By Jimitota Onoyume

An indigenous minority rights activist in Niger Delta, Mr Ojumude Bishop has supported call for creation of Warri state, saying it will address challenges of Itsekiri as a minority ethnic group in the country.

In the statement he made on Friday, he said, “In solving prominent Nigeria problems, the creation of special areas, or federally protected territories, or states along minority ethnic lines is inevitable. The memorandum from the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, ILoT is one aimed not only for the benefit of the Itsekiri ethnic nationality but the repositioning of the Nigerian state on the right path since the amalgamation of 1914.

“I therefore appeal to the National House of Assembly not to treat it with kid-gloves if the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review sincerely mean their aim of amending the constitution, which according to them, is to promote good governance and welfare of all persons in our country on the principles of Freedom, Equality and Justice.

“The memorandum by the ILT projects the provision of minority protection clause as contained in the defunct Midwestern Nigeria Constitution. It should be included in the constitution to protect the Itsekiri and other ethnic minorities.

” Itsekiri produces over 33% of the oil and gas that sustain the Nigerian nation and sadly they have no representative at the Senate of 109 members because of their numerical weakness as a micro-minority”.

“They demand the creation of a Warri State as a solution to their minority problem”.

Itsekiri ethnic group through its Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, ILoT recently presented a memorandum to the House of Representatives where it among others canvassed creation of Warri state.