State of the nation: Tompolo breaks silence •Fubara will return to office soon •Itsekiris are minority in Warri

• Ijaw makes Wike governor
•Olu of Itsekiri an Ijaw man
•Pleads with Tinubu to return Fubara

By Monday Peters, Abuja

Nigeria standstill as the most revered Ijaw leader, High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo broke silence after almost a month of the State of Emergency Declaration in Rivers State while marking his 54th birthday on April 12, 2025. He also spoke about the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC Delineation in Warri federal constituency.

Speaking at his birthday, he said people have been accusing him of betraying the Ijaw nation for being silent over the removal of Rivers State governor Sim Fubara, emphasising that he can’t betray the Ijaw nation he has been fighting for all through his life.

Tompolo remarked that the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike is his friend, adding that Ijaw equally made Wike a governor in Rivers State. Tompolo appealed to angry Ijaws over Wike’s insults on the Ijaw nation, noting that the Ijaw nation had outgrown responding to Wike’s kind of statement, saying that Ijaw is no longer in that level.

He assured the people of Rivers State and Ijaw nation that Governor Sim Fubara will soon return to office as governor, maintaining that talks are ongoing to resolve the differences between both Wike and Sim Fubara.

The Ijaw leader warned against attempts by enemies to cause problems in BAYELSA State, according to him BAYELSA is the only Ijaw homogeneous state and nobody should temper with it, noting that anyone who attempted to cause problems in Rivers State would die.

On Warri federal constituency delineation, Tompolo said Itsekiris are a minority in the Warri federal constituency, reminding the Olu of Itsekiri that his grandmother is from the Gbaramatu kingdom.

Tompolo admonished the Itsekiri to make peace and not provoke an avoidable crisis in Warri federal constituency, adding that the INEC delineation report only revealed the truth state of things in the Warri three local government areas.

The Ijaw spiritual leader said Ijaws never go to any war and fail, explaining that Ijaw would always be victorious in every battle, and will never be afraid of war.

He further appealed for support for president Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second term ambition, stating that Tinubu would bring massive development to the Ijaw nation.

His words, “I have sat on the throne of my father and all that is lost will return to glory, the Ijaws will never be conquered people, if Ijaws chose to go to war, the heavens will join us, I have never fought a battle and lost.

“Let’s continue to support President Tinubu, he will bring all the good things we desire to Ijaw Nation, he is not a bad person.

“On the issue of ward delineation, we and the itsekiris are not at war, they know the truth, the Gbaranmatu town Amadino is 40 years older than all Itsekiris communities, so why fighting someone older than you?, they know that if you put all the Itsekiris town together they are not close to the population in Okerenkoko, so INEC only revealed the truth.

“For those instigating war, the Olu of Itsekiri is a maternal son of Gbaranmatu, so you see we are one people, would you fight your own people?

“On the issue in Rivers state, because I have not spoken they say I have betrayed the Ijaw Nation, but l cannot betray Ijaw Nation, I have spent all my life fighting for Ijaw, but we have passed the stage of responding to Wike’s kind of statement, we are no longer in that level.

“I assure you that Governor Fubara will return back as Governor, we are already discussing, both he and wike are like father and son, before he became Governor, many Ijaws were against him yet Wike was instrumental to his emergence just like we also supported wike, and just like l will not accept rebellion from my son, l will also not cause more problems, Wike is angry, but he has to bring his temper down for the good of all, we will dialogue and resolve all lingering issues, and again Fubara will return to his seat.

“But you see that Bayelsa, as we are all here, our eyes are there, that is our home, if you try Bayelsa you will die, l and Gov. Diri may differ in opinion but we are Ijaws, Bayelsa is the home of all Ijaws, those who are still carrying guns against their fellow Ijaws, it’s time to love ourselves”, he emphasised.