commissions, since 1946 (Phillipson, Binns, Raisman, Okigbo, Hick, Dina, Aboyade etc) were failed attempts to restructure Nigeria. As a matter of fact, our bid to make President Obasanjo’s 1999 Review Committee increase our revenue allocation percentage was denied and in its stead, the same administration obtained a landmark Supreme Court judgement in 2002 that dispossessed us of proceeds from the continental shelf. Politics just keeps sapping us dry.
My fellow Niger Deltans, let us escape with the East. We are brothers. Let us forgive each other for past mistakes. Let us sit together and non-violently change our sister regions for good. The truth is, even in the South-South there is division. The upland-riverine dichotomy exists between our Ikwerre and Ijaw brothers in Rivers State. We need to overcome all the intra- and and inter-regional barriers. Let us drop our ego and overborne malice and unite with our eastern brothers. We should note that the National Coordinator of IPOB is from Ijaw, Kalabari to be precise. I pray we harmonize our differences and escape together. The politicians don’t have our interest at heart. They have failed us. Let us critically reexamine the clamour for Niger Delta Republic and see that if we let our eastern brothers and sisters go, we will never be free, for we are the FATTENED COW that SUCKLES the North. Do you think they will ever let us go? Ask yourselves why they are the ones reminding us how “badly” we were treated by our eastern brothers. Can’t we see that they want us to stay? Do you know why our governors are fighting against BIAFRA? It is because it will terminate their reign.
Dear beloved, today, there is huge military presence in Rivers State, the same that was not handy while the beheading in Ogoni, Ahoada, and ONELGA held sway. Do you know why? Do you know why the same military that terrorized Rivers State during the elections is now friends with the government? You should know that we have the most desperate and selfish politicians in Niger Delta. They are ready to do anything to remain in power. Dear brothers and sisters, the time to escape is now. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has paid the price. We have lost Saro Wiwa, Obi Wali, Adaka Boro, and even King Jaja of Opobo. Are we willing to lose more eggheads just because we want our own? Let us work with the East this time. We cannot do the same thing the same way and expect a different result. The unity of South-South and South-East is of paramount importance now. Revolution without violence is our right.
May we all sleep in Nigeria and wake up in Biafra very soon. Chukwuokikeabiama, Tamuno, Oghene, Abasi, Tamara refer to the Almighty God that watches over our sister regions. Where there is no disparity in culture and religion, there should be UNITY. God bless you all. I remain
Yours truly,
Russell Idatoru Russell Bluejack
Rivers Team Leader, IPOB
