Foundation Asks Oil Companies To Stay Away From Ogoniland.

 

A Group known as Lekeh Development Foundation has renewed it's calls on the Gqqovernment and Oil Companies to stay away from Ogoniand, saying that the Oil in Ogoniland should remain in the ground. 

This was as some Ogoni Elders, leaders and politicians are said to be allegedly involved in high level scheming on how to get oil companies to resume oil operations in Ogoniland.

The group stated that oil mining activities were outlawed in Ogoniland as a result of tragedies suffered by Ogoni People in the hands of Shell Development Company and the Nigerian Government in the early 1990s.

Executive Director of Lekeh Development Foundation, Friday Barilule, Nbani during a rally and road walk organized by the organization at the weekend to mark the 31st Ogoni Day in Bori, the headquarters of the Ogoni people, said that several years of Oil exploration in the area has done a lot of damage to Ogoni land and the Niger Delta Region.

He said Agriculture has been rendered useless because of pollution while life expectancy has also been reduced demanding for an end to Fossil Fuel in the Niger Delta Region.

He urged the government to transit to renewable energy which is more friendly to the environment.

The minority right and environmental justice crusader urged the young persons of Ogoni to ensure that the struggles ignited by their fathers would be sustained.

He said "As an organisation that is focused on climate justice, livelihoods supports and human rights, we are using this medium to demand the phasing out of Fossil Fuels in Niger Delta Region.

"We are asking that there should not be funding for Fossil Fuels anymore.We demand that Ogoni oil should be left in the ground. Ogoni oil should be left in the ground because in those days our fathers and mothers can cultivate tangible cassava from a small portion of land for survival and the income from fishing was also tangible. 

"But today, it is difficult to get income from Agriculture in Ogoniland and that is why we are demanding that Ogoni Oil should be left in the ground."

"The continuous gas flaring and oil spill in the area is unbearable and oil companies and the government seem not to care that people are living in those areas.

"Countries like United Kingdom will soon stop depending on Fossil Fuels but about 80 percent of Nigeria's revenue is from Fossil Fuel generation and we say enough is enough. It is time to transit from Fossil Fuel to renewable energy which is friendly to the environment and human health.

"Again, if you carry out research, you would see that Ogoni region and the Niger Delta are among the most polluted regions in the world. And the life expectancy of the region has reduced to 41 years which is different from life expectancy in other parts of Nigeria and other countries.

"What our leaders died for is still in the struggle as it has not been totally achieved. But, for the fact that we have a voice now, we have little success. But, that of environmental justice is what we are still pushing and I believe with the younger generation, we can get it peacefully."

On the significance of the day to the Ogoni people, the environmental activist said it was a day set aside by the Ogoni ethnic nationality to celebrate their freedom from the oppressors.

 He urged those trying to bring in oil companies into the area to resume oil activities to desist from such move in order not to destroy the freedom Ogoni People are currently enjoying.