Oil Wealth, Zero Inclusion: Mulade Accuses Delta State of Neglecting Ijaw Education

By Wilson Macaulay

WARRI — A prominent Niger Delta environmental rights activist and advocate for good governance, Chief (Dr.) Sheriff Mulade, has raised serious concerns over what he described as the systematic neglect of education development in Ijaw communities of Delta State, despite the region’s immense contribution to the nation’s oil wealth.

Mulade, who is the Chairman of the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), lamented that decades of crude oil exploration in Ijaw territories have yielded little or no commensurate investment in human capital development, particularly in the education sector. He described the situation as a painful paradox where communities that generate billions of dollars in oil revenue remain trapped in educational underdevelopment.

According to him, many riverine Ijaw communities across Delta State still lack basic educational infrastructure such as standard classrooms, qualified teachers, learning materials, libraries and functional laboratories. He noted that in some areas, pupils are forced to learn under dilapidated structures or travel long distances by water to access secondary education, exposing them to safety risks and high dropout rates.

“The irony is disturbing,” Mulade said. “Our land produces the wealth that sustains the Nigerian economy, yet our children are denied the foundational education needed to compete in today’s world. This is not just neglect; it is a form of structural exclusion.”

He further accused successive administrations in Delta State of failing to design inclusive education policies that reflect the peculiar challenges of riverine communities. Mulade argued that budgetary allocations to education rarely translate into visible projects in Ijaw areas, while scholarship schemes and bursaries often bypass deserving students due to poor outreach and alleged politicisation.

The environmental activist also expressed worry that the continued marginalisation of Ijaw education could deepen youth restiveness, unemployment and social instability in the Niger Delta. He stressed that sustainable peace in oil-producing areas cannot be achieved without deliberate investment in education, skills acquisition and youth empowerment.

Mulade called on the Delta State Government to urgently conduct a comprehensive needs assessment of schools in Ijaw communities and prioritize the construction and rehabilitation of primary and secondary schools, teacher training, and the deployment of incentives to attract qualified educators to riverine areas.

He equally urged oil companies operating in the Niger Delta to go beyond token corporate social responsibility projects by investing strategically in education, including scholarships, digital learning centres and vocational institutions tailored to the realities of host communities.

While acknowledging some ongoing government efforts in the education sector, Mulade maintained that they remain grossly insufficient when measured against the scale of deprivation in Ijaw areas. He insisted that true development must be inclusive and reflective of the sacrifices made by oil-bearing communities.

“The future of the Niger Delta depends on what we do for our children today,” he said. “Ignoring the education of Ijaw youths is a dangerous gamble that Delta State can no longer afford.”

The remarks have sparked renewed debate among stakeholders, with community leaders and civil society groups calling for urgent policy shifts to ensure that oil wealth translates into meaningful educational opportunities for the Ijaw people of Delta State.