The Ijaw National Congress (INC), a social-cultural organisation and the umbrella body of the Ijaw ethnic nationality has been a very vocal voice among the 250 ethnic nationalities in Nigeria. Found in six states of the federation.

They are Bayelsa, Akwa IBom, Delta, Edo Rivers and Ondo States  that make up the geographical entity called Nigeria.

The organisation which pioneered the agitation for resource control, neglect,  marginalisation of the Niger Delta People and South South president became a formaidable rallying point to demand for better treatment from the federal government. They condemned environmental degradation caused by multinational oil firms that explore and exploit the natural resources which God put in their soil that was meant to be used to tackle the difficult terrain of the area.

In other words, God deliberately created the people of the region, put them in the difficult environment and buried black gold that would be utilized to surmount the developmental challenges of the people. This led to agitations, following many years of unfulfilled promises to uplift the worsening condition of living of the Niger Delta region.

Consciously, the Federal government under successive administrations, presided over the wealth form the area through the crude oil resources that produce over 90 per cent of the country’s earnings.

However, the genuine struggle of the Ijaw ethnic nationality and indeed the entire people of the region began to attract international sympathy as the issue of indigenous notn working in the companies operating in the locality came to the fore. Thus, youth unemployment rose to the high heavens and the resultltant effect was the hijacking of the struggle by the youngmen who created illegitimate economy to survive and ciriminality creeped into the reasonable agitation for improvement in the living conditions of the people.

There is no doubt, the struggle of the Ijaw ethnic nationality can be described as successful, considering the emergence of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, as Vice President and subsequent election as the first President of Nigeria from the Ijaw extraction.

Although, today, the activities of INC appear to have nose dived in recent times as alleged in-fighting and penetration of partisan politics into the ranks of the organisation may be diminishing the success recorded by the body.

Recently, the National President of  INC Dr. Atuboyedia Obianime was suspended from office laying credence to the existence of internal squabble in the once vibrant Ijaw National Congress.

Perhaps, the inactive posture of the organisation may be a new strategy adopted by the body so as not to confront the federal government led by an Ijaw man, from Otueke, in Bayelsa State. But the Acting President of INC, Chief Joshua Benamaisia Ibiakpo, denied insinuations that the organisation is in disarray rather admitted that their activities have slowed down a little.

Chief Ibiakpo, who spoke to The Tide Political desk, said disagreements abound in every human organisation, including family set up but it does not translate to affecting the workings of the congress.

Though, the Ijaw struggle did not start today some achievements have been recorded, emphasising that the demand for resource control and self determination remains the reason for their support for restructuring of the country which is already before the National Assembly.

He restated the demand for the creation of two states, for the Ijaw race namely Oil Rivers out of Rivers and Akwa Ibom States, Toru-Ebe out of the present Delta, Edo and Ondo States, insisting that they are against any balkanisation of the Ijaw people in the country and called on the federal government to intervene in the problem in Edo State where the Ijaws are being denied their place in the scheme of things.

As expected, INC proactive steps is to assist President Jonathan’s administration to succeed by giving him maximum cooperation which perhaps accounts for the slow pace of their activities. According to the Acting President the bomb blasts in the country are acts of terrorism by some unscrupulous Nigerians to distract the President who was voted into power as a unifying factor in the country.

To that extent, he argued that Nigeria is together and would continue to be one indivisible entity, emphasizing that what Nigeria needs at the moment is restructuring which would be achieved through the convening of an ethnic national conference. The present 1999 constitution is flawed for retaining military programmes in form of decrees and cited the land use decree as being in effect under a civilian regime.

Obviously, the only constitution INC would support is the one where the people will participate in its formulation so that various interests would be considered for the over wellbeing of the country.

On the position of Ijaw National Congress, on the proposed removal of Petroleum subsidy, Chief Ibiakpo, said “fuel subsidy has always been there since the military era and the system has remained porous which made the subsidy not to benefit the poor masses. For instance kerosene is subsided for N50.00 but today it sells for between N150 and N200 per litre, thereby making the ordinary people not to feel the impact of the subsidy.”

Fortunately, rather than criticise, the INC leadership took a step further by going to the Minister of Petroleum Resources to make inquiry and have gotten the full analysis which informs its position on the issue. The question that readily agitate the minds of Nigerians are not far fetched, who are the beneficiaries of the subsidy on Petroleum products?, why are the four refineries not working? What is responsible for the lack of political will to checkmake those obstructing the realisation of this programme over the year.

Answers to these questions would keep our minds pondering in different directions but the political class must embark on soul searching venture to purge itself of the enigma if the country must achieve its dream of being one of the best 20 economies in the world by 2020.

Even as the Ijaw nation continues its struggle which dates back to the colonial era and the achievement of some degree of success by the organisation, the present leadership of the organisation is being watched by many to see how the vision of the founding fathers of the body would be actualised in the years to come.

The perceived in-fighting in INC should be resolved quickly to enable it provide the needed cover for their kinsmen President Jonathan. Therefore Ijaw elders must rise to the occasion to proffer workable solution to the issues involved, otherwise the impasse may degenerate to factionalisation of the congress and that would lead to unsavouring consequences for a pace-setting ethnic nationality.