BEING AN ADDRESS OF COMR. DR. DOUBRA COLLINS OKOTETE, PRESIDENT OF THE IJAW YOUTH COUNCIL (IYC) WORLDWIDE, AT THE IYC'S COURTESY CALL/FAMILIARIZATION MEETING WITH HIS EXCELLENCY SEN. DOUYE DIRI, THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF BAYELSA STATE, IN GOVERNMENT HOUSE, YENAGOA, ON WEDNESDAY THE 12TH OF AUGUST, 2026.

His Excellency, Sen. Douye Diri, the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State and the Governor General of the Ijaw Nation, His Excellency Pastr. Peter Pereotubo Akpe, Ph.D the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Rt. Hon. Abraham Ingobere the Speaker Baylesa State House of Assembly and other members of the State legislature here present, The Secretary to the State Government, The Chief of Staff, Government House, Hon.Commissioners of the State Executive Council here present, for want of time and with the kind permission of His Excellency Sir, our Performing Miracle Governor I would like to rest on the already well established protocol.

His Excellency sir, it is the sincere pleasure and privilege of every member of the 10th National Executive Council of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide to be sitted here in this great chamber before you in your capacity as the Governor General of the Ijaw nation. It delights me to join the hosts of your subjects to welcome you back from your journey. His Excellency sir, just like we know you have been briefed, while you were unavoidably out of town this past couple of days, the Ijaw Youth Council conducted its elections and new leadership emerged and were successfully inaugurated into office on the 22nd of July, 2026. This visit is primarily to introduce ourselves as members of the 10th National Executive Council of the IYC to you and the Government of Bayelsa State.

First and foremost I would like to jump on this opportunity to express the sincere gratitude of all of Ijaw youths for the most critical role you played to ensure IYC emerge united under one leadership, you move silently but steadily with resolve and everyone sitting in this room understands that if it were not for your intervention, not only would we have continued to run around with no direction like a headless chicken, but even the very elections that brough in the 10th NEC would have become another quagmire, but because of your foresight and ingenuity, you masterfully brought this peace and unity to Council, and as the first beneficiary of this return to a United Council, we owe it to you and with the sincerest of hearts I say on behalf of the members of my Exco, thank you our dear Governor General.

His Excellency sir, since after our inauguration by my directive every member of the 10th NEC has been asked to stay behind here in the Central Zone as I consider it imperative for us to begin our term in office with the fatherly blessings and guidance of our Governor General, therefore today's meeting mark the beginning of our administration, for we now have the courage and bravery of a child assured of the father's protection and backing at all times.

His Excellency sir, distinguished and respected sons and daughters of Ijaw nation, the blueprint and policy direction of the 10th NEC have been clearly discussed in depth in my inaugural speech, a copy of which shall be made available for their Excellencies and every one here for your inputs and comments afterwards. Cardinal points of focus for Council under my stewardship shall include:

1. The creation of an Ijaw youth data base together with qualifications/skill sets based needs assessment: the goal is to provide a one stop platform for an available manpower and potentials in our quest for the employment and Empowerment of locals. This database would enable the IYC and other groups make better case for the adherence to the local content legislations

2. The promotion of the Ijaw culture and identity through the unification of varying interests and the micro sub-dialectics.

3. The protection and advancement of Ijaw people's right anywhere, particularly in Gelegele, Edo State.

4. Security of Ijaw Communities against the backdrop of contemporary security challenges. To this end I have directed the commencement of a ground work for the formation of the Ijaw Youth Security Council.

5. Environmental Justice: Pollution and environmental remediation. A highly sensitive case in hand is the continuing unabated gas leak aroud Bille Community in Rivers state, we wish to explore all available channels including the ICJ and foreign Courts to prosocute this environmental injustice against our people & for clearing of decommissioned platforms and equipments.

6. The push for the amendment to the PIA to reflect the true intent and demands of the Niger Delta. We wish to mobilize our strength to divert the criminal 30 percent aside for the development of the frontier basins in the north

7. Call for a United stand for Ijaw growth and development. Politicians and legislators and Executives to lead the charge forwards for the creation of two Ijaw states(i.e Toru-Ebe & Oil Rivers State).

His Excellency sir, while these and many more forms the nerve of our policy frame work, I would like to take liberty of this meeting to inform you that upon assuming office I have made a few pronouncements, and they include:

1. Banning the politicization of the IYC or its organs, as the IYC is an ethnocentric pressure group and it is best to leave it as such

2. Banning the Indiscriminate use of the IYC flag such as at burials, marriages, Political rallies and such other events that do not directly bare on the Ijaw struggle

3. I have set up a fact finding committees to assess the state of things around the gas leak in Bille Community in Eastern Zone, for appropriate Council response.

4. A declaration of IYC total support for the people of Gelegele and other Ijaw Communities whose lands, properties and lives are constantly threatened in Edo State.

ON AZIKIEL GROUP AND MR. KIRIYAI MATTER

On the matter Involving the renowned Ijaw business icon and President of the Azikiel Group, and another son of Ijaw nation Mr. Kiriyai Daukoru where things had spiralled out of control with imminent demonstrations and counter demonstrations, the 10th NEC has been able to douse tention as we were able to inter-phase with both parties and reach interim compromise, to this end the Immidiate past IYC Central leadership and other affiliate/ concerned groups called off all planned peaceful march/demonstrations. However, we have held several meetings with the Azikiel Group and also in touch with the representatives of the Kiriyai’s family all geared towards resolving the isssues amicably and securing the release of our brother from detention. The matter still pends before the court, we therefore seek His Excellency’s gracious intervention even in this direction as council is fully committed to uniting every varying interests and aspirations for the common good.

Our dear Governor sir, we have come to familiarize with you and aslo to seek your blessings, we understand the pivotal place your office occupy to the Ijaw struggle and we acknowledge the role you as our amiable Governor has played in support of our predecessors, we for example are aware how you personally ensured that Ijaws in Edo State where recognized for political appointments and we understand the importance of your figure even now, that is why we the members of the 10th NEC agreed amongst ourselves that we must wait until we meet with you and suckle like a baby from its mother's breast, before we would consider ourselves ready for the path ahead of us.

His Excellency sir, we can never thank you enough for your personal contributions to the IYC and the Ijaw struggle in general, and even though you have done so much, we like Oliver Twist may tend to ask for more.

By your grace permit me to inform you that we have with us a few requests that bothers on the routing running of the Council and I pray your permission to present these now for necessary action, but most pressing of these is the need to carry out some repairs and furnishing of the IYC Secretariat at the Ijaw House, and a Kick-off grant.

As you bestow upon us your fatherly blessings, and issue us your charge on the pathway to go, we pray the guidance and wisdom of the Almighty God to come up with policies and programs that are best for the Ijaw nation, and that he keeps every individual member of Council free from selfish greed and bind us together in one accord.

Pelete Egbeiri fa

Asawana...!

God bless Ijaw Nation

Haa... Izon!

@highlightFollowingDouye DiriIjaw Youth CouncilDOC MEDIABayelsa Government New MediaAlfred Kemepado NimizighaJonathan Lokpobiri SnrSEN Heineken Lokpobiri PhDAsiwaju Bola Ahmed TinubuDr. Samuel OgbukuKestin PondiMacdonald IgbadiweiIJAW YOUTH COUNCIL (IYC) WESTERN ZONERt Hon Sheriff OborevworiDr. Dennis OtuaroIjaw Matters View PointTvcnewsngArise NewsSir Siminalayi Fubara