Itsekiri Youth Elites (IYE) Celebrates Two Itsekiri Legends Honored by the President of Nigeria.

A Long-Awaited National Recognition for a People Whose Sacrifices Built a Nation

The Itsekiri people, one of Nigeria’s most ancient, educated, and nationally impactful ethnic nationalities have always stood tall in the history of Nigeria’s evolution. From our sophisticated pre-colonial governance systems, to our early embrace of Western education, to our active involvement in the nationalist movements of the 20th century, we have played pivotal roles in the story of Nigeria. Yet, through the decades, our contributions have been met with silence, our sacrifices largely unrecognized on the national stage.

But today, history is being made.

With profound emotion, the Itsekiri Youth Elites (IYE), led by Comrade Lily-white O. Esigbone (President) and Comrade Eboma Tuoyo Michael (Secretary), express immense gratitude to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for bestowing well-deserved National Honors upon two of our greatest sons—men who represent the best of our heritage, our courage, and our service to Nigeria.

🏅 1. Pa. Alfred Ogbeyiwa Rewane, CFR (1916–1995)

Honor: Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR)

Pa Rewane, fondly known as Osibakoro, was not just a prominent Itsekiri businessman and elder statesman—he was a pillar of Nigeria’s pro-democracy movement, a man whose name commands respect across ethnic and regional lines. As a close ally of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and a major financier of pro-democracy efforts, Rewane became a target of oppression under the military dictatorship. In 1995, he was brutally assassinated, a martyr for the democracy we enjoy today.

This recognition of Pa Rewane is not only an honor to his family or the Itsekiri Nation, but a symbolic healing for all oppressed minorities who gave their all for Nigeria. For us, the Itsekiri people, his legacy is eternal. He was the last universally accepted national leader of our people, and to this day, his death remains a scar we carry with dignity and pride.

Today, with this long-overdue recognition by the Nigerian state, our tears turn to songs of remembrance. We say thank you, Mr. President, for writing his name into Nigeria’s honored scroll.

🏅 2. Prince Sam Amuka Pemu, CON

Honor: Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON)

Widely respected across Nigeria’s journalistic and intellectual landscape, Prince Sam Amuka, the founder and publisher of Vanguard Newspapers, is a trailblazer who has shaped modern Nigerian journalism with courage, balance, and integrity.

Aged 90, Pa Sam was recently conferred the Royal Order of Iwere (R.O.I.) by His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III, CFR, a royal recognition of his Itsekiri identity and service. That this was swiftly followed by a national honor from the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria affirms the widespread respect and love he commands from all corners of the country.

Prince Sam Amuka is not just a journalist. He is a guardian of truth, a rare figure whose presence continues to inspire generations of Nigerian writers, media practitioners, and statesmen.

We celebrate your life, Pa Sam, and pray for your continued strength and sound health. You have given Nigeria a legacy of truth-telling, one pen stroke at a time.

A Call for Further Recognition: Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh

As we celebrate these two giants, we also renew our call for the national recognition and immortalization of Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, Nigeria’s first Minister of Finance and one of the most visionary figures in post-independence Nigeria.

A man ahead of his time, Chief Okotie-Eboh was instrumental in establishing the Central Bank of Nigeria, pioneering fiscal structures, and facilitating the entry of Julius Berger into Nigeria, a partnership that led to the construction of Eko Bridge, a symbol of modern Lagos.

He was flamboyant, fearless, and deeply committed to the economic and infrastructural transformation of Nigeria. Yet his name has been largely forgotten in national discourse. It is our fervent belief that such a towering figure deserves immortalization, through monuments, national days of remembrance, or educational institutions named in his honor.

A Moment of National Reflection

As Nigerians commemorate Democracy Day 2025, let this be a moment of reflection, a moment to look beyond ethnicity and recognize those who gave their all for the soul of this country. Let us teach the next generation that democracy was bought not by slogans, but by blood, pen, and principle.

Let the names Rewane, Amuka, and Okotie-Eboh never fade from our collective memory.

The members and executives of the Itsekiri Youth Elites (IYE), reaffirm our commitment to a united, democratic, and just Nigeria, where every ethnic group’s contribution is recognized, and where true heroes are honored in life and in death.

Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Long Live the Itsekiri Nation.
Long Live Democracy.

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