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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
KAGOTE, the apex socio-cultural organization of the Ogoni people, has praised the Federal Government’s commitment to addressing longstanding Ogoni concerns as the community marks 35 years since the signing of the Ogoni Bill of Rights.
President of KAGOTE, Emmanuel Deeyah, in a statement said the establishment of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) marks a pivotal moment in the Ogoni struggle for environmental and political justice.
“On the remediation and clean-up of the environment, the Federal Government has really done well for us by setting up HYPREP,” Deeyah said. “HYPREP was supposed to receive an initial one billion dollars for takeoff, much of which has been disbursed. If you travel around, you will see that besides environmental clean-up, other developments are underway.”
He highlighted tangible gains under HYPREP, including mangrove restoration, water projects, ongoing electrification across Ogoni, the Centre of Excellence, and health infrastructure such as a Specialist Hospital in Tai and a Cottage Hospital in Buan.
Addressing recent youth agitation, Deeyah, who was recently appointed Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ogoni Trust Fund, cautioned against noisy voices lacking historical understanding or genuine commitment to the cause.
“Many of those speaking know very little about the struggle. Some are driven by self-interest, not by true Ogoni interests,” he said. “If one person claims to represent Ogoni with loud rhetoric, it does not mean they speak for the people. Genuine decisions come from collective congresses or meetings—not one-man groups.”
Reflecting on his role in advancing the Ogoni Bill of Rights as a legislator in the early 1990s, Deeyah expressed concern that greed, ignorance, and fragmented voices sometimes undermine real progress.
On the key issue of political inclusion and autonomy—also central to the Bill of Rights—he noted these cannot be secured by proclamations or agitation alone but require strategic negotiation and coalition-building.
“Unlike HYPREP, where a presidential pronouncement can initiate action, political justice demands patient engagement,” he said. “Aspiring Ogoni leaders must develop their capacities and build bridges beyond the ethnic nationality to achieve inclusive leadership.”
Deeyah urged Ogoni people to consolidate gains, reject divisiveness, and pursue unity as the path toward environmental justice, sustainable development, and political inclusion.
“The Ogoni Bill of Rights remains a living document of hope 35 years on,” he concluded. “We must work together so future generations can inherit a better Ogoni.”
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