18/08/2026
Edo state Ijaws’ Liberation Battle: We Own the Statement Made by King Asari Dokubo — Atigbi
The immediate past Deputy President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Comr. Freedom E. Atigbi, Ph.D., has declared that the Ijaw Nation, particularly the Edo Ijaws, stands firmly by the statement made by Alhaji King Asari Dokubo that the Ijaws in Edo State need liberation from political and traditional marginalisation.
Atigbi, who is also the Deputy Coordinator of the City Boy Movement, South-South Region, made the declaration while appearing on a podcast hosted by Global Egberi TV, where he spoke on recent developments surrounding relations between the Ijaws and Benin people following inflammatory statements allegedly made by some members of the Otuodon Youth Movement.
Recall that, while speaking at an IYC event in Port Harcourt, King Asari Dokubo stated that the next battleground for the collective struggle of the Ijaw people was Edo State. The statement has since generated tension, with different interpretations emerging from various quarters.
However, Atigbi clarified that King Asari Dokubo did not call on anyone to take up arms against anybody. Rather, he said, the statement was a call on the Edo State Government to protect the Ijaw people and recognise their political rights and aboriginal status in the state.
According to Atigbi, the Edo Ijaws stand by the statement made by the Ijaw leader and king, dismissing claims that some Ijaw individuals had distanced themselves from or debunked it.
He maintained that King Asari Dokubo remains an institution, having served at the apex level of leadership within the Ijaw Nation, and that statements from such a revered leader should not be casually dismissed.
Atigbi urged the Edo State Government to promptly address the concerns and demands of the Ijaw people in the state, warning that unresolved grievances could further heighten tensions.
“War is not a good thing. You can only know when it starts, but you cannot predict how it will end,” he cautioned.
Speaking further, Atigbi, hinted the need for Edo government to recognize as a matter of urgency the five traditional stool. Also calling the MD NDDC for the completion of the abandoned Udo-ufunama road.
He also advised members of the Otuodon Youth Movement to refrain from threats and inflammatory rhetoric, stressing that such statements could further escalate tensions and plunge the state into crisis.
Similarly, Atigbi appealed to the Oba of Benin to emulate the peace-building approach of the Olu of Warri, particularly in calling on his subjects to refrain from inflammatory statements and embrace peaceful coexistence with their neighbours.
He argued that stronger intervention from the Benin traditional institution was necessary to help douse the growing tension and promote peaceful relations between the two groups.
Despite the disagreements, Atigbi reiterated the commitment of the Edo Ijaws to peaceful coexistence with their Benin neighbours, stressing that the Ijaw people remain committed to living in harmony with all communities in Edo State.
He, however, maintained that peaceful coexistence must be built on mutual respect, recognition of rights, justice and equity.
©The Eavesdropper.
18th August, 2026.
