Ogoni: MOSOP, 31 groups demand justice for Saro-Wiwa
…Reject forced oil exploration resumption
By Daniel Abia
PORT HARCOURT—The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, MOSOP, and 31 groups on Monday staged a peaceful demonstration in Ogoni land, demanding justice for Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni 8, who were executed in 1995 for advocating environmental stewardship.
The groups insisted that for the ongoing plan to resume oil production in Ogoni to succeed, it must be driven by MOSOP—the grassroots movement that led the protests that ousted Shell from Ogoni in 1993.
Protesters carried placards with inscriptions including: “Clear Ken Saro-Wiwa’s Name Now,” “No to Forceful Oil Resumption,” “We Want Justice for Ogoni 9”, “Ribadu and Mitee, Leave Ogoni Oil Alone”, “Stop the Ogoni Genocide,” and “No Exoneration, No Oil Resumption in Ogoniland.”
MOSOP President, Mr Fegalo Nsuke, addressing the protesters at Peace Park in Bori, emphasized that MOSOP’s involvement was crucial for any oil exploration activities in Ogoni.
Nsuke declared: “There cannot be oil resumption in any part of Ogoni without MOSOP’s leadership input. We will not accept any decision imposed on us without our participation. We will resist any attempt to marginalize us or ignore our rights.”
Nsuke also highlighted MOSOP’s pioneering role in the fight for environmental justice and human rights in Ogoni, stating: “MOSOP initiated this struggle. We were the first to demand the return of oil exploration in Ogoni, not the political class. We will not be silenced or ignored in the decision-making process. Any attempt to silence us will be resisted—lawfully and non-violently—until we achieve justice.”
He further called on President Bola Tinubu to halt the process initiated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and establish a more transparent mechanism that includes the Ogoni people’s views.
Similarly, President of the National Youth Council of Ogoni People (NYCOP), Comrade Barinuazor Emmanuel, reiterated the group’s demands, emphasizing that Ken Saro-Wiwa must be exonerated rather than pardoned, as he was denied a fair trial by the late General Sani Abacha.
He said: “Ken Saro-Wiwa was not guilty of any crime. He was a hero who fought for the rights of the Ogoni people and his name must be cleared.”
Other key demands from the protesting groups included granting operational licenses to indigenous Ogoni companies to drill oil, unbundling of OML11, and compensating the Ogoni people. Emmanuel also called for a panel of inquiry into the deaths of the Ogoni 4, who were killed in Giokoo, allegedly at the hands of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other activists.
“We want to know the truth about what happened to our brothers,” Emmanuel stated. “Justice must be served, and those responsible must be held accountable. We will not accept any decision imposed on us without our involvement.”
The NYCOP president emphasized that while Ogoni youths support oil resumption in Ogoniland, the federal government must engage in roundtable discussions with the Ogoni people.
“We are not against development,” Emmanuel explained. “We are against exploitation and marginalization. We want to be part of the decision-making process, and we want our rights to be respected.”
He also urged former MOSOP president Barr. Ledum Mitee to choose between supporting the federal government or standing with the Ogoni people if he wishes to lead discussions on oil resumption.
“You cannot serve two masters,” Emmanuel stated. “If you want to lead this discussion, you must be on the side of the Ogoni people.”
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