The Leadership of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni people (MOSOP), has charged Ogoni indigenes to be committed to the quest for self-determination and liberation of Ogoni people and not lose focus.
MOSOP President, Legborsi Pyagbara made the appeal in a statement in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital to mark the world indigenous people’s day with the theme, “the Ogoni struggle for environmental restoration.”
Pyagbara reminded the people that self-determination and Liberation are the kernels of Ogoni struggle and would not be joked with.
August 9, every year is observed around the World as indigenous peoples day, basically to celebrate the collective fight for self-determination and liberation.
This year’s event was reportedly held in collaboration with the International Indigenois People’s movement for self-determination and Liberatuin(IPMSDL).
In a statement issued by the president at the event yesterday, he said: ‘’ the global crisis spirals, deepens and worsen as imperialist domination and quest for super profits continue, forests and mountains face immeasurable rate of devastation, most of which are ancestral territories and homes have been plagued with the heightened resource plunder.
‘’We are the protectors of our lands, I want us to learn from the Kichwa people of the Amazon in Ecuador on how they assert their rights to self-determination by ousting several oil companies from their region and preserving their forests for the benefits of future generations.” Pyagbara said.
Charging the audience further said, “’Not also forgetting the indigenous people of Brazil, Columbia and the rest of Latin America on how they continue to expand and gaining momentum and strength in protecting his indigenous people rights.
‘’The indigenous people of these countries I mentioned are determined to fight imperialist plunder, militarization and also resisting land grabbing schemes by various transnational companies (TNCs) and local oligarchs, presently the Ogoni people are standing up against the forceful attempt by the Nigerian government and the oil companies to return to the Ogoni oil fields.”
The people also uses the celebration to place demands on the FG and said, ’As we commemorate this year’s World IP day, let us raise the struggle for self-determination in the name of total freedom from all forms of oppression and discrimination. Let us defeat the offensives of imperialism in plundering our lands and resources.
‘’We are calling on the Governments to develop policies, agreements, bi-national plans concerning the indigenous Ogoni people in and around international borders and in urban areas and also guarantee the right to self-determination of the indigenous Ogoni people and ensure that it is respected.
“The Nigeria government should guarantee the right to self-determination of the Indigenous Ogonis people and ensure that it is respected.
“Nigerian government should in cooperation with the Indigenous Ogonis people set up a mechanism to combat the adverse effects of migration and provide employment and economic development opportunities within the Ogonis territory.” he stated.
Furthermore, the people demand that comprehensive statistical information on Ogoni people showing their actual population, who they actually are and where they are as basic tools for policy development and programs for Ogoni people, amongst others.
Speaking on the need to preserve Ogonis local language and dialects the President urged parents to teach and allow their children to communicate in their local languages and also advised institutions to prioritise indigenous language that they would not go into extinction.
Source: TheNation
