AFENIFERE CELEBRATES EDWIN CLARK: IT IS NOT YET UHURU.
The call to glory of Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark just on the heels of the departure of his friend and compatriot, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Leader of Afenifere, is no doubt another huge loss of rare a nationalist and statesman with courage for a Nigeria of equal opportunities and resultant peaceful co-existence of its constituent nationalities to achieve its manifest destiny as the leader of Africa and peoples of Africa descent.
Edwin Clark dedicated his life, especially in the last two decades, to further unite and provide courageous leadership with his compatriots for the Ijaw nation through the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and with his other colleagues formed the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) as strategic platforms for identifying and protecting the interests of the multiple South-South ethnic nationalities within the Nigerian Federation.
Edwin Kiagbodo Clark played a leading role in fostering southern Nigeria unity through the most celebrated “handshake-across-the Niger” and the formation of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (MBLF) as a national platform for equity and fairness in national affairs.
He did not only lead the SMBLF but also made his Abuja residence available as its secretariat as the venue and veritable voice for true federalism and assurance that no geopolitical zone is short-changed in the access to the leadership of Nigeria.
In Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, Afenifere celebrates a life dedicated to the greatness of Nigeria and a voice which brutally and frankly spoke truth to power in its realisation.
To the Clark family, raise your heads high for giving to Nigeria a worthy son and to our colleagues in the INC, PANDEF and MBLF, it is time for greater commitment to the cause of a true federal Nigeria where no group is oppressed to which ideals our leaders dedicated their lives. It is not yet uhuru.
Oba Oladipo Olaitan Deputy Leader, Afenifere
Chief Sola Ebiseni Secretary General.