President of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Pereotubo Oweilaemi, speaks in this interview by EBENEZER ADUROKIYA on the controversial Water Bill proposed by the Federal Government, which the Senate said it planned to revisit and other national issues. Excerpts:
The Senate President recently said that the controversial Water Bill would be revisited; can we have the position of the IYC on this?
We have made our position known to the world. We are opposed to it. It’s not going to be in our best interest. The bill is going to be another draconian law that tends to colonise the Niger Delta region. That bill if passed into law will further emasculate us. The purpose, as we have seen already, is to take away our riparian rights over the waterways. That is dangerous to our survival as a people. They have taken control of the natural resources in our lands through legislative instruments, now they want to have an exclusive control of the creeks to the detriment of the riverine dwellers. We will not allow that to happen. The passage of this inimical bill will beget anarchy in the Niger Delta region because the people will revolt against its operation. At least, let us learn from the bitter experiences of the oil crisis occasioned by the legislative colonisation of our economic right.
To us, the bill is another neo-colonisation agenda by the Federal Government to annihilate and subjugate the destinies of the Niger Delta people, thereby subjecting the people to eternal colony. We are rejecting the bill in its entirety as it will only end up causing disaffection between the Niger Delta people and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
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What if the bill is actually in the interest of your people?
We have perused the spirits and letters of the said bill clause by clause. There is nothing in the proposed law that will benefit the Niger Delta people. This is a clear departure from the sacred constitutional requirements of enacting laws which are for the public good, public morality and public safety. A Bill that is designed to divest the people of natural resources in their domains cannot bring peace and good governance to the people.
My sincere advice to the National Assembly members is that they should, as a matter of public good and for the sake of our corporate coexistence, reject the bill outrightly or in the alternative, remove the clauses that seek to control the surface and groundwater resources, including river beds and banks. The management of the water resources should be left with the states. IYC under my leadership will do everything humanly possible within the ambit of the law to resist the passage of the bill. This is our destinies and we will collectively tackle the government to ensure that we control our destinies from the clutches of the foreign invaders.
There is no doubt that the passage of this inimical bill will pit the Niger Delta communities against their visitors. We do not want a repeat of history in the region. This is a surreptitious means to reintroduce the botched cattle colony or Ruga Settlement plan. Niger Delta people will resist it even with the last drop of our blood.
The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, warned that the disintegration of Nigeria would not be in the interest of any group; is that in line with the position of IYC?
IYC disagrees with the Vice President. All is not well with this country. There is a structural dichotomy or better still, a democratic disparity among the diverse ethnic groups. This injustice remains an eternal scar on our minds, especially the oppressed. Until it is corrected, not many people will want the continued membership of this country. We should not deceive ourselves.
As early as 1960, immediately after Independence, people started thinking of self autonomy. The northerners first planned it in 1952. Niger Delta people did that through Major Isaac Jasper Boro in 1966 which was immediately followed by the Igbos through Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. All these groups had reasons to secede from Nigeria. The injustices that inspired the secessionists’ movements in the country have not been addressed. These are the reasons why the threats to break up this country are gaining momentum now. The Vice President cannot feign ignorance of what is happening in the land. As far as these injustices persist, people will be happy breaking away from this oppressive country. Everybody wants to live in freedom and where freedom is in want, of course the oppressed will seek to disembark from that forced marriage for his freedom.
Apart from commending the Federal Government recently on the ministerial appointments of Amaechi, Akpabio and Keyamo, IYC is often seen as seeing nothing good in the policies of the government of the day? Why is this so?
IYC is not hostile to the Buhari-led federal government. We only attacked the government’s policies that are inimical to the plight of the economically pauperised Niger Delta people. The government of Nigeria under President Mohammadu Buhari did not accommodate Niger Delta region, especially the Ijaw nation in the affairs of things. We are like outcast in our own country. Even when our soil is feeding the nation, the government has been treating us on the ratio of votes he got from the region both in 2015 and 2019. Buhari should see himself as president of Nigeria. He is the father of all Nigerians and thus, must accommodate every interest whether or not they voted for him. Nigeria is his single constituency and so he cannot sideline some people on the basis of voters’ dichotomy. We are ready to support his programmes and policies if he considers every interest in his government.
The South-West governors have promised to set up a measure to tackle herdsmen’s menace; shouldn’t the South South governors think in the same direction as security keeps degenerating in the country?
I think the governors of the South South geo-political zone will do the same thing. They will devise measures to tackle joint security issue in the region. I am very certain that such move will soon take place. They are not going to be onlookers when every other zone is making moves to tackle the general insecurity across the country.
What is the level of co-operation that IYC has with groups of other ethnic nationalities, governors of South South and political leaders in the region?
We are enjoying a cordial relationship. Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) as the umbrella socio-cultural body in the region has a good relationship with the governors of the South South states. IYC as the foremost youth body in the region is also in touch with the governors. Like I said, all the ethnic nationalities in the zone are working in synergy for the actualisation of our core objectives, which is to free the region from the shackles of the economic cum political oppression. IYC has been a leading voice in this liberation struggle and we will continue to take the lead.
How much of your eyes are on the traditional rulers in the South South region with regards to their possible sale of land for Fulani settlements?
No traditional ruler is alone in our collective struggle as far as PANDEF is concerned. With what is happening in the country, I don’t think our traditional rulers will betray their subjects. Since we have taken a common position on either cattle colony or Ruga settlement brouhaha, we do not expect our traditional rulers to betray our position. We have said no to Fulani settlements in our lands. We don’t even have lands to be given out. Of course you know our territories are mostly waterlogged.
How do you react to the killings of Nigerians in countries like South Africa and the United Kingdom?
That is very unfortunate. I think the government of Nigeria should invite the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria to lodge a formal complaint on the issue. We need diplomatic cross-fertilisation of ideas on this issue. If need be, we can even report them to African Union (AU) or in the alternative, sanction the South African business interests in this country.
What’s your take on the seeming clampdown on dissenting voices against the FG in the land, especially the arrest of Sowore and tear-gassing of members of the #RevolutionNow movement?
That is very unfortunate. There is nothing wrong on the call for peaceful revolution. It is allowed in a democratic setting. Our constitution allows for peaceful assembly. Criticism and peaceful protest are part of democratic governance. The absence of dissenting voices in democratic governance begets dictatorship and totalitarianism. President Buhari should know that Nigeria is practicing constitutional democracy. Arresting Mr. Omoleye Sowore in a Gestapo style over his declaration of peaceful revolution will not and can never silence voices of dissent. Even the crude and undemocratic methods applied on the RevolutionNow protesters by security agents in the country cannot still silence dissenting voices. Let the government live up to its responsibility in securing the country. That is the only way he can silence their voices.