Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) and Ogoni Liberation Initiative (OLI) have teamed up to drive the developmental agenda of the area and reject any attempt to forcefully resume oil exploration in Ogoniland.

They also stated that in view of the most recent happenings affecting the Ogoni people, and to inform the general public on the initiatives they are adopting to avert any crisis and to achieve a peaceful resolution of the problem.

A joint statement signed by MOSOP President, Fegalo Nsuke, and President, OLI, Dr. Fabeke Douglas, said till date, no individual or organisation has been held accountable, prosecuted, or punished despite the death of some 4,000 Ogonis.

The statement said, “Despite these monumental obstacles, we have remained very determined to forge ahead in greater unity to achieve our much-desired peace and to usher in a new era of progress and development to our people.”

According to them, despite these painful experiences, we have continued to make frantic efforts at achieving a permanent settlement that resolves all pending issues and provides a pathway to a prosperous Ogoni society.

They explained that the only crime has been our demands for a just, equitable society that recognises and respects our rights to fair treatment and to function within Nigeria as a distinct ethnic nationality.

“We insist that, having championed the cause of the people for justice and fairness, having held the mandate of them, as expressed in the Ogoni Bill of Rights, to advocate and negotiate a settlement of the issues, we will continue to push for its achievement.”

They reiterated their dissociation from, and rejection of, the current surreptitious approach, which, in utter disregard for the directive of Mr. President, blatantly excluded MOSOP and other relevant stakeholders from the so-called dialogue process.

They also said that the development they envisage presumes that full economic activities will have to be encouraged in the land, including the resumption of oil and gas extraction, and backed by strong political interests, which have remained a stumbling block to honest desire to move to a mutually beneficial settlement.

“It is our hope that this partnership will create an even broader and stronger platform for community engagement and pave the way for an honest approach to genuinely address the concerns of the Ogoni people and consequently lead to a resolution of all issues.”

MOSOP and the Ogoni Liberation Initiative will further engage relevant stakeholders and the international community with a view to achieving the goals of the Ogoni struggle and to ensure that the sacrifices of our struggles of over 32 years are not in vain.