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

Dr. Esekumemu V. Clark
own natural resources and judiciously manage them so as to prevent
wasteful use, depletion of resources and environmental problems, as
well as jobs, which in turn create and reduce social exclusion in the
Niger Delta, which had been neglected for years by the Nigerian
authorities. In order to realise the fundamental objectives, aims and
goals the Kaiama Declaration states 1[10]
- “All land and natural resources (including mineral resources)
within the Ijaw territory belong to Ijaw communities and are the
basis of our survival.
- We cease to recognise all undemocratic decrees that rob our
peoples/communities of the right to ownership and control of
our lives and resources, which were enacted without our
participation and consent. These include the Land Use Decree
and The Petroleum Decree, etc.
- Ijaw youths and peoples will promote the principle of peaceful
coexistence between all Ijaw communities and with our
immediate neighbours, despite the provocative and divisive
actions of the Nigerian State, transnational oil companies and
their contractors.
We offer a hand of friendship and
comradeship to our neighbours: the Itsekiri, Ilaje, Urhobo,
Isoko, Edo, Ibibio, Ogoni, Ekpeye, Ikwerre, etc. We affirm our
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