…As KAGOTE Gets New Exco

By Daniel Abia, Port Harcourt

The new leadership of KAGOTE, the apex socio-cultural organisation of the Ogoni people comprising Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme Local Government Areas of Rivers State, has expressed its readiness to reposition the education sector in Ogoniland to ensure access to quality education for all indigenes.

To this end, the organisation has set up a committee to immediately establish a standard baseline by taking inventory of all primary schools in Ogoniland, including student population data, to enhance proper documentation and accountability.

The new President-General of KAGOTE and Chief Executive Officer of Giolee Global Resources Limited, Chief Lesi Maol, disclosed this shortly after emerging victorious in a keenly contested election held at the organisation’s congress in Gwara, Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, at the weekend.

The congress followed the expiration of the tenure of the immediate past President-General, Hon. Emmah Deeyah-led executive council. Deeyah is now the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP).

Other elected members of the new executive include Barr. Baride Gwezia as First Vice President (Tai), Rear Admiral Nicolas Bakpo (rtd) as Second Vice President (Khana), and Osaroepie Nana as Third Vice President (Eleme).

Also elected were Chief Oboba Obaa as Secretary; Hon. Eric Nwibani, Treasurer; HRH Kadilo Kabari, Welfare Officer; Hon. Jacobson Nbina, Financial Secretary; Comrade Menele Nzidee, Publicity Secretary; and Hon. Aaron Mimi, Legal Adviser.

In his acceptance speech, Chief Maol thanked members of KAGOTE for the confidence reposed in him and immediately announced the constitution of a committee to provide alternative teachers for secondary schools across Ogoniland.

He also set up another committee to review the current constitution of the organisation.

“The first committee is to take inventory of all the primary schools in Ogoniland and the population of students. We will liaise with the public sector and government to raise funds aimed at improving our educational standards,” he said.

Maol further noted that several groups had attempted to speak on behalf of the Ogoni people, stressing the need for clear leadership.

“We want to show direction and provide leadership so that when KAGOTE speaks, the world will know that the Ogoni people have spoken,” he added.

Prominent Ogoni leaders present at the congress included the Senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Senator Barry Mpigi, and the member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Dum Dekor.

The Chairman of Tai Local Government Area, Dr. Mbakpone Friday Okpe, served as the Electoral Chairman, while his Khana counterpart, Dr. Thomas Bariere, was a member of the electoral committee alongside the chairmen of Eleme and Gokana local government areas.