Ogoni Leaders Kick Against FG’s Oil Exploration Resumption in Ogoniland

A well-known Niger Delta advocacy organization, the Ogoni Voice Achievers Foundation (OVAF), has vehemently rejected the federal government’s most recent proposal to reopen oil exploration in Ogoniland. The group maintains that until long-standing environmental and social injustices are resolved, such as the extensive cleanup of the area and the long-awaited exoneration of the late Ken Saro-Wiwa and other Ogoni activists who were executed in 1995, no exploration or drilling should start.

OVAF said in a statement that the government’s decision was “deeply flawed, unjust, and unacceptable.” Gospel Barifii Gokana is the organization’s founder and chairman of the board of trustees. Gokana claims that the plan fails to take into account the terrible effects that decades of oil exploitation have already had on Ogoni communities, including the destruction of livelihoods and the extensive pollution of waterways and farmlands. He cautioned that if these historical wrongs are not righted, the region may experience a resurgence of warfare, heightened social discontent, and rekindled animosity.

According to reports, the federal administration has defended its proposal to resume oil operations by pointing to the urgent need for increased energy security and economic recovery in the country. OVAF, however, vehemently disputes this justification, arguing that the Ogoni people cannot bear the cost of Nigeria’s tax requirements as long as their environment and health are in ruins. Justice for those that have suffered the most from oil exploitation must coexist with the nation’s true recovery, Gokana stated.

The group expressed serious concerns about the absence of substantive consultation with the Ogoni people. According to Gokana, government representatives had only held “closed-door negotiations” with a small number of people, which he claimed violates the international human rights law-recognized concept of “free, prior, and informed consent.” “This selective engagement is not representative or legitimate,” he contended. Token meetings with carefully chosen people are not what the Ogoni people want; they deserve an inclusive, transparent, and open process.

In addition to criticism, OVAF criticized the “absence of transparency” throughout the entire decision-making process. The statement accused officials of making important choices from Abuja headquarters without completely understanding the profound damage that years of neglect, pollution, and brutal repression had caused to Ogoni villages. Ignoring the opinions of those who are directly impacted damages confidence and runs the risk of intensifying the feeling of exclusion that has long stoked animosity in the Niger Delta, the group claims.

OVAF restated that it opposes injustice rather than development or national advancement. The organization stressed that justice for previous victims, finishing the cleanup of Ogoniland as recommended by the UN, and making sure that any new initiatives are based on the full participation and permission of the Ogoni people are the first steps towards a viable future.

According to Gokana, “the Ogoni struggle has always been about dignity, justice, and the right to a safe environment.” Any attempt to resume oil exploration in Ogoniland would remain unlawful and undesirable until those rights are upheld.