From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has assured Ogoni leaders that his administration would prioritise peace, justice and sustainable development in the area.
He appealed to Ogoni people to set aside historical grievances and work together to achieve peace, development and a clean environment.
He gave the assurance in a meeting at the State House in Abuja.
The meeting which commenced at approximately 2:37pm had in attendance diverse group of attendees, comprising traditional rulers, religious leaders, and prominent political figures from the region including Senators Magnus Abe, Lee Maeba, Bennett Birabi Barry Mpigi and Joe Poroma, Olaka Nwogu, Victor Giadom, Kenneth Kobani, Monsignor Pius Kii and Leedom Mitee.
The primary agenda of the meeting centred on the potential resumption of oil exploration activities in the Ogoni oil fields, an area that has faced years of stagnation due to environmental concerns and community protests.
The discussion also aimed to assess the progress made in ongoing cleanup initiatives following decades of oil spills and environmental degradation in Ogoniland.
The Federal Government had expressed increasing concern over the long-standing cessation of oil exploration by International Oil Companies (IOCs) in Ogoniland.
Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Samuel Ogbuku, represented the government during the meeting.
He highlighted that this prolonged standstill has significantly impacted Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), particularly in light of the recent energy crisis exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidies.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, later joined the meeting.
On the government side, several high-ranking officials participated, including National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, Minister of Information and National Orientation Idris Mohammed, Minister of Regional Development Abubakar Momoh, Minister of Environment Balarabe Abbas, and Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). The Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Tosin Ajayi, was also in attendance.
At the meeting, President Tinubu passionately called for unity and reconciliation, urging the Ogoni people to set aside historical grievances and work together to achieve peace, development, and a clean environment.
“We cannot in any way rewrite history, but we can correct some anomalies of the past going forward. We cannot heal the wounds if we continue to be angry,” he said.
President Tinubu directed the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to coordinate the negotiations as he called for inclusive consultation and mutual understanding.
He commended the delegation for embracing the Federal Government-led dialogue and emphasised the need for collaboration, trust, and inclusiveness to resolve lingering issues in the region.
“We must work together with mutual trust. Go back home, do more consultations, and embrace others. We must make this trip worthwhile by bringing peace, development, and a clean environment back to Ogoniland,” he said.
He asked ministers, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and the Rivers State Government to cooperate with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to achieve this mandate.
“It is a great honour for me to have this meeting, which is an opportunity to dialogue with the people of Ogoniland.
“It has been many years since your children and myself partnered to resist military dictatorship in this country. No one dreamt I would be in this chair as President, but we thank God.
“Many of your sons present here were my friends and co-travellers in the streets of Nigeria, Europe, and America.
“I know what to do in memory of our beloved ones so that their sacrifices will not be in vain,” he said.
Governor Fubara thanked the president for his support of the Ogoni people and for welcoming an all-inclusive representation of the people to the Presidential Villa.
He said the meeting was a follow-up to an assignment the President gave him through the National Security Adviser.
Emphasising the importance of resuming oil operations in Ogoniland, he pledged the delegation’s commitment to adhering to the President’s instructions and providing the necessary support to achieve the government’s objectives.
“What we are doing here today is to concretise the love and respect we have for the President for being behind this meeting and for him to tell us to go back and continue the consultations with a timeline so that the resumption of oil production in Ogoniland will commence,” he said.
Ribadu commended the Ogoni people for their trust in President Tinubu and for embracing dialogue as a path to meaningful progress and enduring solutions.
“Guided by Mr. President’s vision that every voice is heard and every interest is considered, my office, the DSS, the government of Rivers State and the Minister of FCT embarked on a diligent and consultative process to assemble this delegation.”
Ribadu noted that the over 50-member delegation that met with the president reflected the rich diversity of Ogoni society, representing various constituencies, interests, and viewpoints.
“The presence of this delegation is a testament to the Ogoni people’s readiness to engage constructively in the pursuit of peace, justice, and sustainable development,” he said.
A representative of the Ogoni leadership, King Festus Babari Bagia Gberesaako XIII, the Gberemene of Gokana Kingdom, expressed the community leaders’ willingness to engage in the process of finding lasting solutions to the lingering challenges in Ogoniland.