By Daniel Abia/Port Harcourt
Whilst acknowledging that the sacrifices of the heroes had changed “our lives and the nation in positive ways, we would be dishonoring our heroes if we at the same time fail to admit that the Nigeria state has continued to fail the Ogoni people in some ways.
“As we honour the death of our heroes today, we are faced with an homicidal death that stares menacingly at all of us -the death of our environment,” the MOSOP president said.
On August 4, 2011, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released the report of its multi-year study of the Ogoni environment which had presented in some scientific detail the destruction of the Ogoni environment and the unprecedented pollution of the Ogoni water system.
The stunning silence of the Nigerian government two years and some months after the release of the report has confirmed that the government as alleged by “our heroes some years ago had been practicing the crime of genocide against the Ogoni people.
“This government wants us to continue to drink the poisoned water and die. This government wants us to continue to breathe the poisoned air and die and this government wants us to continue to live on the polluted lands and die. Dr. Goodluck Jonathan administration is presiding over the final liquidation of the Ogoni nationality and we would not accept it.
“As the ultimatum we issued to the Nigeria government expired yesterday, in the coming days ahead, we invite you to join us as we embark on series of non-violent actions to demonstrate our total disapproval of the government’s handling of the implementation of the report of the environmental study of Ogoniland.”
He continued: “We wish to also inform you that we would be invoking the provisions of the Genocide Convention against the Nigeria government. We must all be ready to challenge those who are daily erecting barriers to our sense of common humanity and equality, and this is the time.”
He reminded that only few months back his administration launched the Ogoni Project 2015 which had amongst several others called on the political parties and other sympathetic groups in the country to give the Ogoni people the opportunity to produce the next governor of Rivers State.
After a thorough analysis of the current situation, he stated that “we face in Rivers State particularly on the issue of political marginalization which was one of the issues for which our leaders paid the supreme price, MOSOP decided to launch this campaign to reduce the level of Ogoni marginalization in Rivers State pending when we will have our own state. “We are seizing this moment to call on all Ogoni sons and daughters to support this campaign.”
The MOSOP leader explained that the occasion of the anniversary was also an opportunity to remind politicians and political office holders that during this period, regardless of political affiliations, they must do everything within their powers to ensure that the Ogoni strive for unity and peace amongst the people.
The bickering and divisions amongst the political class must end for the common good of the Ogoni people. The spirit of Ogoni, the entire Ogoni people and the fallen heroes that have been remembered expect the political leaders to demonstrate that they at least stand for the overriding interest of the Ogoni people by speaking up for them and joining them in their campaigns.
“Let us therefore remain an edifice of hope and a shining inspiration to thousands across the globe that continue to look up to us and the unity and commitment to one another that we uphold on this day of Remembrance,” he averred.