Speech Delivered By ENC At The Lower Niger Congress In Port Harcourt 27 April 2015
27 April 2015 By Delegates of Edo National Congress (ENC)
Represented today by Mr Jeffrey Odigie, Omorogieva Augustine Osarodion and Mr Edherue Anthony We Specially Greet the organiszers of this august ocassion, Mr Tony Nnadi and a host of others that have worked tirelessly all this while, dedicating their time and scarce resources to make this conference possible at this time in our conscious history. We also want to thank all in attendance for finding time amidst tight schedules to grace this great occasion with their physical presence and make their voices be heard loud and clear. Thank you, thank you, thank you for being here. Thank you.
Standing before you all today are a set of Edoids, who have travelled from all the way from the Edoid Nation to represent and deliver a clear and decisive message of Edoid Nation. We are delegates and representative of Edo National Congress of the Edoid Nation. We are found at the Midwestern state of What is today referred to Nigeria.
The Edoid nation is born out of the Benin Kingdon sovereign which Britain invaded, destroyed and stole thousands of her great bronze arts and historic symbols 1897. Before 1897, Benin Kingdom was the country and African nation of southern Nigeria including Eko named by portugeses as lagos, was under The Benin Kingdom. The British invaded Benin Kingdom 1897 and establish colonial rule. Managed Nigeria resource by Royal Niger Company later through UAC. Almagamated Northern Nigeria with southern Nigeria for a bigger territorial control and larger resource control without Oba Ovonramen signatory. The seding of Edoid land and resource to the Nigeria fussion was a fraud. Nigeria was a British Company lorded by Fredrick lugard the first governor general 1914.The Edo kingdom was an independent nation, an economic and military power recognised all over the world with ambassedord to other foreign western countries like portugal. A Kingdom where Edoid people managed themslves successfully. But what we find today is completely different in the Nigeria setting and our people are languishing in abject poverty with no hope for the future. We therefore allign with all and sundries to take the future into our hands and change the course. We the Edoids, we are not Nigerians, we are citizens of the Edo Nation of the defunct Bendel state in need of a new nation for our people that is neatly separated and territorially sovereign from Lugardian Nigeria. The need for our own Nation is born out of the fact that, it is our ancestral and core belief that the Edoid problem can only be solved by Edoids themselves, and no one, I mean no one, can solve our problem for us. Hence by logical assertion it will surmount to wishful thinking to expect people from the other region of Nigeria to have our best interest at heart or guarantee a safe, secure, sound and prosperous future for our citizens and unborn generations . It is therefore for this very reason we are here today to let the whole world know that, for the future of Edoids to be secured in all sides, we have to use this medium to ask the federal government of Nigeria to meet our core demands which are as follow with a specific time-limit of ................... months, without which, we the Edo National Congress will have no other option other than alert and mobilise all Edoids at home and abroad to get ready for outright and legitimate separation through a decisive call for referendum within this alien contraption called Nigeria. [1] Edo Nation needs security, independent sovereignty and autonomous power to make Laws governing its territories, regulate its bureau of conducts, protect Edoid lives and properties and safeguard our territorial integrity. [2] Edo Nation needs International sovereignty and formal recognition by other sovereign states as an independent nation [3] Edo Nation needs Domestic sovereignty and the legitimate powers to exercise total control and absolute authority in building and organising our nation in accordance with our cultural dictate and historical heritage. [4] Edo Nation is demand for Inter-stae sovereignty and to have exercizable authority to control the movement of people and goods across our state's borders, where we share boundaries with neighbouring countries [5] We the Edo Nation need Economic sovereignty and the constitutional powers to manage our natural and human resources for the betterment of our citizens and the development of our nation [6] From extensive studies, it is clear to every sane man, that the geographical quagmire called Nigeria has failed the Edo people and nation many ways. For it is an obvious fact that the Edo people have being marginalized, discriminated, robbed of their own land, resources and limited to minority statues since the time Nigeria got created. For example: 1. Our security have been heavily compromised since the violent emergence and the spread of the reprehensible influence of the world's most deadliest terrorist organisation known as Boko haram that currently and negatively affects the security of an average Edoid in these geographical space called Nigeria. [2] Economically speaking, our youths cannot find decent work, it has been difficult and almost impossible for an average Edoid graduate to be gainfully employed due to the obnoxious federal character formula, though many are better educated and qualified in technical skills, practical knowledge and qualifications. [7]. Our pre 1897 sovereignty was forcibly and criminally removed by the British government without due regards for international laws and territorial sovereignty of the Edoids in Edo Nation. [8]. Our esteemed identity, sacred and traditional institutions have been badly reduced and decimated beyond recognition even below the ranks of local government authorities [9]. We can no-longer identify with Nigeria project because our interest is not served by the current political, economic and socio-cultural settings that bedevil Lugardian Nigeria. [10] The sovereign national wealth of Nigeria has been used consistently over the last 50years to solely develop Lagos, Abuja and other parts of Northern and Western Nigeria at the expense of other Geo-political zones, particularly in the South South and Mid-western Geopolitical zones in which Edo Nation is found.
[11] Nigeria has gradually been Islamized without due regards to the indigenous religion, faiths, culture and traditions of the Edoid people. [12]. The Nigeria naira has been progressively devalued and poorly managed when compared to other major currencies of the world. [13] Nigerian mono-economy has become stagnated, under-performing and has remained largely undiversified compared to major economies of the globe [14] Politically, Nigeria is failed state based on international yardsticks and her current performance that have been characterised with massive failure in generation and delivering of constant power, regular electricity, portable drinking water, motorable roads, efficient healthcare system, and effective educational system at all levels of government. [15]. Our national assembly’s have been reduced to a laughing stock internationally with elected law makers openly breaking laws and bringing the Nigerian national assembly to international disrepute. [16]. They turned our land into an impromptu burial ground to cover up their heinous crimes; please name the last professional organization - not including the proposed mega gas plant - to be set up in Edo. A business - that could merit a listing on our stock exchange. Conclusion We the Edo Nation of the defunt Bendel state want a new nation called for our people that is neatly separated from Lugardian Nigeria. For it is our ancestral and core belief that the edoid problem can only be solved by Edoids themselve, it will surmount to wishful thinking to expect people from the other region of Nigeria to have our best interest at heart. Hence at the very least we are using this medium to ask the federal government of Nigeria to meet our following demands, lest we get all Edoids to ready for outright and legitimate separation through a call for referendum. Edo need security sovereignty and power to make laws, regulate conducts, protect Edo lives and properties and safeguard our territorial integrity. - International legal sovereignty and formal recognition by other sovereign states as an independent nation - Domestic sovereignty and the ability to exercise actual control and authority, and organized our nation in accordance with our cultural detects - Interdependence sovereignty and to have the ability to control the movement of goods and people across our state's borders, assuming the borders exist - Economic sovereignty and the ability to manage our natural and human resources for the betterment of our people
These and many reasons why we share the aspiration and the restructuring of the Nigeria Federation with the Lower Niger Congress.. I thank you
long live the United Kingdom of Edo long live the unity of the Lower Niger Congress agaisnt the oppress and marginalize people.
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Posted 27th April 2015 to www.edosatelite.blogspot.com
