By Barr. ADUBABARI MANKIE-TANEN
If you examine carefully what is going on in Nigeria today, you would agree with me that Late Ken Saro-Wiwa was indeed a man of ideas and foresight, far beyond his contemporaries, which was part of the active why his Hanging was successfully carried out through the manipulation and exploitation of His then contemporaries especially from the Niger Delta.
I challenge anyone still hanging in the Valley of doubt to go and read Ken Saro-Wiwa’s last speech on: ‘’We all stand Before History’’, before Justice Auta (the Judge of Abacha, now promoted for his then good work) and the Prosecutor, J .B Dandu, SAN ( the immediate Past President of NBA).
You would understand my message herein, when you see what the majority ethnic Groups call and practice as FEDERALISM in this country, as well as the game and Politics around the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) among other Issues. Nigeria is a country that deceptively claims to practice Rule of Law, but what is being practiced is ‘’Political Rule of Law’’.
My intention here is to let you know firmly that nobody including the Politicians, even SANS can solve our problem as a people in the Niger Delta except through concerted effort by us, goodwill Nigerians and importantly by GOD Almighty who is TRUTH and JUSTICE Himself.
What is going on is a carefully packaged Deceit by the “Leaders” of this country. The concept called Nigeria is a Political Contraption which the Political leaders pursue and keep alive for their selfish Political/Economic gain of sharing Oil money from the Niger Delta States each month till the Oil is finished and no more.
****Let me share something with you, in 1999 – 2000, I served this Deceptive Concept called Nigeria at the Ministry of my Mother’s Affairs, Ekiti State. On my way to Efon-Alaye, the city of the NYSC Orientation Camp, I saw a huge abandoned company site with all its heavy equipments yet on site. I was very inquisitive and sought to know why the company of such magnitude was abandoned. The said huge abandoned company was a Quarry, just like what we have in Akamkpa, in Cross River State.
The reason for the abandonment, I understood, was the Environmental Consequences of the operation of the company on the people of Ekiti State. The State of Wise people like Falana, (SAN designate) and many other Professors of this country.
Ekiti State has abundant stores deposited by God for the operation of the Social Quarry.
TRUTH: An American Professor, writing on Sustainable Development, said long ago that every Lawyer of experience knows that in every case, there is the Plaintiff’s truth, the Defendant’s truth, the Witnesses’ truth, the Judge’s truth and another TRUTH which is only known to God. He went further to say that TRUTH is rarely self-evident especially in environmental issues and urged that as much as possible Environmental Truth should not be politicized but faced or confronted honestly for the safety of the future.
Based on my Research, it is settled and clear that there is no exploration and exploitation of mineral Resource of any kind, anywhere WITHOUT attendant Environmental Consequences. I challenge anybody to set aside this position.
In Nigeria, there is no State that does not have more than one form of mineral Resources, Oil or solid mineral Resources.
The TRUTH is that people from the Majority Areas are playing politics around their own share of God-given Natural Resources/Deposits and concentrating on the exploration and exploitation of the ones in the Regions that they consider being politically weak.
Before now Nigeria was a true Federal Country, wherein each region had 50% of what is produced from its region for its development. There was real economic competition in Nigeria. Accordingly, what has led to the position we have today is politics of the majority through our looters called “political Leaders”. This is done through the Constitution, which is the foundation of our Law and other wicked Laws made to crush the minorities. Raise any question and you will hear: That is the Law!
All the shouts from Lagos, the centre of Press in this Country, most are deceitful and political, not based on TRUTH but Politics of their Region, I challenge Falana (SAN Designate) and other Press Champions, even “internet Warriors” to speak the truth on this matter.
The Lagos Press shouting and blowing out of proportion, the security situation in the Niger Delta is mostly Deceitful, Political and Economic. They do this actively and gain the economic benefit of enjoying all the lucrative Employment Opportunities when the Headquarters of the multinationals move to Lagos. From Lagos, when they are employed, trained and posted to the Niger Delta States to work, then there will be no more security problem or challenge or would gain security immunity.
In all the States of Nigeria, there is Continuous private mining of the existing Solid mineral Resources which goes into private pockets. The issue of Lead poisoning in Zamfara State is as a result of poor handing of Such Private Mining. The Question then is: Who or which JTF is Monitoring such Private Mining? Enough of the Deceit in this Country.
My challenge is: Why did the wise leaders of Ekiti State shut down the said Quarry based on environmental consequences reasons???
I submit that if not because of the Environmental consequences of the illegal Refineries, I would have given my full support to their operations and challenge anybody who will say otherwise to come forth with his /her point against my argument. Who owns the resources?
I challenge any “Leader” from the major ethnic group on this matter.
I hold that this Country will not know PEACE till TRUTH and JUSTICE is faced and practiced. I am praying about it.
I therefore challenge Niger Delta peoples, Nigerians of goodwill and men of Conscience world over to Rise up against the Injustice being done to the Ogonis and the Niger Delta States of Nigeria. This is the time to Rise up, write, speak; which is what Late Ken Saro-Wiwa urged us to do before he was hanged some years ago. This is the moment of truth; we must challenge the injustice being practiced by the Nigerian “Leaders” against the Oil producing States. When the Oil is finished, what next!
Alternatively, I suggest that we stop the Oil production for us to sort out our problem of Continuous practice of injustice in this Country in the name of the political contraption called FEDERALISM which they do not belief in, same being fraudulent. Those challenging this suggestion, should answer the Question: what were are doing when there was no Oil?
Those currently and deceitfully shouting out of proportion the issue of Secession should join the call for the implementation and practice of TRUE FEDERALISM if they are Honest. Nobody is calling for Secession as we need each other, but TRUE FEDERALISM.
I THEREFORE URGE YOU to Join this Intellectual Battle, for God, Trust, peace, and Justice are on your side. I leave you with the last words of late Ken Saro-Wiwa’s final address to the Military – appointed tribunal:
“In my innocence of the false charges I face here, in my utter conviction, I call upon the Ogoni people of the Niger Delta, and the oppressed Ethnic minorities of Nigeria to stand up now and fight fearlessly and peacefully for their rights. History is on their side. God is their side. For the Quaran says in Sura 42 verse 41: “All those that fight when oppressed incur no guilt, but Allah shall punish the oppressors” Come that day”.
More about Barr. Mankie-Tanen could be read at ”MEET THE TEAM” section of this site. He is part of the HURAC Editorial and Writers’ team. You too are welcome to submit your opinions for publication on our website.
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