The National Coordinator of the Ken Saro Wiwa Associates, Gani Topba, has called on Governor Wike to withdraw the recognition of any traditional ruler of Ogoni ethnic extraction, who abandons his primary responsibility of maintaining law and order as well as peace and unity in his domain, and dabble into what he termed “the oil politics of endorsing companies for renewed oil exploration in Ogoni land”
In a letter to governor Wike on Thursday, Gani Topba’s group said some government recognized traditional rulers in Ogoni, have between 2014 and 2017 openly endorsed Belema oil as operator of the Ogoni oil field without seeking the consent of their subject.
The group further said, between late 2017 and 2018, the same set of traditional rulers endorsed Robo Michael limited to resume oil exploration in Ogoni land.
The group stressed that the actions of the traditional rulers have dragged the revered stool of their kingdom into disrepute, as well as contravene the chieftaincy title law of Rivers State.
The group therefore called on the governor to invoke section 6 of the law, and suspend or withdraw the recognition of the traditional rulers found wanting in the interest of peace, order and good governance of the state.
