Ogoni Groups, NUOS, CDHRAC, MOSOP Call For All-Inclusive Meeting With Stakeholders In Ogoniland

 

United States-based organisations, including the National Union of Ogoni Students International (NUOS INT'L USA), the Center for Democracy, Human Rights, and Anti-Corruption International (CDHRAC INTL USA), and the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), have urged the Federal Government to meet with the representatives of all the stakeholders in Ogoniland on the resumption of oil production in Ogoniland.

The groups condemned the purported visit by the representatives of the Federal Government few weeks ago to meet with traditional rulers on the resumption of oil production in Ogoniland. 

They stated these against the backdrop of the 2024 Democracy Day, which was celebrated on Wednesday June 12.

The groups said further in a statement jointly signed by the President of NOUS Int'l USA, Pius Barikpoa Nwinee, it's Secretary General, Sampson B Npimnee, Coordinator, CDHRAC Int'l, USA, Cornelius Dumerenee, and its Secretary General, Toate Ganago dated Friday June 14, 2024 and made available to journalists, that the Federal Government should organise a meeting with the representatives of all the stakeholders to right the wrongs in Ogoniland.

"A situation where the chiefs loyal to former governor Nyesom Wike were handpicked for a meeting by the Federal Government cannot help us. 

"Traditional rulers in the area are an arm of MOSOP, there are other groups and stakeholders that would ventilate their grievances if they are called for a meeting by the Federal Government," the statement read.

The groups said further that; "We do not oppose oil resumption in Ogoniland, so we appreciate the Federal Government's sincere and genuine intentions to address the Ogoni question, including the oil resumption in Ogoniland, but we oppose the FG's initiative of inviting only the Ogoni Chief instead of MOSOP.  

"As a result, we are using this medium to suggest that if the FG is desirous of oil resumption in Ogoniland, it should stop using the back door, but the front door of MOSOP on all matters affecting Ogoni people because traditional rulers, regardless of any name they give themselves, are a tiny organ or affiliate body of MOSOP."

The groups insisted that all the stakeholders have equal rights to the commonwealth of the area, adding that they believe in dialogue and would not want the government to neglect any section of the area if they want to get the best from the land.

According to them, several indigenes and residents of Ogoniland have contributed to the agitation for better opportunities for their people and that it is only fair that they should be carried along in the scheme of things if the government wants to achieve their aims.

The groups also used the opportunity to remind the government of the need to develop Ogoniland with adequate infrastructure.

They said that the people of Ogoniland are the chickens that lay the golden eggs, but who are now suffering  environmental degradation and neglect.

While further commenting on the 2024 Democracy Day, the groups stressed that the tenets of democracy demand equal treatments for all parts of a nation and that the policy of derivation ought to apply to an area such as Ogoniland, which they said has paid much price to keep the nation together with their oil. 

They emphasised that almost all the previous administrations in the country have done little or nothing to develop Ogoniland, which they said has been suffering deprivation owing to oil spillage and total neglect.

They noted that the people of Ogoniland have suffered the devastation of their ecosystems and land, adding that with the way Nigeria is being run then democracy might not thrive not to talk of enduring.

"NUOS INTL, CDHRAC AND MOSOP wish to call on the Ministry of Niger Delta Development and the Federal Government to compensate the people of the area for the loss they have suffered over the years and fix the land for the better. 

"Our people have been deprived of their means of livelihood and they have been left to suffer in a nation, where they have contributed a lot to through their natural resources.

"We cannot be proud of a democracy that does not cater for the well being of her people. Nigeria has got to a stage, where we should tell ourselves the truth. We have been on the latest democracy for 25 years, but we are yet to find our feet.

"For how long are we going to continue like this. May be God will use us to set the ball rolling for the government to do the right things and allow all parts of the nation to develop. 

"What we need now is for us to look at what is wrong with us as a people so that we can know how to move forward to have a better society. Ogoniland deserves the best. We know that there is light at the end of the tunnel," the groups said.

The groups then called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to invite the leaders of Ogoniland for discussion with a view to ameliorating their suffering at this critical period, saying that nations that practise democracy all over the world do the best for their people.

According to them, issues affecting Ogoniland and how to resolve them would be discussed at the meeting.

They suggested that their groups and others should be informed ahead of the meeting so that they could also send representatives from the Diaspora.

The groups further advised the Federal Government to allow for referendum so that the nation can be restructured at this particular time, saying that there should be resource control in all the regions and that a place like Ogoniland should be allowed to control its resources.

It was also suggested that members of the National Assembly should be selfless and be committed to the nation rather than seeking self-aggrandisement, which they said has not done the nation any good.

The groups also called on the judiciary to be above board and discharge their duties without any fear or favour and that Nigeria should copy all aspects of democratic norms if she is serious about development.

"Ogoniland has paid the price for the country to make progress, which is why we are calling for the attention of the government. It will be on record that we made our voices heard at this critical time, when the nation's security and economy are facing much challenges.

"There is need for our leaders to have a rethink and to know that their strategies have not worked for the nation. What have we achieved in 25 years? We should have a sense of retrospection and know that we should change our strategies and do what we ought to do to reset our nation.

"We are calling on the FG to declare a state of climate and health emergency in Ogoniland in conjunction with the United Nations so as to give adequate attention to the radioactive outbreak as well as  hire international firms with professional experience and technical know-how to contain this misery," they stated.