Precious Anga
Lagos — The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, MOSOP, has called on Ogoni communities to fully support the ongoing dialogue facilitated by the Office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, describing the engagement as the most credible opportunity in more than three decades to resolve the Ogoni question and lay the foundation for sustainable development.
Speaking in Bori, the traditional headquarters of the Ogoni people, MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke said the Federal Government’s decision to pursue dialogue rather than impose solutions represents a significant shift in the approach to addressing the long-standing issues surrounding oil exploration and environmental justice in Ogoniland.
Nsuke noted that after 33 years of resistance to oil operations, the current dialogue process presents an opportunity for the Ogoni people to negotiate their future through consultation, mutual understanding and consensus rather than confrontation.
He said MOSOP remains committed to the dialogue because it offers a realistic pathway to lasting peace, economic recovery and inclusive development across Ogoniland.
According to him, certain individuals who have benefited from the prolonged crisis are attempting to frustrate the work of the Ogoni Dialogue Committee, warning that such actions do not reflect the broader interests of the Ogoni people.
“There is an attempt by people who do not have life outside MOSOP to scuttle the work of the Ogoni Dialogue Committee. We have been in this for 33 years, and the government has opened discussions with the Ogoni people through the committee. This is a fine opportunity to resolve this problem,” Nsuke said.
He stressed that the organisation’s participation in the dialogue is driven by the desire to end decades of uncertainty and create an environment that encourages investment, infrastructure development and improved livelihoods for residents of Ogoniland.
“We want a solution. We want to see Ogoni move forward towards development, economic stability and growth,” he added, urging the people not to allow personal interests or political divisions to derail a process that could shape the future of the region.
Nsuke also appealed to Nigerians and stakeholders to support the Federal Government’s peace initiative through the Office of the National Security Adviser, saying broad-based support is essential to achieving a durable resolution to the issues surrounding oil resumption in Ogoniland.
Addressing reports of a leadership crisis within MOSOP, the organisation’s president dismissed suggestions of internal division, insisting that the group’s leadership remains legally constituted.
He maintained that a court had nullified the election of a rival leadership, adding that the matter is currently before the Court of Appeal.
“I was properly elected at the MOSOP Secretariat on December 19, 2018, and I remain president of MOSOP. Until the court decides otherwise or a properly constituted Steering Committee conducts fresh elections, I remain the president,” he stated.
Nsuke further explained that the MOSOP Steering Committee had resolved that the current executive would continue to serve until all pending legal disputes are concluded and fresh elections are conducted in accordance with the organisation’s constitution.
The renewed call for dialogue comes as the Federal Government continues consultations with key stakeholders on the proposed resumption of oil production in Ogoniland, a region where commercial oil activities were suspended in the early 1990s following widespread environmental concerns and community agitation.
