By Mark Lenu
The people of Ogoni ethnic nationality in Rivers State have insisted that to ease their pain, the federal government must set aside special funds for the development of the entire Ogoniland.
They said this in commemoration of the November 10, 2024 Ogoni Martyrs Day as they also reminded the Nigerian government of the tremendous resources that had been extracted from Ogoniland to develop the country without the area benefiting from the development.
A cross section of Ogonis who spoke with our correspondent from Bori, the headquarters of the ethnic group maintained that the Nigerian government has not been fair to the Ogoni people, adding that the only interest of government is to explore the natural resources in the area.
“Until the Federal government sets aside special funds for the development of Ogoniland, we will not be happy with the Nigerian government.
“FG killed some of our great leaders in the likes of Ken Saro Wiwa and others in order to have free access to the crude oil in Ogoniland. They destroyed our environment while making billions of dollars during the period of oil exploration in Ogoniland. Since the federal government can not bring back the prominent lives that Late General Sani Abacha executed, we want the federal government to develop our land for us,” the Ogonis said.
President Bola Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to fostering dialogue, reconciliation, and healing among all groups in Nigeria on Monday.
Tinubu made this commitment in a special message commemorating the 2024 Ogoni Martyrs Remembrance Day, conveyed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga.
According to the President of MOSOP, Fegalo Nsuke, resolving the Ogoni problem demands that the Nigerian government and the oil industry must be fair in the way the Ogoni people are treated. This fairness is defined by “setting aside a fair proportion of the profits made from the oil extracted in Ogoniland for the development of Ogoniland.
