Publishers and media executives under the umbrella of Ijaw Publishers Forum, IPF, have called on leaders, traditional rulers and stakeholders of Ijaw nation and Niger Delta region to patronize and support media houses owned by Ijaws.

The group, in a statement by its acting president and secretary, Comrade Ozobo Austin and Tare Magbei, respectively, on Saturday said Ijaw-owned media houses should be empowered to compete with other brands in the media industry.

The duo also appealed for sponsorship of Ijaw journalists for foreign trainings to equip and position them properly to compete with their peers in the industry.

According to the IPF, media practitioners from the Ijaw extraction have contributed greatly in the struggle for the emancipation of the Niger Delta and resource control, hence deserve support as a form of reward from Ijaw leaders, traditional rulers and Niger Delta stakeholders in particular.

They insisted that nobody can write the Ijaw story of balkanisation, oppression and deprivation better than Ijaw writers, adding that Ijaw publishers often had helped to strategically correct the unprintable names given to Ijaw nation by foreign papers and reporters.

IPF said foreign papers had caused serious damage to Ijaw history and struggle, noting that the time has come for Ijaw journalists to tell Ijaw story in the right perspective.

The group advised that Ijaw-owned media organizations be given due attention by all well-meaning Ijaw, Niger Delta leaders and traditional rulers.

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