Marginalisation: Obolo must be free in 2021
Fellow Obolo youths and the entire good people of Obolo ethnic nationality all world over.
I, on behalf of the National Executive Council of the Obolo Youth Coalition (OYC) Worldwide and indeed, the entire OYC, Worldwide, bring you very warm greetings and wish you all a better, greater and very prosperous in this new year, 2021.
The outgone year, 2020 is without gainsaying, a very peculiar year globally.
It was fraught with too many challenges, especially dire economic turmoil orchestrated by the turndown wrought by the outbreak of the novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) Pandemic with its concomitant debilitation of global economy.
The vast majority of the Obolo people are also heavily hit by the devastating impact and the resultant ripple effects of the Pandemic.
However, by the special mercy, favour and grace of God Almighty upon us, we are survivors into this year, 2021 and we gratefully owe it all to God Almighty.
As we forge ahead in time this year as a people of common destiny, we should ready to abandon behind us, all the bitter experiences of the outgone year, 2020 and brace up with renewed vigour and optimism to face the events that this new year, 2021 ushers in for us individually and collectively but we should at the same time, not lose focus of drawing constant lessons from our past experiences; especially those of the last year, 2020.
The existence and deadly impact of COVID-19 has been proven beyond all reasonable doubts. Worse still, it has recently been confirmed by experts to have mutated.
New variants and more refractory strains of the deadly virus have evolved and still spreading; even as the world still grapples with a safe, effective, affordable, accessible and generally available vaccine against the virus.
The COVID-19 challenge, is not yet over. Our ultimate watchword therefore should be “PREVENTION.” To this end, we earnestly urge all Obolo people to adhere strictly to the preventive measures recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other expert organizations and medical practitioners.
Among such measures; properly wear a standard face mask or face covering. Wash your hands thoroughly and regularly. Observe physical distancing.
Still on steering through these turbulent times together as a people, we passionately implore all sons and daughters of Obolo origin who are privileged to be of greater influence in the society or are blessed with affluence, to be compassionate and philanthropic towards the indigent and less privileged ones from Obolo.
We acknowledge the hard times we are in and the need to save and preserve oneself and immediate family but we plead enjoin you to look out for any means to render helping hands to the struggling majority of Obolo people.
These are really troubling times in our history as a people and we all need to fully ignite and rekindle the flames of humanity in us towards our people.
We should therefore make the healthy survival, progress and development of all our people our individual and collective priority.
We should all deplore every position of influence or affluence within our disposal to empower and give opportunities of hope and decent means of livelihood to every Obolo person within our reach so as to better the lots of the Obolo person.
For the politicians of Obolo extraction, there is no other time as politically critical to the Obolo nation as the time we are presently in.
The mounting political challenges; including the protracted political imbalance against the Obolo ethnic nationality in the country and at the levels of both Akwa Ibom and Rivers States need you all to redouble your efforts, close ranks and work together in well-communicated cooperation and as a team in selflessly advancing the political goals of the OboloNation.
We enjoin you to redouble your efforts towards the delivery of the dividends of democracy to Obolopeople.
The Obolo people have for too long, been constantly short-changed and marginalized politically at both the Federal, and State levels and there is no other known time in our political history and development as a common people that we needed more radical and politically active leaders than now.
The political awareness and consciousness of the Obolo people in their own affairs have never been so high and deep than they currently are today.
We therefore respectfully urge all politicians and political appointees from Obolo Nation at all levels of government to as a matter of high importance and urgency, work assiduously as a formidable team, to improve on the political gains and fortunes of the Obolo people, bolster the delivery of essential political dividends to Obolo land and people.
As the imminent second wave of COVID-19 Pandemic and its attendant counter-measures of limitation of movements and consequent economic paralysis loom large across Nigeria, the politicians from Oboloextraction should display visionary leadership by strategizing in advance and constantly work around the clock to chart the possible solutions and avenues of mitigating and cushioning the economic hardship and dire threat this imminent second poses to the public health of Obolo masses.
The Obolo people are looking up to them for exemplary leadership and they should in no wise, disappoint.
At this juncture, it is worthy that we commend the sterling political leadership exemplified by a few politicians from Obolo; especially, that being displayed by Hon. Dr. Awajinombeek Dagomie Abiante, the member, House of Representatives; representing the Andoni/Opobo-Nkoro Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, for his effective representation, legislative vibrance and exploits; especially, in attracting development to his primary constituency and in economically empowering some of his constituents despite being a law-maker and not a member of the Executive.
We urge other politicians from Obolo to emulate in this regard while we also charge him never to rest on his oars but to continue to solidify and improve upon his political achievements and records.
We also joined all well-meaning Sons and Daughters of the Obolo Ethnic Nationality to congratulate the newly appointed Sole Administrator of the NDDC, Mr. Effiong Akwa from Okobo LGA in Akwa Ibom State.
The OYC expresses her profound joy and optimism on the well deserved appointment of the Obolo Son from the Oro section.
The OYC has no doubt that the wealth of experience of Mr. Effiong Akwa will conceive and birth the purposeful results in the Commission.
The OYC seizes this medium to call on all Obolo people to pray for the appointee and give him all the support for the success in Office.
We urge other politicians from Obolo to emulate in this regard while we also charge him never to rest on his oars but to continue to solidify and improve upon his political achievements and records.
To the Governments at the Federal, Akwa Ibom State and Rivers State levels respectively, the OYC has as always, continually called for an immediate stop to the deliberate political and developmental marginalization of Obololand and her people.
For decades and through successive administrations, there is negligible or outright dearth of developmental projects or government presence from these tiers of Government on Obolo land.
Political appointments and equations are unjustly askew and lopsided against the Obolo people. Obolo land and her people have been deliberately isolated for too long by these governments.
From these governments, we demand a change of attitude for the better towards Obolo.
To the Government of Akwa Ibom State in particular, the OYC has keenly observed with great dismay and regret, the long, systemic and serial marginalization of the Obolo people of Akwa Ibom State in the political and economic scheme of things in the State. Of particular mention is the glaring absence of any Obolo person in the recent political appointments made by the State Governor, His Excellency, Udom Emmanuel.
This is the most recent in a similar string of worrying developments in the State and the OYC vehemently condemns it.
We hereby call for a positive change of attitude from Governments at all levels toward the issues of politics and development as they concern the Obolo people whose lands and waters are hosts to several economic interest; especially Oil and Gas, to the Governments at these levels.
This will surely serve the end of social justice to the Obolo people.
For the OYC and her activities, we here again, reiterate our commitment to the Aims and Objectives of the OYC as provided for in the Constitution of the OYC. No doubts there are very numerous challenges confronting the OYC but we are optimistic that we shall overcome them.
During the year 2020, most activities of OYC were either cancelled, suspended or postponed due to the upheavals occasioned by the impact of COVID-19 in that year.
The sources of the meagre revenue for the running of the affairs and activities of the Coalition were drastically impaired. However, the OYC is undaunted.
We were able to at least, mobilize some support for the Obolo people in the throes of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the year and to also organize a befitting Obolo Praise/Concert programme in December, 2020 to thank God Almighty for our survival through the thick and thin of the year and to stimulate God’s swifter and more bountiful blessings upon the OYC, her members and the Obolo Nation.
The Second Edition of the Obolo Nation Achievers’ Award which was due to hold in the outgone year, 2020, has now been postponed till this year, 2021 due to the many challenges experienced in 2020.
The Award which is jointly organized by over five different apolitical, socio-cultural and educational organizations from Oboloand designed to come up every four years interval may be restructured in terms of the composition of the organizers and the scope of the Awards.
However, the Second Edition of the programme is now intended to hold in this year, 2021 and suggestion of qualified awardees should be made handy.
We also use this medium, to once again, pay tribute and respect to our revered traditional rulers and community-based leadership in Obolo as well as to salute our fellow comrades in our other sister ethno-cultural and youth organizations; including the Idaa Obolo, the Oru Obolo, the Andoni Youth Federation, the Oron Union, the IjawNational Congress, the Ijaw Youth Council, etc.
For the spirit of comradeship and our harmonious projection of the collective interest of the Obolo Nation. Our common and foremost priority is Obolo.
Let us therefore continue in the spirit of brotherliness and mutual understanding and respect in the overall interest of Obolo.
To every son and daughter of Obolo, we use this medium to once again, call on you to eschew violence and rancourand to embrace peace and good neighbourliness.
For all those individuals, corporate bodies, Non-Governmental Organizations and Governments at all levels that supported and still support the cause of Oboloand her people; especially in steering through the turbulence of the year, 2020, we remain very grateful to you and urge you to continue.
Your efforts are well noticed and appreciated by well-meaning Obolo people. May God Almighty bless and protect you.
To the entire OYC and her various levels of leadership: the Parliament, the States’ Executive Councils, the Committees, the Clans and the Coordinating Units and Branches that made the piloting of the affairs of the OYC smoother, we say: let us sustain the tempo for despite the setbacks of the previous year, there is still very bright prospect for the OYC and her members.
Once again, I wish you all a very happy new year, 2021!
OJE, OJE, OJE-JE BARIII!
ABASI ULUKULUKULUKU EHH!!
OBOLO ITIKI!!!
LONG LIVE THE OYC!
FOREVER LIVE OBOLO NATION!!
BEING A NEW YEAR, 2021 SPEECH OF THE OBOLO YOUTH COALITION (OYC) WORLDWIDE DELIVERED BY THE PRESIDENT GENERAL OF THE OYC, WORLDWIDE,
HON (AMB) IJONAMA MKPON AMON ON THE 1ST JANUARY, 2021.
