{"id":1279,"date":"2022-01-10T20:30:43","date_gmt":"2022-01-10T19:30:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coastaltimes557122118.wordpress.com\/2022\/01\/10\/inc-spokesman-oyakemegbegha-reacts-over-remark-by-gov-wike-says-ijaws-will-not-be-distracted-in-the-struggle-for-niger-delta-emancipation\/"},"modified":"2022-01-10T20:30:43","modified_gmt":"2022-01-10T19:30:43","slug":"inc-spokesman-oyakemegbegha-reacts-over-remark-by-gov-wike-says-ijaws-will-not-be-distracted-in-the-struggle-for-niger-delta-emancipation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2022\/01\/10\/inc-spokesman-oyakemegbegha-reacts-over-remark-by-gov-wike-says-ijaws-will-not-be-distracted-in-the-struggle-for-niger-delta-emancipation\/","title":{"rendered":"INC Spokesman Oyakemegbegha Reacts To Remark By Gov Wike, Says Ijaws Will Not Be Distracted In The Struggle For Niger Delta Emancipation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Coastal News <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Engr. Ezonebi Oyakemegbegha, Spokesman Ijaw National Congress. <\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Publicity Secretary of the apex socio-cultural organisation of the Ijaw ethnic nationality, the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Engr Ezonebi Oyakemeagbegha, has reiterated the commitment of the body to sustaining the struggle for the emancipation of the Ijaws and Niger Delta people from the chains and shackles bonded on them by the Nigerian state.
Ezonebi stated this in Port Harcourt over the weekend at an interactive session with newsmen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The INC spokesman maintained that no matter the distraction, discouragement from within and outside, the Ijaws would be dogged to its struggle for emancipation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He stated that the recent remark by Governor Wike of Rivers, that the Ijaws were like the Fulanis of the north was his personal opinion, and did not represent the truth, but that his organisation would not join issues with the Governor on the matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This, according to him, was because it would not be in the interest of the Niger Delta region to escalate the issue and make it look like there was distrust, misunderstanding and division amongst ourselves, particularly at this time when all the ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta region should be working together to fight a common oppressor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ezonebi further stated that rather than liken the Ijaws to the Fulanis, the Ijaws should instead be likened to the Israelites because an average Ijaw man would not oppress anyone and would fight oppression at all cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Ijaw struggle and agitation is not a selfish one, but to advance development and progress in Ijaw nation and Niger Delta region in all ramifications<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s on record that the Ijaw struggle and agitation dates back to the colonial era. All this while the Ijaw nation has been in the forefront of the progress and development of the Niger Deltan region. The Akasa war, Twelve days revolution, Resource control and presently self-determination struggle are largely championed by the Ijaw nation in the Niger Delta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is worthy to note that the President of ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta presently is the current President of INC, prof Benjamin Okaba.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMoreover, although the Ijaws are widely spread in southern Nigeria, found in Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Rivers, Ondo, Akwa Ibom, Abia etc the Ijaws have not claimed to be landlords over any ethnic nationality in the past and present\u201d, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Publicity Secretary applauded the contributions of the past and present heroes of the Ijaw nation, particularly Harold Dappa-Biriye, Ernest Sissei Ikoli, among others, who fought for the Niger Delta culminating in the constitution of Sir Henry Willinks Commission between 1957 & 1958 to alley the fears of the minority tribes in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The INC Spokesman assured the Ijaws and Niger Delta people that as long as the marginalisation of the minority continued, the Ijaw man would not be quiet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Coastal News The Publicity Secretary of the apex socio-cultural organisation of the Ijaw ethnic nationality,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1278,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[14],"tags":[154],"class_list":["post-1279","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinion","tag-engr-ezonebi-oyakemeagbegha"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/img-20220110-wa0009-1.jpg?fit=1066%2C1066&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1316,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2022\/01\/15\/just-in-inc-spokesman-oyakemegbegha-congratulates-marshal-ogaree-tonlagha-on-nnpc-appointment-describes-it-as-most-appropriate\/","url_meta":{"origin":1279,"position":0},"title":"JUST IN: INC Spokesman Oyakemegbegha Congratulates Marshal, Ogaree, Tonlagha On NNPC Appointment, Describes It As Most Appropriate","author":"Coastal Times","date":"January 15, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Coastal News Engr. Ezonebi Oyakemegbegha, Spokesman Ijaw National Congress. Publicity Secretary of the foremost socio-cultural organisation of the Ijaw nation, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) Engr. Oyakemeagbegha Ezonebi, has congratulated sons and daughter of Ijaw nation recently appointed into the reconstituted Board and Management of the NNPC. In a congratulatory\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Opinion"","block_context":{"text":"Opinion","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/opinion\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/img-20220110-wa0009-1-1.jpg?fit=1066%2C1066&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/img-20220110-wa0009-1-1.jpg?fit=1066%2C1066&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/img-20220110-wa0009-1-1.jpg?fit=1066%2C1066&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/img-20220110-wa0009-1-1.jpg?fit=1066%2C1066&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/img-20220110-wa0009-1-1.jpg?fit=1066%2C1066&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1150,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2021\/12\/07\/inc-delegation-led-by-national-spokesman-ezonebi-oyakemegbegha-visits-families-of-9-victims-of-auto-crash-in-bayelsa-sympathises-with-them\/","url_meta":{"origin":1279,"position":1},"title":"INC Delegation Led By National Spokesman, Ezonebi Oyakemegbegha Visits Families Of 9 Victims Of Auto-Crash In Bayelsa, Sympathises With Them","author":"Coastal Times","date":"December 7, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Coastal News \u00a0A Delegation of INC leadership led by its National Publicity Secretary, Engr. Ezonebi Oyakemeagbegha, on Monday 6th December 2021, visited the scene of the fatal accident which occurred on Saturday at the outskirt of Yenagoa that claimed nine lives. While sympathizing and condoling the families of the deceased\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Opinion"","block_context":{"text":"Opinion","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/opinion\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/img-20211207-wa00181492788049-1.jpg?fit=810%2C1080&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/img-20211207-wa00181492788049-1.jpg?fit=810%2C1080&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/img-20211207-wa00181492788049-1.jpg?fit=810%2C1080&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/img-20211207-wa00181492788049-1.jpg?fit=810%2C1080&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1440,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2022\/02\/01\/delta-2023-inc-cautions-ijaws-not-to-compromise-in-governorship-bid\/","url_meta":{"origin":1279,"position":2},"title":"DELTA 2023: INC Cautions Ijaws Not To Compromise In Governorship Bid","author":"Coastal Times","date":"February 1, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Coastal News The apex socio-cultural organization of the Ijaw Nation, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) calls on Ijaw sons and daughters to stand firm and not to compromise the Ijaw position on the 2023 Delta State Governorship race. The call was contained in a statement issued by the Publicity Secretary\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Opinion"","block_context":{"text":"Opinion","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/opinion\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/img-20220110-wa0000-1.jpg?fit=388%2C336&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1018,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2021\/11\/15\/just-in-inc-tackles-ijaw-mandate-group-over-statement-on-delta-2023-election-says-group-lacks-right-to-speak-for-ijaw-people\/","url_meta":{"origin":1279,"position":3},"title":"JUST IN: INC Tackles Ijaw Mandate Group Over Statement On Delta 2023 Election, Says Group Lacks Right To Speak For Ijaw People","author":"Coastal Times","date":"November 15, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Coastal News Engr. Ezonebi Oyakemegbegha The attention of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) has been drawn to an online media publication entitled: 'Ijaw Agitation For 2023 Governorship Not Feasible' credited to the Ijaw Mandate Group (IMG). The President of the INC Prof. Benjamin Okaba while reacting to the said publication\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Opinion"","block_context":{"text":"Opinion","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/opinion\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/screenshot_20210822-232959_wordpress-1.jpg?fit=802%2C943&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/screenshot_20210822-232959_wordpress-1.jpg?fit=802%2C943&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/screenshot_20210822-232959_wordpress-1.jpg?fit=802%2C943&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/screenshot_20210822-232959_wordpress-1.jpg?fit=802%2C943&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1400,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2022\/01\/26\/inc-holds-first-national-executive-council-meeting-of-the-year-discusses-self-determination-constitution-of-national-representative-council-amidst-other-issues\/","url_meta":{"origin":1279,"position":4},"title":"INC Holds First National Executive Council Meeting Of The Year, Discusses Self Determination, Constitution Of National Representative Council Amidst Other Issues","author":"Coastal Times","date":"January 26, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Coastal News Prof. Benjamin Okaba, President Ijaw National Congress INC. The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Ijaw National Congress INCheld it first NEC meeting of the year 2022. Details of the meeting was made known to the press by the National Publicity Secretary, Engr. Ezonebi Oyakemeagbegha in the early\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Opinion"","block_context":{"text":"Opinion","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/opinion\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/screenshot_20220126-163741_google-3.jpg?fit=507%2C566&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":409,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2021\/09\/11\/death-of-chief-sy-mamamu-a-monumental-loss-to-ijaw-nation-inc\/","url_meta":{"origin":1279,"position":5},"title":"Death Of Chief SY Mamamu: A Monumental Loss To\u00a0Ijaw Nation – INC","author":"Coastal Times","date":"September 11, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Coastal News CHIEF SY MAMAMU. The Ijaw National Congress (INC) has condoled the family of a foremost Ijaw leader and elder statesman, Chief S.Y. Mamamu, who died in the early hours of Thursday, 9th September, 2021. 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