NIGERIA HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO A CRIPPLED GIANT AS ITSEKIRI YOUTHS PLEDGE TO STAND SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH THE YORUBAS IN THE QUEST FOR INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT OF IWERE LAND AND EMANCIPATION OF THE ITSEKIRIS (Wednesday 21st June, 2017)

A pan Yoruba discuss will not be complete without the Itsekiris... INYC

Yorubas have been told that a pan Yoruba discuss as it relates to true and fiscal federalism will not be complete without the Itsekiris, this was made known by the Itsekiri National Youths Council, through its Public Relations Officer, Comr. Joseph Uwawah at the Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide meeting with the Ooni, Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi, Ojaja II Ooni of Ife at the Palace of the Ooni of Ife, Enuwa Ile - Ife in Osun State with the THEME: APERO ODO YORUBA WITH OONIRISA, TAGGED: ISOKAN OMOLUABI
Comr. Uwawah posited that the meeting is very apt especially as the foundation of Nigeria is being questioned, threatened and the demand for outright secession by some ethnic extractions is in the increase, therefore there is no better time than now for dialogue.

Recalling the historical lineage between the Itsekiris and the Yoruba, Comr Uwawah submitted that pre-monarchy, the Itsekiri people are Yorubas who migrated to the present location from Ode in Ijebu and other parts of Yoruba land. They founded five Itsekiri States, Omadino, Ugborodo, Inori, Ureju and Irigbo (Okotomu) while the monarchy that later established the Itsekiri States "Warri Kingdom" migrated from Benin. The first Olu of Warri, Ginuwa the 1st was the son of Oba Olua of Benin, who himself was the descendant of Oba Eweka. The 1st Oba of Benin who is said to be a son of Oronmiyon, who sojourned at Ile-Ibenu (Benin) this clearly goes to show that the Itsekiris can boldly say they share deep, blood, lingual, socio/political and cultural ties with the Yorubas. Thus, a pan Yoruba discuss of the national question and or true/fiscal federalism will not be complete without the Itsekiris.
During the pre-independence era, the founding fathers that negotiated the creation of Nigeria, recognized that the whole of Nigeria is made up of heterogenous people. The only basis of peaceful co-existence is a Federal system that will respect sundry linguistic Nationalities in a Federated country, Nigeria as enunciated and canvassed by Chief Obafemi Awolowo, which is the bass of the often used Concept of unity in diversity. Unfortunately, the constitution and the various Regions was jettisoned following the military coup of 1966 which gave birth to the imposition of a unitary system.

Speaking further, he said "Today, Nigeria is at the verge of implosion, a country that promises Hope in the midst of abundant human and material resources at Independence has been reduced to a crippled giant"
Uwawah while expressing the long age fear of the Itsekiris, pointed that, prior to the creation of Mid-Western Region from the old Western region, the Itsekiri ethnic Nationality expressed fears of ethnic domination by hostile neighbors, in the proposed Mid - Western region. The National Council of Nigeria and Cameroun led Federal Government insisted on a constitutional provision for a protection clause for minorities in the Mid-Western region constitution in Nigeria today. Successive Federal and State Government have trampled on our minority rights especially on the peace loving people of Warri Kingdom, the Itsekiris as contained in the United Nation charter on human rights and have by administrative structuring and other obnoxious acts transfered our wealth to the development of other parts of Nigeria at the detriment of the people.

Submitting the displeasure at the manner the Itsekiri Nation have faired over the years, Uwawah posited that despite the Itsekiri contributions of Billions of Dollars to the Federation Account, Since the discovery of oil in Itsekiri land, the Itsekiri States have nothing to show. Itsekiri communities producing oil and gas have no functional hospital and Schools, no portable water, no electricity. Our people exist as refugees due mainly to the destruction of our flora and fauna from oil exploration and exploitation activities. The multi-national oil companies sparingly employ Itsekiri Youths in flagrant violation of the local content laws of the federation.

Further to the above situation, the Youths leader, explained that, our neighbors who are customary tenants have persistently waged wars of attrition against the Itsekiris, seizing our lands and resources and changing the names of our communities as in the case, in the controversy of the naming of the Maritime University Okerenghigho but passed by the Nigerian Senate as Okerenkoko "We live in a country where rule of law is not obeyed and court judgement are treated with contempt".

Itsekiri Youths in Nigeria and Worldwide as represented by the Itsekiri National Youths Council (INYC) call on Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide and His Imperial Majesty, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, the Ooni of Ife, in this dialogue of "Isokan Omoluabi" to reflect deeply on the plight of the Itsekiris as the Itsekiris pledged to stand with the Yoruba Nation in the quest for infrastructural development and emancipation of the Itsekiri Nation.

Comr Uwawah expressing deep appreciation to the Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide and the Ooni of Ife for finding time to grace the coronation ceremony of Ikenwoli, the Olu of Warri, while pledging to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Yoruba Nation in the struggle to emancipate the Itsekiris and quest for infrastructural development, the Itsekiri National Youths Council concluded that the Itsekiri Nation have water every where but cannot drink from it, the Itsekiri Nation is well endowed with very huge landmass, yet cannot farm, due principally to the Magnitude of pollution and despoliation of our hitherto rich ecosystem such that the life expectancy of the Itsekiris has been reduced way below that of the average Nigeria.

Those who represented the Itsekiri National Youths Council with the Ooni of Ife in attendance at the just concluded Yoruba World Youths Congress are Comrades Ranet Yemiete, (INYC 3rd vice president) Logbemi Joseph Uwawah (INYC PRO) Jarvis Popo, aka HH (INYC Auditor) and senior comrade Ameachi Ogbonna