President Bola Tinubu has conferred posthumous national honours on the late Ogoni Four and directed steps toward restarting oil production in Ogoniland after more than three decades of shutdown.
At the Presidential Villa on Wednesday, Tinubu awarded the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) to Albert Badey, Edward Kobani, Theophilus Orage and Samuel Orage, describing them as martyrs whose sacrifice should inspire reconciliation.
“May their memories continue to inspire unity, courage and purpose among us,” Tinubu said. “I urge the Ogoni people to close ranks, put this dark chapter behind us and move forward as a united community.”
The president confirmed that his administration would build on the 2022 handover of the Ogoni oilfield operatorship to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its partners. He tasked the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to begin structured engagements between Ogoni communities, NNPCL and other stakeholders, with the Minister of Environment directed to integrate cleanup efforts into the dialogue.
Ribadu, presenting the report of the Ogoni Consultations Committee, said the process involved all four Ogoni zones and the diaspora, capturing demands for cleanup, participation in oil operations, and sustainable development.
“Peace is being restored already, and Nigerians will soon see the benefits, not just in Ogoniland but across the Niger Delta,” Ribadu said, pledging that directives would be strictly implemented.
Committee chair Prof Don Baridam added that the report represented the “collective will of the Ogoni people” and could serve as a blueprint for an inter-agency taskforce.
Oil production in Ogoniland has been suspended since 1993 following mass protests against environmental devastation, culminating in the execution of activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight others in 1995.
