Some Niger Delta elders have blamed the crisis in the region on years of poor leadership and mismanagement of the resources allocated to the region by their successive political leaders.
The elders noted that the region’s leaders misappropriated and squandered the huge revenues that accrued to the Niger Delta from federal sources and interventionist agencies.
They spoke on Tuesday at a birthday lecture, entitled: The Niger Delta Question and Imperative of Visionary Leadership, organised in honour of Chief Mike Loyibo at Tuomo, Bomadi area of Bayelsa State.
The programme was attended by many Niger Delta leaders
and friends of Loyibo, including the Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta, General Paul Boro (retd), who was represented by former President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Mr. Chris Ekiyor.
The guest lecturer, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, of the Delta State University (DELSU), said:
“What have we done with the little we have got? Let us look at the issues of leadership. We have 13 percent derivation; we have appointees. But what have we done with them? The agitation is okay, but it is not sufficient for the repositioning of the region.
“Our attitude to our people must change. The problems and concerns of the Niger Delta region is a product of our collective negligence. It is a sad reminder of the enthronement of the private over the collective...
“While we ask for more resources, we should be mindful of what we have. Let us elect people with vision and passion, even at the community level. If people could divert 13 per cent, they will also divert it when it is increased to 50 and 100 per cent. So, we must hold our leaders accountable.
“Don’t be surprised that many of them actually have a lot of personal ambitions to fulfil and nothing for the people they have sworn on oaths to serve. The region’s profile of underdevelopment and indignity is a reflection of the quality of leadership that pilot its affairs.
“These times and situations call for visionary and patriotic leadership to pull the Niger Delta out of the valley of despair, uncertainty, backwardness and retrogression to the mountain top of hope, stability, peace, progress and prosperity.”
“Our attitude to our people must change. The problems and concerns of the Niger Delta region is a product of our collective negligence. It is a sad reminder of the enthronement of the private over the collective...
“While we ask for more resources, we should be mindful of what we have. Let us elect people with vision and passion, even at the community level. If people could divert 13 per cent, they will also divert it when it is increased to 50 and 100 per cent. So, we must hold our leaders accountable.
“Don’t be surprised that many of them actually have a lot of personal ambitions to fulfil and nothing for the people they have sworn on oaths to serve. The region’s profile of underdevelopment and indignity is a reflection of the quality of leadership that pilot its affairs.
“These times and situations call for visionary and patriotic leadership to pull the Niger Delta out of the valley of despair, uncertainty, backwardness and retrogression to the mountain top of hope, stability, peace, progress and prosperity.”
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