Blessing Iruoma
The people of Eleme Local Government Area in Rivers State, have lamented years of marginalisation and neglect by multinational oil companies and the federal government.
Leadership of the communities spoke at a Townhall meeting by the Ogoni Dialogue Committee in continuation of the ongoing grassroots consultations and dialogue between the federal government and the people of Ogoni for oil resumption.
Making his presentation on behalf of his people, the traditional ruler of Eleme, King Phillip Osaro Obele, said Eleme is the host to most of the oil companies in Nigeria, yet have suffered neglect over the years.
The traditional ruler emphasised that Eleme has long suffered despite hosting several multinational companies.
He called on the committee to consider the community’s grievances, which have been detailed in a memorandum submitted to them.
“Eleme has watched helplessly as our natural resources are extracted by multinational companies, leaving us with massive unemployment, social degradation, abject poverty, and environmental pollution from industrial noise and reckless oil exploitation. The situation in Eleme is deplorable and requires urgent attention,” he stated.
King Obele urged the dialogue committee to take their concerns seriously, assuring that the people of Eleme would present their issues through the memorandum submitted during the meeting.
“Therefore, our dialogue committee, the people of Eleme will present their problems to you today, articulating our needs to ensure that Eleme’s voice is heard and addressed, as we have suffered immensely,” he added.
He also called for unity among the Ogoni people to ensure the success of the dialogue process. “I want to reiterate that Eleme people should see themselves as part of the greater Ogoni community. Together, we can work towards solutions that benefit us all”.
In his remarks, Co-Chairman of the Ogoni Dialogue Committee, Archbishop Ignatius Kattey (Rtd), commended the Eleme community for their peaceful engagement throughout the town hall meetings.
He noted that the dialogue process has opened avenues for healing and reconciliation after years of neglect and marginalisation, urging the community to seize the opportunity to present their demands to the Federal Government.
“To the people of Eleme, I express my deepest gratitude for your commitment to dialogue. This Town Hall Meeting is a crucial part of our grassroots consultations regarding the resumption of oil activities in Ogoni.
This is a moment of opportunity, and I encourage every community to share their memoranda. These contributions will form the foundation of our negotiations, allowing us to address the years of neglect and the environmental damage highlighted in the UNEP report on Ogoni,” Archbishop Kattey stated.
He informed the Eleme communities that the federal government has begun implementing the confidence-building measures requested by the Ogoni delegation, including the establishment of the Federal University of Environmental Technology in Saakpenwa.
He also thanked President Bola Tinubu, National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu and the Rivers State Government for their commitment to improving the fortunes of the Ogoni people.
A youth leader, Noble Obari Nwolu, commended the dialogue committee for their efforts and expressed optimism that all viewpoints would be fairly considered.
He emphasised the Eleme people’s support for the resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland and encouraged local youth to prepare to benefit from upcoming exploration activities.
