Oil Exploration: Tensions Rise in Rivers as Ogoni Congress Ends in Chaos

Bori – The traditional headquarters of Ogoni land was the scene of mounting tension on Saturday as a planned congress aimed at launching talks on the resumption of oil exploration in the region ended abruptly, raising serious concerns about the inclusiveness and transparency of the consultation process.

Over a fortnight ago, President Bola Tinubu had urged Ogoni leaders during a high-level meeting in Abuja to return to their communities, gather input from their people, and come back with recommendations on how best to resume oil exploration in Ogoniland. The congress, scheduled to take place at the Peace and Freedom Centre in Bori, Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, was meant to serve as the first step in this broad consultation exercise.

According to eyewitness accounts, an unexpectedly large crowd of Ogoni people—representing the four local government areas of Ogoni land (Khana, Gokana, Tai, and Eleme)—began gathering well before the scheduled start time of 1:00 PM. As the hall quickly reached capacity and hundreds more waited outside, organizers had no choice but to shift the meeting outdoors to an open field in a bid to accommodate everyone.

Despite the logistical challenges, the gathering drew prominent political figures from the region. Among those present were Senator Barry Mpigo, who represents Rivers South-East in the National Assembly; Chief Victor Giadom, the Deputy National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress; and Ledum Mitee, the former President of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People. As the crowd swelled and the makeshift venue grew more cramped, respected community leader and Co-Chairman of the Ogoni Dialogue Committee, Priest Ignatius Kattey, along with Mitee, took turns addressing the assembly to reiterate the purpose of the meeting as set out by President Tinubu.

Senator Mpigo, in his brief vote of thanks, appealed for unity. “I urge the Ogoni people to unite, remain peaceful, and put the past behind us,” he said. His remarks were intended to set a tone of reconciliation amid historical grievances that have long plagued the region.

However, the proceedings took a dramatic turn when the event, which was slated to commence at 1:00 PM, eventually started around 2:00 PM and concluded in less than an hour. As the VIPs departed abruptly in their vehicles, a palpable sense of frustration took hold among the youths in attendance. Witnesses reported that tempers flared almost immediately after the abrupt end. Several young Ogoni protestors began waving placards inscribed with demands for transparency and a more inclusive consultation process.

One youth from Khana, identifying himself only as Emma, voiced the mounting discontent: “How can they call Ogoni people from four LGAs for the first meeting in one small place and expect to achieve results? It is not possible because many people will want to speak. The best thing they would have done is to begin the discussion from the kingdoms or the LGAs before calling an enlarged congress to harmonize the views.”

The chaotic conclusion of the congress has sparked fears among local stakeholders that the ongoing dialogue about resuming oil exploration may lack the necessary grassroots input. Critics argue that the rushed and poorly organized meeting is indicative of a process that might ultimately marginalize significant sections of the Ogoni community. Given the region’s history—marked by decades of environmental degradation and political neglect, and the traumatic legacy of the 1995 execution of environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and his comrades—there is widespread concern that the resumption of oil exploration without comprehensive, transparent consultation could lead to further exploitation and conflict.

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As tensions continue to simmer in Ogoni land, community leaders and political observers are calling on both the state government and President Tinubu to ensure that future consultations are properly organized and genuinely inclusive. Only through a process that respects the voices of all stakeholders—from traditional rulers and local youth to women and civil society groups—can lasting solutions be found to address both the economic opportunities and the environmental and social challenges that have long defined Ogoniland.

Details on the next phase of consultations are awaited, with many urging that the process be recalibrated to reflect the diverse perspectives of the Ogoni people.