Celebrating 7 years of Ogoni clean-up: Ogoni youths react

Ahead of the planned visit of President Muhammadu Buhari, to Ogoniland as his administration enters its twilight, the Ogoni Youth Federation (OYF) has commended the President for his focus on the Ogoni Clean-up Project.

A press Statement signed by the President-General, Ogoni Youth Federation, Comr. Legborsi Yamaabana, said President Buhari’s resolve on the Ogoni cleanup is ‘a litmus test for Reconciliation and Restoration after a protracted crises between Ogoni People and Joint venture partners.’

The statement made available to Africa Update reads: CELEBRATING 7 YEARS OF OGONI CLEAN-UP COMMITMENTS BY PRESIDENT BUHARI & HIS LEGACY TOUR OF OGONILAND – A WELCOME NOTE BY OGONI YOUTHS

The Ogoni Youth Federation (OYF), an umbrella body of Ogoni youths, cutting across Babbe, Eleme, Gokana, Ken-Khana, Nyokhana and Tai Kingdoms, Ban Ogoi Special Area and Bori Capital Territory and Othe Niger Delta Patriots & Stakeholders, Cheerfully welcome President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, The Honorable Minister of Environment and his Counterpart for State to OGONILAND, for His Transitional Legacy Visit, on Friday 28th February, 2023.

Your Excellency, the Ogoni People are grateful for your unflinching commitment to the historic Ogoni Clean-up Project, and Ogoni conservation and environmental Restoration, and have asked us to say A TRILLION THANK YOU!

There is hope that the process of remediation, recovery and Restoration of of our highly degraded environment, which has been described by experts as the worst & most complex in the tropics’ shall be empirically documented at the Centre of Excellence for Environment Restoration, which you shall inaugurate during this visit, for environmental sustainability.

Again, the Ogoni Integrated Power Project, which you shall also flag off, elicits hope that light will finally shine in all corners of Ogoniland to dispel darkness, boost economic opportunities, 30 years after the Ogoni Struggle for Social, Political & Environmental Justice by Ken Saro Wiwa & Other Ogoni Leaders… a proof that the Supreme prices of our fallen heroes were not in vain.

As we reflect on the numerous ailments & consequent tragic deaths as a result of prolonged exposure to deathly chemical poisoning substances and pollutants that permeates in Ogoni air, land and water, and the soothing relief that a Legacy Ogoni Specialist Hospital shall be also Flag off and speedily constructed to avert these avoidable deaths in Ogoniland… is a triple blessing

We are also thankful for the numerous water projects under construction and significant milestones in land remediation so far…

We want to Specially thank the Almighty God for stirring up the President’s heart and protecting his focus on the Ogoni Clean-up Project, as a litmus test for Reconciliation & Restoration after a protracted crises between Ogoni People and Joint venture partners.

We therefore call on all true sons and daughters of OGONILAND and other critical Stakeholders to come out enmass with their best colorful attires to give Our President a Honourable welcome.

Signed:

Comr. Legborsi Yamaabana
President-General, Ogoni Youth Federation,
Chairman, Rivers State Ethnic Youth Leaders Coalition
& Mene Legbo Zuguru of Ogoniland