Delta’s Lopsided Educational Institutions Spark Outrage as Mulade Calls for Ijaw Inclusion

By Wilson Macaulay
WARRI — A prominent Ijaw leader and development advocate, Comrade Mulade Sheriff, PhD, has accused the Delta State Government of entrenched marginalisation and deliberate neglect of Ijaw communities, particularly in the siting and development of state-owned educational institutions.
Mulade, who described the situation as “unjust, provocative and unacceptable in a democratic society,” said the persistent exclusion of Ijaw areas from hosting higher institutions of learning amounts to structural discrimination, especially given the region’s immense contribution to Delta State’s economic survival through oil and gas production.
“It is painful and unacceptable that a people whose land produces a greater portion of the wealth sustaining this state are treated as second-class citizens when it comes to development, particularly in education,” he said. “This is not only unfair; it is dangerous for the unity and future of Delta State.”
Concentration of Institutions Outside Ijaw Land
The Ijaw-born activist listed state-owned tertiary and allied institutions across Delta State, noting that the overwhelming majority are located outside Ijaw territories. These include:
State-Owned Universities:
Delta State University, Abraka
Southern Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro
Southern Delta State University of Science and Technology, Orerokpe Campus
Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba
University of Delta, Agbor
Colleges of Education and Health Institutions:
Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba
College of Education, Edjeba Road, Warri
Delta State College of Physical Education, Mosogar
School of Midwifery, Asaba
State School of Nursing, Edjeba, Warri
College of Nursing Science, Sapele
State-Owned Polytechnics:
Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku
Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe-Oghara
Delta State School of Marine Technology, Burutu
Mulade stressed that only one institution — the Delta State School of Marine Technology, Burutu — is located in Ijaw land, adding that the institution itself suffers from poor infrastructure and limited capacity.
“To have just one poorly equipped institution for an entire ethnic nationality that contributes massively to Delta State’s oil wealth is appalling, insulting and indefensible,” he declared. “This is not marginalisation by accident; it is neglect by design.”
Environmental Burden, Developmental Denial
Beyond education, Mulade lamented that Ijaw communities continue to bear the brunt of oil exploration—polluted rivers, devastated farmlands and heightened health risks—while being denied corresponding developmental benefits.
“Our youths are not lacking in intelligence or potential,” he said. “They are denied opportunities because development has refused to come to their doorsteps. This imbalance is breeding frustration and must be corrected urgently.”
Call on Governor Oborevwori
The Ibe-Sorimowei of the ancient oil-rich Gbaramatu Kingdom, Chief Mulade Sheriff, appealed directly to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to rise above politics and sentiment and take decisive steps to correct the imbalance.
He called for the deliberate siting of new educational institutions in Ijaw areas, comprehensive upgrading of existing facilities—particularly the Burutu Marine Technology School—and the appointment of qualified Ijaw sons and daughters as vice-chancellors and principal officers within Delta State’s educational system.
“Governor Oborevwori must demonstrate that he is a governor for all Deltans, not for a select few,” Mulade stated. “Educational development is not a favour to the Ijaw people; it is our right.”
He warned that continued neglect could deepen feelings of alienation and weaken the sense of belonging among Ijaw communities in the state.
Demand for Equity and Justice
Concluding, Mulade called on civil society organisations, traditional rulers, youth groups and well-meaning stakeholders across Delta State to speak out against what he described as structural injustice.
“This is not just an Ijaw issue; it is a justice issue,” he said. “No state can develop sustainably when a significant portion of its population is consistently excluded from critical development indices like education.”
He urged the state government to act swiftly, insisting that equity, inclusion and fairness remain the surest pathways to lasting peace and development in Delta State.