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Re: Ann Kio Briggs And The Commercialisation Of Struggles



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I read with strong disappointment an article written by one Suleiman Hashim where he had struggled so hard to deplete the character and integrity of one of Niger Delta’s finest activists Ms. Ann Kio Briggs. This article which many will consider dead on arrival, showed the ignorance of some people and the rush at which they are in displaying their ignorance to the world.
Mr. Suleiman without doubt showed his dislike for Ms. Briggs and the people of the Niger Delta. He hinged his position on the stance taken by Ann Kio Briggs on the issue of self determination. Mr. Hashim had in the course of his article allowed his emotions to becloud his sense of reasoning when he made some distorted observations about this true Niger Delta daughter.
Firstly, he had in his view posited that aunty Ann has benefitted a lot from the oil in her domain and has done little or nothing to empower her kinsmen. To quote him “I don’t think she has empowered her kinsmen appropriately to show that she has their welfare at heart” I laughed after reading this line. The question is on what platform Mr. Hashim expected her to empower her people more than those elected to do so. Is he expecting her to use her little resources to engage in welfare programmes for the masses so as to impress the likes of Mr. Hashim and his fellows? This is a very uncharitable way of portraying someone who has committed her resources in fighting for the general good of the people without fear. What she has done and has continued to do is worth more than staging a kangaroo empowerment scheme that most times is not sustainable. The motivation she has given to youths in the Niger Delta region my humble self included is what many cannot buy in the market and I do hope Mr. Hashim a northerner going by his name, failed to understand this and was looking at it from the almajiri perspective.
This same Hashim had also observed that the agitation of Ms Kio Briggs was as a result of the loss of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan at the last Presidential elections. He had also alleged that she was not in line with the sensitivities of the people of the north who had voted for him during the 2011 elections and now decided to turn their back. He had also asked her to do proper research. Good I believe after reading through his opinion that he loves doing researches but while trying to vilify her, I observe that he has failed to do a proper research before coming out to vilify her. It may have been a case of selective amnesia because if he had done so, he would have realized that the position taken by her today has been her position for years and not because of Jonathan. Ann Kio Briggs has been a Niger Delta activist for decades campaigning for the good of the region and coming today to take the stand she has taken, is not because of the issues of the moment but because the kind of gang up that characterized the Presidential election have been her fear as well as the fear of majority of our people regarding the constitution of the Nigerian state. If you think she is bad for taken her stance then people like Ango Abdulahi and his fellows should be in prison for projecting regional sentiments. I will rather advise him to do a proper research before writing rubbish.
Lastly, he queried Ann Kio Briggs for not coming up to question Agencies of government that are supposed to develop the region. He had mentioned agencies like NDDC. Without any intention of becoming her advocate, I will still suggest that he go and do more research before publishing items that only tend to mislead the public and vilify somebody who has one her best for her region.
Nigerians need the ilk of Ms. Kio Briggs she is an epitome of the struggle not only to make the Niger Delta region great but Nigeria in general. What many people have failed to understand is that the development of any region in the country will always complement the growth and development of the country in general.  Mudslinging articles like the one written by Hashim will not in any way change the fact that her contribution to the socio political firmament in her region and the country cannot be wished away in any way.
Comrade Nwokoma Messiah is the National Coordinator of Niger Delta Renaissance Organisation NDRO

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