PORT HARCOURT/Nigeria: The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has urged the Ogoni people to support the ongoing dialogue process initiated by the Federal Government, describing it as a rare opportunity to address decades of grievances and chart a new course for peace and development in Ogoniland.
The position was contained in a statement signed by the Secretary-General of MOSOP, Alex Akori, following remarks by the President of the organisation, Fegalo Nsuke, during an engagement in Bori, the traditional headquarters of the Ogoni people, on Saturday.
Nsuke said the dialogue, being coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) under Nuhu Ribadu, represents a significant shift from previous government approaches, which he said were largely driven by unilateral decisions rather than consultations with the Ogoni people.
According to him, after more than three decades of agitation over environmental degradation, resource control and other longstanding concerns, the dialogue process offers an opportunity to pursue a lasting and peaceful resolution to the Ogoni question.
He called on Ogoni communities to actively support the initiative, stressing that the people stand to benefit more from constructive engagement than prolonged confrontation.
The MOSOP president also accused unnamed individuals of attempting to undermine the dialogue process for personal interests, alleging that some had continued to benefit from the prolonged crisis and were unwilling to see it resolved.
“There is an attempt by people who do not have life outside MOSOP to scuttle the work of the Ogoni Dialogue Committee,” Nsuke said.
He maintained that the organisation had chosen to cooperate with the process because it was committed to achieving a permanent solution to issues affecting the Ogoni people.
“We want an end to this problem. We want a solution; we want Ogoni to move forward towards development, proper development,” he added.
On reports of a leadership dispute within the organisation, Nsuke insisted that there was no crisis in MOSOP, arguing that the matter had already been addressed by the courts.
He said a court of competent jurisdiction had nullified the election that produced Wai-Ogosu, adding that the case involving the leadership of the organisation remains before the Court of Appeal.
Nsuke maintained that he remains the substantive President of MOSOP, having been elected on December 19, 2018, and said the current executive would continue to function until all pending legal issues are resolved and fresh elections are conducted in line with the organisation’s constitution.
He added that the MOSOP Steering Committee had resolved that the existing leadership should remain in office pending the conclusion of the legal process and the conduct of new elections.
The dialogue initiative is part of ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to engage stakeholders in Ogoniland on issues surrounding the possible resumption of oil operations, environmental remediation and broader socio-economic development in the area after years of tension.
