If the recent mob attack on the palace of the Amayanabo of Twon Brass, King Alfred Diete-Spiff in Brass Council of Bayelsa State is a sign of things to come, then monarchies across the Niger Delta must put their houses in order. Gone should be the days where they are a willing tool in the corruption perpetrated by corrupt politicians and multinationals who prefer to settle a few than to settle the community. The Niger Delta has been enjoying the 13% derivation allocation policy for a long while now, yet the region is still the same hotspot of pollution, poverty, and pestilence. The pestilence is in the form of leaders like Rotimi Amaechi, Timipre Sylva, and others in the past like Emmanuel Uduaghan who are more concerned about lining the pockets of their unborn grandchildren and appeasing the whims and caprices of Northern oil block holders than meeting the needs and aspirations of their kinsmen. The wholesale acquisition of loans by Amaechi’s ministry with the collateral of the Niger Delta is the stuff foolishness and gross irresponsibility are made of, which has already started mortgaging the future of Nigerian youths.

As Nigeria continues to hemorrhage and all that defines us as a nation continues to be eroded by the ethnic bigotry of the Buhari administration, ethnic nationalities must start preparing for post-Nigeria because whoever fails to plan, is planning to fail. In many regards, Nigeria is already a failed state. But the regions and kingdom must safeguard themselves against this deliberately weakened geographical location that Muhammadu Buhari and his terrorists are doing all to conquer completely by first weakening her ethnic nationalities with the subjugation to the caliphate and its alliances. They succeeded more than a century ago in the North and South West. The Kingdoms of The Niger Delta must not allow history to repeat itself in the South-South. And negative history is prevented from repetition if concrete actions are taken to mitigate the series of events that led to the happenstance in the past.

It is in this regard I humbly call on one of the most revered monarchs in the world – the Oba Of Benin to take up the mantle of leadership and lead his people and give direction with the help of other monarchies in the Niger Delta. The Benin Kingdom only lost to the kingdom that conquered the world – the British Empire. And this happened because it was their time that was divinely orchestrated. Today, the Oba must draw strength from our ancient landmarks and the cries of mothers, children, sons, and daughters who have died in the hands of the evil marauders, to call on the Kings of the Niger Delta to arise and safeguard their land. He should call an extraordinary meeting of the kings with the ultimate objective of forming a new Kingdom of kingdoms called The United Kingdoms Of The Niger Delta (UKND). This will be a kingdom founded in truth that focuses on human resource development as against natural resources development. As the Ooni of Ife recently said, “We are building on a castle that has already collapsed.” referring to Nigeria. The Oba with his fellow monarchs in the Niger Delta must start building a brand new castle called the United Kingdoms Of The Niger Delta.

Ata Ukuta, Editor – www.towncryyers.com