Why We Deserve Ogoni State – MOSOP-USA

Sixty five years after neglect by the Federal Government and the international oil companies, IOCs, the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), United States of America (USA) chapter, has demanded the creation of an Ogoni State to bring an end to the avoidable devastation and pollution in the area.
MOSOP, decried that successive governments have neglected the people to their plights caused by reckless oil prospecting and drilling by international and local oil exploration companies with the support of the Federal Government.
It said just like other ethnic nationalities in the country have States that capture their peculiar aspirations, the Ogoni ethnic nationality also deserves a State that would cater for the sufferings of the people.
This was contained in a statement signed by Dinebari Augustine Kpuinen, President, MOSOP-USA, contending that any further delay in creating an Ogoni State irrespective of the name given it, would amount to devastating political marginalisation of the Ogoni people.
“MOSOP USA calls on your government to create a State for the Ogoni people. We need Ogoni State, we only demand it as of right to be self-governed like other ethnic groups some of which have been divided into different states (that helps create inclusiveness) in the same Nigeria.
“Mr. President, we have other ethnic nationalities in their States, so denying the Ogoni people a State of their own is unfair, and amounts to a devastating political marginalisation of the Ogoni.
“The Ogoni people have suffered for long, yet the associated impact of oil exploitation/pollution rages, the authority which is responsible for State creation to create a state for us immediately, notwithstanding any name called.”
The group frowned at the fact that despite the fact that Ogoniland is economically viable to sustain itself even without a national budget, several earlier calls for Ogoni State creation had fallen on deaf ears, while other less viable ethnic nationalities have gotten their own States.
“The call for self-determination, which is enjoyed by other ethnicities in Nigeria, is not new, Ogoni is an ethnic nationality in Nigeria as the Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa / Fulani, Ijaws, etc. respectively while Ogoni has not been considered for a State, yet Ogoni resources are being used in funding these States of which many are not viable and cannot even exist a day without a national budget.
“Our demand is for a State for the Ogoni people where the Ogoni people would be able to elect an Ogoni as their leader, to remain a politically autonomous State in Nigeria. It doesn’t deprive others of theirs,” the group said.

By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana