King Lenu Tsaro-Igbara, the paramount ruler of Nortem Bori community in Ogoni, has commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for its efforts in cleaning up the oil pollution in Ogoni land, Rivers State. Ogoni land has a long history of environmental degradation due to decades of oil exploration and spills.
The commendation comes 28 years after the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa, a prominent Ogoni playwright and environmental rights activist, during General Sani Abacha’s military regime. Saro-Wiwa had been a vocal advocate against economic injustices and environmental pollution in the Niger Delta caused by oil exploration companies.
King Tsaro-Igbara expressed the significance of the clean-up exercise to his people, who have endured years of neglect and environmental degradation. During a courtesy visit to Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), King Tsaro-Igbara presented a congratulatory postcard and conveyed his admiration for Ganduje and his party.
He said: “The oil well allotted to Shell Petroleum in Ogoni land was sealed up by the military administration of Gen. Sani Abacha in 1995 following the killing of Rights activist, Ken Saro Wiwa.
“Over the years, Shell’s licence to prospect oil in Ogoni land expired but on the assumption of office, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu embarked on the clean-up of Ogoni. The success recorded in the clean-up exercise, the Federal Government handed over the well to NNPC and the NNPC has since returned to the site in preparation to commence work.
“By the time this operation begins, about 300,000 barrels of oil (representing 25 per cent of daily production) will be produced from the Ogoni oil well.”
Reacting, Ganduje welcomed the traditional ruler and praised him for recognizing the effort of Tinubu’s government in the Niger Delta.
“The Federal Government under President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed is very active in cleaning the hydrocarbons in Ogoni land. I am happy today, that our brother, His Royal Majesty from Ogoni land, has come to this office to appreciate what the Federal Government is doing to the Ogoni land.
“He appreciated the cleaning up because of the pollution, which everybody knows, is an environmental hazard. Though royal fathers are not partisan since they represent the security and needs of the people, they are also in a position to thank the government if something is done for them,” Ganduje said.
