Chapter 3
FREEDOM
Barrister Smooth is a freedom fighter. His popular melody FREEDOM is more than just a song, it was a revolution. It was about a people who had decided to say no to power. It was about a people who believed in their fundamental human rights.
With a precise control over the song, Barrister Smooth started with the Lord's prayer.
Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, On earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread, give us this our daily bread, Amen!'
He then proceeded to appreciate those freedom fighters who had died in the war for the sake of the IZON Struggle.
Barrister Smooth is a town crier who cries like the crocodile. The first stanza of the song, he cried:
' Freedom,! Freedom! Oh Freedom!'
Notwithstanding one can feel his emotions as he brings into remembrance the patriots who had died with their families uncared for by the living.
Like a good fisherman, he throws the net of story telling around his parents.
' I Barrister had thought I had seen, but I am not. Daddy is this what you have been saying? Mummy, is this what you'd been saying? '
Then he spoke like Job in the Bible ' what my ears had heard, is different from what my eyes have seen.'
Then gradually he opened the storyline, the beginning of the crises and delves into history.
It all started on 1st of October ,1996. The Izon man who have been praying for a Local Government Headquarters finally had his prayers answered from the creation of Warri South. But ignorantly he went to sleep not expecting any trouble. While sleeping, unknown to him, the enemy was planning and planting another thing.
The Warri South West Local Government Headquarters was situated at Ogbe Ijo comprising the following Izon clans-
Ogbe ijoh, Isaba Gbaramatu, and Diebiri.
The elected Chairman was Chief Couple Oromoni and ten other councilors. They functioned for three months before it headquarters was aborted in 1997.
The Izons sensed a foul play and that culminated into what was known as the Warri crises between the Izons and the Itsekiris. To the Izons the deliberate plan to relocate the headquarters was a further evidence of the marginalisation of the people fuelled by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The leader of the Izon Nation, Pa Chief E. K. Clark stood up and spoke against the injustice done to the people. He forewarned trouble that the Izons would not accept the injustice until the Local Government headquarters was reversed. The Izon youths protested to shut in the flow stations in Delta state belonging to Shell ( SPDC).
In order to vent their anger against Pa. Clark, the Itsekiri youths mobilised and burnt down his house at No. 6 Baptist Mission road, Warri at around 3a.m on March 25th 1997. The security guard was assassinated by the culprits.
This incident further fuelled the crises. The tribal war escalated to 1998 where the Izon youths created more havoc by forcing the shut- in of about 508,000 barrels of crude oil in a day, roughly estimated as a quarter of the country's daily production rate. Shell and Chevron became the victims of the crises as the major companies affected. As the damage continued the Nigerian government sent troops of soldiers to protect the oil companies. There was an heavy presence of military men in the area all to no avail. The disruption continued. The leaders under the banner of 'The Niger Delta Oil Producing Communities Development Organisation' (NIDOPCODO,) and Environmental Rights Action in Warri filled a lawsuit against Shell. The suit was asking Shell to stop the production of works and pay for compensation to the communities due to environmental degradation caused by Shell's constant pipeline spills.
The song FREEDOM captured the essence of the war and the position of the Izons at that time. As always Smooth took the war to a different dimension sending message to the outside world how the Izons were being oppressed by the government of the day against their own fundamental rights, and against their own itsekiri brothers in the Niger Delta.
He cried and continued to cry for the oil wells in the Niger Delta region owned by outsiders. He cried for the land destroyed by oil exploration and exploitation. He cried over a blessed tribe yet living in abject poverty.
" Where we passed our unwanted body waste, the same water we drink from. Oh freedom is our goal!" He musical artiste cried.
The freedom of the Izon Nation to Chief Barrister Smooth is indeed a fundamental human aspiration, encompassing the ability to make choices, express oneself, and live without oppression or restraint.
To him, Freedom is a human need, a multifaceted concept, encompassing various aspects, such as:
1. Personal freedom: The ability to make choices about one's life, such as education, career, and relationships.
2. Political freedom: The right to participate in the political process, vote, and express opinions without fear of retribution.
3. Economic freedom. The ability to pursue economic opportunities, own property, and enjoy financial security.
4. Social freedom: The freedom to associate with others, form communities, and enjoy social and cultural activities without discrimination or persecution, and all these things are needed by the Izons as a people.
"The pursuit of freedom has driven human history, inspiring movements for independence, civil rights, and social justice and the Izon Nation cannot stand aside and look as if they are slaves" he said.
The tune FREEDOM is a pointer to revolution fanning the embers of the Niger Delta Struggle into explosive flames of reality. The people wailed, walked and wallowed in pains and penury while waiting to be freed.
"When will it be Uhuru", "When will our waterways be purified", "Where is the dividends of democracy", "Where are the benefits of the host communities", "Why are our politicians carried away by the pleasures of power" creating mayhem and manipulations, setting our people against one another. All these had become a burden for the people who prayed all day for a Messiah."
Before long, a vibrant and vehement voice was amplified speaking the minds of the people in songs that turn into messages for millions of men. Barrister Smooth like other international stars used the microphone and his music platform to salvage the scary situations of the time.
A cock may belong to a particular household, but when it crows, the entire community hears and so was the case of the Ijaw music star who from a small community of Enekorougha in Delta turned a master of his craft using his talent to transform towns and territories. The music legend of Ijaw extraction had become a global voice and peace ambassador.
Smooth took the centre stage over the fight for freedom as we have read and seen. He has remained a bulwark to the Niger Delta Struggle and the regional stability of our country. Suffice to say his dreams for a peaceful Niger Delta had become a reality. Today, his desires are broadened into becoming an outreach through his songs by reminding our leaders to do more for the people in terms of poverty alleviation and the overall welfare of the State.
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy" MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
It was in times like this, a period really dark and a little red that High Chief Government Tompolo Ekpemupolo and other warlords would lend their support in making sure the physical combats were in their favour. No stone was left unturned in the struggle and fight for freedom. While men were fast asleep in the middle of the nights, these warriors kept their watch taking upon themselves the burden of freedom.
They said NO to the weights of humiliation, oppression, repression, manipulation and slavery. Arise! Arise!! Arise !!! Sleeping giant. The clarion call for freedom echoed through the hinterlands, interior communities and cities of the Niger Delta. The sounds of songs from Smooth strengthened our soldiers who stood thier grounds for justice and peace. It became a wakeup call to live right. Smooth passed on history to the next generation, transferring our culture, shared history and struggle.
The bonds of unity were strengthened each time the timbrels, trombone, talking drums, guitars and piano is played. Men and women are gathered beyond tribe and boundaries, colour and class, the Ijaws and Itsekiris, Urhobos and Isokos, the Idoma and Tiv, Ikweres and Igbos, men and women from all races would put their differences behind as they listen to Smooth whose call for unity is echoed across regions.
The dangling movement of the waist - stretching and sliding to the left, right and centre by the group of dancers reflect a dose of our cultural differences, while the firm grip of the foot to the ground in the midst of all manners of body movement reveals we can live as one not minding our differences.
Just the same way the dangling waist would rely on the firm grip of the toes for a balance, so it is with every tribe and group relying on one another for a communal and collective progress.
After a period of disagreement, a little dangling to the left, movement to the right and and centre, the crisis came to an end as the Warri South West Local Government Area was relocated to Ogbe Ijoh - its original location. Both parties had to sheath their swords and allowed for peace. Today, the Warri metropolis and the Niger Delta region had become a commercial hub for business to thrive, attracting foreign investment and tourism because a man like Barrister Smooth spoke.
However some notable forces contributed to the peace process in the Warri crises in Delta state.
The Ijaw and Itsekiri crisis, which began in 1996, gradually subsided through a combination of government interventions, peace initiatives, and community-led reconciliation efforts.
Some key milestones that contributed to the resolution of the crisis include:
1. 1998: Peace Accord: A peace accord was signed between the Ijaw and Itsekiri leaders, facilitated by the Nigerian government and international organizations.
2. 2000: Establishment of the Delta State Government's Peace Committee*: The committee, chaired by the Delta State Governor, worked to promote dialogue, reconciliation, and development in the affected areas.
3. 2003: Launch of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC): The NDDC, established by the Nigerian government, aimed to address the socio-economic challenges facing the Niger Delta region, including the areas affected by the Ijaw-Itsekiri crisis.
While these efforts helped to reduce tensions and promote reconciliation, the region still experiences periodic outbreaks of violence and unrest. Ongoing initiatives need to put in focus on sustainable development, conflict prevention, and community engagement to ensure lasting peace.
