinely. By succumbing to the pressure of some poltical interest to continue to register voters under the abrogated unit and ward structure, INEC is effectively in contempt of the court it is constitutionally mandated to respect.
2. Erosion of INEC’s Independence: The action has shattered the perceived independence of INEC. It reveals that the commission’s operations can be arbitrarily tampered with by certain identified executive elements, thereby eroding public confidence in its capacity to conduct free and fair elections.
3. Violation of Voter Rights: The continuation of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) using the old, flawed, discredited, and disbanded units and ward structure is fraudulent, as it amounts to registering new voters into an unconstitutional framework, thereby perpetuating the very injustice the Supreme Court already corrected.
The Political Implications: A Recipe for Perpetual Conflict
INEC’s position is not a solution for peace but an invitation to lasting and persistent conflict in Warri. It is a blatant act of capitulation of those who seek to perpetuate a system of demographic dominance over the Ijaw people. The message from INEC and the Federal Government is clear: peaceful, lawful pursuit of justice through the courts is futile, while intimidation, unrest, and killings are rewarded.
We state unequivocally that the Ijaw people will not accept this injustice or further procrastination of INEC in concluding the delineation, a situation that has led to the loss of life in Iyara area of Warri already. We the Ijaws have pursued this matter through the proper legal channels for years and achieved a resounding victory at the Supreme Court. We will not stand by and allow that victory be stolen from us outrightly or subeltly by a boardroom by political jobbers and ethnic expansionists.
- Our Demand:
The Ijaw National Congress hereby demand the immediate completion of the fresh units and ward delineation process by INEC, in strict compliance with the Supreme Court order. Any further delay is unacceptable.
We call on the following stakeholders to take appropriate actions to forestall further attacks by the Itsekiris on Ijaws and Urhobos:
· The Presidency: To immediately prompt INEC to announce the results of their conpleted job and uphold the integrity of the Nigerian judiciary.
· The National Assembly: To invoke its constitutional powers to summon the NSA and the INEC Chairman to explain their decision to continue registering voters in blatant subversion of a Supreme Court order.
· The International Community: To prevail on the Federal Government and INEC in order to abort their ill-motivated disregard for the Rule of Law and its implications for our democracy.
To the Ijaw nation, we urge calm but resolute vigilance. We are on the right side of the law and history. We shall explore and further deploy every legal, political, and diplomatic means available, to ensure that justice is not only served but is seen to be served.
The Supreme Court has spoken and clearly so; “there are NO electoral units and wards in Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State until the results of the concluded fresh delineation exercise are announced.” Let the will of the highest court in the land be done.
Signed,
Prof. Benjamin Okaba,
President,
Ijaw National Congress (INC), (Global)
Being Text of Press Statement Issued By Prof. Benjamin Okaba, President, Ijaw National Congress (INC) Global, in the Aftermath of the 2025 Ijaw National Day Celebrations
I am delighted to share with the Ijaw Nation and the general public the report on the Ijaw National Day Celebrations 2025, which took place from June 26th to 29th, 2025. The annual event is an avenue to showcase the rich culture of the Ijaw people.
Highlights of the celebrations are as follow:
Day One (1) – Thursday 26th June
The programme started on Thursday, 26th of June, 2025, at the respective Zones and Chapters, with Prayer Time, Unity Walk, Cultural Displays and Goodwill Messages. The address of Mr. President, Prof. Benjamin Okaba ‘Consolidating on the Gains of Constructive Engagement in the Ijaw Quest for Self-determination’, was presented by leaders in the respective zones and chapters.
Day Two (2) – Friday 27th June
The Headquarters of INC, Ijaw House, played host to delegates from the zones and chapters, and the general public, as the Art Exhibition of the Ijaw Nation featured in the 2nd day of the celebration. However, before the exhibition, a pep-talk on the Ijaw language counting system (presented by Pa Bozegha Whyte) was introduced, as part of the day’s activities. The Art Exhibition included Ijaw Art/History, Ijaw Cuisine, Skills, Photographic Exhibition of Ijaw Heroes/Heroines in various fields of endeavour, who have made significant contributions to the progress of the Ijaw Nation. Corporate Social Responsibility Showcase also featured in this event, with business owners displaying their goods.
Day Three (3) – Saturday 28th June
The 3rd day was in two sessions – morning and evening sessions.
Activities lined up for the morning session, which started from 9am to 3pm, included Children’s Cultural Fashion Parade, Language Quiz, Essay Writing and Traditional Outdoor Games. Students from six schools partook in the fashion parade, quiz and essay competitions.
Simultaneously, participants of the traditional outdoor games of epele, apodo and akoko thrilled the audience with their outstanding performances. A Cultural Troupe from the Eastern Zone, Street Icons of Port-Harcourt entertained the audience, displaying the rich cultural dance steps of the Ijaw Nation.
The evening session, Gala/Awards Night, began at 6:30pm, with the opening address of the Chairman of the Occasion, HRM King Bubaraye Dakolo, after the welcome address by Mr. President, Prof. Benjamin Okaba. A documentary on ‘Ijaw Self-Determination Agenda: The Journey So Far’ was in display, to bring to light the efforts made so far.
The highpoint of the occasion was the Special Appreciation and Recognition of illustrious Ijaw sons and daughters who have made outstanding impacts to the growth of the Ijaw Nation. The under-listed are the recipients of the awards.
List of Award Recipients of Ijaw National Recognition.
1. Senator Douye Diri – Governor of Bayelsa State
2. HIM Pere (Barr.) Zachaeus Doubra Egbunu, JP – Agadagba of Arogbo Kingdom
3. HRM King Bubaraye Dakolo, Agada IV – Ebenanaowei of Ekpetiama Kingdom
4. HE General Bright Ateke Fibonumama (Rtd), JP – Obeamumuodo of Abuloma Kingdom
5. HRM King (Adm) Goddy Idaminabo, CON – Amayanabo of Kala Ogoloma Kingdom
6. Chief Joshua B. Fumudoh – First elected President of INC
7. Hon. Frederick Yeitiemone Agbedi – Member Representing Bayelsa West
8. Teinbo Saturday Seliyefubara Jack-Rich – Chairman, Belema Oil Producing Nig. Ltd
9. Gesi Asamowei – Chairman, Pelfaco Nigeria Ltd
10. Dr. Felix Tuodolo – First President of IYC
11. Prof. Steve Azaiki – Chairman, Steve Azaiki Foundation
12. Mrs Rosemary Naingba Oduone – Founder, Ijaw Women Connect
13. Prof. Christopher Ogolo Ikporukpo – 2nd VC of Niger Delta University (First University in Ijaw Land)
14. Dr. Tano Dumoyei Agusomu – Head of Geography Dept, NDU, Amassoma, Head of Ijaw Map Technical Team
15. Surv. Victor Tupere George, MNIS – Geography Dept, NDU, Amassoma, Member of Ijaw Map Technical Team
16. Barrister Smooth – Famous Ijaw Musical Activist
17. Ovieteme George – Foremost Ijaw Journalist
18. Coach Monday Sinclair – Former Nigerian National Team Coach
19. Ijaw Women United for SIM
The audience was spectacularly entertained by the Bayelsa State Cultural Troupe and Barrister Smooth (the Paddle of the Niger Delta).
Day Four (4) Sunday 29th – Thanksgiving Service
The programme was concluded with a Thanksgiving Service at Royal House of Grace, Yenagoa by 11am. NEC, CITRE/NRC Leadership, Central Zone Exco and Clan Chairmen, 2025 Ijaw National Day Celebration Committee Members were in attendance.
Thank you
Prof. Benjamin Okaba
President, Ijaw National Congress (INC) Global