The National President of Ijaw National Congress (INC) Prof. Benjamin Okaba said the Ijaws will no longer resort to militancy to pursue its course.
He dropped the hint during the inauguration of the Eastern Zone Executive of the congress at Abuloma in Port Harcourt City Local Government.
He stated that his executive has agreed for a paradigm shift from militancy to intellectualization of the struggle, stressing that the strongest weapon for the struggle now is the pen which he maintained is more dangerous than the sword.
Prof. Okaba who called for unity among diverse groups in the Ijaw nation, said the era of violence is gone, adding that time has come when the Ijaws must intellectually fight to nationalize and internationalize their struggles.
He revealed that his executive has intervened in various crisis within the Ijaw nation as well as held several engagements within and outside the country with the view to projecting the Ijaw course.
Describing INC as a liberation movement, he averred that INC will continue to speak out against oppression and denial by government of the Ijaws to control their resources.
The INC president also said that the national executive is looking at issues of unity and how to confront the Nigerian state that has marginalized the Ijaws over the years and called for mass mobilization of the Ijaws for the forthcoming National Population Census and the ongoing INEC voter registration exercise.
He further called on all the zones of the INC to as a matter of urgency embark on political education and sensitization with the view to equipping the people ahead of future elections.
On his part, the Amanyanabo of Abuloma kingdom in the Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, H.R.H King Bright Ateke Fiboinumama charged the new leadership to be active and alive to their responsibilities.
The Abuloma Monarch who is the chairman, Congress of Ijaw Traditional Rulers said the era of bad leadership in the Eastern Zone of the INC is gone.
He described the election that ushered in the new executive as fair and transperant and called on those aggrieved to bury their differences and join hands with the new zonal executive to move the congress foreward.
King Fiboinumama also enjoined them to run an inclusive administration and avoid things that will plunge the congress into crisis.
Outgone chairman of the zone, H. R. H King NLA Iraron regretted that the political crisis in the state affected his executive performances, but disclosed that his executive made some achievements within the period under review.
According to him, the outgone executive has purchased a piece of land for a permanent secretariat of the Eastern Zone as well as mobilized against the remapping program of the immediate past government of Akwa Ibom state which was meant to reduce the territory of the Obolo Ijaws in Akwa Ibom state.
Stressing the need for them to work inline and objectives of the founding fathers of the organization he urged the new executive to put Ijaw interest above personal interest.
The newly inaugurated chairman of the Eastern Zone of the INC .Mr Peterside A . O. Batram told newsmen shortly after the inauguration that his focus is the unity of the Ijaw race in the zone. Thanking the people for the confidence reposed on him, he pledged not to disappoint them as his administration will be transparent and inclusive, while honouring and celebrating the achievements of the past.
