The federal government’s moves to resume oil production in Ogoniland have come under threat as a massive protest disrupted a planned congress in Bori, the traditional headquarters of the Ogoni in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, on the matter.
The planned congress, apparently to sensitize the Ogoni people on the planned resumption of oil production, was organized by a group set up by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu to facilitate the process.
Eyewitness reports showed that the event was shut down by protesters carrying placards with various inscriptions some of which read: “Ledum Mitee and Ribadu, Leave Ogoni Alone”, “On Ogoni Development Authority We Stand”, “Exonerate Ken Saro-Wiwa”.
It would be recalled that a delegation of Ogoni people led by Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara had recently visited President Tinubu to negotiate a possible resumption of oil production in Ogoniland, whereupon the President mandated the National Security Adviser (NSA) to ensure that all Ogoni stakeholders were part of the dialogue.
Prior to the protest on Saturday, February 8, the decision was greeted with mixed feelings as various interest groups expressed their displeasure at the way the oil production resumption plan was being executed.
In a statement by its president, Fegalo Nsuke, the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) had earlier expressed displeasure over its exclusion from the process, accusing the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, of bias and turning his back on MOSOP after an earlier commitment to ensuring that the group’s position was considered in the dialogue process.
Nsuke said the struggle of the Ogoni people had been championed by MOSOP, noting that the Ogoni people are very conscious of the sensitive situation and will rely on the position of MOSOP on the way to go, expressing worries that MOSOP, being left out, could create distrust in the hearts of the Ogoni people.
MOSOP also expressed worries that “the process was being rushed in a way that could generate tension, anxiety and crises in Ogoni”.
Meanwhile, a coalition of civil society groups known as the Ken Saro-Wiwa Exoneration Campaign (KSWEC), has called for “honesty and transparency in the process.”
In a statement over the weekend, the group said the approach being adopted was not acceptable to the Ogoni people, calling for the exoneration of nine Ogoni activists killed along with Ken Saro-Wiwa by the Nigerian government on November 10, 1995.
The coalition also called for a panel of investigation to unravel the immediate and remote causes of the death of four Ogoni leaders killed earlier on May 21, 1994.
Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight others had been executed on the orders of General Sani Abacha after a widely condemned trial in Port Harcourt.
The convicts were denied the right to appeal their sentences.
Also, Ogoni in the United States and Canada had earlier condemned the planned resumption of oil production in Ogoni and called for the exoneration of the innocent men including Ken Saro-Wiwa first before the Ogoni would accede to any discussion on the possibility of oil production resumption in Ogoniland.
The protest on Saturday came as a major setback for President Tinubu’s determination to resolve the Ogoni issues and resume oil production in Ogoniland.
The president had only last week approved a university of environmental technology for the oil-rich land.
Follow us on all social media platforms @dailyquery for news around the globe.
