The Plight of Egbema: A Call for Unity and Fair Representation
The Plight of Egbema: A Call for Unity and Fair Representation
📅 14th September 2025
✍🏽 By Comrade Possy Okpoye Yobo (Writes from the Creek)
Introduction
The cry for justice, equity, and fair representation from Egbema Kingdom has grown louder as years of marginalisation and neglect continue to weigh heavily on the people. Despite being one of the strongest pillars in the Niger Delta struggle and contributing immensely to the socio-economic development of Nigeria, Egbema remains largely excluded from political appointments, development projects, and opportunities meant for the Ijaw nation and the region at large.
Historical Sacrifices, Present Neglect
Egbema Kingdom has never shied away from standing at the forefront of the fight for the emancipation of the Niger Delta people. During the turbulent era of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) in 2009, Egbema sons and daughters made enormous sacrifices — even paying the ultimate price — to draw the attention of the Federal Government to the plight of their people.
Their commitment and bravery were instrumental in the creation of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), which has today become a celebrated initiative that transformed the Niger Delta struggle into a platform for peacebuilding and human capital development. Yet, in the distribution of benefits from the very programme their blood and sweat birthed, Egbema people are conspicuously missing in action.
Alarming Unemployment Crisis
Recent statistics paint a grim picture: more than 99% of educated youths in Egbema remain unemployed, a situation that has left many disillusioned and frustrated. For a kingdom that contributed so much to the political relevance of the Ijaw nation, this is nothing short of heartbreaking.
The absence of job opportunities, youth empowerment schemes, and deliberate inclusion of Egbema in regional development plans has left the kingdom behind while other Ijaw kingdoms progress.
Underrepresentation in Key Offices
Agencies such as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), and Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), which are supposed to represent all oil-bearing communities fairly, have become dominated by individuals from other kingdoms.
Egbema’s exclusion from these spaces raises critical questions:
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Why is a kingdom so crucial to the Niger Delta struggle missing from decision-making tables?
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When will Egbema leaders and youths occupy key offices where their voices can be heard and their needs addressed?
Recent Controversies: The UK Scholarship Selection
For a kingdom that fought relentlessly for the establishment of PAP, being excluded from such life-changing opportunities feels like a slap in the face.
A Call for Unity and Action
Egbema cannot afford to remain divided at a time like this. The kingdom must unite politically, socially, and strategically to demand its rightful place in the Ijaw nation and the Nigerian project at large.
“Egbema is the heartbeat of Ijaw politics,” Comrade Yobo declares. “It is time we rise with one voice to demand truth, equity, and fairness in the sharing of appointments, scholarships, and resources.”
Conclusion
Until fairness becomes the standard, the voice of Egbema will not be silenced.
Meta Description: Egbema Kingdom cries out over marginalisation and lack of representation in key Niger Delta offices. Comr. Possy Okpoye Yobo calls for unity, fairness, and political inclusion.
🏷 Tags: Egbema Kingdom, Niger Delta, Marginalisation, PAP, NDDC, DESOPADEC, Ijaw Nation, Unity, Representation
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