By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Nigeria’s President has conferred posthumous national honours of Commander of the Order of the Niger, (CON) on four environmental activists in the oil-rich Niger Delta region of the country who were killed under military regime.
President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday recognised Albert Badey, Edward Kobani, Theophilus Orage, and Samuel Orage popularly referred to as “Ogoni 4” over three decades after they were in May 1994 murdered during the junta regime of Gen. Sani Abacha in their struggle for environmental justice as a result of oil activities in the region.
The Nigerian leader also received the report of the Ogoni Consultations Committee at the Presidential Villa, Abuja where he urged the people of Ogoniland to embrace reconciliation and unity after decades of division.
He said:“May their memories continue to inspire unity, courage and purpose among us. I urge the Ogoni people across classes, communities and generations to close ranks, put this dark chapter behind us and move forward as a united community with one voice.”
Oil exploration in Ogoniland was suspended in 1993 following widespread protests against environmental degradation, leading to the tragic execution of writer-activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight others in 1995 by the Abacha military regime.
However, Tinubu on Wednesday directed the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to start engagement with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Ogoni communities, and other stakeholders.
He said this would be towards finalising modalities for the resumption of oil production in Ogoniland after more than three decades of shutdown.
He said: “I am encouraged by the overwhelming consensus of the Ogoni communities to welcome the resumption of oil production. The government will deploy every resource to support your people in this march towards shared prosperity.”
The President also directed Minister of Environment to work with the NSA to integrate environmental remediation and community programmes into a broader dialogue and implementation process.
“Environmental remediation will renew oil production, and we must ensure efficient functionality as an instrument of action,” he emphasised.
