Ijaw Nation Declares Solidarity with Diezani Alison-Madueke Over Prolonged Legal Ordeal

• Raises concerns over oil paradox in Niger Delta

Wale Igbintade

Ijaw National Congress (INC) has declared its full solidarity with former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, describing her as “our daughter”, and expressing deep concern over what it called the prolonged and unresolved nature of her legal ordeal, which has lasted for more than a decade.

Speaking on behalf of the Ijaw ethnic nationality, President of the INC, Professor Benjamin Okaba, said the Ijaw people were compelled to speak out not only because of Alison-Madueke’s personal situation, but also due to broader, long-standing grievances surrounding oil production, management, and underdevelopment in Nigeria’s oil-bearing communities.

He stated, “The Ijaw nation, or Ijaw ethnic nationality, is one of the four largest ethnic nationalities in Nigeria. In terms of oil and gas production, we are foremost. We are from the Niger Delta, the South-south part of Nigeria.”

Okaba stated that while INC was cautious about delving into specifics of ongoing matters, the group could no longer ignore the deeper structural issues confronting oil-producing regions.

He said, “As I mentioned earlier, we do not want to be too specific about what is currently going on.

“However, the complexity of the oil industry, particularly its management and its impact on overall development, raises serious concerns for oil-producing areas, like the South-south region.”

According to him, the situation in the Niger Delta reflects a disturbing contradiction, where communities that generate the country’s wealth remain impoverished and underdeveloped.

“These are the oil-bearing communities, and the issues surrounding them are deeply troubling,” Okaba said.

He stated, “The paradox we face is that we produce the oil, yet we do not seem to benefit from its production. This situation is very worrisome.”

He warned that unless the fundamental issues were addressed, peace and development in the region would remain elusive.

“Until these issues are properly addressed, achieving sustainable peace and development will remain extremely difficult,” he stated.

On Alison-Madueke’s case, Okaba stressed that the former petroleum minister remained an integral part of the Ijaw nation and enjoyed the backing of her people.

“The lady in question, Diezani Alison-Madueke, is our daughter,” he declared. “I am here, as President of the Ijaw National Congress, to represent the international Ijaw community.”

He said INC’s intervention was intended to send a clear message of solidarity to both Alison-Madueke and the wider international community.

“We are here to show solidarity and to let the world know that she is not alone,” Okaba said.

The INC president expressed particular concern over the length of time the case had dragged on, describing it as a source of deep unease among the Ijaw people.

“We are deeply concerned, especially considering that this matter has lingered for more than ten years as a single, unresolved case,” he stated.

“We felt it was important to stand by her.”

Okaba said beyond legal considerations, the human dimension of the situation must not be ignored.

“First and foremost, she must know that she is not alone, that people are praying for her and that we are genuinely troubled by her situation,” he said.

He added that INC deliberately chose to make a public and physical appearance to dispel any notion that its support was sudden or politically motivated.

“It is also important that we make a physical appearance so that people, including members of the media, understand that this struggle did not come out of nowhere,” Okaba explained.

“She has a family, she has a nation, and she has people who stand firmly with her,” he added.