Ijaw Diaspora mourns Prof. Dime, trail-blazing former President, Ijaw Ethnic Nationality

The late founding father and pioneer President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Reverend Emeritus Professor Christopher A. Dime, has been described as a fierce champion of environmental justice, economic empowerment, democracy, resource ownership and self-determination, whose legacy will fire those he has left behind to press on till the Ijaw nation of his dreams is achieved.

Reverend Emeritus Professor Dime died recently and would be buried on May 18, 2024 after an elaborate burial program that would start on Friday, May 10, 2024 and end on Sunday, May 19, 2024 with a Thanksgiving Service.

Regarded as the Nelson Mandela of the Ijaw Nation and the founding father of Bayelsa State, Reverend Emeritus Professor Dime, according to a tribute by Prof. (Amb.) Mondy Selle Gold, the President of Ijaw Diaspora Council (IDC), lit a light, the unyielding flames of which refuses to be extinguished.

Prof. Gold, who is also the Amadabo of Ijaw Diaspora, in the tribute, titled “Forging a Brighter Tomorrow from Collective Loss: A Tribute to the Enduring Legacy of Reverend Emeritus Professor Christopher A. Dime,” gave a charge to the generation of leaders that are succeeding the departed Patriarch.

He said: “As we bid farewell to this noble soul, let his legacy ignite within us a fierce determination to carry forth his vision. Let us, as leaders and guardians of our nation’s destiny, seize the mantle of unity with unyielding passion and resolute commitment. Only through collective action, bound by mutual respect and unwavering resolve, can we surmount the daunting challenges that lie ahead.”

Full text of the Tribute reads:

Forging a Brighter Tomorrow from Collective Loss: A Tribute to the Enduring Legacy of Reverend Emeritus Professor Christopher A. Dime

As we gather here, with the nurturing embrace of the Ijaw Nation in the heart of the Niger Delta within the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I am compelled to offer a profound tribute, woven with threads of deep reverence and compelling urgency. In this pivotal moment, we do not stand as mere individuals, but rather as custodians of a profound legacy—a legacy illuminated by the guiding light of courage and an unwavering dedication to the advancement of our cherished Ijaw Nation, the economic powerhouse that sustains Nigeria. Yet, despite our vital contributions, we are impudently and disgracefully denied fundamental rights, manipulated, and oppressed unabatingly.

In the reverent shadow cast by Reverend Emeritus Professor Christopher A. Dime, the Founding Father and Pioneer President of the Ijaw National Congress, we are enveloped by the echoes of his wisdom, the resonance of his vision, and the immensity of his dedication. His life serves as an enduring testament to the transformative potency of knowledge, advocacy, and unity. In his footsteps, we are called to march forward with unwavering purpose and resolute determination along the path of progress.

Professor Dime, a luminous beacon amid Nigeria’s darkest hours, navigated the intricate waterways and corridors of academia with an elegance and distinction that resonated from the creeks and rivers of the Ijaw Nation to the esteemed institutions of learning in Nigeria and the United Kingdom amongst others. From the sacred shores of our beloved Ijaw homeland, he embarked upon a voyage of enlightenment—a journey that not only shaped the course of his own destiny but also illuminated the path for generations yet to come. As he traversed the revered halls of academia, his voice reverberated with the profundity of ancestral wisdom, leaving an indelible imprint upon the fabric of our shared consciousness.

With unwavering courage and unyielding determination, Professor Dime emerged as a stalwart defender of justice and unity, fearlessly lending his voice to the resounding chorus of change that echoes across our nation. In the grand tapestry of history, his name is etched alongside those of giants—men and women such as Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Mahatma Gandhi of India, Malcolm X of the United States amongst others, and Margret Thatcher of the United Kingdom, whose audacious dreams paved the way for a brighter tomorrow for millions of people throughout the world.

He fiercely championed environmental justice, economic democracy, and the sacred right to self-determination, echoing the fervent aspirations of Major Isaac Adaka Boro and the resounding truths of the Kaiama Declaration. His impassioned voice echoed the sentiments of the Willink’s Commission, which courageously addressed the minority question in Nigeria. Professor Dime’s unwavering advocacy for the establishment of an Ijaw Development Fund remains a beacon of hope, yet to be fully realized. But our struggle does not end here.

The fight for environmental justice, economic empowerment, resource ownership, and the fundamental right to self-determination blazes on, an unyielding flame that refuses to be extinguished. As we bid farewell to this noble soul, let his legacy ignite within us a fierce determination to carry forth his vision. Let us, as leaders and guardians of our nation’s destiny, seize the mantle of unity with unyielding passion and resolute commitment. Only through collective action, bound by mutual respect and unwavering resolve, can we surmount the daunting challenges that lie ahead.

Therefore, speaking on behalf of the Ijaw Diaspora Council and by extension Ijaw Diaspora, I beseech you, esteemed leaders, traditional rulers, and political figures, to heed the profound lessons embedded within the life of Professor Dime—to emerge as beacons of hope in a nation besieged by unprecedented insecurity, unyielding poverty, and relentless economic deprivation. In the face of uncertainty and unreliable leadership that has never served our collective interest, let us draw upon the unwavering conviction exemplified by Professor Dime to champion the cause of unity and progress with unshakeable resolve. Let us unite in purpose, casting aside the shackles of division and discord, as we collectively strive to forge a future that dignifies the legacy bestowed upon us.

In unity, we discover our strength, and in progress, we fulfill our destiny. Let us, therefore, pay homage to the memory of Professor Dime by dedicating ourselves wholeheartedly to the monumental task of crafting a luminous tomorrow for our cherished Ijaw Nation.

With deepest respect and unwavering determination,
Prof. (Amb.) Mondy Selle Gold
President of Ijaw Diaspora Council and Amadabo of Ijaw Diaspora
Inducted into the Nigerian Hall of Fame
Recipient of the United States President’s Lifetime Achievement Award