President Bola Tinubu has conferred national honors on the Ogoni Four, former leaders from Ogoniland who were executed in 1995.
The honour, Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), was awarded posthumously to Albert Badey, Edward Kobani, Theophilus Orage, and Samuel Orage.
He announced this on Wednesday when he received the report of the Ogoni Consultation Committee at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The President also advised the people of Ogoniland to embrace reconciliation and unity after decades of division, saying, “May their memories continue to inspire unity, courage, and purpose among us”.
President Tinubu also called for collaboration to turn conflict into cooperation and transform the wealth beneath Ogoni soil into a blessing for the people in particular and Nigeria in general.
He further urged the Ogoni people to close ranks and move forward as a united community with one voice.
“Let us together turn pain into purpose, conflict into cooperation, and transform the wealth beneath Ogoni soil into a blessing for the people and for Nigeria, ” he said.
The President also expressed support for the resumption of oil production in Ogoniland, which stopped in 1993 due to protests against environmental degradation and injustice.
He assured stakeholders that his administration would support Ogoniland’s journey towards peace, environmental remediation, and economic revival while also facilitating the return of oil exploration to the area.
His words: “I am encouraged by the overwhelming consensus of the Ogoni communities to welcome the resumption of oil production.
“The government will deploy every resource to support your people in this march towards shared prosperity,” he added.
The President, therefore, directed the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, to immediately commence engagement between the Ogoni people, NNPCL, its partners, and all relevant stakeholders to finalise modalities for restarting operations.
“A dead asset is not valuable to the community, the country, or the people. The longer we procrastinate, the worse it is for everyone,” he said.
Tinubu emphasised the need for environmental remediation and economic revival in Ogoniland.
He directed the Minister of Environment to integrate pollution remediation and environmental recovery into the broader framework of dialogue with the people
The Ogoni Consultation Committee, led by Chairman Don Baridam, presented a report that captured the people’s demands for structured participation in oil production, renewed environmental cleanup, and a framework for sustainable development.
Baridam, a professor, said the report captured the people’s demands for structured participation in oil production, renewed environmental cleanup, and a framework for sustainable development.
Earlier, the NSA, who presented the Committee’s report, said the consultation exercise engaged all four Ogoni zones, with input from local communities, traditional leaders, and the diaspora.
He emphasised that the process was not just about submitting a report but about restoring hope and trust in Ogoniland after years of neglect and conflict.
According to Ribadu, stakeholders agreed that the report should serve as a blueprint for implementation, with an inter-agency task force comprising NNPCL, relevant ministries, and the Ogoni Dialogue Committee to drive execution.
