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By Amos Odeh, Yenagoa
The newly elected spokesman of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide, Comr. Ebilade Ekerefe, has met with members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) over the need for practical ways of “forging a common front in the battles against contending issues of poor development, intellectual agitation for youth empowerment, de-militarization and short-changing of the region in the nation’s polity.”
The visit, which was initiated by the IYC spokesperson, Comr. Ekerefe, sought the assistance of the NUJ, led by the chairman, Comrade Samuel Numonengi, on the issues of ongoing brouhaha in the NDDC, delayed appointment of a substantive Amnesty coordinator, the incessant invasion of Ijaw communities by the military and the issue of under-development.
Ekerefe noted that his visit was to interact with members of the NUJ and inform them of the outcome of the national convention organised in Oporoza, Delta State.
According to him, Ijaw people had benefitted immensely from the media over the years, especially from their reportage that has always shown to the world “what Ijaw people are passing through, the oil spills, the marginalization of Ijaw people and a host other sufferings and yearnings of our people.”
Ebilade, while commending media practitioners in the state, pointed out that the current IYC, under Comr. Peter Igbifa’s leadership, is looking forward to setting up an Ijaw summit, where every sons and daughters of Ijaw extraction of different divide, will come together for a dialogue, to come up with a regional interest on security, politics and economy.
According to him, “the issues confronting Ijaw people are very enormous, bordering from insecurity, marginalization, strategic plans from the Northern expansionists invading down South-South to occupy our region and other very important key issues.
“Going forward the current Ijaw Youth Council leadership, under Comr. Peter Timothy Igbifa, will always need the support of the press, because it will not fold its arms and watch how Ijaw people are being treated like second-class citizens in a country where they are contributing largely to the economic survival of this nation.
“Very soon, we will be setting up strategic committees to be following up what is happening in the Niger Delta very closely.
On his part, the chairman of NUJ, Bayelsa chapter, Comrade Samuel Numonengi, thanked the visiting IYC spokesperson and the council leadership on the steps being taken to partner with media practitioners.
Numonengi pointed out that the successes recorded in the past were not by might but by the robust partnership with the media.
He however called on the IYC leadership to change the narratives of Ijaw youths in the nation’s polity. He sought a new and practical sensitization of Ijaw youths against issues of cultism, violence, and sale of job slots for financial gains.
