The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND), has described the Ijaw as the most marginalised ethnic nationality in Nigeria.
MOSIEND president, Dr. Kennedy West, disclosed this yesterday while speaking at the 2025 Isaac Boro Day celebration in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
West described the late Major Isaac Adaka Boro as a young man who saw that the Ijaw people would be marginalised in the Nigerian state in the future.
He said, “Major Jasper Isaac Adaka Boro was not just a revolutionary but a visionary who led the first secessionist issue in Nigeria. The issues he raised are still lingering and potent in this state called Nigeria.
“Major Jasper Isaac Adaka Boro saw what even the Head of State couldn’t see at that time. He saw that the Ijaws would be marginalised. As at that time, there was not much environmental degradation but he saw it coming. He saw that the Constitution that was in existence, even in the future will not favour Ijaws.
“That even the Willinks Constitution said the Ijaws should be given preference in terms of development, in terms of infrastructure. That as at that time, the revenue of this country 50 but they brought it down to zero percent.”
The MOSIEND leader has revealed that the Ijaw ethnic nationality was not supposed to be part of the Nigerian state, but was deceived by the colonial masters.
West said: “MOSIEND wrote a letter to 20 embassies asking that we should be compensated as Ijaw people because at the first place, Ijaw people or the Ijaws as a nation was not supposed to be part of Nigeria.
“But, our leniency, our friendship with the colonial masters got us where we are now. For us, it was a fast one played on us and we didn’t take it lightly.”
He described the MOSIEND as an organisation that has the most dedicated and committed members involved in the struggle for the emancipation of the Ijaw ethnic nationality.
West said: “Members of MOSIEND are by my estimation are the most dedicated, committed members of the struggle platform. This is because MOSIEND was established in 1993 in the deep days of the military junta. So, you dare not at that time identify with a movement.
“The ranking movement at that time or a sister body was MOSOP; the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People. MOSOP was established in 1990 and MOSIEND in 1993 respectively.
“And they forced the junta in power at that time, demanding for the rights of Ijaw people and the people of the Niger Delta leveraging on the foundation that was established by Major Jasper Isaac Adaka Boro. The same issue.”
