By Ebi Perekeme
The President of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), Legborsi Pyagbara has called on Ogoni people not to allow division by government, oil companies and politicians.
He also noted that like every human entity, MOSOP was not immune to challenges and conflicts, but what stood the movement out was the ability of Ogoni people to resolve their challenges and move past their differences, for the sake of their beloved motherland
Pyagbara, who stated these on Jan. 4, in his address at Bori-Ogoni, the traditional headquarters of Ogoni-land and the seat of Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State to mark this year’s Ogoni Day, reiterated that he was elected seven years ago, with yesterday as his last Ogoni Day as president and also the last day of his administration.
He noted that in line with the MOSOP’s steering committee’s resolution of December 3, 2018, which extended his executive’s mandate to December 2019 and the intervention of sister organisations, the feuding parties agreed to the setting up of a MOSOP transition council that would pilot the affairs of the organisation in 2020.
The MOSOP transition council, according to Pyagbara, would among others, work to deepen reconciliation among all individuals and groups within the organisation, embark on a review of the constitution and conduct the movement’s elections to usher in a new leadership.
He disclosed that the council would hand over to a newly-elected executive on January 4, 2021. MOSOP president stated that the transition council would consist of Chief Deebari Keeper (Chairman), Mr. Prince Biira (Vice Chairman), Bariara Kpalap (Secretary), Chief Theophilus Dike (Assistant Secretary), Naabulobari Nazigha-Lue (Publicity Secretary), Kammy Ngelale (Treasurer), Victor Wisdom (Financial Secretary) and Felix Kambe (Legal Adviser).
Pyagbara admonished Ogoni people to extend the same support which he and members of his executive enjoyed during their years of service to the members of the newly-inaugurated transition council to enable them to succeed in their mandate.
He said: “The climate change crisis has presented itself as one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century. Climate change is real.
“It is a development issue, it is a human rights issue, it is geography issue, it is a social issue and it is a food security issue. We cannot continue to pretend as if nothing is wrong.
“The attitude of our government at all levels in this country to this crisis is quite unwholesome. It is time to confront it from our communities, before it is too late.
“On the upcoming national population census, I urge our people to take part actively in the enumeration and demarcation process, as well as the census by the National Population Commission when the hold.
“They are very important for our future struggle for political representation and justice, particularly as unit and ward delineation is based on population markers.”
Support Quality Journalism in the Niger Delta Region
Join us in our mission to bring development journalism, cultural preservation, and environmental awareness to the forefront. Your contribution makes a difference in the lives of the people of the Niger Delta. Donate today and be a part of the change!
