As part of its demands, MOSOP is calling for the allocation of at least 20 per cent of profits from natural resource extraction in Ogoni to fund infrastructural development across the kingdom. Viura noted that the forum has endorsed the creation of the Ogoni Development Authority (ODA) as a pathway to lasting peace and justice.
Ogoni, Rivers State — The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has strongly rejected ongoing peace talks facilitated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), describing the initiative as “dishonest” and unrepresentative of the true aspirations of the Ogoni people.
Speaking during a press briefing in Beera, Gokana Local Government Area, over the weekend, Celestine Viura, leader of the Forum of Kingdom Coordinators and Chapters of MOSOP (FKCCL MOSOP), insisted that any move to resume oil production in Ogoni without the involvement of MOSOP is unacceptable and bound to fail.
Viura emphasized that MOSOP remains the legitimate voice of the Ogoni people and that excluding it from the dialogue process undermines the credibility of any outcome.
“We want to register our very strong disapproval of the ongoing talks led by the Office of the National Security Adviser,” Viura declared. “The entire exercise is dishonest, as it excluded MOSOP leadership—a critical voice to which the Ogoni people pay allegiance.”
He warned that the talks were part of a larger attempt by ONSA to create a false impression that Ogoni has not made its demands known or lacks clarity on what it seeks.
As part of its demands, MOSOP is calling for the allocation of at least 20 per cent of profits from natural resource extraction in Ogoni to fund infrastructural development across the kingdom. Viura noted that the forum has endorsed the creation of the Ogoni Development Authority (ODA) as a pathway to lasting peace and justice.
“The ODA proposal aligns with the Ogoni Bill of Rights and has received overwhelming support from our people, as demonstrated during the Ogoni National Congress on November 30, 2024,” he added.
Viura also revisited historical injustices, calling for a full investigation into the May 21, 1994, murders of four prominent Ogoni leaders—Chief Edward Kobani, Chief Samuel Orage, Mr. Albert Badey, and Chief Theophilus Orage—as well as the decriminalization of the nine Ogoni martyrs executed under the regime of General Sani Abacha in 1995.
He further cautioned against the use of state force, divide-and-rule tactics, and any attempts to impose oil exploration on the Ogoni people without genuine dialogue.
“We strongly reject all forms of abuse and forceful resumption of oil extraction in Ogoni,” Viura said. “We urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately halt every move that could spark fresh unrest in our communities.”
The FKCCL MOSOP maintained that only transparent and honest engagement involving MOSOP and other critical stakeholders would lead to a sustainable solution to the lingering Ogoni crisis.
“In good conscience, considering the loss of over 4,000 lives during the Ogoni struggle, it is unjust for the federal government to contemplate resuming oil operations in the midst of dissent without addressing the core demands of our people,” Viura said.
He concluded by urging the government to adopt a fair, inclusive, and peaceful approach, pledging that MOSOP is ready to cooperate with any process genuinely aimed at redressing decades of neglect and marginalization in Ogoni.
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