A prominent Ogoni traditional ruler, King Suanu Baridam, has urged the Ogoni people to embrace constructive engagement with the Federal Government on issues affecting the development of Ogoniland.
King Baridam, the Gbenemene Bangha, Khana LGA, who was responding to renewed calls from some groups opposing negotiations on the possible resumption of oil production in Ogoniland, said adopting a posture of silence or resistance would not advance the Ogoni cause.
In a statement titled, “Who Is Afraid of Oil Resumption in Ogoniland?”, the monarch argued that the Ogoni Bill of Rights was not cast in stone and should not be used as a tool to keep the people stagnant.
“We must ask: Is the Ogoni Bill of Rights written on stone? Must Ogoniland remain stagnant?” he queried. “Silence and folded arms will not make the lost come back to life. No people who have been denied, excluded and brutalized will achieve progress by standing idly by.”
According to him, a recent Ogoni delegation to President Bola Tinubu had already yielded positive signals, some of which had not been recorded in more than 30 years of struggle.
He criticised those he described as “loud voices on radio, TV and social media” who, he said, stoke fear and resist dialogue without offering viable alternatives.
“Who is actually afraid of oil resumption in our land? What is the fear of pursuing our interests through negotiation and a well-thought-out economic recovery plan?” he asked.
King Baridam warned that Ogoniland risked remaining on the wrong side of history if its leaders refused to evolve and adopt practical strategies for progress.
“Each generation must reinvent its strategy to advance the Ogoni cause,” he said. “If we pursue justice, equity and fair play with determination, Ogoniland will flourish.”
He urged Ogoni leaders and stakeholders to act with wisdom, transparency and courage, insisting that constructive engagement remained the only path to sustainable development.
