The President of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), Fegalo Nsuke, has called on the Ogoni people to embrace unity and peaceful conflict resolution as critical tools for achieving sustainable development and lasting progress in Ogoniland.
Nsuke made the call while speaking during the commemoration of Ogoni Day, stressing that unity of purpose remains the foundation for building a better and more prosperous Ogoni society.
“My message to the Ogoni people is for them to be united for development. We must understand that we need to remain focused on the best ways to resolve our conflicts,” he said.
According to him, peaceful conflict resolution is essential to building a stronger Ogoni nation, noting that decades of internal and external challenges have slowed development in the area.
The MOSOP president recalled the long history of marginalisation suffered by the Ogoni people, as well as the severe environmental degradation caused by years of oil exploration activities in their land. He said these experiences have left deep scars on the people and their environment.
However, Nsuke noted that Ogoniland is at a turning point and urged the people to put the pains of the past behind them and embrace new opportunities for growth and development.
“This is a new dawn for the Ogoni people. We must move forward, accept change and prepare ourselves for the greater opportunities that lie ahead,” he stated.
He emphasised that the change desired by the Ogoni people can only be achieved through collective interest, shared decisions, mutual agreement and oneness among the people.
Addressing the Federal Government and Nigerians at large, Nsuke called for inclusivity and a fair, mutually beneficial benefit-sharing arrangement in all engagements concerning Ogoniland.
He also appealed to the government to ensure that peace is maintained in Ogoni communities and that the people do not face renewed persecution under the guise of resuming oil production.
“While we recognise the importance of oil revenue for development, such activities must be carried out ethically, humanely and with genuine concern for the welfare of the Ogoni people,” he added.
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