Mujahid Asari Dokubo is a former president of the Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide. On this interview, he speaks on the scrapping of Ministry of Niger Delta, political disaster in Rivers State and why the South-South will align with the North in 2027, amongst different points. ANAYO EZUGWU writes
What are your ideas on the choice of the Federal Authorities to subsume the Ministry of the Niger Delta below a brand new creation known as the Ministry of Regional Improvement?
Sadly, this determination was taken by the federal government led by President Bola Tinubu, who was within the trenches with most of us throughout the battle for the restoration of democracy after the annulment of the June 1993 presidential election received by Chief MKO Abiola. We fought collectively and tirelessly and lots of people misplaced their lives.
President Tinubu was on the forefront of the battle and since then he has been talking on restructuring the Nigerian state and giving rights to all of the part items of Nigeria. This determination is a betrayal of the folks of the Niger Delta. There was this tradition in Nigeria of attempting to shortchange the folks of the Niger Delta and robbing us of our beneficial properties.
Earlier than independence, the Ijaws and Ogonis made it very clear that for us to be a part of Nigeria, Nigeria should be negotiated on our phrases. We made it very clear to the British and so they arrange a fee to look into the fears of the so-called minorities with a view to deal with them.
After going across the nation, the fee got here up with a particular space for the folks of Ogoni and the folks of Ijaw and this particular space was established in such a method that the federal government on the centre was to supply 5 per cent, the Japanese Area was to supply 5 per cent and the Western Area to supply 5 per cent and this was a particular space.
After the primary navy coup and the declaration of Nigeria as a unitary state below Decree 32 promulgated by Common Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, Nigeria checked out our face and abolished a constitutionally established authority, and as a substitute, each drainage exterior the Niger Delta was made a River Basin Authority and so they equated this similar authority with the Niger Delta Space Authority, a particular mandate space for Nigeria to turn out to be impartial.
The independence of Nigeria was predicated on that report that we, the Ogonis and Ijaws ought to be a part of Nigeria. Having completed that, President Olusegun Obasanjo got here in 1999 and redefined what Niger Delta is as a result of Niger Delta turned oil producing areas.
So, Abia, Imo, Edo, Ondo, Akwa Ibom and Cross River turned Niger Delta. He diluted the which means of the Niger Delta however the Niger Delta was created by River Niger and its tributaries. Nigerians all the time search for one thing that doesn’t exist in actuality.
What points do you will have with President Tinubu because you mentioned he has upset you?
I wish to say that my opposition to the scrapping of the Niger Delta Ministry has nothing to do with my relationship with President Tinubu. I’m simply a person and my relationship with him is private.
I’m a consultant of my folks and I used to be chosen and elected by my folks to steer them primarily based on a broad-based grassroots motion, the Ijaw Youth Council.
Like I mentioned earlier than, we had been within the trenches with President Tinubu and he’s the final particular person we count on to have taking this determination. The ministry got here into be on the blood of the folks of the Ijaw nation.
I used to be incastrated in 2005 and the battle began after the previous governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, was additionally incastrated and oil manufacturing got here right down to 700,000 barrels per day. In different to appease Ijaw folks, late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua began with a 7-point Agenda and one in every of gadgets within the 7-point Agenda was the difficulty of the Niger Delta and the Niger Delta Ministry was created by President Yar’Adua.
As I mentioned earlier, the folks of Ijaw and Ogoni mentioned throughout independence that for them to be a part of Nigeria, the problems of underdevelopment of the 2 nationalities should be addressed and at the moment oil was found principally within the territories of those two nationalities.
And the British Authorities arrange the Niger Delta Improvement Authority; the Federal Authorities to contribute 5 per cent, Japanese Area to contribute 5 per cent and Western Area 5 p.c.
The federal government of Sir Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa adhered to its contribution of 5 per cent however the Japanese and Western areas, like what is going on immediately, refused to contribute.
After the civil conflict, they proceeded to create what they known as the river basin improvement authorities for each drainage present in different components of the nation, and so they gave all of them sorts of fanciful names.
They transformed this particular space, which was an authority that was embedded within the structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and equated it with the so-called river basin improvement authorities they’ve created.
They destroyed the character and nature of the Niger Delta Improvement Authority. Yar’Auda got here into energy and determined to create Niger Delta Ministry as a result of when Obasanjo was in energy as head of state, he promulgated by navy decree the Land Use Act and confiscated the land of our folks and our assets.
After doing that; in his second coming, he created a Niger Delta in his head that doesn’t exist as a result of Niger Delta is meant to be the tributaries that vacant into the Atlantic Ocean. He created a Niger Delta by bringing Imo, Abia, Ondo, Edo, Akwa Ibom and Cross River into it however these usually are not Niger Delta.
The desires and caprices of a frontrunner don’t quantity to the legislation of the nation… They wish to make us look little, however every time they fight it, they expose themselves
Don’t you assume that this newest improvement will make the ministry and the Niger Delta Improvement Fee (NDDC) to be extra environment friendly?
We’re speaking of legislation and never effectiveness. The desires and caprices of a frontrunner don’t quantity to the legislation of the nation. The NDDC was created by a legislation. It was not created by the needs and caprices of a frontrunner that when he resolve on a difficulty it turns into legislation.
Who decides what’s efficient and what’s not efficient? All the things about Nigeria is inefficient due to corruption and all establishments are affected by corruption. So, no person will say that it’s all the time the Niger Delta that isn’t environment friendly.
I known as for the scrapping of NDDC final 12 months and the return of Niger Delta Improvement Space, which was the proper nomenclature for that physique known as NDDC after which create a particular authority because it was earlier than for the Niger Delta.
Having mentioned that, they’ve created the South East Improvement Fee, North East Improvement Fee and all the event commissions, the place is the cash going to come back from?
The cash of the Ijaw, Ogoni, Urhobo, Itsekiri and Igbo folks, and so they inform us that oil is now not essential on this planet however it’s our oil cash they’re utilizing.
They wish to make us look little however every time they fight it, they expose themselves. What we’re saying is: Who decides what’s environment friendly in Nigeria? Is our railway environment friendly?
You labored for the President throughout the election and also you even composed songs for him; have you ever had the chance to talk with him on these points or has the road of communication damaged down between you and the President?
I supported Mr. President as a result of I knew him earlier than he turned a senator. I knew him earlier than he turned governor and I knew him earlier than he turned president and God keen, if we’re alive, I may also know him when he seizes to be president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. However what I’m attempting to say is that this isn’t about me as a person known as Mujahid Dokubo-Asari.
It’s about my folks and once I’m talking about my folks, take me out of the best way as a result of I’m a person. My relationship with President Tinubu was very strong and always; the profit I gained from that relationship was like a one-way visitors and from Tinubu alone.
His popping out for president was the one time I used to be in a position to pay him again and I did. And even when he comes out tomorrow, I’ll nonetheless do it as a result of on the time Obasanjo buried me alive, he stood by me and I’m not going to be in a rush to overlook about that. However that’s private between each of us.
You talked concerning the line of communication, there’s an Islamic preacher, who mentioned that when anyone turns into an emperor, an emir or a sultan, devil turns into his greatest buddy and adviser as a result of devil will all the time be there, whispering in his ears.
You mentioned the dialog shouldn’t be private however lots of people will disagree with you since you mentioned if President Tinubu fails, we should always maintain you accountable. Ought to your folks maintain you chargeable for the truth that their ministry has been scrapped?
I nonetheless stand on that assertion and that’s the reason I’m crying out as a result of I’m vigorously responsible for any infraction of the expectation of the Nigerian folks, not simply the Niger Delta folks.
In spite of everything, I stood in entrance of everyone and I’m not going to disclaim what I mentioned. Even whether it is tomorrow, President Tinubu encounters any drawback or problem; I’ll nonetheless stick out my neck and stand as a result of if he had not stood for me, I might have been lifeless by now.
Obasanjo would have killed me if not for folks like Ahmed Bola Tinubu who stood by me and did every part for me. So, I’m not going to be in a rush to overlook that.
Would you say President Tinubu is succeeding or failing given the fact within the nation immediately?
Once more, you mentioned you spent some huge cash to help him and you aren’t benefiting something, what would you want to learn from him? When you’ve got listened to my broadcast in full, I met President Tinubu each on digital camera and behind the digital camera and he requested me:
Are you curious about pipeline contract? I advised him that I’m not serious about pipeline contract however I can help those that are doing the pipeline contract in any method I can for his authorities to succeed. So, I by no means mentioned that it was a private acquire that I used to be on the lookout for. I clearly mentioned in all my broadcasts that my wants are very small.
What I’m attempting to say may be very clear; Tinubu turning into president, I ought to have the ability to inform him the reality, significantly what is going on in Rivers State, the place President Tinubu is supporting Nyesom Wike to destabilise Rivers State. As a stakeholder in Rivers State, I really feel upset that the President has allowed his minister to obtain judgements and threatening the folks of Rivers State.
What they’re attempting to do is that they’re going to take away Governor Siminalayi Fubara and nothing will occur however I’m saying that in the event that they take away Fubara, one thing will occur. That’s what I’m speaking about as a result of I’m not speaking about any private advantages. I can’t be appointed as a minister.
I can’t be appointed to any board and I didn’t foyer for something. So, it’s not private as I mentioned. Sure, I emptied my checking account and I spent over $2 million and I can not even depend in naira what I spent and I didn’t take something from him or anyone besides Tein Jack-Wealthy, who gave me N300 million.
You latterly mentioned you’ll work with the North does that imply that you’re now not taking your relationship with the President ahead?
I believe you might be misquoting me. What I mentioned was very clear that our fathers labored with the North and from what Obasanjo and Tinubu have completed to us, we the youthful era will return and align with the North as a result of Common Sani Abacha and Tafawa-Balewa created Bayelsa, put in place Niger Delta Improvement Authority. For us, our relationship with the North is much better than our relationship with another area.
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