A former National Spokesman of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe, has commended Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, for initiating moves to end the protracted leadership crisis that has rocked the apex Ijaw youth body for nearly three years, describing the intervention as “better late than never.”
Ekerefe, however, urged the governor to broaden the ongoing peace process, warning that the crisis in the council extends beyond the face-off between the IYC President, Sir Jonathan Lokpobiri, and Dr. Alaye Theophilus.
While appreciating Governor Diri for responding to calls by patriotic Ijaw leaders to intervene, Ekerefe expressed concern over what he described as the selective nature of invitations to the peace meeting held in Yenagoa recently.
In a statement, the former IYC mouthpiece, noted that some critical stakeholders in the crisis were left out and wondered why key actors whose involvement is essential to achieving lasting peace were not invited.
According to him, one of the most critical issues that should not be ignored is the lingering rift between the IYC President and the Secretary-General, Maobuye Nangi Obu, which has rendered the office of the Secretary-General practically inactive for over a year and throughout the greater part of the current administration.
He observed that the prolonged feud between Lokpobiri and Nangi Obu has significantly affected the administration of the council, stressing that any peace initiative that overlooks the dispute risks leaving the root causes of the crisis unresolved.
Ekerefe added that without seeking to reopen old wounds, the Abuloma incident of 2024, which further deepened the division between Lokpobiri and Nangi Obu, has remained largely unresolved.
The former IYC spokesman encouraged Governor Diri to accommodate that aspect of reconciliation in the ongoing process, insisting that it is not too late to do so.
He called on all parties involved in the crisis to demonstrate sincerity by placing the interest of the Ijaw nation above personal ambitions, adding that previous
