The Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) has dissociated itself and the Ogoni people from a purported meeting with President Bola Tinubu, insisting that the international oil and gas companies remain unwelcome in Ogoniland.

A statement signed MOSOP’s General Secretary, Nyiedha Nasikpo on Thursday, May 16, 2024 condemned the said meeting, disparaging the said outcome of the meeting, accusing the attendees of the purported meeting as “individuals sponsored by oil interests”.

“The Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) condemns the meeting with the President, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, of individuals sponsored by oil interests, and claiming to be leaders and representatives of Ogoni people sent to discuss the resumption of oil exploration in Ogoni.”

Some traditional rulers under the aegis of the Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers of Ogoni, Rivers State, led by the Gbenemene Tai Kingdom and Paramount Ruler of Kpite Tai, His Royal Higness, King Samuel Nnee, had met with President Tinubu on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, FCT Abuja.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, quoted King Nnee as requesting for the resumption of oil exploration activities in Ogoniland.

“According to the Paramount Ruler of Kpite Tai, previous administrations were unable to resolve the pertinent issues associated with the shutting down of oil production in Ogoniland.”

“He informed the President that the Ogoni people are prepared for the commencement of oil and gas production in Ogoniland with the potential unbundling of OML 11 – bearing an additional production capacity of 100,000 barrels per day and 120 million cubic feet of gas per day.”

“This will contribute $5 billion per annum to Nigeria’s GDP on an asset that is currently owned 100 percent by the NNPCL.”

But MOSOP disclaimed the traditional ruler, asserting that at no time did the people of Ogoni meet, agree and decide to have a resumption of oil exploration activity on their land, declaring that King Nnee and those who met with the President were not recognized by Ogoni people as their representatives.

“MOSOP wishes to restate clearly that Ogoni people have at no point held a congress where the issue of oil exploration in Ogoni was deliberated. We would also like to make it clear that participants of said meeting who claimed and paraded themselves as leaders of MOSOP and
its other affiliates are not known to any of the organs of MOSOP as recognized by Ogoni people.”

MOSOP further asserted that the Ogoni Bill of Rights (OBR), which was presented to the Federal Government in 1990, remains the authentic roadmap for any engagement with the people of Ogoni, warning the President not to be misled into inciting avoidable crisis in Ogoniland by “merchants of crisis”.

“We also reecho for the whole world to know that Shell and all oil companies remain persona non grata in Ogoniland until the demands of Ogoni people as enshrined in the Ogoni Bill of Rights (OBR), which was presented to the Nigerian Government in 1990, is acceded to by the Nigerian Government.”

“MOSOP calls on the Nigerian President to not allow his office to be utilized by merchants of crisis to cause chaos in Ogoniland reminiscent of the Nigerian Government’s direct attacks and sponsored attacks on Ogoni communities between l990 and 1999 which saw the near complete annihilation of our people all in a bid to protect- and advance the interests of international oil companies and their evil collaborators at the expense of the indigenous people of Ogoni.”

The Ogoni people had taken a stand against oil exploration activities in their land after the execution of their hero and globally celebrated playwright, late Kenule Beeson Saro Wiwa, and several others, popularly referred to as the “Ogoni 9”.

The Ogoni ethnic nationality went a notch further to pursue litigations against Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) in Switzerland and other countries, some of which cases, they won, leading to the decision by the United Nations Development Programme to begin remediation of devastated lands in the area.

In furtherance of this, the Nigerian Government established the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) to handle to remediation project in the identified communities across Ogoniland.