2024 Isaac Boro Day: Celebrating the Legacy of Legendary Ijaw Icon
On May 16th each year, we the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC joins other ijaw nation worldwide to commemorate the remarkable life and legacy of the legendary, Major Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro, a towering figure in the history of minority rights activism and a champion for the people of the Niger Delta.
As we reflect on his enduring impact, we also acknowledge the strides made in the Niger Delta region under the leadership of the Tinubu administration, particularly in infrastructure development.
We commend the Tinubu-led administration for its commitment to enhancing the socio-economic landscape of the Niger Delta, notably through the construction of major roads and railway, particularly the Lagos-Calabar coastal road that has improved connectivity and accessibility for communities in the region.
These infrastructural investments are critical steps towards addressing longstanding challenges and fostering sustainable development in the oil rich region.
However, while progress has been made, there are still much work to be done. We need the Federal Government to demonstrate greater dedication to more infrastructural development of the Niger Delta such as
1. Ensuring that essential projects are prioritized and adequately funded to meet the needs of the region's inhabitants.
2. We urge the government to address disparities in access to opportunities and resources. Despite initiatives such as Conditional cash transfers and SMEs projects, the participation of Ijaw people remains disproportionately low, with less than 15% from ijaw speaking states benefiting from these programs. It is imperative to implement inclusive policies that empower marginalized communities and promote equitable development.
3. We called on Mr President's attention to the urgent need to prioritize the funding and autonomy of the Maritime University in Okerenkoko, Delta state.
This institution plays a pivotal role in advancing education and research in maritime studies, yet it suffers from chronic underfunding.Granting the university financial autonomy will enhance its capacity to fulfill its mandate and contribute to the socio-economic advancement of the Niger Delta.
4. The plight of communities affected by oil spills, including the Foropa Oil spill, cannot be overlooked. These environmental disasters continue to inflict immense hardship and suffering on the people of the Niger Delta. We urge the Federal Government to expedite efforts to remediate these sites and provide necessary support to affected communities, ensuring that they receive justice and restitution for their losses.
5. We demand continual stakeholders engagements and immediate payments of compensations to affected buildings in the coastal areas of the Niger Delta.
6.We demand that the federal government should facilitate the reconstruction and where necessary, the rehabilitation of the East West Road.
7. We condemn the recent killings in Igbomotoru and call for a thorough investigation by the federal government. The loss of innocent lives in these senseless acts of violence is deeply troubling, and those responsible must be held accountable for their actions. We stand in solidarity with the Ijaw people and demand justice for the victims of these heinous crimes.
As we honor the memory of our legend,Major Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro, let us recommit ourselves to advancing his vision of a just and equitable society for all.
The Ijaw Youth Council urges Governor Siminalayi Fubara to remain resolute in his work for the progress of the people of Rivers State. We urge him to continue to fight for the progress of the state.
We equally urge the Niger Delta Governors to focus on human resource oriented governance for the welfare of the people as well as the progress of the region.
As a Council, we have making plans to get the federal allocation to each Niger Delta state from the National Bureau of Statistics and we shall juxtapose with relative developments in the various states.
We condemn in totality, the recent gas explosion allegedly owned by Shell SPDC in Bayelsa state, we demand urgent intervention by the company before more persons lose their lives. We question the sincerity of oil multinationals on their exploration activities in the Niger Delta. We are going to explore every legal means to put a stop to these recurrent failures of obsolete equipment in the region. Our legal team shall initiate the processes to seek justice on the continuous rape of our environment that leads to continuous loss of lives and properties. We call on the Senate president HE Godswill Apkabio and the law makers from the region to put stringent laws to protect our environment from collapsing into oblivion due to obsolete operations by oil multinationals.
We shall engage Federal Ministries who have deliberately shortchanged the Ijaw nation from equal opportunities designed to benefit from policies and services of their various ministerial mandates.
We can hardly count how many persons have benefited from the three tiers of agricultural loans. We demand that the Ministry of Agriculture should publish beneficiaries of agricultural loans up to 2 billion naira access from the Niger Delta region. We can no longer take the marginalized seat as we shall conspicuously agitate for true federalism as the only solutions to Nigeria's problem.
The continuous taxation of the masses without tangible economic direction by this administration has caused more hunger, we want the federal government to reevaluate their economic policies to be people oriented.
The celebration of Boro day brings all Ijaw people together for one major cause which is to continue the good legacy of our hero, Major Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro.
We call on all Ijaw people to be united. Together, we can build a future where the rights and dignity of every Nigerian, regardless of ethnicity or background, are upheld and protected.
Signed
Comrade Berefa Bedford Benjamin
National Spokesman,
IYC Worldwide
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