President Bola Tinubu has posthumously conferred the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) on four prominent Ogoni leaders — Albert Badey, Edward Kobani, Theophilus Orage, and Samuel Orage, collectively known as the “Ogoni Four.”
The announcement was made on Wednesday during the presentation of the report by the Ogoni Consultation Committee at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Speaking at the event, President Tinubu urged the people of Ogoniland to embrace reconciliation and unity after decades of tension and division.
“May their memories continue to inspire unity, courage, and purpose among us. I urge the Ogoni people across classes, communities, and generations to close ranks, put this dark chapter behind us, and move forward as a united community with one voice,” the President said.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting Ogoniland’s journey toward peace, environmental restoration, and economic revival, including the resumption of oil exploration in the region.
“I am encouraged by the overwhelming consensus of the Ogoni communities to welcome the resumption of oil production. The government will deploy every resource to support your people in this march towards shared prosperity,” Tinubu added.
Tinubu reaffirms support for oil resumption
President Tinubu recalled that in 2022, the previous administration transferred the operatorship of the Ogoni oil field to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its joint venture partners. He pledged to honour and build upon that decision.
To that end, the President directed the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, to immediately begin engagements between the Ogoni people, NNPCL, its partners, and other key stakeholders to finalise modalities for restarting oil operations in the area.
Oil exploration in Ogoniland had been suspended since 1993, following sustained protests over environmental degradation and social injustice, culminating in the 1995 execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other activists.
“A dead asset is not valuable to the community, the country, or the people. The longer we procrastinate, the worse it is for everyone,” the President said.
He also directed the Minister of Environment to incorporate pollution remediation and environmental recovery into the broader framework of dialogue with the Ogoni people.
“Let us together turn pain into purpose, conflict into cooperation, and transform the wealth beneath Ogoni soil into a blessing for the people and for Nigeria,” Tinubu said.
Dialogue committee submits report
Chairman of the Ogoni Dialogue Committee, Prof. Don Baridam, said the report represents the collective will of the Ogoni people, noting that extensive consultations were held to ensure inclusivity and broad-based participation.
Baridam said the report captures key demands, including structured participation in oil production, renewed commitment to environmental cleanup, and a sustainable development framework for the region.
Earlier, the NSA, who presented the report to the President, said the consultation process involved all four Ogoni zones, with contributions from local communities, traditional rulers, and members of the diaspora.
Ribadu emphasised that the exercise was not merely about documentation, but about restoring trust and hope in a region long affected by neglect and conflict.
According to him, stakeholders unanimously agreed that the report should serve as a blueprint for implementation, driven by an inter-agency task force comprising NNPCL, relevant ministries, and the Ogoni Dialogue Committee.
