The demand for the creation of an Ogoni State has once again taken center stage, as the Ogoni People’s Assembly (OPA) set firm conditions for any resumption of oil production in the region.
Speaking at a World Press Conference held in Port Harcourt recently, Leader of OPA, Rev. Williams Probel, emphasized that control of Ogoni’s natural resources cannot be separated from the broader question of political autonomy.
Rev. Probel told journalists that the Ogoni Bill of Rights provides the foundation for the people’s long-standing demand for resource control.
“The Ogoni people have suffered decades of environmental degradation and economic exclusion.
Any conversation about oil production must first recognize our right to govern our resources,” Probel stated.
He added that without the creation of an Ogoni State, meaningful control of local oil wealth would remain impossible.
Probel stressed that the call for a separate state is not only about controlling oil revenue but also about ensuring environmental accountability and sustainable development.
“The Ogoni people must manage our resources, protect our land, and determine our future,” he said.
The OPA leader’s remarks highlight the growing tension between local aspirations and national economic interests, signaling that any future oil projects in Ogoni land will be closely scrutinized by the people.
The renewed agitation comes as oil companies and federal authorities consider restarting production in Ogoniland, decades after previous extraction activities sparked environmental protests and widespread criticism. With OPA linking oil resumption directly to the creation of Ogoni State, the debate over resource control, federal structure, and community rights is set to intensify.
