INC-America Secretary Tasks Oborevwori, Itsekiri on Truth, Peace for Dev’t
By Wilson Macaulay
Secretary of Ijaw National Congress of the Americas, INC-A, Ebikeme Amafini, says Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, should retool his peace-building antecedents and prioritize truth to address political tensions that have for decades claimed lives in Warri.
Amafini, who said “no life should be sacrificed for political gains”, reacted to Governor Oborevwori’s recent outburst to feuding Itsekiri, Ijaw and Urhobo, of Warri, to rather “fight after 2031”, adding: “You want me to speak and lose votes?”. The governor’s statement is widely perceived as evasive or betrayal of helplessness on the Warri intractable crises. Despite damage control efforts by his handlers, Oborevwori’s comment still draw widespread criticism. But Amafini advised that “leadership driven by truth would rather make Oborevwori garner more votes in 2027 and possibly guarantee him Noble Peace Price on Warri’s intractable crises”.
Tensions continue to mount over a Supreme Court-ordered fresh electoral ward delineation in Warri Federal Constituency conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC which issued a field report showing the Ijaw as more populous in 2 of the 3 LGAs in the area namely Warri North and South-West.
“I am aware of the peace building antecedents of Governor Oborevwori as Special Assistant to Former Governor James Ibori. Now Governor himself, Oborevwori should retool those strategies for greater success. Additionally, he has former governors Emmanuel Uduaghan and Ifeanyi Okowa to draw advice on keeping the peace. Ultimately, governor Oborevwori should stick to truth towards lasting peace for development within and beyond his tenure”, Amafini advised.
He advised: “The Itsekiri should embrace peace, dispense with structures/privileges skewed in their favour during Colonial Agent Dore Numa’s era which cannot define independent Nigeria. Ijaw population superiority over Itsekiri in Warri is a reality. They can, at best, agitate for achievable constitutional self determination within Nigeria as way forward from recurring crisis caused by their abiding desire for political control of other ethnic groups in Warri territory aided by Nigerian endo-colonialists”.
Amafini added: “I should state that Itsekiri population minority is not Itsekiri political exclusion. Were it so, Itsekiri-born Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan from Itsekiri minority, would not be governor of Delta State. The developmental destinies of the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo are intertwined in the geographical space called Warri Federal Constituency and either Ijaw, Itsekiri or Urhobo representative at the national or sub-national level, pursuing developmental agenda, would impact on the entire place and people. Lets embrace truth for peace, going forward”, Amafini cautioned.
