[allAfrica.com]  [Africa_2004]


Ijaw Youths Give Ultimatum, Ask Leaders to Back Out of Peace Accord

Vanguard (Lagos)
NEWS
June 29, 2004
Posted to the web June 29, 2004

By Osaro Okhomina & Kingsley Omonobi

IJAW youths of Warri origin yesterday issued a seven-day ultimatum to the
elders of the Ijaw who partook in the peace agreement signed last week between
the Itsekiri and Ijaw, to immediately denounce their membership of the peace
accord publicly or face the wrath of the Ijaw in Warri. They described the
peace accord reached by the elders as not only a wild goose chase, but a
deceptive agreement that was aimed at enslaving the Ijaw of Warri.
The Delta State government also, yesterday, explained that the Urhobo ethnic
group was excluded from the recent peace accord reached by the Ijaw and
Itsekiri ethnic groups in Warri because their stake in Warri is limited to the
metropolitan part of the city only
According to a statement signed by Hon. Mark Guwor, Hon. Austin Tonfawei and
Comrade Bebenimibo Paul for the Gbaramatu (Ijaw) Youth Forum, the youths noted:
"We hereby declare the outcome of the peace meeting of the elders of the Ijaw
and Itsekiri of Warri null and void. What is good for the gander is also good
for the goose. The peace accord does not represent the stand of the Ijaw of
Warri. As we have declared the peace accord null and void, let no one cite or
quote it as an authority anywhere and at anytime. We are calling on the Warri
Ijaw and Itsekiri Grassroots Peace Front (WIIGPF) to quickly round up their
talk and release the report."
Explaining its reaction, the GBF described the peace accord as "miserable,
malicious, misleading, ridiculous and embarrassing. Little did we realise that
the six months peace meeting by the elders of both ethnic groups was a wild
goose chase. It was deceptive in the sense that in March this year, the
Commissioner for Ehnic Relations, Mr. Ovouzorie Macaulay, and Chief Wellington
Okirika denounced the membership of the peace forum, pre-supposing that they
will not be part and parcel of the activities of the peace forum.
On the contrary, Mr. Macaulay was identified as the chairman of the meeting and
Chief Okirika was the leader of Ijaw representatives.
"This is not the way to achieve peace in Warri. A peace forum that does not
take into cognizance, the people of the grassroots and without consultation of
stakeholders in the area cannot bring peace to Warri," the statement continued.
Areas which they expected the agreement to deal with included: "True
delineation of voters' wards in the three Warri local government areas to
reflect the 1991 functional population census of the area; true voters'
registration exercise in the area to reflect the population of the area; and
balanced political or democratic participation of the people to reflect
majority and minority of the area."
Why Urhobo group was not part of pact, by Delta govt
Meanwhile, the Delta State government yesterday explained that the Urhobo
ethnic group was excluded from the recent peace accord reached by the Ijaw and
Itsekiri ethnic groups in Warri because their stake in Warri is limited to the
metropolitan part of the city only.
However, Ijaw leader and joint chairman of the Itsekiri/Ijaw peace committee,
Chief Wellington Okirika, believed that the peace agreement is God's hand at
work. He said God had helped the two ethnic groups to find solution to the
crisis.
The Commissioner for Inter-Ethnic Relations, Mr. Ovuozorie Macaulay, who spoke
on the exclusion of the Urhobo ethnic group from the peace initiative, said the
Ijaw and the Itsekiri were prevailed upon to meet due to their population and
stake in the three local government areas in Warri "the issue of the role of
the Urhobo in the matter is a small one. There are three council in Warri, we
have Warri North, which is home of Ijaw and Itsekiri, you have Warri South-West
with Ijaw and Itsekiri and you now have Warri South where Urhobo come in along
with the Itsekiri. The problem has been between the Ijaw and Itsekiri.
"I have been called names because I have refused to mix up the issues leading
to peace. We have looked at the formula adopted. How do you invite the Urhobo
into the peace talk between the Itsekiri and Ijaw in Warri South-West? I don't
think it makes any sense except one is out to cause confusion."
The commissioners expressed regrets at the casualty figure the hostility
provoked.
Ijaw leader lauds peace accord
Ijaw leader, Chief Okirika, in an interview appealed to all Ijaw sons and
daughters to see the peace agreement as the stage that will set the machinery
in motion for a permanent peace in Warri. He spoke despite protest by a segment
of the Ijaw who believed that they were not consulted and that the agreement
was a sell-out to the Itsekiri.
According to him, "we talked for over six long drawn months through dialogue.
This is the first time in the history of Ijaw and Itsekiri for their leaders to
sit together in one room and talk to themselves. Achievements of this dialogue,
in spite of some disagreements, is that it will set the pace for peace and
development.
"One of the highlights is that during this long period of dialogue, hostilities
have stopped. During this period, youths of the Ijaw and the Itsekiri came
together declaring an end to hostility and begging for peace. The dialogue
allowed confidence building among the Ijaw of Warri and the Itsekiri which had
reached frightening levels.
"The hydra-headed distrust between the Itsekiri and the Ijaw has been reduced
as the Ijaw and Itsekiri can now sit together to find a lasting solution to
their problems, meaning that both sides are able to take their destiny into
their hands.
"Although this is the official end of the dialogue, the Ijaw and the Itsekiri
will continue to meet and talk about finding solution to the remaining areas of
disagreement as the use of violence has been ruled out."

   

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