By Gabriel Enogholase
ROBERT Okubo, Senior Special Assistant to Comrade Governor Adams Oshiomhole on Surveillance/Security Waterways in Edo State, is one of the leaders of ex-militants that operated in the riverine areas of the State before accepting the amnesty granted to militants by former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. In this interview with GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE in Benin, he speaks on contemporary issues, including the implementation of the post amnesty programme. Excerpts

What is your reaction to the happenings in Cross Rivers State where ex-militants are being trained?

I think the training is going on smoothing. What happened last week, from the information we gathered, the youths that were responsible for the commotion there are not ex-militants. Some youths from Cross River State and that axis came and demanded that they should be registered which should not be, because we have procedures.

We followed procedures. If you are an ex-militant, your ‘Commander’ or ‘General’ is the only one in a position to submit the list of those who were under him, those to go and those to wait. But those youths just came to foment trouble.

So, it is not the youths on training that was causing trouble, but from somewhere else.

Another issue that came up was the issue of allowances. What was the agreement and how much was agreed to be paid to them?

There was nothing like allowances being paid to the ex-militants. I am a leader and as I am speaking to you now, I have boys there. My boys are there in Cross River State.

There was nothing like allowances. The only agreement is that after the training, the boys would given N10,000 for transportation. But people are carrying fake rumours, they just want to cause problem. There is nothing like paying anybody N200,000 or N300,000, nothing like that. All that we are aware of is the N65,000 and then after the training, they will pay N10,000 for transportation.

So, there is nothing like housing allowance. So, those people bringing that up are out to foment trouble, and out to destroy the implementation of the Post Amnesty Programme. By the grace of God, I know they will not succeed because all the ‘ex-generals’ and the entire Ijaw nation are solidly   behind Timi Alaibe because we know that he has good plans for the ex-freedom fighters.

Are the issues that forced the boys to take up arms against their fatherland being redressed?

By the grace of God, the President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and Timi Alaibe are from the Niger Delta, the Minister in charge of the Niger Delta Ministry, Elder Godsday Orubebe is from the Niger Delta. So with what I am seeing, they are not emphasizing on just taking care of the ex-fighters, there are also plans to take care of what led us to carrying guns.

•Robert Okubo

I think they want to take care of that. It takes time for government to implement policies and this is what we are telling our people, that anything government takes time and procedures must be followed.

So, we have to be patient and we will achieve our goals if we are patient. We will succeed. Impatience will lead us nowhere. So, I want to advise all the repented militants to be patient. For instance, if today the President announces that he wants to give N1000 each to all ex-militants, it would follow procedure before that N1000 can come out, or may take one or two days to come.

I want to advise all repentant militants to be patient with government because if we are patient, a lot of good things will come to the Niger Delta. People are watching the implementation of the Post-Amnesty Programme, the international Community is watching and people are ready to assist the Nigerian government to succeed in the implementation.

So, my advice is that we should give peace a chance to enable investor come into the Niger Delta. For instance, from October last year, some seismic companies are coming, prospecting for oil. But before now, they could not do so because they were afraid that they would be kidnapped or killed. In the place of rancour, there can be no development.

I also want to talk to my fellow ‘Generals’ that they should talk to their boys; they should make them know what is on ground so that they will not take laws into their hands. I believe that since we all have accepted amnesty, anybody that takes law into his hand would be punished and face the consequences.

Acceptance of amnesty ended in 4 October 2009, so if you cause any problem from that day onwards, you can be arrested and prosecuted. So, nobody is above the law.

Government is not the only offender in the Niger Delta. Multinational oil companies are there. Are they doing enough to ensure that what brought the young men and women into carrying guns are realized?

I think what the oil company are doing now is unacceptable to me. Because, you see them working in Ijaw areas, but they will go and bring some body from the North to come and work here (when we know how to do the work).

Instead of employing the youths from their areas of operations,  they will not do it that way; I think most of the entire problem, the oil companies they are contributing to it. I think by the grace God, since we have embraced the Amnesty no matter what, we are going to enjoy from now.

Because we know 100 years in not forever, Niger Delta cannot be develop in one day, for one year or even five years, it will take time. What we want about this Amnesty, is that the Federal Government they should sign it into law so that, when ever any President is coming into office, he will know that this thing is already on ground, so that he will continue from there.

I don’t want a situation where, when Jonathan leaves office the Amnesty Programme will just die. No. I don’t want it like that. As for the oil companies, I want the Federal government to talk to them so that they will recognize the community. At least, they should have MOU (Memorandum Of Understanding) with their host communities. I think if they should have MOU with their host communities, there will be no problem.

The Ijaws of Edo State are crying of marginalization, especially in government appointments until your own appointment and that of Egbema 1. They have been saying that what led the Ijaw boys in Edo to take up arms are not being solved. How do you look at this and what do you think the Oshiomhole’s government is doing to resolve this issue?

We have been marginalized, we have been oppressed. Those are the things that made us take up arms to fight because Edo State belongs to the whole of us, Edo state belongs to the Binis, Esan, Afemai, Ijaw so many tribes make up Edo State.

I think we all know where we came from, but because of boundary adjustment, it happened that when they shared Bendel State into two states and they added us to Edo State and since then, we have been marginalized. None of us has been given even a Personal Assistant position in state appointment but when Oshiomhole came on board, he appointed me and Egbema 1; that is not the only thing he gave to the Ijaws.

I think one Hon. Peter Achube was appointment and he made some of them board members. So, Oshiomhole has done very well for the Ijaws in Edo State. I think if other past governors before Oshiomhole had been doing things like this I think there wouldn’t have been complaining here and there of marginalization and so on.

So, I would want any  government that will come after Oshiomhole to emulate him for peace to reign. They should emulate him because what he has done, I think even the international community, the world as a whole are all aware of what Oshiomhole has done. I think I give him kudos.

That is why we are fighting by all means necessary to see that all the regions in Edo State they support Oshiomhole come sun come rain. They should support him by all means necessary because he recognizes us, he knows that there are Ijaws in Edo state. So I thank Oshiomhole very well.

And Ondo state where the Ijaws have two local governments? Would you demand for a separate local government for Ijaws of Edo State in the interest of peace and harmony?

The Ijaws in Edo State, even if we are given two local governments, it will not be enough because we have the population. We are entitled to even five to six local governments in Edo State. The Ijaws in Edo State I think, there are Ijaws in Ovia North-East, there are Ijaws in Ikpoba-Okha. So if you bring these people together, I think they can form up to five to six local governments.

So, I want to use this medium to beg so that whenever the creation of local government comes up, we should be given our own local government like our brothers in Ondo State. So we are entitled to local governments for fair governance so that we will not feel cheated.

I believe in Oshiomhole, I know if creation of local government comes up and we demand for it, I think Oshiomhole will sign for the Ijaws that they should be given local government because I see him as a truthful person.

Some Northerners saying that Jonathan should not contest, power should remain in the North. How do you look at the issue?

As far as Nigeria is concerned, if Jonathan insists he wants to contest; if he indicates interest, nobody on earth can stop him. The only thing that can stop Jonathan is the Nigerian constitution. If Nigerian constitution says Jonathan cannot contest, that is where he could stop.

But apart from the constitution, if Jonathan insists that he wants to contest, if he indicates interest nobody on earth can stop him. The Northerners, they should know that the South-South, I’ am not talking about the Ijaws alone because the South-South has many tribes.

I know the Ijaws are majority in South-South, but I want the Northerners to know that the South-South is the treasure base of this nation. I think we are contributing 90% to the Nigerian economy.

So, if they are really sincere with their zoning, they would even advice Jonathan to come, if they are sincere with the zoning because Jonathan government is the continuation of Yar’Adua’s government. So, if they are really sincere with their zoning, I will continue to tell my people not to bother themselves with the zoning.

If they are sincere with their zoning, they are the people to sponsor Jonathan to come for 2011, because Jonathan government is the continuation of Yar’Adua’s government. Jonathan’s government is supposed to be terminated by 2015 ;so if Jonathan is coming in, it  is still Yar’Adua that is there. So no Northern group can stop Jonathan from contesting.

For instance, the Northerners have ruled this country for about 38 years and some months, since 1960. I think I have the record; the North East have ruled this country for about 5 years and some months, then the North Central 18 years, the North-west about 14 years and some months.

Then while the Southwest, I mean the Yorubas, about 12 years, then the South East about 6 months, which is Aguiyi- Ironsi. So, no Southerner has ruled this country.

The Ibo, the Aguyi Ironsi that came is by accident. So I think it’s our turn. Even if Jonathan says he is not contesting, we have qualified southerners that will contest in 2011. Nobody is going to stop any southerner from coming.

I’m not emphasizing on Jonathan alone. If Jonathan is not interested, you cannot force him but Southerners must rule this country come 2011.
Deputy governor of Sokoto State, Mallam Dahiru Shagari says it’s time for the North to repay South -South for supporting them in winning crucial elections.
Yes, that man is very right.

Those are the kind of people this country needs. He is not afraid of those power blocks surrounding him, he has said the truth, and we need those kind of people in this country. I think that man can even rule this country with what he said. Yes, this is the time the northerners are supposed to support the south. If they are really saying that we are one Nigeria.

After the South has rule this country, let it go to the East,  if they know we are one. So, I support that man that says this is pay time that the Northerner should support Jonathan. He is very right. So they should support Jonathan or whoever is coming from the South.

Jonathan has not come up to say he would contest, really he said in a live interview that the time has not come for that, when the time comes, he will let people know. I know Jonathan is a material, he has all it take to become a president in this country. So let them relax. Even 2015 is not their turn it should go to the East. Nigeria is not meant for the North alone.

Your position as Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security and Surveillance Waterways may have pitched  you against your people. So how do you look at this?

I know my position to the governor has been senior special assistant on surveillance/waterways security, I know in the process of carrying out my duty I will offend my people.

That is why at the initial stage when I was being appointed I called series of meetings. I told them that anybody that is committing crime he or she should desist from it, because they know me, if I say I want to do if I don’t want to do I will not do, that is my kind of person.

Since I have agreed and have accepted this position as SSA on Surveillance/Security, I am not going to spare anybody when you commit crime even if we are born of the same father and mother. So I will not hurt you, if you didn’t commit crime I’m not going to hurt you.

So I will still use this medium to tell Edo state not only my people that my appointment does not stand for the Ijaws alone, it stands for every person in Edo State.

My position is for the 18 local governments that make up Edo state. So I want to use this medium to advice that they should desist from crime, we want to make Edo State a safe place for everybody. We want to make Edo State a place where you can sleep with your two eyes closed.

We want to make Edo State a place where people will like to emulate for good things because we have seen the plans the comrade governor have for the state, with that we want to support him with any means necessary. So I’m advising that any person that knows he is not going to remove hand from crime to leave the state because this state will not be safe for him or her by the grace of God.

And lastly if at the end of the day, the things that forced you as a young man to take up your arms are not redressed will take up arms again?
I think the young shall grow, with what I am saying that there will be no problem ;but at the end of it all if what makes me to carry arms is not redressed, I as a person will not go back to carrying arms because the young shall grow. We have younger ones.

When Adaka Boro died, nobody knew Ken Saro-Wiwa would come. When Ken Sarowiwa died nobody knew Tom Polo and other persons including myself would come up.

So I think the young shall grow and by the grace of God, I thon’ think the federal and state governments will disappoint the Niger Deltans, I don’t think so with what I am seeing, I think that they have the pains of the Niger Deltans in their hearts. So we still join them in prayers, we are praying for them for God to give them wisdom and power to accomplish what they have said because even to control your own house, your wife and your children is not easy not to talk of a ward or a local government, a state or a nation as big as Nigeria. So we are going to support them so that they will succeed in fulfilling all what they have promised.

Because Niger Delta, if you look at the northern part of this country you will know that we are suffering. When ever I go to Abuja at times I share tears because the money they use in developing Abuja is from Niger Delta.

I think Niger Delta is supposed to be better than Abuja two or  three times. But since we have accepted amnesty, we are going to endure and bear anything we see. Because we know government of today is a process.

To develop Niger Delta will take more than five years, it is a process. We have Edo state, Delta state and so on they cannot develop these places at once. So that is it.