Ogonis In Diaspora Divided Over Self Government

The people of Ogoni living in the United States of America (USA) seem to be divided over the recent declaration of political autonomy for Ogoniland by a faction of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP).

A faction of MOSOP led by Mr. Goodluck Diigbo, had on August 2, 2012 declared self government for the people of Ogoni, comprising  Eleme, Gokana, Khana and Tai local government areas of Rivers State.

LEADERSHIP observed that there was mixed reaction within the ranks of MOSOP –USA on the declaration. While a section of the group backed the action of Diigbo, others saw the development as a mockery of the noble struggle of the people of Ogoni, as the people had been strong in their agitation for the creation of Bori State.

Public Relations Officer (PRO) of MOSOP-USA, Mr. Dumle Kunenu had, in an online statement circulated to newsmen in Port Harcourt, insisted that Ogonis in Diaspora, especially those living in the USA were in full support of the declaration of political autonomy by the factional leader as far as it was in line with the demands of the Ogoni Bill of Rights (OBR).

“At this point of our non-violent struggle, Ogoni people will not accept any level of social intellectual dishonesty, threat, or lethal actions that may bridle or impinge upon the good work our martyrs left for us to follow until justice is done.

“Thus, the Ogoni autonomy is not about who declares it, if that has given its critics any platitude to associate the declaration with negative utterances, but it is about the message whether or  not it portrays and represents the core ideal or philosophy of MOSOP. And let no one be deceived that the declaration calls for secession from Nigeria as some people who may not be acquainted with the OBR have purportedly presented.”

But, the immediate past President of MOSOP-USA, Chief Ikpobari Senewo in an on-line interview with LEADERSHIP accused Diigbo of trying to draw attention away from the demands of the people of Ogoni, which are the creation of Bori State and the full implementation of the environmental assessment report of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Ogoniland.

Senewo said; “I see what he did as an attempt to draw attention away from the burning demands the Ogoni people already had on the table – the creation of a Bori State, and the immediate implementation of the UNEP Report – to himself; for his own self-aggrandisement.

“With all due respect, as an Ogoniman who has suffered for the Ogoni Cause, I advise Dr. Diigbo to stop making a public joke of our noble struggle and our demands for his own self-seeking ends.

He, however, advised the federal government against pushing the people of Ogoni further to a tight corner where they might be forced to explode again in a non-violent manner.

The former MOSOP leader said; “In the same breath, I advise the Nigerian government to stop squeezing the Ogoni people to a tight corner because, it will get to a point where we will non-violently explode again and again. The conflagration will be impossible to put out.”

 

Source: Leadership