THESE are certainly not the best of times for the Itsekiri and Urhobo ethnic nationalities in Nigeria. Things are even unimaginably critical for Itsekiris in comparison to other ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

Yet, the oil-rich but unarguably impoverished homeland of the Itsekiri people (Warri South, Warri North and Warri South-West Local Government Areas of Delta State) accounts for nothing less than 60 per cent and 30 per cent of Delta State and Nigeria oil wealth respectively. The Urhobo ethnic nationality on the other hand is arguably the 5th largest ethnic group in Nigeria.

It is against this backdrop that I find it rather weird and preposterous that of the 496 men and women delegates to the President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan-initiated National Conference, which opened on Monday March 17, 2014 in Abuja, only one slot each, were given to the Itsekiri and Urhobo ethnic Nationality.

Even at that, Itsekiris led by the Igba of Warri Kingdom, Chief (Mrs) Rita Lori-Ogbebor and other patriots, had to collectively and in unison, fight and scream to the high heavens before the Presidency corrected what was described as an anomaly by the Delta State Government, with the eventual inclusion of Chief  (Barr.) Isaac Jemide who is the Otsodi of Warri Kingdom.

This is why I condemn in very strong terms a belated advertorial published by the ‘Warri Study Group’ ostensibly to attack Chief Rita Lori’s threat that the Itsekiri will secede if not included in the confab. Signatories of the said advertorial who are both members of the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought (Edward Ekpoko, Esq. and Mr. Tony Ede) like Chief Isaac Jemide, should have just gone ahead to make their own point and not to make futile attempt to discredit well-intentioned points made earlier on by other Itsekiri individuals and groups, least of all, the selfless Chief (Mrs) Rita Lori-Ogbebor. For whatever reason, I think signatories to the advertorial targeted Chief Rita Lori with a view to discrediting her lead role in the protest against the initial exclusion of Itsekiri from the confab. This sort of Stone Age attitude and crabs-in-a-basket-like cohabitation by Itsekiris must be jettisoned forthwith.

For now, let me make it manifestly clear here that the leprous slots given to the Itsekiri and Urhobo ethnic nationalities are nothing but a Greek gift mixed with injustice of the highest order. This is even more damming considering the nauseating fact that some ethnic nationalities in Nigeria have over 30 delegates representing them at the confab. In fact, some ethnic groups have delegates in all the categories of selection. It beats my imagination that President Jonathan’s ethnic nationality (Ijaw) has not less than 20 delegates to the confab! Is this a case of all animals are equal but some are more equal than the others?

The Urhobo and Itsekiri deserve nothing less than four slots each, spread across the various categories of selection. It is not too late for the convener of this conference (Mr. President) to take action in this regard and correct this persisting ‘anomaly’. For instance, I see no reason why these two important ethnic groups in Nigeria were not given a slot each in the South-South category, Elder Statesmen category, women category, and Federal Government nominees. What happened to Prof Itse Sagay, Gamaliel Onosode, Prof. Grace Alele-Williams, Chief David Dafinone, Chief (Mrs) Rita Lori-Ogbebor, Dr. (Mrs) Dere Awosika (nee Okotie-Eboh) among many other qualified Urhobo and Itsekiri sons and daughters that can easily be pigeon-holed into any of these categories? More shocking to me is the inexplicable exclusion of the Olu of Warri from the Traditional Rulers category.

The Olu of Warri is a first class traditional ruler in Nigeria and indeed anywhere in the world. For me, this is yet another manifestation of the deliberate, calculated and conscious marginalization of the Itsekiri at the Local, State and Federal Government levels in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is my belief that like the name Itsekiri denotes, prayers will continue to shield this endangered but richly blessed ethnic nationality in Nigeria and all over the world, no matter the antics from known and unknown forces.

Let me end this piece by reacting, albeit in passing to a statement made by Alhaji Usman Bugaje at the Northern Leaders’ Conference in Kano recently. He stated that Nigeria’s oil belongs to the North and not the Niger Delta! This awkward statement has gone viral.

In my view, Bugaje’s speech at the event was a mere political grandstanding and should not be given a second thought by serious-minded Niger Deltans who are the custodians of Nigeria oil wealth and indeed the oil producing States in Nigeria. In his quiet moment and perhaps after a playback, I am sure that Bugaje himself will find it ludicrous and extremely impossible to believe his own careless statement at the event.

ALEX EYENGHO, a social critic, is Spokesman of the Itsekiri Consultative Forum.