Self-Government For Ogoni Belated, Says Diigbo

SAN FRANCISCO, August 04, (THEWILL) - The declaration of self-government in Ogoni Land, championed by the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), is an enforcement of the United Nations Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples that was long overdue, president/spokesman of the group, Dr. Goodluck Diigbo has said.

Diigbo described the action as the only way to address the many important issues bordering on indigenous rights of the Ogoni people being tampered with, one of which was the UNEP Ogoni Report.

“The Ogoni declaration of self-government now guarantees the Ogoni people the right to participate in decision-making in all matters that would affect their rights, through representatives chosen by Ogonis in accordance with its own procedures, as well as to maintain and develop all our own indigenous decision-making institutions, which we started to set up since 2011,” he said, expressing hope that the self-government would help to provide “just and fair redress to decades of deprivation of our indigenous rights.”

Diigbo was addressing Ogonis on Friday, after their celebration train reached Bane, the hometown of slain activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Diigbo’s closest associate who was murdered for demanding environmental impact assessment study of Ogoni.

On 4th August 2011, the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) issued an inconclusive report that Ogoniland would need some 25 to 30 years to fully recover from the damages of past years.

“Ogoni has, for decades, been devastated by petroleum operations by the Nigerian government, through Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Anglo-Royal Dutch/Shell, in corrupt alliance with other multinational oil corporations,” he recalled.

“Importantly, Ogoni can no longer accept dictation. Any institution, government and corporation interested in investing in Ogoni will enjoy transparent partnership, because we will end corruption and irresponsive governance in Ogoni.”

This partnership, he added, will be based on free, prior and informed consent before any of Ogoni’s partners adopt and implement any project, and before the national government adopts any legislative or administrative measures that may affect Ogoni people.

MOSOP), led by Diigbo, declared political autonomy in Ogoni Land on Thursday, claiming to be “acting with legitimacy to reclaim all of our rights, without exception,” in a move that will clearly evoke scary memories of the Nigerian Civil War of 6th July 1967 to 15th January 1970.