Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) under the leadership of Sir Jonathan Lokpobiri have called on the governor of Delta State Sheriff Oborevwori to resolve the lingering communal crisis between the Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja communities in Delta state.
The group through its spokesperson, Ambassador Binebai Yerin Princewill in a statement yesterday, explained that the perennial crisis between the Ogbe-Ijoh people and their Aladja brothers has been ongoing for the past 28 years.
Princewill explained that in 1995, a crisis broke out between the two communities which resulted in the burning of Ogbe-Ijoh community in 1996, and that in 2016, the crisis returned fully, which resulted in the loss of lives and properties worth hundreds of millions of naira from both communities.
“Since 2016 up until now, the war has become a recurring decimal with attacks and counter-attacks between the two estranged communities.
The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, the umbrella body covering all Ijaw Youths in the world will continue to preach peace and have fully backed the peace move initiated by the Ijaw and Urhobo traditional rulers in Delta state.
“IYC is in full support of our parent body, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) in their solidarity visit to the traditional ruler of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri kingdom, His Royal Majesty, King Couple Markson Oromoni, Monbene III, the Amakosu of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom at his palace on Sunday August 13, 2023
“It is our call to the governor of Delta State that he should prioritise resolving the age-long communal crisis. The Ijaws and Urhobos are one, we are brothers and have intermarried over the years, hence there is no basis for us as a people to beat war drums. For us, Urhobos and Ijaws do not have any problem, but Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja are having issues for which we are going to work together to resolve the crisis,” he stated.
Princewill further stated that as a council, they are cautioning against a group of persons under any guise that is making provocative and incisive statements to spike up the already tense situation in the state to desist from such acts, because no one has the monopoly of violence.
“It should be noted clearly that nobody can threaten an Ijaw man with war, we are a peaceful people, hence the result of pushing an Ijaw man to the wall could be very dangerous when he decides to fight back.
“The governor of Delta state should do all he can to put an end to this reincarnating crisis. The government must take full responsibility and decision by implementing the reports submitted so far by the various committees.
“IYC is using this medium to commend the Udu Urhobo Communities (UUC) leadership for coming out to reaffirm their love and brotherhood to the Ijaw people. The IYC 9th NEC was represented by Comrade Freedom Atigbi, deputy president of the council who led the IYC delegation in collaboration with the INC led by its President, Prof. Benjamin Okaba among others,” he said.