On Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu gave National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu instructions to organise talks with different stakeholders in Ogoniland, which is located in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, to restart oil production in the region.
The President stated that his administration would place a high priority on peace, justice, and sustainable development in the region when he issued the directive in Abuja while hosting Ogoni leaders, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara, at the Aso Villa. Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory’s (FCT) minister, attended the conference as well.
To bring about peace, progress, and a clean environment, Tinubu urged the Ogoni people to put aside their past grievances and work together in the spirit of unity and reconciliation.
“We can fix some historical irregularities moving forward, but we cannot in any way change the past.”
In a statement, presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga quoted Tinubu as saying, “We cannot heal the wounds if we continue to be angry.”
“We need to have mutual trust to collaborate. Return home, consult more people, and show others love. The President stated, “We have to make this journey worthwhile by returning to Ogoniland with peace, development, and a clean environment.”
He requested collaboration between the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, and the Rivers State Government to fulfil this objective.
One year after the much-heralded launch of a clean-up programme, the oil slicks that have blackened the waters, killed the fish and left the mangroves dead in Bodo remain untouched. According to the United Nations Environment Agency (UNEP), this “historic” clean-up should take 25 to 30 years. / AFP PHOTO / PIUS UTOMI EKPEI
“Having this meeting, which gives me the chance to speak with the people of Ogoniland, is a great honour for me.
“Many years have passed since your children and I joined forces to oppose our nation’s military dictatorship. Nobody could have predicted that I would be sitting here as president, but we are grateful to God.
“In the streets of Nigeria, Europe, and America, many of your sons were my friends and fellow travellers.”
The President remarked, “I know what to do in memory of our beloved ones so that their sacrifices will not be in vain.”
Governor Fubara expressed his gratitude to the President for welcoming an inclusive representation of the people to the Presidential Villa and for his support of the Ogoni people.
“What we are doing here today is to concretise the love and respect we have for the President for being behind this meeting and for him to tell us to go back and continue the consultations with a timeline so that the resumption of oil production in Ogoniland will commence,” he said.
Also, the National Security Adviser commended the Ogoni people for their trust in President Tinubu and for embracing dialogue as a path to meaningful progress and enduring solutions.
The governor emphasised the significance of restarting oil activities in Ogoniland and assured the delegation that they would follow the president’s directives and offer the assistance required to meet the goals of the government.
“We are here today to express our love and respect for the President for organising this meeting and for instructing us to return and carry on with the consultations with a timeline so that Ogoniland’s oil production can resume,” he added.
The National Security Advisor also praised the Ogoni people for believing in President Tinubu and for seeing communication as a means of achieving lasting change.
The Gberemene of Gokana Kingdom, King Festus Babari Bagia Gberesaako XIII, who represents the Ogoni leadership, stated that the community leaders are eager to participate in the process of resolving the persistent issues in Ogoniland.
