There is palpable tension in Ogoniland, Rivers State as fears rise that a gathering storm may soon explode. The mixed feelings which have attended the federal government’s re-entry programme in Ogoni for the commencement of oil exploration activities has persisted and is growing in intensity.
Key Highlights:
- Oil resumption in Ogoni has sparked growing tension.
- The Ogoni Dialogue Committee faces corruption allegations.
- MOSOP accuses leaders of secretly supporting oil operations.
- Transparency over jobs and contracts is being questioned.
- Rising tensions could trigger renewed conflict in Ogoniland.
When the Bola Tinubu led federal government mooted the idea of boosting Nigeria’s stock of crude oil production and sought to reopen the locked oil wells in Ogoni, the government presented itself as having repented from the mortal sin apparently committed by previous administrations, while dealing with the Ogoni people.
In fact, at the meeting President Tinubu held at the State House, Abuja, with the Ogoni stakeholders, the president waxed lyrical and painted the picture of an eldorado that Ogoni would become in the new phase of oil activities in the land. At the end of the meeting, the stakeholders had returned with a message of hope and opened a series of engagements with the locals with a view to make the outcome of the meeting with the federal government sink.
What stood out throughout the engagement to distill the message of the Abuja meeting with the federal government was the immediate action plans the government proposed, described as “low hanging fruits” to embark on, which were also christened “confidence building” programmes to make the people key into the plan. Those “low hanging fruits”were to be harvested and ‘eaten’ by the people before the actual resumption of oil exploration activities.
However, it appears that the people are now being made to stretch too high in an attempt to pluck the fruits that ought to be hanging close to the ground, such that even a toddler would not strain to pluck one. The Prof. Don Baridam led Ogoni Dialogue Committee, which interfaces between the federal government and Ogoni people is in the eye of a storm. The committee is being accused of opacity even by some members of the committee.
There are pervasive complaints that the committee has compromised and is neck deep in corruption, prompting some Ogoni groups and individuals to raise an outcry. The foremost Ogoni socio-cultural organization, the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) is championing the outcry and has in effect taken the committee to the cleaners,
In a statement signed by the Secretary General of MOSOP, Stephen Mmane, the organization urged the committee to come out and clear their names of the weighty allegations being leveled against them. “The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, MOSOP, is alarmed at a damning report circulating in Ogoni and across social media platforms, alleging massive economic corruption of some key leaders of the Ogoni oil resumption dialogue process.
“This is most concerning as it is at the expense of our people. Since the allegations impeaches the credibility and trustworthiness of these facilitators, the Ogoni Dialogue Committee and its leadership, MOSOP would urge the body to publicly clear her name of the weighty allegations,” the group said.
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It equally warned of dire consequences, as the Ogoni people will not seat idly by, while accrued benefits to the community are illicitly cornered by a greedy, heartless few, pretending to be working for the common good of the people. MOSOP alleged that members of the committee are in bed with the federal government, profiting from mouth watering contracts, a situation that the government has cashed in on to stealthily enter some Ogoni communities and began oil exploration activities without the consent of the people.
“It is appalling as it is disappointing that while dialogue between Abuja and Ogoni is ongoing, preliminary oil production is operationalized in parts of Ogoni by the federal government without the consent and social licence of the Ogoni community. In Ban-Ogoi and Alesa-Eleme areas, oil drilling with its attendant health and environmental toxicity is ongoing. To us, this is in bad faith as it betrays the Godly spirit of the dialogue. Therefore, we cannot but condemn this forced re-entry through the back door. Thus, we demand immediate halt of the operations and the needful done.
“Information available to MOSOP indicates that some bigwigs of the Ogoni Dialogue Committee have been compromised to facilitate the re-entry. In fact, Ogoni youths who had protested at the operational bases, reported that engineers at these sites told them to approach an ODC chieftain instead,”MOSOP lamented. The Ogoni group also accused a member of the ODC of cornering the 40 NNPCL employment slots, and refusing to disclose the names of candidates and how they emerged.
“We are appalled that the hardship faced by our people seem unconcerning to our so-called leaders. Over five decades now, these leaders have fraudulently privatized our resources. More disturbing is the fact that these resources have been channeled to destabilizing Ogoni for their selfish agenda. They masterminded and sponsored fragmentation of respected vocal organizations and institutions of the people just to ensure that no new centres of leadership emerges. They openly fraternize with cult gangs and gang leaders not minding their outlawed status. They sponsor needless attacks on Ogoni sons whose development impact have endeared them to the people for fear that they will emerge as new leaders
“it is these dishonest deals and manipulations that has compromised and effectively weakened the ODC, hence no negotiation had taken place between Abuja and Ogoni. It is also responsible for why it could not confront the federal government over its vexatious oil production activities in Ogoni. MOSOP is not pleased with the developments. And sooner than later, it will mobilize the Ogoni people to decisively decide the fate of the committee and the oil resumption dialogue process,” it maintained.
Interestingly, observers fear that deciding the fate of the ODC and it’s members could place Ogoniland on the brinks again, reminiscent of what transpired during the fratricidal Ogoni 4.and Ogoni 9 crises, which claimed the lives of eminent sons of Ogoni and, and thus repeating a chilling history.
