Ogoni Boil Over: Group Rejects Oil Resumption, Demands Saro-Wiwa’s Exoneration Before Any Drilling

The Ogoni Voice Achievers Foundation (OVAF) has issued a fiery rejection of the federal government’s proposed resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland, insisting that no drilling will be tolerated until long-standing demands for environmental justice and historical redress are fully met.

In a strongly worded statement signed by its Founder and Chairman, Amb. Gospel Barifii Gokana, the foundation declared the government’s approach “deeply flawed, unjust, and unacceptable,” warning that pushing ahead without addressing the scars of decades-long neglect, ecological devastation, and social trauma could ignite fresh waves of resentment, unrest, and renewed conflict in the region.

At the heart of OVAF’s demands is the exoneration of Ken Saro-Wiwa and the eight other Ogoni activists executed in 1995, whom the group described as martyrs of environmental justice. “Until their names are cleared and their dignity restored, no oil company should dare set foot on Ogoni soil,” Gokana stressed.

The foundation also condemned what it termed the government’s “backroom dealings” with a select few elites while sidelining the broader Ogoni community. “This selective engagement fails the test of free, prior, and informed consent, which is a recognized human rights standard,” Gokana declared, accusing Abuja of crafting policies from air-conditioned offices while ignoring the harsh realities endured by local communities.

OVAF expressed alarm over the absence of transparency on key issues such as environmental impact assessments, community benefit-sharing frameworks, and safety guarantees, all of which, it said, must be in the public domain before any move towards oil resumption is even considered.

The group further cautioned the federal government against hiding behind the rhetoric of economic recovery and energy security. “You cannot build prosperity on poisoned soil or peace on injustice,” the statement read.

With tensions simmering, the group warned that any attempt to force oil exploration without addressing the Ogoni people’s demands risks reawakening the ghosts of the past — a stark reminder that the struggle that claimed the life of Ken Saro-Wiwa still lives on in the heart of Ogoniland.