By Chancel Bomadi

Burutu, Delta — Comrade (Dr) Shedrack Agediga, a prominent advocate for Niger Delta development, has declared that the struggle for equitable treatment and environmental justice in the oil-rich region is ongoing and far from being resolved.

Dr. Agediga made the remarks yesterday during the inauguration of the new executives of the Ijaw Publishers Forum (IPF) in Warri, emphasizing the critical role of the media in reporting objectively on the region’s infrastructure deficiencies, environmental degradation, and socio-economic challenges.

Delivering a paper titled “The Importance of the Media in the Emancipation of the Ijaw People: A Personal Call to Action for the Izon Nation”, Agediga said, “I address you as one who has traversed the creeks, participated in community meetings, and listened to the grievances of angry youths, disillusioned elders, and despairing mothers. I have witnessed firsthand how silence continues to harm the Ijaw people.”

He highlighted the human cost of underdevelopment, noting, “Emancipation is embodied by the woman in Ogulagha Kingdom who conducts her trade beneath the oppressive glow of gas flares yet cannot afford her children’s school fees; it is represented by the youth in Egbema and Gbaramatu who continually ask: How can we possess such wealth and yet remain impoverished?”

Dr. Agediga urged the IPF to report on the neglect of the Niger Delta without fear or censorship, emphasizing, “Our voice is our most potent weapon.”

Other speakers at the event, including Prince Collins Eselemo, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, and Comrade Bina-ebi Yerin Princewill, Spokesman for the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, echoed calls for federal government intervention to address the long-standing developmental and environmental issues in the region.

The National President of IPF, Comrade Austin Ozobo, who was re-elected for a second term, affirmed the organization’s commitment to championing the rights and interests of the Ijaw people.

Ozobo stated, “We shall persist in precise news reporting and storytelling about the 50 million Ijaw individuals who are fragmented and marginalized within Nigeria. We will collaborate with stakeholders to foster peace, unity, and progress in the Niger Delta.”

He also outlined plans for the IPF over the next two years, including the construction of a dedicated secretariat, establishment of a printing press, and launch of Ijaw indigenous radio and television stations.

The event underscored the continued importance of media advocacy in highlighting the Niger Delta struggle and promoting equitable development across the region.