Communiqué Issued At The End Of The “One Day Colloquium ” Organized by The Itsekiri Political Assembly, IPA, Held On Saturday June 12, 2021 At Rewane Villa , Ogunu Road , Warri, Delta State, Nigeria

PREAMBLE:

The one-day colloquium with the theme “the way forward for Itsekiri politically in 2023 and beyond” which was organized under the auspices of Itsekiri Political Assembly, IPA, had in attendance People of Itsekiri extraction from far and near largely comprising of the Aged, Civil Servants, Community Leaders, Academicians, Political  Office Holders, Artisans, Farmers, Students, Chiefs of Warri Kingdom, Youths and Women Bodies, Politicians, the Unemployed, among Others.

The colloquium which had five speakers drawn from different endeavors X-rayed the present deplorable state of the Itsekiri Nation whose people are indigenous to the three Warri Local Government Council Areas of Delta State, and parts of both Edo and Ondo States.

After exhaustive discussions of all the papers presented including contributions from different Individuals and Groups in attendance; it was thus noted that; a- Disturbed by the apparent lack of vision and agenda for a clear political road map for the Itsekiri Nation since the inception of the fourth Republic by those (of Itsekiri extraction) saddled with the responsibility of steering the Political Ship of our Nation in their various political capacities, thereby engendering a feeling of anomie, apathy and indifference to the overall advancement of Iwere land; b-Worried by a new but dangerous and treacherous mindset of trading off the Itsekiri commonwealth by some self-styled Political Leaders bent on shortchanging the ethnic nationality in a most ungodly, unconscionable and repugnant manner; c-Challenged by the need to curb the continuous depletion and balkanization of our Homeland by awkward and retrogressive ‘Political decisions’ from our Leaders, the Itsekiri Political Assembly has decided to put on its thinking cap for the interrogation of our past, present and future deals, and prospects on all available Human development index within the larger Nigerian State; and d-Armed with the flint tool of courage, the sickle of lavish goodwill and the tonic of unrestrained optimism for a yet brighter and more glorious future for the entire Iwere land; all attendees further noted with satisfaction and commendation that

The Itsekiri Political Assembly (IPA), despite glaring challenges from some entrenched interests successfully organized the One Day Colloquium largely for the sole purpose of ventilating and harnessing opinions of critical stakeholders cutting across all partisan and social divides towards aggregating dominant progressive and clear pro?Itsekiri opinions for the sensitization of all Itsekiris inview of the onerous tasks ahead; and transmitting same to the traditional leadership of the Kingdom for necessary actions.

Arising from the above, participants observed that; 

1. Since the inception of the Fourth Republic from 1999 till date; our political fortune has not reflected our contribution to the Nigerian State both Economically and Politically. The Itsekiri Ethnic Nationality even though “supposedly” highly influential in local and Global Sphere has not taken due advantage of this opportunity. The  picture on the political canvass remains uninspiring, beggarly, mediocre, contradictory  and disheartening to discerning minds. The Itsekiri Nation appears short of  rediscovering itself like other surrounding ethnic nationalities in a highly politically sensitive landscape where ethnic preservation rather than self preservation is the new order. Along this trajectory, participants concurred that Itsekiri Nation must not shy away from this stark reality but rather do all that is incidental to attaining this identity. Participants agreed that the fault is mainly in our disunity, encapsulated in our refusing  to seek Ethnic preservation and holding same as primus; 

2. That there is the urgent need for sincere reconciliation, and reorientation on all political fronts for this dignified and enviable nation under one King and one language  in the Niger Delta so as to take its rightful place in the Nigerian State. Hence the Itsekiri National Assembly should immediately put the necessary machinery in place to meet with Itsekiri Political Leaders, Opinion Leaders, and Community Leaders to engage them for achieving the desired unity of purpose;

3. That consequent on the above, and considering our political state in Nigeria in general and Delta State in Particular ahead of the 2023 General Elections; Participants therefore resolved:  

A. That qualified persons of Itsekiri extraction will contest for the Position of the Executive Governor of Delta State on all Political Parties available since it is assumed that the “gentleman” rotation agreement in Delta State since 1999 has completed a  full political cycle. This has become necessary since the Itsekiri Nation is the highest producer of crude oil and gas in Delta State. 

B. That qualified persons from the Itsekiri Nation will contest for the position of the Senator representing Delta South Senatorial District on all political parties for the Itsekiri people to break through from the suffocating and stranglehold of self-imposed  “party is supreme” advocates. In this regard, we urge that all our patriotic kinsmen  and women must think this through by evolving a completely new template of political paradigm defining the Itsekiri Agenda. The reality should begin to dawn on the  

Sanballats, Tobiahs and Ahithophels in the kingdom that it is no longer business as usual and therefore they had better join the popular train of solution finders and be innovative, creative and proactive toward the promotion of the superior ITSEKIRI  

AGENDA;

C. That qualified persons from the Itsekiri Nation will contest for the position of all available seats in Warri Federal Constituency i.e Member Representing Warri Federal Constituency, the Delta State House of Assembly seats in the three Warri Local  Government Councils. For the avoidance of doubt, this means a person of Itsekiri  extraction must be the one to represent the good people of Warri Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives; Warri South Constituency 1, Warri South Constituency 2, Warri North Constituency, and Warri South-West  Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly. The Itsekiri Nation must as a  matter of utmost urgency rediscover herself and take bold steps to specialize in its  area of strength, including Education, Information Technology and Medical Tourism that has the potential of turning Itsekiri nation into a major Nigerian info-tech hub of  

the 21st century.

D. That the Itsekiri Nation will no longer allow any political agreement that will cede the Chairmanship Position of any of the three Warri Local Government Councils (namely; Warri North, Warri South, and Warri South-West). Any Itsekiri that decides  to do this for Party Supremacy will be dealt with, and declared persona-non-grata.  

4. That this parley shall be a continuous one to aggregate the views, suggestions and opinions of all Itsekiri men and women of goodwill (especially the political class). Since  our challenges are self-imposed, our solutions should also start from within. The time  to take back our Itsekiri nation is now! 

Participants and the Itsekiri Political Assembly, sincerely appreciate the Presidency under the able leadership of His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Inspector-General of Police, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, the Commandant of the Nigerian Army (3 Battalion), the Area Commander and Itsekiri youths for their  collective contributions to peace in Itsekiri lands.

Also appreciated are the Resource Persons, Professionals, Academicians, Community Leaders, the Media, and all Itsekiri Kinsmen desirous for a total and fundamental political change of the present anti?progress status quo as demonstrated by participating in the colloquium. Indeed, the journey to the promise land has just begun. 

Dated This 12th day of June, 2021.

Signed:

Comrade Timeyin Edema

(Convener)

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