The immediate past Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administrative and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, says the 25th anniversary of the killing of Ogoni martyrs led by Ken Saro-Wiwa, calls for a rededication to the ideals they espoused.
A statement by the Dakuku Peterside Media Team and made available to AsheNews on Tuesday also alleged that the killing of another four prominent Ogoni sons was part of a grand conspiracy to inflame the ethnic nationality.
Dr. Peterside stressed that the Ogonis had lost so much and was time the Nigerian government revisited the issues that led to the agitation.
While noting “the only path to peace is justice for Ogoni people and all minorities,” he noted that underdevelopment remains a major denominator in Ogoni land despite previous contributions to the national purse.
According to him, “Twenty-five years on and we continue to remember our Ogoni martyrs who were killed in very controversial circumstances. Some of the brightest of Ogonis were killed in what was obviously a grand conspiracy.
“Since then, Ogonis have struggled to produce such a wonderful set of leaders, who fought for the emancipation, growth, and development of Ogoni land and Niger Delta in general.
“They succeeded in drawing the attention of the entire world to the Niger Delta that was suffering from underdevelopment, environmental degradation, and pollution, among others.
“This anniversary calls for a sober reflection on the ideals these great men stood for and how much of it has been realised in Ogoni land, what more needs to be done and how much left undone.”
Peterside, who enjoys very close affinity with the Ogonis, commended the Federal Government for the ongoing implementation of the UNEP report and called for more funding to enable the agency saddled with the responsibility to perform better.
He, however, called on President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to grant Saro Wiwa and others presidential pardon to enable them to be buried properly and given due recognition for their ultimate sacrifice.
“President Muhammadu Buhari must be commended for expediting action on the UNEP report. We can only plead that Saro Wiwa and other patriots that were killed alongside him be granted a presidential pardon and allow them to be honoured by their kinsmen and Nigerians at large.
“This will go a long way in healing wounds and fast-track the process of sense of belonging and fervent belief in the hopes and aspirations of the country,” he stated.
The former federal lawmaker called the National Assembly to expedite action on the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill currently before it in order to make the oil and gas industry more lucrative and benefit host communities.
