A prominent Ogoni voice, Dr.John Bazia, has called on leaders in Ogoniland to use the proposed resumption of oil production in the area to demand the creation of an Ogoni State.
Bazia described the current development as “one of our finest moments” for Ogoni, urging the people to negotiate strategically to ensure that the resumption of oil production translates into lasting political and economic benefits for the people.
He argued that the political circumstances surrounding the current administration presented a rare opportunity for Ogoni leaders to make state creation their single and overriding demand.
“Let me remind us that this is one of our finest moments if we know how to negotiate,” Bazia said.
According to him, the Federal Government’s strong control of the legislative process may not last forever, making the present period an important window for Ogoni to pursue its long-standing aspiration for statehood.
“Like I said, this government is different. The President controls the Legislative organ to do whatever. This will not happen all the time. All we would have asked for is a state. Period,” he said.
Bazia maintained that if the government was determined to have Ogoni oil production resume, the people should equally be determined to secure a political structure that would enable them to derive greater benefits from their natural resources.
“If they desperately need our oil, we should desperately need a state. Our leaders would have made this our single demand,” he said.
He, however, stressed that it was not too late for Ogoni leaders to revisit the issue and present state creation as a condition for securing broader benefits for the people.
“They can go back to them to say they’ve done all that needed to be done, but the people are insisting on state creation. This is the only way the benefits of our resources can come back to us,” he added.
Beyond the question of state creation, Bazia also called for an inclusive leadership structure in Ogoniland, warning against allowing partisan politics to determine who represents the interests of the people.
He said Ogoni leaders should be united by the common interests of the people irrespective of their political affiliations.
“Leadership in Ogoni shouldn’t be about political affiliation. Once you’re qualified to be a leader, you’re [a leader]. Exclusion is to our detriment,” he said.
Bazia recalled that previous generations of Ogoni leaders, despite belonging to different political camps, were able to work together whenever issues affecting the collective interest of Ogoni arose.
“I met our late fathers together as Ogoni leaders, though with different political persuasion, but we were united when it relates to Ogoni matters,” he said.
He cautioned against reducing Ogoni’s collective interests to the agenda of individual political parties, noting that such divisions could undermine the people’s ability to negotiate effectively over their resources and future.
“We can’t have only a PDP, APC, ADC, NDC set of leaders and expect progress. Ogoni is bigger than that. We shouldn’t belittle Ogoni to be an affiliate of a political party. We insult Ogoni when we try to do that,” Bazia said.
He also appealed for peace and unity in Ogoniland, stressing that the people must work together to protect their common interests.
“We need peace in Ogoni,” he said, adding: “I love Ogoni. This is where God sent me to and it’s for a reason. Let’s love Ogoni.”
The call comes amid ongoing discussions over the possible resumption of oil exploration and production activities in Ogoniland, following years of agitation over environmental degradation, resource control and the implementation of recommendations arising from the Ogoni cleanup process.
