By: Felix Ikpotor
A faction of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) loyal to Fegalo Nsuke has declared that the push for oil resumption and development in Ogoni is critical to the future of the Ogoni people and that there will be no going back on its actualization.
MOSOP however noted that it is important to tackle the issue in a way that guarantees a better future for the Ogoni people.
Nsuke, who made the assertion at the weekend while addressing the Central Committee of MOSOP at the organisation’s national secretariat in Bori, Ogoni, urged the people not to be distracted by those who were exploiting their conditions for personal gains. He noted that MOSOP will not falter on the push for the operationalization of its proposed Ogoni Development Authority, being an acceptable pathway that guarantees a win-win for all parties including the Ogoni people, the government and the oil industry.
He told the committee that the good life the Ogoni people seek will not be realizable until Ogoni resources are deployed for its own development, calling on them to promote the message in all communities and kingdoms of Ogoni.
“Nobody should deceive you, the good life we seek can only be achievable when our resources are properly deployed into building our infrastructure, creating jobs, providing security and transforming the entire Ogoni”
“But we must also be vigilant to protect our people from the exploitation and lies flying around. We must protect our people from saboteurs whose only interest is to keep the people in perpetual poverty after three decades of struggling for a good life.”
The factional MOSOP leader urged the people to support the development process and not give room to “enemies of the people who are currently benefiting from the conflicts and would wish to truncate the development initiatives”
He noted that the struggle against Shell was led by MOSOP and fought by the people and the people should be allowed to reap the benefits.
Nsuke further noted that distractions and manipulations should not be unexpected and called on the people to stand strong for development noting that “Ogoni should not remain the way it is”.
The MOSOP leader urged the people to take up the challenge and opportunity to free themselves, calling for a denouncement of the lies and manipulations of detractors and urged them to focus on achieving a new Ogoni.
“We are the ones to free ourselves. We have swallowed too many lies and people have taken too much advantage of us. Now it is time to get it right and permanently address the problem in a way that it will never re-occur.’
“I tell you the truth, we must embrace the development initiatives proposed by MOSOP which called for the operationalization of the Ogoni development Authority. The ODA is an idea and vision that secures our future, the future of our children and those of our children’s children. We must embrace it.” he said.
He urged all Ogonis to maintain peace in their communities and continue the work of sensitizing the people on the need for development through the operationalization of the Ogoni Development Authority.
“Wherever you are, you must disabuse the people’s minds from trouble, tell them that development will only come when Ogoni resources are made to work for the Ogoni people. That is our collective goal” he concluded.
