..Tells FG to stop treating Ogonis as outcasts

By Egufe Yafugborhi

THE Movement for Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) has asked Federal Government (FG) to give special budgetary attention for 2022 fiscal year to address profound developmental challenges facing massive oil polluted Ogoniland, Rivers state.

MOSOP-USA in the demands on FG, also called for equal opportunities for Ogoni people in employment and sundry federal opportunities, lamenting that they have been neglected for too long in spite of Ogoniland’s significant contribution to national growth over the years.

In the latest statement of demand signed yesterday by Elder DineBari Kpuinen, President, MOSOP USA and Kesiup Kpooni, General Secretary, the Ogoni leadership organ noted as, “Very sad that Ogoni people who contribute almost one-quarter of the national resources are permanently ignored and excluded from the nation’s budget for decades.

“We feel neglected, abandoned or excluded as, according to figures from the Federal Office of Statistics (FOS), Ogoni has the highest population of unemployed youths in Nigeria, with high insecurity and underdevelopment being the ethnic nationality’s additional shameful trophies.

“But in contrast, we have more than enough federal investments in Ogoniland capable of eliminating poverty and unemployment. Despite all our outcries and demands as a people to have equal rights and benefits in the nation, the people and government of Nigeria still treat Ogoni as an outcast”

Among other demand, MOSOP called for an exclusive state for Ogoniland to be named Bori state, unconditional exoneration from any wrongdoing of FG executed Ogoni Nine and total cleanup of oil degraded Ogoni environment, provision of reliable power supply, educational institutions and sundry infrastructures.

“If Ogoni is still considered part of Nigeria, MOSOP-USA, in collaboration with all Ogonis in Diaspora, hereby call for full implementation of the above demands, as a matter of urgency from the federal government of Nigeria, or let Ogoni go.

“Kindly be informed that FG’s refusal to implement these demands as of right, that are already being enjoyed by other ethnic groups in Nigeria, amounts to the declaration that Ogoni is not part of Nigeria”, MOSOP added.