A CALL FOR REASON: BEYOND SURVEILLANCE CONTRACTS TO A UNITED NIGER DELTA AGENDA

Statement by Dr. Chris Ekiyor, President Emeritus, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC)

NIGER DELTA, NIGERIA – It is with a heavy heart and a profound sense of duty that I address the recent wave of controversies and public outbursts trailing the pipeline surveillance contracts in our region.

In recent weeks, we have witnessed an unsettling display of fragmentation, with our leaders and brothers engaging in media tantrums and hostilities that do nothing but weaken our collective bargaining power.

The Peril of Internal Division

The Niger Delta should not only find its voice during times of conflict; we must strive for an enduring solidarity.

The current public disputes over surveillance contracts are creating unnecessary tension and painting a picture of a region at war with itself. I urge all parties involved to cease these hostilities immediately.

When we fight over crumbs, we lose sight of the loaf. Our strength has always been in our unity, and without it, we remain vulnerable to exploitation and neglect.

Echoes of Unfulfilled Promises

We must reflect on our journey.

 I recall our negotiations with the late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, where we laid down clear demands for pipeline security, urbanization, and quality healthcare. 

Years later, many of those promises, including the holistic cleanup of Ogoniland, remain unfulfilled.

It is deeply concerning that while we are distracted by disputes over surveillance monetary gains, the larger issues—the East-West Road, persistent power outages, and the lack of basic infrastructure—continue to plague our people.

 We are risking our future for short-term interests, forgetting that internal division is the greatest threat to our regional development.

A CALL FOR RECONCILIATION AND BROADER VISION

I am appealing to our leaders, especially my fellow past Presidents of the Ijaw Youth Council, to convene a high-level meeting for reconciliation. We must sit at the table of brotherhood to align our interests.

Unity is the only currency that will make the rest of the country take us seriously. We must look beyond the surveillance contract and demand our rightful place in: The ownership and operation of Marginal Fields, Large-scale Land Reclamation and Port Dredging to boost commerce.

The completion of critical infrastructure that has been stalled for decades.

EMPOWERING THE NIGERDELTA ENTREPRENEURS

Our economic future cannot be tied solely to guarding pipes. We must pivot toward economic diversification. I call on the Federal Government to provide genuine support for Niger Delta entrepreneurs.

I speak from experience; for over a decade, I have personally struggled to secure development funding for a refinery project despite its viability. This is the story of many brilliant minds in our region.

We need access to funding for modular refineries, medical businesses, and tech hubs. We must challenge the status quo and demand that development funds be channeled into legitimate business initiatives that provide long-term employment for our youth.

MY COMMITMENT TO PEACE

In the coming days, I will personally reach out to key stakeholders across the region to foster dialogue. We must move our conversations from the volatility of social media to the stability of the boardroom.

To those active on digital platforms: I urge you to use your voices to build, not to destroy. Let us choose reason over rage. Let us choose development over disputes. Our region deserves a future defined by prosperity and peace, but we can only build that future together.

Signed,

Chief, Dr. Chris Ekiyor

President Emeritus, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC)