Ijaw Leader Blasts Wike as a ‘Careless Speaker’

The President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Professor Benjamin Okaba, has criticized the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, calling him a “careless speaker” prone to making reckless statements, sometimes under the influence of alcohol.

Prof. Okaba’s rebuke follows Wike’s controversial assertion that the Ijaw people are a minority ethnic group in Nigeria. Speaking during an appearance on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, the renowned Professor of Sociology dismissed the remark as baseless and misleading.

Okaba emphasized that the Ijaws are among the four largest ethnic groups in Nigeria, noting that their territories extend beyond land to encompass vast water areas. He argued that Wike’s comment reflected a deliberate distortion of well-established demographic facts.

“The person you’re talking about (Wike) could say anything under the influence of alcohol and later debunk it; he is a very careless speaker,” Okaba stated. “Ijaws are not the fourth largest; they are one of the four largest. Most times, people look at land mass without considering water space. The boundaries of Ijawland extend into the rivers and beyond Nigeria’s land areas.”

Highlighting the Ijaws’ demographic strength, Okaba pointed out that they are the most populous ethnic group in the Niger Delta region, spreading across six states, including Bayelsa, Abia, Delta, Edo, Ondo, and Rivers. He specifically noted that Ijaw communities in Abia State number 26, while Delta State has more than four Ijaw-dominated local government areas. In Rivers State, he asserted, the Ijaw people occupy ten and a half local government areas, compared to Ikwerre’s three.

Okaba further alleged that Wike’s statement was an attempt to distort historical and demographic realities, adding that political census figures have been manipulated in the past.

He urged President Bola Tinubu to remain cautious of Wike’s influence, warning that the minister’s reckless comments could undermine efforts to promote democracy in Nigeria.

“Wike is nothing outside government,” Okaba concluded, calling on the President to safeguard democratic principles and ensure accurate representation of Nigeria’s diverse ethnic landscape.