THE-ROAR-OF-THE-SLEEPING-GIANT:-WHY-THE-IJAW-NATION-WILL-NO-LONGER-BE-PUSHED-ASIDE-IN-RIVERS-STATE

THE ROAR OF THE SLEEPING GIANT: WHY THE IJAW NATION WILL NO LONGER BE PUSHED ASIDE IN RIVERS STATE

Dave Ikiedei Asei | Wisdom Tide News | May 23, 2026

​The political landscape of Rivers State is hovering at a critical crossroads, and those who mistake the enduring patience of the Ijaw people for weakness are playing a highly dangerous game. For decades, the riverine communities have anchored the economic and geographic identity of the state, yet they have consistently exercised profound restraint in the face of political marginalization. Today, that patience has worn thin. The recent declaration by Comrade Datolu Sukubo, the Chairman of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Eastern Zone, during a peaceful solidarity march, serves as a definitive line in the sand. It is a clear, unmistakable warning to any political actor who believes they can manipulate the destiny of the Ijaw people or treat Rivers State as a personal fiefdom.

​The core of the current grievances lies in the fundamental principle of equity. For roughly twenty-four years, politicians from the upland communities have held the reins of governance in Rivers State. When an Ijaw son, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, finally assumed office, it was seen as a long-overdue step toward balancing the political scales between the upland and riverine populations. However, recent whispers and political maneuverings suggesting that Governor Fubara might step down as part of a contrived peace accord are both unjust and deeply insulting. It is entirely unacceptable for an Ijaw leader to face intense, coordinated political pressure to surrender his mandate before completing even a single term, especially after the upland region enjoyed decades of uninterrupted leadership.

​Sukubo’s message speaks directly to the brewing frustration across the Ijaw Nation: Rivers State belongs to all its constituent ethnic groups, not to a single individual, and certainly not to one dominant community. The days of accepting political intimidation or allowing public resources to be weaponized against the collective will of the people are over. Money looted from the public treasury may blind aggressive politicians into believing they possess absolute power, but no amount of wealth or external federal influence can withstand the unified resolve of a people pushed to their limit.

​History offers a stern lesson to those currently attempting to perpetualize power within a single ethnic group or plot the return of another Ikwerre politician to the governorship. To those who have forgotten the foundational history of Rivers State, it would be wise to consult the elders. The state was built on the sweat, blood, and resilience of foundational leaders, many of whom were Ijaw. The revolutionary spirit of Isaac Adaka Boro, a symbol of unyielding resistance against oppression, is waking up across the Niger Delta. That ancestral spirit will not sit idly by while the political rights of the Ijaw people are bartered away in backroom deals.

​This situation also demands deep introspection from within the Ijaw house itself. A stern warning must be extended to any Ijaw son or daughter who chooses to betray their own heritage for short-term political gain. To collaborate with external forces to undermine an Ijaw governorship is to invite historical disgrace and the collective wrath of the land. The preservation of our political identity requires absolute, unshakeable solidarity.

​Let it be known that the Ijaw Nation is a sleeping giant, and its silence should never be confused with slumber. As the largest ethnic bloc in Rivers State, with kinsmen spanning across multiple states in the Niger Delta, the capacity for mass mobilization is absolute. If provoked further, the Ijaw people will unite across state lines to confront and dismantle any oppressive structure. The Ijaw Youth Council has made it clear that youths are ready to defend their mandates at every single polling unit. This is not a threat; it is a promise of self-preservation. Treat the Ijaw Nation with the respect it deserves, or prepare to face the unstoppable force of a united people reclaiming their birthright.

​By Dave Ikiedei Asei, a concerned Ijaw son, writes from Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.