By Oyintokoni Joel, Yenagoa
Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, on Tuesday, formally brought a closure to his reconciliation effort in the Ijaw National Congress (INC) with the hosting of a Mega Unity Reception at the Ijaw House in Yenagoa, the state capital.
The well-attended event brought together leaders of the Ijaw ethnic nationality, stakeholders and contestants in the disputed April 2026 INC election that produced the High Chief MacDonald Igbadiwe leadership.
The inauguration of the Igbadiwe-led executive in Warri, Delta State, outside the traditional Ijaw House in Yenagoa, generated controversy that threatened the fabric of the foremost Ijaw nation’s socio-cultural organisation until the Bayelsa governor intervened and constituted a reconciliation committee chaired by former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Dr. Mathew Seiyefa.
At the unity reception, Governor Diri implored stakeholders to bury the hatchet in the interest of the unity and cohesion of the ethnic group.
He also urged the new INC leadership to unify the people and build an institution that would protect the identity of the ethnic nationality.
Senator Diri said the Ijaws must rise and speak with one voice that commands a seat at every table where Nigeria’s destiny is decided, stressing that they must act together in helping to shape decisions that affect their future.
He further challenged the INC to move beyond rivalries, narrow interests, and old divisions, emphasising that the Ijaw nation’s collective glory must come before personal ambition.
According to the governor, “this powerful gathering tells Nigeria, Africa, and the world that the unity, solidarity, and indivisibility of the Ijaw nation are non-negotiable.
“Most Ijaw people cherish and will defend this sacred unity. When we stand together with shared purpose and destiny, no force can weaken us. The Ijaw nation stands at a critical crossroads and must embrace the responsibility of unity.
“We must understand what is at stake. If we fail to act together, others will decide our future without us. We will live with their decisions instead of helping shape them. The time to organise is now. Our relevance, resources, dignity, and shared future depend on what we do today.”
Acknowledging the Igbadiwe-led INC, Diri, who is known as the Governor-General of the Ijaw Nation, maintained that this was not a time for division but a time for unity and every son and daughter under the INC must rise above narrow interests and unite for their dignity, destiny, and greater glory.
In his remarks, chairman of the event and one-time deputy governor of Rivers State, Sir Gabriel Toby, lauded the Bayelsa governor for his timely intervention in resolving the leadership crisis within the organisation.
Sir Toby equally praised Dr. Seiyefa and other members of the reconciliation committee for their selfless efforts and sacrifices on such a critical assignment.
He charged the INC president to be a team player and work effectively to represent the collective interest of the Ijaw nation and embrace issues that promote peace, unity and progress.
The Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama Kingdom, King Bubaraye Dakolo, who is chairman of the Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers and also chairman of the Conference of Ijaw Traditional Rulers and Elders (CITRE), an INC advisory body, equally encouraged Igbadiwei, to see his position as a call to service and to unite all zones of the Congress.
“So, today, you are bestowed as the chief servant to ensure that no piece of Ijaw land, no piece of Ijaw property, no Ijaw man, no Ijaw woman is mistreated in any part of the entire globe. That is why you are president worldwide,” the monarch said.
In his remarks, the INC President, High Chief Macdonald Igbadiwei, a former lawmaker in the Bayelsa Gouse of Assembly, expressed gratitude to Governor Diri for not allowing the INC to disintegrate undr his watch.
He assured that the INC would work with the governor, other leaders, traditional rulers, youth bodies and relevant stakeholders towards actualising the mandate of the Ijaw nation.
