Ogoni Oil Exploration: President Tinubu Reviews Report, Honours Fallen Leaders

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday posthumously awarded the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) to four prominent Ogoni leaders — Albert Badey, Edward Kobani, Theophilus Orage, and Samuel Orage — collectively remembered as the “Ogoni Four.”

The President made the announcement while receiving the report of the Ogoni Consultations Committee at the State House, Abuja.

Calling for reconciliation and unity, Tinubu urged the Ogoni people to move beyond decades of 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,” he said.

The meeting came 16 months after Tinubu had pledged to pursue the Ogoni cleanup programme diligently and to expand empowerment opportunities for the people of the region. He reaffirmed his commitment to unlocking Ogoniland’s human and natural resource potential while ensuring both environmental and economic security.

The President also assured stakeholders of his administration’s support in achieving peace, environmental recovery, and economic renewal, as well as facilitating the return of oil exploration in the area. “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,” he said.

Tinubu recalled the transfer of Ogoni oil field operations to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its joint venture partners under the previous administration, vowing to build on that decision. Directing National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu to lead fresh engagements with stakeholders, the President stressed the need to avoid further delays. “A dead asset is not valuable to the community, the country, or the people. The longer we procrastinate, the worse it is for everyone,” he added.

He also instructed the Minister of Environment to integrate pollution remediation and environmental recovery into ongoing dialogue with the Ogoni people.

Presenting the report, Ribadu explained that the consultations covered all four Ogoni zones, with inputs from communities, traditional rulers, and the diaspora. He pledged strict implementation of the President’s directives to restore peace and development in Ogoniland.

Committee Chairman Prof. Don Baridam added that the process was inclusive and reflected the collective demands of the Ogoni people, particularly structured participation in oil production, renewed environmental cleanup, and sustainable development initiatives.

Oil was first discovered in Oloibiri, Ogoniland, in 1958, but exploration was halted in 1993 after widespread protests against environmental degradation and injustice. The movement to protect Ogoniland culminated in the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and nine other leaders in 1995 during the Abacha regime.