By CHARLES WIWA
A few weeks ago, select Ogoni persons were invited to the Aso Rock Villa to discuss economic activities in Ogoniland. That January 21 meeting was no doubt a grand ambush aided by some members of the Ogoni community. Without a doubt, sitting down with Ogoni people after years of utter neglect and systemic killings of their leaders is the right thing to do; however, those who were on the side of the oppressive military regimes cannot be the ones to negotiate for Ogoni. In any case, it is strange that none of the attendees agree that they know why they were invited. This action is suspect.
It has been 30 years since four Ogoni leaders were mysteriously murdered in Giokoo, Gokana. In less than three hours from that bizarre incident, Ken Saro-Wiwa and MOSOP (Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People) were named by the then MILAD (Military Administrator), Col. Dauda Musa Komo, as responsible for the deaths of the Ogoni kinsmen, namely: Chief Edward Kobani, Sir Albert Badey, Chief Samuel Orage and his brother, Theophilus Orage.
Within the period preceding the Military Tribunal trials, several thousands were raped, maimed, abused, tortured and killed. This action was intended to cow the Ogoni people into allowing a free flow of oil out of the land. Major Okuntimo boasted of having 500 methods of killing but had only applied three on the Ogoni population. His actions and those of his co-wayfarers in the anti-Ogoni war forced many underground, while thousands went into exile. Some of the Ogoni have remained in various refugee camps in parts of West Africa to this day. These ones need to be brought back home and rehabilitated.
In October of 1995, the tribunal came to an end and found Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other comrades “guilty” and summarily sentenced to death by hanging. The tribunal gave a 30-day time frame for appeal. While the families were preparing to appeal the verdict, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Dr. Barinem Kiobel, Comrade John Kpuinen, Felix Nuateh, Nordu Eawo, Baribor Bera, Daniel Gbokoo and Paul Levura were hanged on November 10, 1995, only ten days into the verdict. Only someone with less than a brain will not understand what the authorities again want to cause amongst the Ogoni people: to, again, set up a peace-loving people one against the other.
To this day, the NSA has failed to release their findings on how Ogoni lost the Ogoni 4, the Ogoni 9 and over three thousand natives in a non-violent struggle against Shell Oil and the Federal Government. Nuhu Ribadu is Nigeria’s current National Security Adviser; I challenge him to publish this report which is in his office files. In a meeting arranged by the NSA, which all the Ogoni attendees denied knowing why they were invited, item number 9 called on facilitators for a “Vote of Thanks”. It was not a ghost that gave the vote of thanks on that day. An SA to same person was the one sharing hotel rooms, food coupons and organising ride share and tickets. Who is fooling whom?
The above scenario is outlined for one singular reason. Ogoni’s 40-year-old and under today were only ten years during the time of the struggle. Many of them do not, therefore, know the string of events and are painfully employed by the same politicians who opposed the Ogoni quest for clean air, green environment, and compensation for polluted farmlands. Many are still being misled to this day. It truly hurts to hear non-Ogonis tell us to “forget the past and move on”. The truth about these killings and the exoneration of their names from the criminal books is key to true reconciliation with the government that used its apparatus to wipe out a generation of Ogoni leaders.
It is laughable to see FCT Minister, Nyesome Wike, amongst those negotiating while those who fought for Ogoni are sidelined. The minister’s failure to acquire the OML 11 should have made him steer clear of Ogoni. Cocoa, groundnut (peanuts), rubber, iron, etc., were extracted in commercial quantities in other parts of Nigeria. Those areas are developed with funds generated from their land. For over 40 years of oil extraction in Ogoni, there is nothing to show for it. There is no Federal presence. Access roads, clean drinking water, electricity, hospitals, libraries and schools are still far-fetched. In a 40/60 per cent share of oil profits from Ogoni, the Federal Government has contributed nothing to Ogoni. In the ongoing HYPREP, government has failed to contribute its part.
In all negotiations about Ogoni, the OBR (Ogoni Bill of Rights) must be adhered to. Political autonomy to participate in the affairs of Nigeria as a distinct and separate unit is a basic right to ask for. The OBR presents a shopping list and that document is a fair standpoint.
The last three decades of break in oil exploration and devastation of Ogoniland have witnessed growth in crops. The rivers are still gravely polluted and a source of livelihood is still taken away from our people. The UNEP report of 2011 on the Assessment of Ogoniland clearly suggests a 30-year remediation time frame before our ecosystem can be restored. It is less than six years since the programme began. This raises the question: “Why the rush to oil resumption in Ogoni?”
We all know that water passes under the bridge, but when water overflows a bridge then there is cause for alarm. It is common knowledge that an Ogoni is a consultant on Niger Delta affairs to the NSA. That is not enough to cow our people into accepting a pre-arranged mode of drilling the Ogoni oil. Yes, some are bought; many are sold, while Ogoni continues to suffer. We demand full remediation of our land before the commencement of oil activities in Ogoni. Ogoni must know who the interested parties are and the level of involvement of our people and businesses. We demand a blueprint for the methodology of oil extraction. We will accept nothing less than methods applied in the Western world.
For those negotiating, know that a playback of Ogoni annihilation was being set at the meeting of January 21. Ogoni must learn from its history in order not to let history repeat itself. Our leaders died for the benefit of the unborn generations. We must avoid going for personal, short-term benefits in place of long-lasting, group and environmental-friendly goals that would be of benefit to the entire community, including the generations unborn and the ecosystem. This is the only true way to heal the wounds, even as the scars may remain.
Arise! Ogoni people arise, we shall not let the world deprive us
Study! Ogoni people study, we shall not let the world deprive us
Work! Ogoni people work, we shall not let the world deprive us
Unite! Ogoni people unite, we shall not let world deprive us
• Wiwa is an Ogoni-born civil rights activist
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