By Ken Chiwendu
President Bola Tinubu has conferred national honours of the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) posthumously on four former Ogoni leaders-Albert Badey, Edward Kobani, Theophilus Orage, and Samuel Orage popularly known as the “Ogoni Four.”
Tinubu announced this on Wednesday when he received the report of the Ogoni Consultation Committee at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The President also urged the people of Ogoniland to put the past behind them and unite , speaking with one voice.
“May their memories continue to inspire unity, courage, and purpose among us. I urge the Ogoni people across classes, communities, and generations to close ranks, put this dark chapter behind us, and move forward as a united community with one voice,”
He expressed satisfaction with the Ogoni stakeholders for the resumption of oil production and assured that his administration would reciprocate by supporting the people .
“I am encouraged by the overwhelming consensus of the Ogoni communities to welcome the resumption of oil production.
“The government will deploy every resource to support your people in this march towards shared prosperity,” he added.
Tinubu recalled that in 2022, the previous administration handed over the operatorship of the Ogoni oil field to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its joint venture partners, adding that his government would honour and build on that decision.
He therefore, directed the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, to immediately commence engagement between the Ogoni people, NNPCL, its partners, and all relevant stakeholders to finalise modalities for restarting operations.
Oil production in Ogoniland stopped in 1993 following sustained protests against environmental degradation and injustice, which culminated in the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other activists in 1995.
Tinubu said “A dead asset is not valuable to the community, the country, or the people. The longer we procrastinate, the worse it is for everyone,” the President said, while also directing the Minister of Environment to integrate pollution remediation and environmental recovery into the broader framework of dialogue with the people.
“Let us together turn pain into purpose, conflict into cooperation, and transform the wealth beneath Ogoni soil into a blessing for the people and for Nigeria,”
The chairman of the Dialogue Committee, Prof.Don Baridam, said the committee ensured all stakeholders were carried along in the process, noting that the report reflects the collective will of the Ogoni people.
Baridam said the report captured the people’s demands for structured participation in oil production, renewed environmental cleanup, and a framework for sustainable development.
Presenting the Committee’s report, the National Security Adviser NSA ,Nuhu Ribadu said the consultation exercise engaged all four Ogoni zones, with input from local communities, traditional leaders, and the diaspora.
He emphasised that the process was not just about submitting a report but about restoring hope and trust in Ogoniland after years of neglect and conflict.
According to him ,stakeholders agreed that the report should serve as a blueprint for implementation, with an inter-agency task force comprising NNPCL, relevant ministries, and the Ogoni Dialogue Committee to drive execution.
