Mujahid Dokubo-Asari
Encyclopedia
Alhaji
Mujahid Asari-Dokubo (born 1964), formerly Melford Dokubo Goodhead Jr. and typically referred to simply as Asari, is a major political figure of the Ijaw ethnic group in the Niger Delta
region of Nigeria
. He was president of the Ijaw Youth Council for a time beginning in 2001 and later founded the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force
which would become one of the most prominent armed groups operating in the Niger Delta region. He is a Muslim
with populist views and an anti-government stance that have made him a folk hero amongst certain members of the local population.
family headed by a court judge and a housewife, who also had four other children. He received both primary and secondary education in Port Harcourt and was accepted into law school at the University of Calabar
but dropped out after only three years in 1990, citing problems with university authorities as his reason for doing so. He made other attempts to complete his education but his activism caused him to quit on his degree at Rivers State University of Science and Technology for reasons similar to those at Calabar.
and changed his name to Mujahid Dokubo-Asari to reflect this. He spent much of the 1990s attempting to become involved in regional politics, running for two offices in Rivers State
in 1992 and 1998 but failing to win on either.
In 1998, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) was formed and Asari, as a founding member, was appointed to the vice-presidency of the organization. The organization issued the Kaiama Declaration in November, expressing long-held Ijaw concerns about the loss of control of their homeland and their own lives to the Nigerian state and oil companies operating in the region. The declaration and a letter addressed to oil companies called on them to suspend operations and withdraw from Ijaw territory. The IYC pledged “to struggle peacefully for freedom, self-determination and ecological justice,” and prepared a campaign of celebration, prayer, and direct action - 'Operation Climate Change' beginning December 28. The Nigerian government responded with an immediate crackdown on the group.
Asari became the IYC's president in 2001 and led the group to pursue an agenda of "Resource Control and Self Determination By Every Means Necessary".
By 2004 Asari had retreated into the bush to create the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force
(NDPVF), which would emerge as a major catalyst for unrest in the Delta region. The NDPVF, a militant group, was funded in large part by local and regional politicians who sought great profits from the region's oil revenue. The NDPVF quickly escalted an armed conflict with a rival group, known as the Niger Delta Vigilante
(NDV), who were also seeking to control the Delta's oil resources. Combat was concentrated primarily in Warri
and subsequently, Nigeria's oil capital Port Harcourt, as well as areas to the city's southwest. Both groups engaged in oil 'bunkering' and other illegal forms of local resource extraction.
A change in political ideals by the NDPVF caused the group's former sponsors to withdraw their financial support, and begin funnelling funds to the rival NDV. Asari's NDPVF then made a declaration of "all-out war" against the Nigerian state.
worldwide significantly. Due to the crisis this precipitated, Nigerian President
Olusegun Obasanjo called Asari and the leader of the NDV, Ateke Tom
to Abuja
for peace talks which were in large part a failure.
After his refusal to endorse the legitimacy of the Olusegun Obasanjo government and due to his public support for self determination of his native Ijaw people and independence for the Niger Delta, Asari was arrested and charged with treason by the Nigerian federal government.
On 14 June 2007, Asari was released on bail as part of new President Umaru Yar'Adua's pledge to try and bring peace to the Niger Delta region.
Hajji
Hajji or El-Hajj, is an honorific title given to a Muslim person who has successfully completed the Hajj to Mecca, and is often used to refer to an elder, since it can take time to accumulate the wealth to fund the travel. The title is placed before a person's name...
Mujahid Asari-Dokubo (born 1964), formerly Melford Dokubo Goodhead Jr. and typically referred to simply as Asari, is a major political figure of the Ijaw ethnic group in the Niger Delta
Niger Delta
The Niger Delta, the delta of the Niger River in Nigeria, is a densely populated region sometimes called the Oil Rivers because it was once a major producer of palm oil...
region of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. He was president of the Ijaw Youth Council for a time beginning in 2001 and later founded the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force
Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force
The Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force is one of the largest armed groups in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria and is composed primarily of members of the region's largest ethnic group, the Ijaw. The group was founded in 2004 in an attempt to gain more control over the region's vast petroleum...
which would become one of the most prominent armed groups operating in the Niger Delta region. He is a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
with populist views and an anti-government stance that have made him a folk hero amongst certain members of the local population.
Early life
Asari was born in 1964 into a middle class ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
family headed by a court judge and a housewife, who also had four other children. He received both primary and secondary education in Port Harcourt and was accepted into law school at the University of Calabar
University of Calabar
The University of Calabar - also known as UNICAL - is a university situated in Calabar, Cross River State, southeastern Nigeria. It is one of Nigerian's second generation universities. The University of Calabar was a campus of the University of Nigeria until 1975...
but dropped out after only three years in 1990, citing problems with university authorities as his reason for doing so. He made other attempts to complete his education but his activism caused him to quit on his degree at Rivers State University of Science and Technology for reasons similar to those at Calabar.
Activism
After dropping out of school, Asari converted to IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and changed his name to Mujahid Dokubo-Asari to reflect this. He spent much of the 1990s attempting to become involved in regional politics, running for two offices in Rivers State
Rivers State
Rivers State is one of the 36 states of Nigeria. Its capital is Port Harcourt. It is bounded on the South by the Atlantic Ocean, to the North by Imo, Abia and Anambra States, to the East by Akwa Ibom State and to the West by Bayelsa and Delta states...
in 1992 and 1998 but failing to win on either.
In 1998, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) was formed and Asari, as a founding member, was appointed to the vice-presidency of the organization. The organization issued the Kaiama Declaration in November, expressing long-held Ijaw concerns about the loss of control of their homeland and their own lives to the Nigerian state and oil companies operating in the region. The declaration and a letter addressed to oil companies called on them to suspend operations and withdraw from Ijaw territory. The IYC pledged “to struggle peacefully for freedom, self-determination and ecological justice,” and prepared a campaign of celebration, prayer, and direct action - 'Operation Climate Change' beginning December 28. The Nigerian government responded with an immediate crackdown on the group.
Asari became the IYC's president in 2001 and led the group to pursue an agenda of "Resource Control and Self Determination By Every Means Necessary".
By 2004 Asari had retreated into the bush to create the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force
Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force
The Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force is one of the largest armed groups in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria and is composed primarily of members of the region's largest ethnic group, the Ijaw. The group was founded in 2004 in an attempt to gain more control over the region's vast petroleum...
(NDPVF), which would emerge as a major catalyst for unrest in the Delta region. The NDPVF, a militant group, was funded in large part by local and regional politicians who sought great profits from the region's oil revenue. The NDPVF quickly escalted an armed conflict with a rival group, known as the Niger Delta Vigilante
Niger Delta Vigilante
The Niger Delta Vigilante is an armed militia group in Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The NDV is led by Ateke Tom. The group is composed primarily by ethnic Ijaws from in and around Port Harcourt and their main goal is controlling the area's vast oil resources...
(NDV), who were also seeking to control the Delta's oil resources. Combat was concentrated primarily in Warri
Warri, Nigeria
Warri is a major oil city in Delta State, Nigeria, with a population of over 300,000 people. The people of Warri are mainly the Urhobos, Itsekiris, and Ijaws, but other ethnic groups also live within the city. Warri is predominantly Christian, as is most of Southern Nigeria...
and subsequently, Nigeria's oil capital Port Harcourt, as well as areas to the city's southwest. Both groups engaged in oil 'bunkering' and other illegal forms of local resource extraction.
A change in political ideals by the NDPVF caused the group's former sponsors to withdraw their financial support, and begin funnelling funds to the rival NDV. Asari's NDPVF then made a declaration of "all-out war" against the Nigerian state.
Crisis and arrest
The threats to attack oil wells and pipelines by the NDPVF caused companies operating in the area to withdraw most of their personnel from the Delta, resulting in a massive drop in oil production of 30,000 barrels per day and pushing up the price of petroleumPrice of petroleum
The price of petroleum as quoted in news generally refers to the spot price per barrel of either WTI/light crude as traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange for delivery at Cushing, Oklahoma, or of Brent as traded on the Intercontinental Exchange for delivery at Sullom Voe.The price...
worldwide significantly. Due to the crisis this precipitated, Nigerian President
President of Nigeria
The President of Nigeria is the Head of State and head of the national executive. Officially styled President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The current President of Nigeria is Goodluck Jonathan.-History:On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained...
Olusegun Obasanjo called Asari and the leader of the NDV, Ateke Tom
Ateke Tom
Ateke Tom is the leader of the Niger Delta Vigilante, an ethnic Ijaw militia in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. In August 2007 following days of gun fights between various militia groups and security forces in Port Harcourt, Ateke Tom wrote to the Governor, Celestine Omehia, requesting for...
to Abuja
Abuja
Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos...
for peace talks which were in large part a failure.
After his refusal to endorse the legitimacy of the Olusegun Obasanjo government and due to his public support for self determination of his native Ijaw people and independence for the Niger Delta, Asari was arrested and charged with treason by the Nigerian federal government.
On 14 June 2007, Asari was released on bail as part of new President Umaru Yar'Adua's pledge to try and bring peace to the Niger Delta region.
See also
- Petroleum in NigeriaPetroleum in NigeriaThe petroleum industry in Nigeria is the largest industry and main generator of GDP in the West African nation which is also the continent's most populous...
- Nigerian Oil Crisis
- Niger Delta Development CommissionNiger Delta Development CommissionThe Niger Delta Development Commission is a Federal Government agency established by Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo in the year 2000 with the sole mandate of developing the oil-rich Niger Delta region of southern Nigeria....