By Olayinka Ajayi

President Bola Tinubu has been urged to tackle the historic injustice suffered for centuries by the Itsekiri indigenous ethnic group.

In a letter, the Alliance of Yoruba Democratic Movements (AYDM) General Secretary Popoola Ajayi and Secretary for Mobilization, Chief Kunle Oshodi, said that for more than 1000 years, the Itsekiri have asserted themselves as a unique people with a rich civilization and have made tremendous contributions to African cultural and economic growth.

“No Itsekiri man has ever led the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. No Itsekiri man has ever emerged as the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). No Itsekiri man has ever been made a Federal Minister since 1999. This is ridiculous.

“We commend President Tinubu for recognizing the role of Pa Rewane. As the then Governor of Lagos State, he named one of the longest streets in Lagos after Pa Rewane for his contributions to democracy and justice, without which the military would have remained in Nigeria.

“We call on President Tinubu to correct this historic injustice to a great people whose land provides immense resources to Nigeria”.