The Ogoni Declaration: Division within the enclave.
Nigerian greatest sin was the assassination of Ken Saro Wiwa. Those who exploit the fruits of our earth for their selfish enrichment are under obligation to account for the desecration that they caused. The pollution and heath hazards connected with oil and gas explorations are not isolated issues. There is Ogoni in every one of us because the oil that is coming out from Ogoni land makes this country what it is. Therefore, we must protect Ogoni. No Nigerian would be demanding for autonomy or self-government as presently the case, if not for the neglect of the Niger Delta and the blatant ineptitude of those vested with political power.
They allocate and distribute among themselves the wealth coming from the land of the Niger Delta in their expensively furnished offices at far away Abuja, not knowing how the people of Borokiri, Ilaje, Yenagoa, Sapele, and Kalabari survive on contaminated water and desecrated land. It is not fair. Also, people like former Governor James Iboris of Niger Delta and the former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa who took embezzlement of public funds to an obscene level stand condemned for their reckless behavior. As much as one would easily derive satisfaction condemning the nonchalant activities of foreign oil companies and the Nigerian central government with respect to containing gas flaring and pollution in the region, one cannot help, but marvel at the brazen scale of thievery and squandering of funds meant for developing Niger Delta by Niger Delta natives in powerful positions.
On Niger Delta and related issues, we made our position very clear on this blog about eight months ago - January 2012 in an article titled "Bonga Oil Spillage: Niger Delta, and Sustainable Development." Read it and be informed.
Nigerian greatest sin was the assassination of Ken Saro Wiwa. Those who exploit the fruits of our earth for their selfish enrichment are under obligation to account for the desecration that they caused. The pollution and heath hazards connected with oil and gas explorations are not isolated issues. There is Ogoni in every one of us because the oil that is coming out from Ogoni land makes this country what it is. Therefore, we must protect Ogoni. No Nigerian would be demanding for autonomy or self-government as presently the case, if not for the neglect of the Niger Delta and the blatant ineptitude of those vested with political power.
They allocate and distribute among themselves the wealth coming from the land of the Niger Delta in their expensively furnished offices at far away Abuja, not knowing how the people of Borokiri, Ilaje, Yenagoa, Sapele, and Kalabari survive on contaminated water and desecrated land. It is not fair. Also, people like former Governor James Iboris of Niger Delta and the former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa who took embezzlement of public funds to an obscene level stand condemned for their reckless behavior. As much as one would easily derive satisfaction condemning the nonchalant activities of foreign oil companies and the Nigerian central government with respect to containing gas flaring and pollution in the region, one cannot help, but marvel at the brazen scale of thievery and squandering of funds meant for developing Niger Delta by Niger Delta natives in powerful positions.
On Niger Delta and related issues, we made our position very clear on this blog about eight months ago - January 2012 in an article titled "Bonga Oil Spillage: Niger Delta, and Sustainable Development." Read it and be informed.
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