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By Joel Anekwe
Former President Goodluck Jonathan and Dumo Lulu-Briggs, the disputed governorship candidate of the Accord Party in Rivers State are among 48 other prominent Ijaw sons and daughters presented with lifetime achievement awards in Port Harcourt.
The awards were conferred on them by two groups, the Ijaw Republican Assembly (IRA) and the Ijaw Media Action Initiative (IMAI).
While Jonathan and Lulu-Briggs received grand awards as the Ijaw Man For All Season, and merit award as the Ijaw Politician of the Year 2018 respectively, 15 sons and daughters of Ijaw nation, including late Major Isaac Adaka Boro, late Senator Melford Okilo and late High Chief Olu Benson Lulu-Briggs, amongst others, received post-humous awards.
Speaking at the second edition of Heroes of Ijaw Nation Award Night, held at the Presidential Hotel, Port Harcourt at the weekend, IRA President, Alatubo Charles Harry, expressed the hope that the third edition of the ceremony would be better.
Harry said: “This is an uncommon day in the history of the Ijaw nation. Ijaw people are uncommon people. We are not here just to eulogise ourselves; we are not here just to applaud our achievements but we are here also to dream and achieve that dream.
“This is just the second edition of the Heroes of Ijaw Nation Award Night and we are hopeful that the third edition of this award will be bigger and greater.”
Speaking to newsmen, one of the award recipients and former minister of Culture, Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas, noted that it has been the duty of the Ijaw Republican Assembly to make sure that the Ijaw nation is properly advertised, properly recognised.
Graham-Douglas, who was honoured with the Ijaw Lifetime Award, expressed regret that the Nigerian nation seems not to appreciate the efforts of IRA in the promotion of the Ijaw nation.
He said: “The brilliant man behind this, Charles Harry is an achiever. The award is beginning to gain grounds. The concept, I believe, of the whole idea is the recognition and emancipation of the Ijaw dream.
“The Ijaws of the coastal area have long been marginalised, have long been deprived and yet, as the base of the wealth of this country, it needs some recognition.
“From onset, it has been the duty of the Ijaw Republican Assembly, and it had made sure that the Ijaw nation is properly advertised, properly recognised but the Nigerian nation seems not to appreciate that. Ijaw Republican Assembly is one body that is promoting and uplifting the ideals of the Ijaw nation.”
