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Peter Odilli Has To Hand Over To An Ogoni Man, Come 2007, In Rivers By Cornelius Akata Cornelius.Dumerene@USPTO.GOV
Ogoni is the largest ethnic group in the present Rivers State after the creation of Bayelsa State, which took the Ijaws from Rivers State. Rivers State now have several ethic groups namely; Abua, Adoni, Ekpeye, Ikwere, Ogoni, Etche, Kalabari, Ndoni-Ogba, Okirika etc. Among these ethnic groups, Ikwere and Ogoni is the largest. Ogoni alone speaks four different dialects, which is group into Khana, Gokhana, Tai, and Eleme. Initially, Oyigbo was part of the Khana local government call Khana/Oyiegbo LGA, until Oyigbo was given a separate LGA from Khana. Khana still remain the largest local government in Nigeria, as Nyokana alone could make up of two or more LGA in the present day Nigeria. Eleme host the NNPC, two petrochemicals and a seaport call Onne port. Ogoni also host the only polytechnic in Rivers States. Ogoni is economically important to the federal government of Nigeria because of the enormous tapped and untapped oil and gas in Ogoni.
Rivers State was created after the civil war, particularly out of pressure from the Rivers people. Ken Saro wiwa and few other Ogonis played some prominent roles among others in the creation of the old Rivers State. Is now about thirty six years after the creation of Rivers state, an Ogoni man has never been allow to lead the executive cabinet of Rivers state, the last time an Ogoni man contested and almost win the gubernatorial race in the 80s, he was boorishly addressed as ‘monkey’ by Melford Okilo. In the 90s, largely because of environmental degradation, economic strangulation and political marginalization of the Ogoni people in Rivers state, and the Niger Delta in Nigerian, Ken Saro Wiwa decided to use Ogoni as a case study and lunched a massive non-violent protest against Shell and the federal government. The ideal and vision of the Ogonis were (is), enough is enough, it is practically wrong for somebody to own a property, which if taken away without any form of substitution, could wiped out and totally cut off the person’s means of living. Nigeria was not ready to listen; Ogonis was regarded as intimidating the north, which control the federal government. A systematic war was declared by the Abacha regime and shell on Ogoni, men were killed, women raped and killed by federal troops, Communal clashes against Ogoni by it neighbors was sponsored by Shell and the federal government. Finally, November 10th 1995, Abacha ordered the hanging of Ken Saro wiwa and eight other Ogoni men for fighting against the oppressive measure of Shell and the federal government in the Niger Delta. Though Shell had no choice than to pull out of Ogoni, it was the toughest decision taken in the face of all the profit that was coming from Ogoni. It is recorded that from 1958 to 1995 when shell pulled out of Ogoni, Ogoni natural resources contributed about $30b (thirty billion us dollars) to the building of the Nigeria nation.
The NDDC, which was introduced by the federal to develop the Niger Delta, was instructed by the federal government not to touch Ogoni land with any project, primary because, shell petroleum is no longer extracting oil from Ogoni. It could be logically argue that, if the Nigeria government is really fair as they disguise, what have they done for the Ogoni people whose livelihood and only means of living was put to a stop from 1958 to 1995 when Shell pulled out of Ogoni? What have the Ogoni people got for contributing $30b to the building of Nigeria nation ‘between’ 1958 to 1995? Recently, governor peter Odilli promised the four LGA in Ogoni #2b as development project just to pacify the mind of Ogonis to let Shell in, almost all the newspapers in Nigeria was on top of the news. Fairly speaking, it is humanly subjugating, to make so much news about a mere #500m given to each LGA in Ogoni, a place where so much have been taken from without dropping a brooch. Look at the pocket of Nigerian politician; look at other part of Nigeria that does not produce a zip economically, and be the judge.
It is crystal clear; Ken Saro Wiwa and the Ogoni people basically made a huge sacrifice that has today open the eyes of the Niger Delta people, and may some day produce a south south Nigeria president. It is obviously clear that MOSOP is the platform, or in another word, the grandfather of the South South forum, South South governor forum, resources control, political and economic marginalization, the amalgamation of the South south and the South East political quest, the search for a South South or South East president of the republic of Nigeria etc. The Hausas and the Yorubas has never before taken the South south seriously the way it is now. If the South South does not relent, their shall be a day in Nigeria when the six zones in Nigeria shall sit on one table and be proud to come from one inseparable, unmarginalize, fair and happy home call Nigeria. I believe that the North themselves has seen the truth and the need to give special attention to the South South, but they are just unnecessarily big headed, or ashamed to let go what they have stolen since 1960. I wish they understand the handwriting on the wall and act fast before it will be too late.
Logically speaking, the Ogonis deserve special treatment by the South South Forum, the Niger Delta Forum and the Rivers state people. It is by every measure true of how much Abuja has perpetually brutalizes the South South, and the south South deserve a shot at the Presidency considering how much they have contributed and will continue to contribute to the Nigeria economy. Is it not also true that the Ogonis, considering how much they have contributed to the Nigeria economy, the South South agitation etc, deserve a shot at the governor of Rivers State come 2007? The Ogonis has decided to unanimously fill in a candidate on the platform of PDP, the rest shall be history, and it shall also determine the fate of the federal government and Shell in the oil rich Ogoni. This might not necessarily be a condition, but it will observably give the Ogoni people a sense of belonging, and guarantee the entire six kingdoms of Ogoni that they are part and parcel of the Nigeria system.
USA
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