Simon Ebegbulem
7 November 2008
interview
Benin City — Professor Tony Afejuku is an Itsekiri activist and the Head of Department English and Literature, University of Benin (UNIBEN).
In this interview with Vanguard in Benin City last weekend, he described the newly created Niger Delta Ministry as a fish that won't swim. He advised the Federal Government to accelerate development in the region and be fair to all the ethnic groups, adding that it is the only solution to the persistent crisis in the region. Professor Afejuku also accused Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan of favoritism in the appointment of persons to man positions in the Niger Delta.
He alleged that he is in the habit of appointing people from his Ijaw Ethnic group as if the Ijaws owns the Niger Delta. He advised him to be fair to other ethnic groups so as avoid having problem with leaders from other ethnic groups. He spoke on the Educational sector and other national issues.
The Federal government recently created the Ministry of Niger Delta, how do see this development?
The creation of this Ministry of the Niger Delta as I have said earlier, will not solve the Niger Delta problem as far as the Niger Delta problem is concerned. Primordial interest, primordial considerations, favouritism, ethnicism and other negative isms sooner or later will come up as was witnessed with the establishment of OMPADEC, NDDC and other bodies if the right men are not allowed to man the right organizations.
Believe you me, those or persons that may be appointed to man this new ministry, are the same persons who belongs in what ever groups of those who appointed them belong to. Nothing new will emerge, nothing that will bring drastic changes to the Niger Delta to Itsekiris, Ijaws, Ibibios, the Ilages, the Igbos, the Urhobos or Ogonis who occupies the region will take place. Because the same old stories will be replayed.
People are going there to loot again, favouritism will take place again. They will not want to go out of their circle to appoint who will deliver. I just read in the papers a few days back, names that are being tipped to man the Niger Delta Ministry and you could see that the names come from a particular ethnic group. Majority of the names are Ijaws. They mentioned Tam David West, of course he is a good man there is no doubt about that. Oronto Douglas, Ledum Mitee, Kimse Okoko and they even mentioned Orubebe, they are all Ijaws.
The way are going as if only the Ijaws owns the Niger Delta. The Vice_President whom we learnt is the one shopping for people to man this position is an Ijaw man and he is only looking from those from his enclave, those from his ethnic group. Are you saying that you do not have good Itsekiris to look at for, you do not have good Isokos to look at for. Why is it that it is only people from the Ijaw area that he wants to appoint to man the Ministry?
The Vice President for me is abusing his office. As I have always said, I do not believe in sectionalism, any good person can man what ever position in Nigeria so long as that person is qualified. But from what we are reading in the papers, I think I should accuse him personally of abuse of office. There are lots of Itsekiris who are qualified.
Are you saying that Sagay is not qualified, what of Sam Amuka, what of Wole Soyinka, what of Femi Falana, what of Tony Afejuku, what of Festus Iyayi, what of Obayuwana.
But these people will not be appointed because they do not belong to the same group with the Vice-President. What we are saying is that if these people mean well, they should go for people who can do the job even though they do not share the same argument as it where.
The truth is that the Vice President is not different from what people have been saying about the Hausas who always want their men in those positions. The man should learn to be brood minded, and get any person who can perform. He should look beyond the Ijaws because that is wrong, he is abusing his position and that is what I have never subscribed to. I did not say that some of these people they are projecting cannot do the job but the worry is that why is he focusing on the Ijaws.
Why I said that the Ministry is not even necessary is that sooner or later people will now clamour for Ministry of Oduduwa Affairs, Ministry of Arewa Affairs. The other day I read in the papers that the governor of Lagos State is now demanding for a Ministry that will carter for Lagos affairs. One can even go on and on to even say that this ministry is one that is even designed to disintegrate the country because Biafra will soon demand for their own Ministry.
We do not need them. We need development and honest people to run the affairs. Why can't you establish a university in Ogidigben or the escravos or koko and call it Atlantic University. The best that will happen in one or two years is that some thing little will be done there, thereafter we will go back to square one.
I think for me this is not what we need at this time. We have Ministry of Education but what has happened to Nigeria education today. We have Ministry of Health but all our politicians fly out for medical treatment. The Ministry is not the problem but having the right people to man these positions.
But you may not blame any body if the Ijaws are given majority of the positions because as it seems, they have been in the fore front of the struggle for the emancipation of the Niger Delta?
That is balderdash; hocus pocus and again a nonsensical statement. The message you are sending is that violence pays, violence has never paid any body. Of course I do not blame those people who do not believe in the rule of law. Any body can carry the gun but there is a limit to what the people can tolerate and there is a limit to what you can give. What they are saying is that others too should go into violence.
Who says that Itsekiris cannot be violent, who says the Ibibios cannot be violent. The Ogonis were violence, did you pay them like this. The Igbos were violent, what has happened today. Violence has never paid. All they are doing now is a very very cosmetic approach, but it will not solve the problem. Let the federal government try to reach out to other groups. Nigeria is a very large country, you do not give people every thing because a group of people are agitating. People are watching. Two wrongs do not make a right and they must know that.
As VP and as Ijaw man, Ijaw interest should come last. He should be exemplary the same applies to the president. As Hausa Fulani and as the president of Nigeria , Hausa/Fulani interest should come last. They should follow the example of Obasanjo. They should be selfless and show the right direction for the right leadership that Nigeria deserves. They should even follow the example of Dr. Uduaghan an Itsekiri man who has not gone out of his way to promote selfishly to the interest of the Itsekiris.
So what is the solution to the problem?
Do not also forget that I am a writer, a writer sees the problems of the society and a writer is not a doctor who can prescribe drugs for you. Having said that, I think we need leaders, followers who are committed to their countries. Every society must experience conflict but how the leaders respond to conflicts that will bring out solutions.
But the way we are going now we do not have solutions, we just try to eliminate those who can do it. If the right persons are there things will be better. There is no solution now but my poetic instinct tells me that change is coming soon.
But looking at the commitment shown so far by the federal government to develop the region, do you not think that it is proper for the restive youths to give peace a chance?
Yes the government is dong its best but one thing you must have noticed is that the federal government has always been talking to the wrong people, those who claim to have the clout. Those who always think about their bellies. And because the government tends to cherish them they continue their exploits.
There is no sincerity and there has never been on the part of government. Why can't you go out of your occultic circle and look for people. Can you compare the FRSC when Soyinka was there and the kind of rubbish we are witnessing today. They know where to go to and get people who can man these positions but they cannot.
They must always go to people who, let me use the popular slogan, who play ball, let me try to contradict myself have because Nigeria is full of contribution; even if they want to eat money but they must do same thing for the people. But that has never been their goat. We have so much oil in Itsekiri land, how many Itsekiris have license to lift oil. As far as I am concerned the Olu of Warri is bigger than the king but the question is, does he lift oil to enable him to do things for his kingdom.
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