Mkpoikana Udoma
18 January 2018, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt — As plans to commence oil exploration and production activities in Ogoniland for the first time in 25years take centre stage, pressure groups in the area have began to trade words on which company is lobbying to gain goodwill from the people.
To this end, a group known as the Ogoni Community Development Network, OCDN, has accused another group, the Ken Saro-Wiwa Associates, of receiving the sum of N139 million to push for the interest of Belemaoil Producing Limited as operator of OML 11.
President of the group, Mr. Johnson Kuele, accused the President of Ken Saro-Wiwa Associates, Chief. Gani Topba, of planning to sponsor youths and violence against those opposed to Belema Oil and to launch a media campaign against the interests of another interested company, Robo Michael Limited.
Kuele, however, said his group, OCDN, rejects both Belemaoil and Robo Michael, saying they are all enemies to the peace and progress of Ogoniland.
“The Ogoni Community Development Network has uncovered huge sum of money paid to Chief Gani Topba by Belema Oil Producing Limited to push the company’s interest in Ogoniland and persuade the people to accept Belema Oil as the preferred operator of OML 11.
“As at December 2017, the sum of N139million had been paid to Gani Topba to execute this mandate in the interest of Belema Oil.
“The money is paid in cash through one Tobin, an aide to the Managing Director of Belema Oil Producing Nig. Limited.
“The Ogoni Community Development Network is informed that Chief Gani Topba intends to hold a meeting with Ogoni elites as soon as possible to induce them to back Belema Oil against Robo Michael and we are concerned about an attempt to diminish the value of our elites who will allow themselves under the control and coordination of Gani Topba,” Kuele said.
When contacted, the National Coordinator of Ken Saro-Wiwa Associates, Chief Gani Topba, described the allegation from OCDN as a baseless cheap blackmail from a faceless group that should not be given attention.
Topba who recently led a protest to Abuja against NNPC for granting a license for the commencement of oil production in Ogoniland, challenged his accusers to launch a protest against him.
He wondered how it was possible for him to singlehandedly influence the mindset of every opinion leader in Ogoniland on which company should operate in the area, maintaining that the allegations are distractive techniques from detractors.
According to him, “Do I support any oil company? Even in 2015 did I support Belemaoil? So I don’t think there is need to give attention to what is not necessary. There are better issues to discuss not this one.
“People who wants to talk about me should come out, they should not hide. You can see, when I talk against the Rivers State government or the Federal Government or NNPC, I come out, I don’t sit in my house to talk.
“These are a mere distraction and divisive attempt that Shell and other people used to do even in the days of Ken Saro-Wiwa, so it is not an issue. It’s just a distraction from a faceless group.
“If you look at the opinion leaders who discuss Ogoni matter, especially on what should be done when concerning oil matter, such as D. N. Wifa, Ledum Mitee, Dr. Owen Wiwa, KAGOTE, MOSOP, Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers and others, now is it possible for me to influence these people? Topba queried.
