Ijaw Clan Leaders Declare Resource Rights ‘Non-Negotiable’
Clan chairmen of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) have restated that the rights of the Ijaw people to natural resources within their territories remain non-negotiable, insisting that no compromise would be made on issues of ownership, self-determination, and economic justice.
This firm position was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the maiden all-inclusive meeting of IYC clan chairmen held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. The forum brought together zonal representatives, community leaders, and youth stakeholders to deliberate on the persistent neglect, environmental challenges, and socio-economic exclusion affecting Ijaw communities across the Niger Delta.
Signed by Comrade Zidougha Prince Kerenimi (Central Zone), Comrade Collins Albert Nnah (Eastern Zone), and Comrade Oyinkuro Wazo Zikurebai (Western Zone), the communiqué condemned decades of marginalisation of oil-producing communities despite their enormous contribution to Nigeria’s economic survival.
The leaders stressed that recognition of host clans by international oil companies (IOCs) and government was critical for sustainable peace and development.
They also called for deliberate investments in youth capacity building, urging the establishment of programmes that would empower young people through skills training, mentorship, and leadership opportunities. According to them, empowering Ijaw youths would help reduce unemployment, break cycles of poverty, and prepare a new generation for meaningful roles in governance and corporate leadership.
The chairmen’s declaration comes against the backdrop of growing agitation in the Niger Delta. Recently, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) launched the “Okaba Declaration,” a comprehensive document rooted in international law that reaffirms the Ijaw right to self-determination and control over natural resources.
Analysts say this echoes the 1998 Kaiama Declaration, a historic charter that laid the foundation for the Ijaw struggle for resource control.
The communiqué further pledged loyalty to the current National Executive Council of the IYC, reaffirming their commitment to unity, peace, and inter-zonal cooperation. The leaders vowed to strengthen clan structures and sustain regular dialogue in order to project a stronger and more coordinated Ijaw voice in negotiations with the federal government and multinational oil companies.
Observers believe the insistence on “non-negotiable rights” is a clear signal to policymakers and industry players that Ijaw communities expect practical reforms — including greater host-community inclusion in oil projects, fairer compensation for environmental damage, and more transparent implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
While awaiting official responses from government and corporate stakeholders, the Ijaw clan chairmen reiterated their preference for peaceful engagement. However, they warned that genuine peace and stability in the Niger Delta can only be achieved when justice, equity, and resource ownership rights are respected.
