Ogoniland is, once again, sliding into a slippery terrain nearly 18 years after Ken Saro-Wiwa and other eight leaders of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) were hanged, thus bringing to a climax the first uprising of this oil-rich part of Rivers State.
In that episode, two factions of MOSOP had emerged: the conservative wing, led by elders who felt the aspirations of the Ogoni people could be met through constant dialogue and engagement with the system in their struggles against alleged neglect by Anglo-Dutch giant oil company, Shell.
These included Dr. Edward Kobani, Dr. Albert Badey and Chiefs Theophilus Orage and Sam Orage. The more radical opposite side was led by Ken Saro-Wiwa. Following an eruption of violence, the former (tagged as Ogoni Four) were murdered, and Saro-Wiwa and eight of his mates were sentenced to death and hanged on November 10, 1995.
Early in August this year, the factional President of MOSOP, Dr. Goodluck Diigbo, declared that Ogoni was asserting its right to autonomy.
This immediately pitched Diigbo in a running media battle with the Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi. Perhaps to clear the atmosphere, a delegation of Ogoni leaders including traditional rulers, office holders and Senator Magnus Abe, on Tuesday September 4, 2012, visited the State House in Abuja, where they met President Goodluck Jonathan.
They made it clear that although all Ogonis shared the ideal of greater devolution of powers to enable them take charge of challenges facing their communities, they were not in support of pulling Ogoni out of Nigeria.
They insisted that though the Ogoni struggle is for justice and greater internal control, the people remain committed to the unity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
With another case of factionalisation now evident, it is important for us as a country to watch matters in Ogoni and ensure the past does not repeat itself. The events of 1994/95 should also be seen by the elite in Ogoniland as a lesson that must condition them to tolerate the views of others.
The Ogoni struggle for justice is well documented and known all over the world. Part of the current injustice the Ogoni are complaining about is the clean-up of Ogoniland, which the United Nations Environmental Project (UNEP) estimated will cost $1 billion. The work has started, though belatedly, but many Ogonis are worried that the Federal Government is coming in with too little too late.
Even though some of the issues being canvassed for, as contained in the Ogoni Bill of Rights might seem outlandish to some, they boil down to the widespread calls for greater devolution of powers. The time is auspicious as we are in the process of amending the 1999 Constitution.
Let there be peace in Ogoniland.
Source: OgoniNews
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