The Ogoni Voice Achievers Foundation has strongly opposed the federal government’s proposed resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland, insisting that operations must not proceed until the environment is fully restored and justice is delivered for past injustices, including the exoneration of Ken Saro-Wiwa and other Ogoni activists.
In a statement issued by its Founder and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Hon. Ambassador Gospel Barifii Gokana, OVAF described the government’s strategy as “deeply flawed, unjust, and unacceptable.”
The group cautioned that pressing ahead with exploration while longstanding pollution and neglect remain unaddressed could ignite resentment, unrest, and renewed hostilities in the region.
This intervention follows reports that the government justified the planned oil restart on economic recovery and energy security grounds.
But Ambassador Gokana dismissed that rationale, noting that there had been no genuine engagement with Ogoni communities.
“Only a select few have been invited into closed-door negotiations. This selective engagement fails the test of free, prior and informed consent, which is… a right under international human rights norms,” he said.
He further criticised the “absence” of transparency, accusing federal authorities of making decisions from Abuja offices without considering the deep scars left by decades of exploitation in Ogoniland.
OVAF also raised concerns over the lack of public disclosure regarding environmental impact assessments, benefit-sharing structures, and safety guarantees.
The foundation underscored that the government has yet to fully implement the landmark 2011 United Nations Environment Programme report, which highlighted widespread oil contamination across Ogoni communities.
“To resume oil exploration without first fully implementing UNEP recommendations is both ethically wrong and likely to compound the suffering of Ogoni people,” Gokana stated, stressing that the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has delivered insufficient results so far.
Among its demands, OVAF called for a complete halt to exploration until the UNEP report is implemented, reparations are defined, and an inclusive stakeholder framework is established with representation from OVAF, MOSOP, women, youth, and traditional leaders.
It also urged the government to adopt binding legal instruments for fair benefit sharing and to establish independent oversight for environmental safety.
In a symbolic demand, the group pressed for the exoneration of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists executed in 1995, arguing that this step is vital to restoring the dignity of affected communities.
Ambassador Gokana made a direct appeal to President Bola Tinubu and relevant agencies “to listen to the voices of the Ogoni people… and to respect our rights, lives, lands, and futures.”
