Before 1991, many Ijaw groups had been formed in many parts of Nigeria essentially to draw attention of Government to the plight of the Ijaws and protest the extant state of affairs in Ijaw land, especially among the youths who were eager for a change in the status quo at whatever cost by whatever means possible.

Unfortunately, however, these earlier Ijaw groups were unable to nurture the required central organization (of all Ijaws) to effectively promote National (Ijaw) Unity, cohesiveness and consciousness, essential for our survival as a people. Again, because of the lack of a central body, they were also ineffective in confronting the marginal political/economic condition of the Ijaws in the Nigerian federation. It was in response to the appalling conditions occasioned, in part by the absence of a central unifying Ijaw organisation that our three distinguished Ijaw fathers/leaders; Chief (Dr.) H. J. R. Dappa-Biriye, Chief George A. Weikezi and Chief F. H. E. Brisibe, all of blessed memory, met with other compatriots at the 29 Calcutta Crescent, Apapa, residence of Chief Weikezi under the auspices of the Ijaw People Union (Lagos) on 25th, 29th and 30th of October 1991. The series of meetings was meant to fashion out a way for the Ijaw to gird their loins to face the challenges of endocolonialism that the Nigerian Federation now practiced.

The Ijaw leaders came up with the conclusion that the Ijaw nation needed a think tank, an organ that will be the collective brain-box of the nation. The think-tank, whose leadership must never sleep but be alive and awake at all times to know, discover, proffer and provide solutions to all problems of Ijaw individual, groups, clans and nation at large. A decision was then taken to convoke an All-Ijaw National Convention in Patani on the 23rd November 1991.