Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa
A prominent Itsekiri leader and human rights advocate, Comrade Omolubi Newuwumi, has issued a distress call to the federal government, international community, citing incessant threats from neighbouring ethnic nationalities.
Newuwumi asserted that the Itsekiris are the most oppressed tribe in Nigeria, despite their historical contributions to the country’s unity and fight against colonialism.
Historically, the Itsekiris have played a significant role in Nigeria’s development, particularly in the Niger Delta region. The Itsekiri kingdom, with its rich cultural heritage, has been a major player in the region’s economic and political landscape. However, Newuwumi claims that the Itsekiris are facing existential threats from their neighbours, who seek to devour their land and inheritance.
Newuwumi’s said his concerns are rooted in the historical context of the Niger Delta region, where the Itsekiris have been subjected to marginalisation, oppression, and violence.
He alleged that the recent threats by the Ijaws, he argues, “are a continuation of this historical trend and emphasises that the lack of rule of law in Nigeria has emboldened these aggressors, who feel empowered to disregard the rights of the Itsekiri people.”
He said, “We don’t have people that are taking this truth to the table of the authorities and all that’s happening is just political solutions, robbing Paul to pay Peter, and this has continued everyday. It all boils down to lack of rule of law in this country. There is no rule of law and that is why any of this vices can trend in this country.
“I think the problems of the Itsekiri people today is that those of us who feel the pain, the will and the power to propagate and protect the territory of the Itsekiri lands and the people have no money to pursue this ambition.
“The people who are millionaires and billionaires in Itsekiri today are among the elites have no pain, no too much interest and lack of awareness to protect the wealth in our land and so the oppression continued unabated.
“The federating units we call Nigeria, the British put it together. They should come and tell us, who are the true owners of this environment? Come and tell the federal government, who they know in their findings before the amalgamation. Who are the true owners of this area?
“And again we have to sue the federal, state, local government and find a way to also include the British because, there is this saying that ‘if it’s not a treasure, it cannot be found. If it’s not a gold, it cannot be seen.’ These foreigners looked from treasure all the way from their land to Nigeria, to my communities Utonila, Tebu, Jakpa and Usoh, these are just four major communities that I came from.”
To address these challenges, Newuwumi proposes a multi-faceted approach, including seeking international legal recourse.
He suggested that the Itsekiri people should approach an international lawyer to seek justice from the British Government, citing the historical fact that the Itsekiris’ sovereignty was given to the British Queen, not the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Newuwumi also advocated for the Itsekiri people to sue the federal government, state government, and local government, seeking redress for their historical grievances and demanding recognition of their rights as the original owners of the land.
Highlighting the resource control issue, Newuwumi points out the irony that why the federal government derives significant revenue from the oil-rich Niger Delta region, but yet fails to develop and protect the communities where the oil is extracted. He argues that this neglect has led to the impoverishment and marginalisation of the Itsekiri people.
He said his call for help is a cry for justice, recognition, and protection of the Itsekiri people’s rights, emphasising that the Itsekiris are not the cause of the breakdown of the economy but rather the victims of historical injustices and systemic marginalisation.
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