The Ogoni people have presented some.conditions, including the creation of Bori State, to be formed from the Eleme, Gokana, Khana, and Tai Local Government Areas (LGAs) that make up Ogoniland, and implementation of their BIll of Rights as necessary conditions for resumption of oil activities in the area.
They have also called for the implementation of the Ogoni Bill of Rights as a prerequisite for the proposed resumption of oil extraction in the area, an initiative that would enable the federal government achieve its aim of increasing the nation’s oil production to over two million barrels per day by December.
The people are also requesting for the provision of essential amenities for Ogoni communities, and a stake in any prospective oil company that would drill oil from Ogoniland for the needed peaceful atmosphere required for their operations to be guaranteed.
The demands were made during a town hall meeting between various Ogoni communities and the Ogoni Dialogue Committee in Kpor, the headquarters of Gokana LGA, on Sunday.
President Bola Tinubu recently met with Ogoni leaders regarding the proposed recommencement of oil activities, which had been suspended since 1993 due to unrest in the area.
The Federal Government had demonstrated a commitment to addressing the demands of the Ogoni people, particularly through the recent establishment of the Federal University of Environment Technology in Ogoniland.
Also, government’ has promised expedited action on the construction of the Onne section of the East West Road project.
However, speaking on behalf of the Bera Community in Gokana, Mr Goddy Baadom insisted that the creation of Bori state must be prioritised as a fundamental condition for the resumption of oil activities.
“The creation of Bori State is a necessity if oil is to be extracted in the Bera community,” he stated.
Addressing the Ogoni communities, Ignatius Kattey, Archbishop of Niger Delta North, Anglican Church of Nigeria, and Co-Chairman of the committee, stated that the meeting formed part of efforts to resume oil operation the area.
“This meeting has been convened to gather the views of the Ogoni people, which will assist the dialogue committee in presenting a position to the Federal Government regarding its planned oil activities in Ogoniland,” he explained.
“Today’s town hall meeting is not merely a formality but a crucial element of the series of grassroots consultations planned by the Ogoni Dialogue Committee.
“We are here to ensure that the voices of the Ogoni people in Gokana, and indeed all Ogonis, are clearly heard in the ongoing dialogue with the Federal Government.
“We are grateful to President Bola Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and Gov. Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers for initiating this dialogue with the people,” Kattey said.
The archbishop urged all Gokana communities to submit hard copies of their written memoranda to the committee so that they could be incorporated into the final set of demands to the government.
Earlier, the King of Gokana Kingdom, Festus Bagia, described the dialogue process as a significant milestone in the Ogoni people’s pursuit for justice and equity.
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He encouraged residents to eschew violence or any action that could jeopardise the ongoing efforts to develop Ogoniland.
But some analysts and prominent ogoni people have described government’s proposed action as ‘hasty and ill-conceived’ adding that resuming oil production activities in an area that is tensed up politically may not be auspicious time.
“How can you consider resumption of oil production activities in an area where the citizens are not united, where, for instance, there has been tension between the sitting governor and immediate past governor, who is one of the decision makers at the federal level: how do you pacify people when some of them are feeling cheated and alienated with many court cases yet to be resolved? ,” queries an analyst.
“Governance requires taking measures that would involve all the people and creating a sense of belonging. Otherwise, what some of us are feeling is, like, ‘they are only interested in extracting oil from the areas, not minding the feelings of the people’, and this is unfortunate,” says an activist.
