Obolo youth criticise attacks on Akwa’s appointment as NDDC MD sole administrator

… declares support for his appointment

Etim Ekpimah

Youths of Obolo Kingdom, which consists of some local government areas in Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Abia states, have condemned moves by some individuals and groups within the Niger Delta region to protest the appointment of Barr Effiong Akwa as the Sole Administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The youths, who said this under the aegies of Obolo Youth Coalition (OYC) Worldwide, described the planned protest or any other action against the Sole Administrator of NDDC, as ill-conceived and an unnecessary sentiment that cannot stand the test of time.

A statement signed by the First President-General of Obolo Youth Coalition Worldwide, Ambassador Ijonama Mkpom Amon, and made available to journalists on Wednesday, noted that the moves by certain persons from the Niger Delta to discredit the appointment of the illustrious son of Obolo Nation, a tribe in the Niger Delta is unjustifiable.

He added that all those promoting the idea of sacking Barr Effiong Akwa, lack information about the strategic position Obolo Nation occupies and her contribution towards the development of the Niger Delta, as well as the establishment and sustainability of the commission.

The Obolo Youth Coalition in the statement also signed by its National Public Relations Officer (PRO), Comrade Sampson Akpor, argued that Akwa is not the first person to be appointed as Sole Administrator, adding that the opposition being currently heaped on Akwa was not there during the time of the former administrator.

Ijonama Mkpom Amon declared the solidarity of Obolo people to Akwa and enjoined groups and individuals in the Niger Delta to support him to succeed.

The statement read in part: “The OYC has keenly followed up the several threats of protests against the new sole administrator in the NDDC and another heavy protest-plot that may cause chaos in the NDDC system, if allowed to continue in the rolling manner.

“At this juncture, we deem it necessary to officially notify the Ijaw youth council, 8th administration and other Niger Delta youth bodies, who are planning the said heavy protest that, the appointee in question is an Obolo son and by extension an ijaw man in the Niger Delta.

“The OYC, having perused through the dramatic episodes on merit without mincing words, criticizes the protest approach and consequentially condemns in the strongest terms, another biased and sentiment proposed protest intended to resist the appointment of Barr. Effiong Akwa, an Obolo son as the Sole Administrator of the NDDC.

“This the OYC viewed as an unjustifiable action, ostensibly orchestrated by the few persons, who lack information about the contributions of the Obolo ethnic nationality to the growth of Nigeria that gave birth to the existence of the NDDC.

“We put to the intending protesters to note that, all the eight (8) Obolo local government areas in both Rivers State and Akwa-Ibom State are oil producing local governments, but we have been marginalized since the creation of the commission in the scheme of board appointments and silent with patience and that has finally given birth to the said appointment.

“According to the statement from the pioneer President General of the body, Amb. Ijonama Mkpon Amon, the OYC challenges any person or group in the Niger Delta to an argument that; the planned protest is ill-conceived as this appointment is not the first sole administrator appointed in the Commission. Therefore, we sue for intellectual approach and not crisis.

“Retrospectively, in 2015, an Ijaw daughter hailed from another ethnic nationality in the region was wholeheartedly appointed and brazenly allowed to manage the affairs of the commission for about six good months duration with neither a conception nor display of any protest from Obolo block or any other tribe among the ijaws to challenge the said appointment and why reverse is the case now?

“Consequently, the OYC wonders why the appointment of an illustrious Obolo son and by extension, an ijaw man from the same Niger Delta will be victimized to the extent of generating unexpected positions of protest to sack him and reactions to pull him down and therefore calls on the perpetrators and sponsors to desist forthwith as the Obolo people through its youth wing will lawfully resist the scheming to oust any of its indigenes from a deserved position.”

According to Mkpon, while the OYC maintains her support for the development and phase-renewal of the Niger Delta region through the instrumentality of the commission, it also frowns at the sentimental timing to deny the Obolo Nation, for the first time, her scarce opportunity to contribute to the wellbeing of the Niger Delta region and the country in general through the commission.

“Consequently, I raise an on the spot ‘Save Our Soul’ (SOS) to the Commander in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the selfish political plotting in the region intended to completely silent the Obolo people, who have exercised due patience, despite being the major economic hubs in the Niger Delta region.

“Ijonama posits that that, if this illicit move is allowed to flow through, it is tantamount to cause disaffections amongst us the ijaws and Niger Delta at large and its consequential results in the polity. He, therefore, calls on President Buhari to discard their pressures and threats as they are ill-intended.

“Conclusively, the OYC encourages the Sole Administrator of the NDDC, Barr. Effiong Akwa to disregard all forms of distractions, while he concentrates to discharge his official duties as directed by Mr President in the Commission for the good of the region and the country.

“OYC equally advises all sons and daughters of Obolo land to remain calm while justice would not only be done but seen to be done to give Obolo ethnic nationality its place in the country for our patience over the years has earned us genuine opportunity to serve,” he said.