President of the Ijaw National Congress, INC, Professor Benjamin Okaba; a Professor at the Niger Delta University, NDU, Benedict Binebai; the Executive Chairman of Burutu Local Government Council, Chief Dr. Julius Takeme; a peace and environmental advocate, Chief Sheriff Mulade, among other Niger Delta leaders, have given their full support to Ijaw media organizations.

The support was given at the launch of the indigenous media organisation, IduwiniVoice, at the MBB Event Center along Refinery Road, Effurun, Delta State, on Saturday, March 29, 2025.

In their various speeches, Professor Okaba, Professor Binebai, Chief Takeme, and Chief Mulade all recognized the role and power of the media in Ijaw communities.

According to the professors, development and advocacy champions, the current stage of the Niger Delta agitation is no longer bow and arrows, but the articulate media reportage of the under-development of the Ijaw Nation to the wider society as voice of the underprivileged people. 

In his key note address, Chief Mulade, who chaired the occasion, commended the IduwiniVoice newspaper publisher, Prince (Dr.) Klintin Bibakefie and other Ijaw Publishers, especially the Ijaw Publishers' Forum's National President, Comrade Ozobo Austin, for leading the Ijaw publishers to make Ijaw Nation a formidable force by promoting the interest of Ijaw Nation and Niger Delta region in particular.

On his part, the INC President, Prof. Okaba revealed that the Ijaw Nation has been facing series of challenges within one year, ranging from political crisis in Rivers State, death of Ijaw national leader, Pa E. K. Clark among others.

He however assured that the Ijaw Nation will secure victory in the Rivers state political impasse, noting that Ijaw Nation has not lost a battle from history.

Professor Benedict Binebai admonished the Ijaw journalists to be factual, truthful and fearless in the course of their reportage saying that journalism started from Ijaw Nation ation with late Ernest Ikoli whose spirit is in Ijaw journalists. 

The erudite professor of Theater Arts of Niger Delta University during his keynote lecture had propounded a new concept of journalism in the world which he described it 'Avant Garde' journalism that is peculiar only to the Ijaw reporters, stressing that the news agents and the people in Ijaw Nation suffer the same pain of injustice of political, economic and environmental degradation.

He further stated that the pain has powered the local Ijaw community people to stand up to challenges, taking the bull by the horn, to report the injustices in Ijaw Nation, after the mainstream journalism had failed with their distorted news report and skewed editorials, intentionally written to under-report the large scale of marginalization in Ijaw land.

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