THE IJAW NATION: 10-POINT POLICY ROADMAP EXTRACTED FROM THE PROPHETIC AND POLICY NEW YEAR ADDRESS TO THE IJAW NATION
By ENGR AKPOYIBO JOHN PEREDE
(A Strategic Framework for Sustainable Nation-Building)
1. LEADERSHIP INTERCESSION AND ETHICAL GOVERNANCE POLICY:
Establish a culture of continuous intercession, accountability, and ethical oversight for all Ijaw leaders across political, traditional, security, and economic spheres. Leadership shall be viewed as stewardship, not entitlement, anchored on selflessness, transparency, and service to the people.
2. UNITY AND NATIONAL COHESION POLICY:
Institutionalize unity as a non-negotiable national principle. While diversity of beliefs and opinions is acknowledged, all Ijaw communities, kingdoms, and leaders must align under a shared national purpose. Division shall no longer be tolerated as a tool of manipulation or weakness.
3. SELFLESSNESS AND SUSTAINABILITY DOCTRINE:
Adopt selflessness as a governing doctrine for resource management. All benefits, contracts, and opportunities accruing to the Ijaw Nation must be structured for long-term community impact, preventing the historic error of converting collective wealth into private consumption.
4. WEALTH-TO-WEALTH ECONOMIC STRATEGY:
Transition from consumption-based economics to productive, reinvestment-driven wealth creation. Wealth generated must be deliberately deployed to produce additional wealth through enterprises, infrastructure, human capital development, and intergenerational assets.
5. COMMUNITY WELFARE EXPANSION FRAMEWORK:
Prioritize large-scale investments in education, healthcare, housing, water, security, and youth development. Every major economic inflow must demonstrate measurable improvement in community welfare indices across the Ijaw Nation.
6. INFRASTRUCTURE AND INTER- CONNECTIVITY PLAN:
Implement a strategic program for physical and economic connectivity—roads, waterways, digital infrastructure, energy, and logistics—linking Ijaw communities to one another and to regional and global markets.
7. SMART COASTAL CITIES AND INDIGENOUS URBAN DEVELOPMENT POLICY:
Transform Ijaw villages into smart coastal cities, leveraging technology, marine advantages, renewable energy, and modern urban planning. Indigenous city development must be people-centered, culturally rooted, and economically viable.
8. AGRICULTURAL AND BLUE ECONOMY INDUSTRIALIZATION POLICY:
Develop mega swamp rice projects, fisheries, aquaculture, and blue-economy industries using Ijaw natural water advantages. Agriculture and marine resources shall be industrialized to ensure food security, employment, and export competitiveness.
9. PEACE, STABILITY AND STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENT POLICY:
Position peace as a strategic economic and political advantage. Maintain constructive engagement with all governments—regardless of party affiliation—while safeguarding Ijaw interests through dialogue, intelligence, and institutional strength.
10. HUMAN CAPITAL AND POLICY LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM:
Deliberately raise a new generation of policy architects, technocrats, and institutional builders from within the Ijaw Nation. Investment in education, mentorship, research, and leadership training shall ensure that Ijaw people are not only beneficiaries but designers of policy at local, national, and international levels.
This roadmap represents a shift from prophecy to structure, from potential to policy, and from survival to significance. If faithfully implemented, it will reposition the Ijaw Nation as a model of self-directed development, unity, and sustainable prosperity
Long live Ijaw Nation!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2026
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