Contending Issues in the Niger Delta Crisis of Nigeria - Journal of ...

Dr. Esekumemu V. Clark
and eventually led to an attack against Southerners, especially the
Ibos in the Northern region, as well as the political tussle between
Ojukwu and Gowon over the issues of human rights and security of
Ibos within Nigeria. Indeed, Ojukwu failed to recognise and critically
examine the concerns of the Ijaws in the East in 1966, over issues of
marginalisation, human rights, security, development, pollution etc.,
when Boro raised them.
The leadership in the Eastern region
articulated such justifications, among others, in the dismemberment
of the Eastern region on May 30, 1967 from the rest of Nigeria.
In short, the Willink Commission report’s main principles such
as rule of law, human rights, democracy and development are yet to
be fully integrated into the Nigerian society, where minority groups
are still being marginalised in socio-economic and political formation.
The consolidation of democracy is still an uphill task and the high
expectations of the independence era had given way to frustration and
disillusionment among the people in the country.
As eminent
Nigerian historian Professor Tekena N. Tamuno notes:
Steadily, disillusionment followed the dreams of the Willink
Commissioners over early realisation of liberal democracy. 1[4]
The Ijaw Question
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