The Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Worldwide has on Monday dissociated itself from the agitations of the pro-Biafra group, the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, led by Nnamdi Kanu stating that it is not a party to the struggle.
The IYC in a statement released on Monday further stated that the map allegedly released by the Biafra secessionists is ‘fictitious’ and would not hold. The group further cleared its interest stating that although it had nothing against the struggle for Biafra, but it stands against the move to co-opt the Ijaw people into the struggle by Nnamdi Kanu and his followers.
IYC further described the map as malicious stating that such map should not have been drawn up by the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, and IPOB without proper consultations and consent of the Ijaw people.
The statement read: “The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide distances itself and the Ijaw nation from that fictitious map claiming Ijaw territories as being part of Biafra. There was never a time we were Biafrans.”
The statement released by the IYC spokesman, Daniel Dasimaka, further added that the contraption of the Ijaw people into the map is a move to further trap and enslave them.
“We, Ijaw people are not Biafrans. Therefore, if or when any Ijaw person or group feels a sense of allegiance to Biafra and speak in its favour, let it be known that such statements are the personal opinions of such persons which do not reflect the thoughts, views and wishes of the entire Ijaw nation and the Niger Delta people.”
IYC however warned members of the pro-Biafra group to desist from insulting the Ijaw leaders including Annkio Briggs, adding that the “drivers of IPOB” should “call their followers to order because such acts of bigotry will no longer be tolerated.”
The statement further added: “For the records, the Ijaw struggle for self-determination predates the Biafra agitation. It is a known historical fact that a year before the world got to hear of the term Biafra Republic, Ijaws, led by late Major Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro of blessed memory declared a Niger Delta Republic.
Stating that the Ijaw People and “the progenitor of Biafra, late Col Ojukwu of blessed memory fought against it as the then Governor of the Old Eastern region.”
“It is also on record that a year before MASSOB was founded; the IYC through the Kaiama Declaration affirmed our commitment to joint struggle with the other ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta area for self-determination.”
The IYC further stated that while it identifies the struggle of other ethnic groups in teh country, “our struggle cannot be submerged into the Biafra agitation that came after ours.”
The statement further added: “Thus we call on our Biafra brothers to respect our identity. Any attempt to lump Ijaw into Biafra without the genuine consent of Ijaws People is not only an insult but a futile attempt at replicating the oppression in Nigeria Biafrans claim to resist.”
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