Women in Ogoniland have demanded greater transparency and inclusion in the ongoing dialogue on the possible resumption of oil production in the area, insisting that the concerns of grassroots women must not be lost in discussions over the future of the region.
The Monagboka Community Builders Initiative (MCBI), a women-led grassroots organisation, made the demand in a public statement issued on Thursday, August 27, 2026, by its President, Mrs Annas Sorochi Dumnamene.
MCBI welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to engage the Ogoni people in dialogue and acknowledged the efforts of the Ogoni Dialogue Committee and its consultations across the four Ogoni local government areas.
The organisation, however, said the dialogue should address a broader question than whether oil production would resume.
“The more important question is what kind of Ogoni will oil return to?” it asked, stressing that the answer must include the ordinary Ogoni woman.
According to MCBI, women who farm, trade in local markets, process agricultural and fish products, operate small businesses and support their families through cooperative and contribution schemes are important stakeholders in the process.
It said widows, elderly women and mothers struggling to educate their children, particularly at university level, must also be recognised in decisions concerning the future of Ogoniland.
“These women may not be in Abuja. They may not appear in meetings or on television. They may not have the resources to organise press conferences. But they are stakeholders, and their voices must not be lost in the noise surrounding oil resumption,” the statement said.
The organisation called for the establishment of an Ogoni Women and Community Development Forum as a permanent platform through which women from Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme could participate in the dialogue and monitor implementation of decisions.
It also demanded meaningful representation of women in dialogue structures, technical committees, environmental monitoring bodies, employment and procurement mechanisms and other decision-making platforms.
MCBI said such representation must go beyond tokenism.
The organisation expressed particular concern over what it described as the limited visibility of young women in Ogoni youth organisations and stakeholder engagements.
It observed that photographs and videos from meetings purportedly representing Ogoni youth often showed overwhelmingly male participation.
MCBI therefore challenged Ogoni youth, sociocultural and community organisations to ensure at least 35 per cent female representation, including at the highest levels of leadership.
It said young women should not merely be included to meet numerical targets but should be given opportunities to lead, contest elections, chair committees and participate actively in decision-making.
The group also urged young Ogoni women to become more involved in community affairs by joining organisations, attending meetings, speaking up, volunteering and seeking leadership positions.
On the environment, MCBI said restoration must remain non-negotiable regardless of any decision on oil resumption.
It noted that environmental degradation directly affects women’s livelihoods because polluted farmland, declining fishing resources and inadequate access to clean water disproportionately affect women and children.
“Environmental restoration is therefore not merely an ecological issue. It is an economic and social issue, particularly for women,” it said.
The organisation recognised the work of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) and called for continued remediation without compromise if petroleum operations resume.
It also said environmental restoration could provide employment and enterprise opportunities for women and young people in areas such as mangrove restoration, environmental monitoring, waste management and water-quality monitoring.
MCBI further demanded that economic opportunities arising from any oil resumption should reach grassroots communities.
It called for deliberate opportunities for women-owned businesses in agriculture, food processing, catering, transportation, logistics, environmental services, ICT, hospitality and professional services.
The organisation also urged greater attention to education and human capital development, particularly for children from vulnerable households and families headed by widows.
“For many Ogoni mothers, the greatest investment they make is in their children’s education,” it said, adding that oil production should produce not only barrels but also opportunities, graduates, professionals and entrepreneurs.
The group expressed concern over recent disagreements and questions surrounding aspects of the Ogoni dialogue process but said it was not taking sides in the disputes.
It urged the relevant parties to provide information where there was uncertainty, clarification where allegations had been made and avenues for dialogue where disagreements existed.
MCBI said the Ogoni people deserved clarity on what had been agreed, what remained under negotiation, the status of oil-related activities, the allocation of employment opportunities, award of contracts and mechanisms for monitoring commitments.
“Transparency will strengthen confidence in the process,” it said.
The organisation also rejected any claim by a single group to exclusive ownership of the Ogoni voice, noting that traditional institutions, women, youth, MOSOP, KAGOTE, community organisations, professionals, religious leaders, civil society and political stakeholders all constituted important constituencies.
MCBI called for an Ogoni Social, Economic and Environmental Compact to guide any future arrangement on oil production.
It said such a compact should guarantee meaningful community participation, women’s representation, environmental protection, employment, procurement, enterprise development, education, transparent benefit-sharing, monitoring and accountability.
According to the organisation, the framework must contain measurable commitments, timelines, responsible institutions and mechanisms for enforcement rather than relying solely on promises.
Addressing the Federal Government, MCBI commended its decision to pursue dialogue but urged it to ensure that the process produced tangible results.
To the Ogoni Dialogue Committee, it said: “As you negotiate the future of Ogoni, remember the woman at the grassroots. Her voice may not be the loudest, but her story is part of the Ogoni story.”
The organisation also urged Ogoni women to recognise their importance to the development of the region.
“To young Ogoni women, we say: do not wait to be invited into the future. Step forward and help build it,” it said.
MCBI concluded that any return of oil production to Ogoni must be accompanied by development, economic opportunities and environmental responsibility, insisting that grassroots women must have a place at the negotiating table.
“Her farms matter. Her businesses matter. Her families matter. Her children’s education matters. Her communities matter. And her voice matters,” the organisation said.
