JUST IN: Comrade Abraye Calls On INC, IYC, Egbesu Brotherhood To Take Immediate Actions Against Daniel Perela Ezekiel For Describing The Ijaw Traditional Belief System As Evil, Demonic And Satanic, Says No One Should Be Allowed To Brand The Ijaw Cultural Heritage, Identity, Dignity And Spirituality As Demonic -

By Ebiowei Gabriel

I am compelled to call the attention of the leadership of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Egbesu Brotherhood and other respected socio-cultural organisations across Ijaw Nation to what I consider a deeply offensive and unacceptable description of Ijaw culture, traditional practices and belief systems by Daniel Perela Ezekiel.

Daniel Perela Ezekiel has crossed a dangerous line that has nothing whatsoever to do with his disagreements with High Chief Dr. Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, by describing the Ijaw traditional culture and belief system as “demonic,” “satanic” and “evil.”

Let me make this absolutely clear, Ezekiel’s disagreement with Tompolo does not give him the right to denigrate the culture, spirituality, traditions and identity of an entire ethnic nationality.

Daniel Ezekiel cannot hide behind his false allegations against Tompolo to launch what amounts to an attack on the cultural identity of the Ijaw people.

OUR CULTURE SHOULD NOT BE USED AS A WEAPON FOR POLITICAL BLACKMAIL

For some time now, Daniel Perela Ezekiel has continued to abuse, blackmail and level false allegations and accusations against Tompolo.

When an individual moves from attacking a person to attacking the culture, traditional heritage and spiritual identity of an entire people, every responsible Ijaw institution must sit up and take appropriate action.

WHO GAVE DANIEL PERELA EZEKIEL THE AUTHORITY TO DEFINE OUR IDENTITY?

Is Daniel Ezekiel saying that the millions of Ijaw people who identify with their ancestral history, cultural heritage and traditional institutions are demonic?

Is he saying that the history, customs, traditions and spiritual heritage handed down through generations are evil? And if he has personally chosen a different religious path, who gave him the authority to impose his personal religious interpretation on an entire ethnic nationality?

Nigeria is a pluralistic society where citizens are entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. Nobody should therefore use personal religious convictions as a license to demonize or vilify people whose cultural or spiritual practices differ from his own.

WHY THE IYC AND INC CANNOT AFFORD TO BE SILENT IN THIS CASE

This is why I am calling on the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Egbesu Brotherhood and other legitimate Ijaw socio-cultural organisations to examine this matter and take necessary actions.
Because silence in the face of repeated attacks on the identity of a people can easily be interpreted as acquiescence.

Daniel Perela Ezekiel cannot hide behind his blackmail and leveling of false allegations against Tompolo to demonise the culture, spirituality and traditional heritage of an entire ethnic group. And I will not sit quietly while such statements are made against the Ijaw identity.

Ezekiel has every right to hold his personal religious convictions. But what he does not have is the right to use those convictions as a justification to demean an entire people or portray their cultural heritage as inherently evil.

IJAW YOUTHS MUST NOT ALLOW THEIR IDENTITY TO BE DENIGRATED

I call on Ijaw youths across the Niger Delta to take immediate action by protecting the dignity, heritage and identity of the Ijaw people.
We should not allow any individual or group denigrate our traditional belief system.

We must reject every attempt to weaponise religion against culture and every attempt to turn disagreements into an excuse for cultural denigration.

The Ijaw people have a history. We have a culture. We have traditions. We have institutions. We have a heritage. And we have every right to preserve and defend them.

I therefore once again call on the High Chief Barr. Macdonald Igbadiwei led-INC, the Dr. Collins Doubra Okotete led-IYC, the Egbesu Brotherhood and other Ijaw socio-cultural organizations to take immediate action against Daniel Perela Ezekiel for insulting the cultural heritage, traditional belief system, spirituality and identity of the Ijaw people.

Signed:

Comrade Freeborn Abraye
National Coordinator
Niger Delta Advocates For Peace, Development And Economic Justice (NDAPDEJ).