•Says there’ll be problem if FG attempts to embarrass PANDEF

Comrade Joseph Evah is the coordinator, Ijaw Monitoring Group, IMG. In this interview, Evah bares his mind on the need for Nigeria to have true federalism arguing that there can’t be peace until true federalism is practiced. He also warns of danger if the Federal Government attempts to further embarrass leaders of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF.

Excerpts:

By Dapo Akinrefon

As a member of PANDEF, what do you think is responsible for the  perceived crisis in the forum and what is the forward?

Well, PANDEF did not split. Such things are not new as far as Nigeria, as a nation, is concerned. Every region in this country has its political structure that speaks for it. For example, the Arewa forum is doing that in the north, Ndigbo is doing that in the East and in the South West, we have Afenifere. So, in the South-South, we have PANDEF.

 Joseph Evah

In terms of struggle, during the June 12 crisis, there were some breakaway groups that wanted their voice to be heard but the government of the day knew those that were genuine.

Like in PANDEF, when you have people like Obong Victor, Prof G.G Dara, Alabo Graham Douglas, Chief A.K Horsfall and Chief E.K Clark, they know so many secrets and anywhere their names are being called, they are respected.

We have to make sure that our leaders, who have contributed a lot to nation-building, are brought under one body. So, when these people are talking, you must sit down and reason.

But we have detractors, however we have come to state that these detractors are gamblers who cannot speak for our group. So, if the likes of Chief Clark are speaking on behalf of our region, we know what we are talking about, that is the situation.

So, those forming splinter groups are jokers.

Not just jokers but gamblers who are looking for business and want to use the forum to get something for themselves from the government. Why would those kinds of people want to create the impression that our group is divided? I was part of NADECO during the struggle for democracy when Pa Anthony Enahoro was alive and we rejected the Nigerian constitution. We came with our constitution but the military rejected it.

Even when NADECO started, for instance, I coordinated the non-indigenes for the actualisation of June 12 from my area to join in the struggle to actualise June 12. In those days, we had people who went  to Aso Rock to curry favour from the military government of the day. So, this is not new.

Militants from the Niger Delta are threatening to resume hostilities on oil installations. What is responsible for this?

This was when the federal government wanted to embarrass PANDEF and you can see that during the meeting that took place in Warri, there was no embarrassment. The militants told the government that PANDEF was talking on behalf of the region just like Arewa, Ndigbo and Afenifere speak for their regions.

So, any attempt to embarrass the leadership of PANDEF, there will be a problem. The meeting in Port Harcourt was frustrated by security officials of government and that was when the threat came into effect by the militants. What we are saying is that the national leader of PANDEF, Chief EK Clark represents the Niger Delta, he is over 90 years, we still believe in him, we still have confidence in him.

Chief Clark has appealed to the militants to give the government a chance. The government met with our leaders with a 16 point agenda among other discussions, immediately after the discussion, the government folded its arm just to allow a crisis to erupt in the Niger Delta so that they can send soldiers to the region. This is unacceptable.

So, there is nothing like resumed hostilities by the militants because the national leader is Chief EK Clark and the militants have his ears. They (militants) have even extended their ceasefire but within this space, the government should show some signs. Part of the issues discussed with the government should be addressed.

President Muhammadu Buhari, in his last broadcast, ordered some money to be given to the maritime university to resume activities. That is one of the signs and we believe more government evidence will still come up.

There has been agitation for the restructuring of the country, what form do you think it should take?

Majority of Nigerians want the post independent constitution, we should go back to the basis. All founding fathers of Nigeria met in London, discussed and decided to agree that there should be a federation. For now, we are not practicing federalism.

All that people are talking about restructuring is that we should practice true federalism. If we practice true federalism, there will be no problem. There is no big deal about restructuring but you hear antagonists wanting to know why people are agitating for restructuring. The politicians structured Nigeria into regions but the military came and restructured Nigeria into states. You will observe that many of the states are not viable, they are problems to themselves.

If we were practicing true federalism, we should have state police in place. As far as we are practicing true federalism, you have that confidence that you belonged to a nation. We cannot have peace unless we practice true federalism.

For instance, during the last census, I petitioned that there would be no census in our area because we must count fish as part of our population. In this country, we all know that there is nomadic education; it means cows go to school so also, our fishes in Ijaw waters must also go to school. People say it is not possible but if you say it is not possible, then why make a law and every year, there is budgetary provision for nomadic education.

So, if we are dealing with restructuring, everybody will be on an equal basis. You cannot create 44 local governments in Kano, and then you are using the water mass resources of Bayelsa State to take care of the 44 local governments in Kano. That is unacceptable and we must solve this problem before we leave the scene in order not to cause more division and crisis in this country.

Some have argued that the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference should be implemented before the 2019 general elections. Do you subscribe to this?

Nobody was disallowed from attending the 2014 confab, there was no bias in the selection of people, and everybody was well represented there. There is the need for us to implement the report for us to move forward.

We don’t need to get to an emergency situation before doing the right thing. Many people fear that there is restructuring, Nigeria may break up, but nobody wants Nigeria to break away. Some people are talking about Biafra Republic, Niger Delta Republic or the Ijaw Republic, they are not necessary because of the kind of politicians we have. If we break away and form all these republics, it is the same greedy politicians that manage these smaller areas.

If we have the Niger Delta Republic; we will see hell because of the manner of people who are already greedy because we have seen the handwriting on the wall. Nobody should be asking for a division. We don’t our children to pass through this kind of phase in life.

As a friend to Otunba Gani Adams, who has been proclaimed the 15th Aare Ona Kakanfo designate of Yorubaland, will it bring about unity?

In the first place, the people of the Niger Delta congratulate him. He has been part of our struggle. The Oodua Peoples Congress and Ijaw people have been living as a family as far as the South West is concerned. He deserves this appointment.

He is expected to defend the territory of Yoruba land but you know in recent times, wars are not won with weapons but through intellectualism. We are impressed with the way Gani Adams decided to go back to school, to update himself. Anytime he is holding a programme to promote the unique culture of the Yoruba, he is usually surrounded by professionals. He provides an atmosphere where intellectuals come and discuss the way forward for the Yoruba people and Nigeria.

He wants to see that Yoruba land competes with the world and with that vision, with his new office, this

will assist him to actualise the dream of the Yoruba nation. The vision of Gani Adams is to ensure that people around the world come to know the uniqueness of the Yoruba, you will see the turnaround of the Yoruba as an ethnic group on the surface of the earth with his new appointment.