Asari Dokubo: I have never seen myself as a Nigerian

Former militant and leader of the defunct Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force, NDPVF, Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, has responded to those criticizing him for feeding fat on the Niger Delta oil. Dokubo-Asari specifically gave a list of those he referred to as the “chief beneficiaries” of the struggle to include, President
Goodluck Jonathan, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State; Niger Delta Minister, Godsday Orubebe, and Petroleum Minister, Diezani Allison-Madueke. The Niger Delta fighter stormed his Facebook page to respond to the many criticisms he now faces from different quarters. According to him, “We have given them a voice and a platform to assert themselves. These crumbs from our struggle, which most of you now enjoy, will evaporate if we continue to show this attitude of ingratitude to those who made painful sacrifices to bring us (Ijaw) to the level we are today. No generations of Ijaws have made these far-reaching sacrifices.” Responding to those criticizing him for floating a private university in Benin Republic, the ex militant said, “First, I have never seen Nigeria as my country. Never! It seems a lot of people don’t know that I have never seen myself as a Nigerian. I hate and detest this evil tag. My country’s sovereignty was stolen by the British and handed over to this satanic entity Nigeria. The whole gamut of my struggle is to rid myself of this satanic tag.” Defending his action, Dokubo cited his scholarship scheme for more than 200 students at the King Amachree International School, King Amachree Royal Academy (Automobile & ICT); King Amachree Arts Academy and King Amachree Soccer Academy, adding that his investments were “done with an eye on the future, which most of you in this forum are too myopic to see and understand.” He added thus, “I don’t owe anybody. I have nothing to put back anywhere. I worked hard and made my fortune from outside the Niger Delta and Nigeria. I do what I am doing, impacting on the lives of people around me because I owe that to myself.” He condemned those who saw him and others who led the struggle as irritants and scum, saying (those) “spitting on the graves of those who died” were the ones benefitting the most. “They patronise the Otedolas, Dangotes, Adenugas, Alakijas, Dantatas, Dele Momodus, Wole Soyinkas, Ahmed Tinubus and so on at the expense of the Primrose, Tamunotonye Tobi, Elfrida and the rest who were beaten, chained and detained for these crumbs to fall from the table of those who (before we challenged them) saw themselves as gods.