By CrossRiverWatch Admin
The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore; Cross River Governor, Senator Ben Ayade joined a list of 15 individuals and organizations who bagged the “Dolphin Award” instituted by Bakassi Returnees to celebrate individuals who have helped them in their long journey to proper resettlement and justice.
The Bakassi Peninsula was ceded out of Nigeria to the Republic of Cameroon by a judgment of the International Court of Justice in 2002.
The Cross River State Government then carved out a new Bakassi Local Government Area from the existing Akpabuyo Local Government Area as part of plans to resettle the people, but the Returnees who were largely fishermen and farmers have not been properly integrated.
The leader of the Returnees, Chief Etim Okon Ene told invitees at a gathering last weekend that the occasion “marks the reality of the dream of our mothers here seated to say ‘Thank you’ to a few among a myriad of helpers and benefactors.”
The Returnees are currently scattered across settlements in Ikpa Nkanya, Eyo Edem, and Ifiang Oyong communities located in Akpabuyo and the newly created Bakassi Local Government Areas.
And, Ene explained that; “This Dolphin Award of honor was conceived in line with our history which has it that our forefathers were brought to the shores of our ancestral home: the ceded Bakassi Peninsula by dancing fishes which were still with us until the 1990s.
“The Dolphin, known to be a sailor’s friend, the dancing fish, also recognizes itself from reflections in the mirror. It is in the light of this uncanny ability of recognition, that we the riverine people decided to honor some of those who were able to recognize our needs as drowning humans and responded as Dolphins to our rescue.”
Ene also explained that the ceremony was to launch a NGN 50 million farm project by the Bakassi Returnees Less-Privileged Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society Ltd and sued for the support of well-meaning Nigerians.
Asides from Sowore and Ayade, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq; her counterpart in the Niger Delta Ministry, Umana Okon Umana, and Brigadier General Innocent Olotta of the Nigerian Army were honored.
The Paramount Ruler of Bakassi, Etinyin Etim Okon Edet, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, Senator Bassey Otu, Architect Joy Osaretin Baderin, and Mrs. Kelechi Okoroji Ejemson were awarded for their contributions.
Also, three journalists – Alhaji Rasheed Olanrewaju, Comrade Nsa Gill, and Princess Imani Odey as well as two media houses – the African Independent Television and Channels Television were awarded for extensive reportage on different issues bedeviling the Returnees.
While Ayade was absent and not represented, Mr. Sowore while receiving the award, said the people of Bakassi had shown resilience which ought to be celebrated.
Represented by Mr. Jonathan Ugbal, the acting coordinator of the Take It Back Movement in Cross River, Sowore said: “Bakassi is not just a place, it is the people and you have shown a resilience that we must celebrate too. It is indeed sad what you have gone through which shows the sheer wickedness of the Government at all levels who have failed to properly resettle you.”
He said that the Dolphin represents resurrection and expressed optimism that the Bakassi people will return to their glory days.
While addressing journalists, he said the first thing was to properly resettle the people and ask them what they needed going forward since they were never consulted in any of the decisions taken that left them near statelessness.
“There was no plebiscite, they were not consulted and all these are human rights violations. Asides from that when you visit where they reside, you begin to wonder where all the billions said to be expended there are,” he said, adding that nothing shows that up to NGN2 billion has been expended to give the returnees succor.
