As the Ogoni people worldwide celebrate the Ogoni Martyrs’ Remembrance Day, the Ogoni Youth Federation (OYF) says different Ogoni groups with parochial interests have deviated from the real goals and aspirations that the Ogoni heroes laid down their lives for.
The President-General of OYF Engr. Legborsi Yamaabana who came out with this in a press statement, stressed that the parent body of the Ogonis who would have coordinated the Ogoni struggle had been polarized, warning that the polarization is not a welcome development.
“We appeal to all Ogonis, home and in the diaspora to have a deep reflection of the true essence of the Ogoni struggle as initiated by Ken Saro-Wiwa and other martyrs and do a self -appraisal of how our individual interests have helped in appreciating or depreciating our course,” Legborsi said.
According to the youth body, rather than building on efforts of the fallen heroes, Ogoni leaders had rather allowed external forces polarized the people to penury in order to keep them in perpetual agitation while they feast on the gains of the blood of the martyrs, stressing that a microscopic few of the elites wanted either political or social relevance to the detriment of the wellbeing of the generality of the Ogoni.
The OYF president appealed to all factional groups laying claims to the socio-cultural leadership of Ogoni to sheathe their swords and come to a round table of dialogue to chart a new course for the development of Ogoniland.
He stressed that the Ogoni Youth Federation was ready to play a pivotal role in the proposed round table discussions for the future of the people, appealing that in-house fighting should be put to an end. “Ogoni cannot make any meaningful growth if every week we continue to flex grammatical muscles from one media house to another. As the region once considered as the most educated, it’s time to use our educational muscles to attract meaningful ventures to the region rather than puling ourselves down,” OYF President admonished.
