Ogoni leaders visit Buhari in Aso Rock: Demand recognition for Saro-Wiwa

Leaders of Ogoni under the auspices of the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers and elected leaders of Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) have urged President Buhari to give national recognition to Ken Saro-Wiwa and 11 other Ogoni sons as well as improved security and establishment of a Centre for Environmental Excellence in Ogoni land.

The delegation, led by King G. N. K Ogininwa, met with President Buhari at the presidential villa, yesterday.

Saro-Wiwa, a Nigerian writer, television producer, environmental activist, and winner of the Right Livelihood Award and the Goldman Environmental Prize, was executed on November 10th, 1995, by the military administration of Sani Abacha for allegedly masterminding the gruesome murder of Ogoni chiefs at a pro-government meeting.

Responding, President Buhari assured that the country’s resources would be put to use for the benefit of all citizens, with a strong focus on infrastructure development.

He said, the challenge of infrastructure in Ogoni-land would have been long resolved with more focus and commitment to improving the lives of the people, instead of the award and re-awarding of contracts without implementation.

The President urged the leaders to prevail on their youths and sensitize their communities more on the benefits of the clean-up process, especially with the involvement of the international community, noting that the degradation of the environment over the years had undermined the economy of the Ogoni people, adding that commercial farming and fishing will pick up after the restoration.