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By: Mandy Willy
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has called for renewed accountability, equity, and environmental justice in the Niger Delta, declaring that the people of the region “have no business with poverty.”
Falana made the call in Port Harcourt on Friday while delivering the keynote address at the Ken Saro-Wiwa 30th Anniversary Memorial Lecture, themed “Ken Saro-Wiwa: The Man, His Legacies, Struggles, and Challenges.”
According to him, if the late Ogoni activist were alive, he would be “demanding accountability and justice for the oppressed,” adding that the wealth derived from oil must translate to prosperity for host communities.
“The people of Niger Delta have no business with poverty. You should live a life of prosperity based on your wealth, and that is why this brutal exploitation must stop,” Falana said.
The human rights advocate urged the Rivers State Government to enact a law mandating special allocations to oil-producing areas from the state’s 13 percent derivation fund, insisting that it would reflect Saro-Wiwa’s ideals of fair distribution of resources.
Citing the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), Falana noted that Section 257 provides that 3% of oil company operations be allocated for the development of host communities, adding that by May this year, the NUPRC reported that about ₦97 billion and $150 million had gone to host communities, which, according to him, must be subjected to public scrutiny.
“All of us must ensure accountability regarding these figures being announced by the government.”
Falana commended the establishment of a proposed university in Ogoniland, describing it as well-deserved, and called for immediate legal backing to ensure the project’s continuity beyond the present administration.
He further emphasized the need for local participation in recruitment and management, stressing that government policies require a certain quota for indigenes in employment and project execution.
On the controversial pardon of the Ogoni Nine, Falana clarified that the Nigerian Constitution empowers the President under Section 175 to grant pardon to those who ought not to have been convicted.
“It is not a question of guilt or innocence. They were also given national honours. You do not give a national honour to criminals but to those who contributed to the development of the country,” he explained.
He recalled that during the Oputa Panel hearings, evidence showed that the Ogoni Four were not killed by their compatriots but by agents of the government, prompting the panel’s recommendation to refer to them as the Ogoni 13 to foster unity among Ogoni people.
On the Ogoni cleanup, Falana criticized the slow pace of progress, noting that 11 years after its launch, only Shell has paid $1 billion while the Federal Government through NNPC Limited has not contributed a dime.
He called for a national resolution compelling government action, stating:
“The best way to honour Ken Saro-Wiwa is to unite the oppressed people of the Niger Delta and fight the government and oil companies to a standstill.”
Environmentalist and Executive Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Nnimmo Bassey, described oil as a curse rather than a blessing, challenging the government to show a single community in the Niger Delta that has developed because of oil exploration.
“Show me one village that has benefited from oil. I can show you thousands that have been reduced to nothing because of it,” Bassey declared, calling for an immediate audit of the entire Niger Delta and full implementation of existing cleanup recommendations.
He warned that renewed oil exploration in Ogoniland would be an insult to the memory of Ken Saro-Wiwa and urged the government to stop gas flaring and new drilling activities until the region’s environment and health is restored.
Akpobari Celestine, Team Lead of the Miidekor Environmental Foundation, noted that despite Saro-Wiwa’s execution 30 years ago, his spirit has refused to die.
He lamented ongoing political marginalization of the Ogoni people, stating that no Ogoni has been governor, deputy governor, chief judge, or speaker in Rivers State, despite their size and educational level.
“You cannot hate the Ogoni people and love their oil. There is a conspiracy against Ogoni, and the government must go to the root of the matter, not scratch the surface,” Celestine said.
He demanded justice for the over 2,000 Ogonis reportedly killed during the 1990s crisis, calling it an act of genocide that must not go unpunished.
Also speaking, Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), reiterated that reopening oil wells in Ogoniland would amount to environmental genocide.
“Life expectancy in the region is about 41 years one of the lowest in the world. The pollution must stop. Shut down the gas flares and don’t open any new oil wells.
