In the turbulent Niger Delta, a voice is rising to demand justice and equity. The Movement for the Survival of the Ijaw Ethnic Group in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has made a rousing call for an overhaul of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, citing decades of marginalization and neglect of the region.
The call for a new Constitution is aimed at addressing the grievances of the Niger Delta, which MOSIEND accuses of being subjected to oppressive laws and policies aimed at depriving the region of its natural resources and fundamental rights.
Dr. Kennedy Tonjo West, the group’s National Chairman, made the demands while inaugurating the Abuja North chapter leadership. He highlighted the region’s daily struggles, characterized by a dire lack of infrastructure, rampant unemployment and limited access to education and employment.
The Niger Delta, the economic heart of Nigeria as the cradle of a significant portion of its oil wealth, has long denounced being sidelined from the country’s economic and social progress.
In addition to the constitutional review, MOSIEND called on the federal government to reconsider the Land Use Act, which it believes is a tool of marginalization against the region.
Nevertheless, the group commended the current president for appointing Niger Delta nationals to key positions, urging them to attract development to their region.
The inauguration ceremony was also attended by the Presidential Amnesty Program Administrator, Dinyain Tuebi, reaffirming the program’s commitment to supporting peace and development initiatives in the Niger Delta.
Thus, MOSIEND’s rallying cry resonates as a call for equality, justice and prosperity for the Ijaw people and all those who populate the banks of the Niger Delta. Let us hope that these voices will not remain a dead letter in the political tumult of Nigeria and that their demands will finally find an echo among the country’s decision-makers.