Self-government for Ogoni long overdue – Diigbo
August 4, 2012 in Nigerian Current Affairs, Recent News
Dr. Goodluck Diigbo, the President of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), in a statement made available to Daily Times on Saturday, said the reason for the urgency behind the Ogoni declaration of self-governance was to enforce the United Nations Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
On Thursday, August 2, in a live broadcast on a newly established radio station, Voice of Ogoni, Diigbo had, on behalf of the Ogoni people, declared a political autonomous Republic of Ogoni, saying: “By this declaration of political autonomy, we, the Ogoni people, are determined to enforce the United Nations Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples without fear or retreat.”
Explaining the rationale behind the declaration, in a statement signed by Tambari Deekor, MOSOP Media’s Associate Editor, Diigbo said they were “acting with legitimacy to reclaim all of our rights, without exception.”
“The urgency behind the declaration is that self-government for Ogoni was overdue, in view of many important issues bordering on indigenous rights of the Ogoni people being tampered with now. The UNEP Ogoni Report is one out of many,” he said.
“The Ogoni declaration of self-government now guarantees the Ogoni people the right to participate in decision-making in all matters which would affect their rights, through representatives chosen by Ogonis in accordance with own procedures, as well as to maintain and develop all our own indigenous decision-making institutions which we started to set up since 2011.
“It is my hope that this self-government will help to provide just and fair redress to decades of deprivation of our indigenous rights.”
On Friday, Diigbo while addressing some Ogonis in Bane, the hometown of late Ken Saro-Wiwa, stressed that Ogoni had, for decades, been devastated by petroleum operations of the Nigerian Government operating through NNPC and the Anglo-Royal Dutch/Shell, in alliance with other multinational oil corporations.
“Importantly, Ogoni can no longer accept dictation. Any institution, government and corporation interested in investment in Ogoni will enjoy transparent partnership, because we will end corruption and irresponsive governance in Ogoni,” the MOSOP President said.
“This means partnership will be based on free, prior and informed consent, before any of our partners adopt and implement any project, and before the national government adopts any legislative or administrative measures that may affect Ogoni people.”
Via Daily Times
Related articles
- Nigerian Break – Up Imminent As Ogoni Declares “Self-Government” (thenigerianoracle.com)
- Nigeria’s Niger Delta to Receive US Congressional Hearing (voanews.com)
