CEHRD Elevates Zabbey To Ken Saro-Wiwa Hall Of Fame Over Ogoni Cleanup Milestones

By Jerry Needam

The sweeping transformation of the Ogoni cleanup project under the leadership of Nenibarini Zabbey has earned him a prestigious place in the Ken Saro-Wiwa Hall of Fame, as the Center for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD) declared that the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) is finally delivering tangible results in Ogoniland.

The Port Harcourt-based civil society organization said HYPREP, under Prof. Zabbey’s stewardship in the last three years, has recorded unprecedented progress in environmental restoration, infrastructure delivery, and community impact — achievements it described as a turning point for the Niger Delta.

During a solidarity visit to HYPREP headquarters in Port Harcourt, Chairman of CEHRD’s Board of Trustees, Chief Constance Meju, praised Prof. Zabbey for redefining the Ogoni cleanup process with competence, transparency, and vision.

According to Meju, CEHRD released Prof. Zabbey, its former Executive Director, to serve on the cleanup project because of his deep understanding of the Niger Delta’s environmental crisis and confidence in his ability to provide practical solutions.

“We are proud of what he has achieved. HYPREP now represents hope for the Niger Delta people, and Prof. Zabbey symbolizes that hope,” Meju stated.

She charged the HYPREP Project Coordinator to remain focused in ensuring the dreams of the Niger Delta people become reality through effective environmental remediation and sustainable development.

As part of the recognition, CEHRD presented Prof. Zabbey with an award for distinguished service, a commemorative portrait, and formally inducted him into the Ken Saro-Wiwa Hall of Fame located at Legacy House, D-Line, Port Harcourt.

Responding, Prof. Zabbey described the honour as deeply emotional and dedicated it to the collective efforts of stakeholders committed to restoring Ogoniland.
Highlighting major achievements recorded under his leadership, he disclosed that the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration has reached 96 percent completion, while the Ogoni Specialist Hospital is now 78 percent completed.

He also revealed that the Ogoni Power Project — considered one of HYPREP’s flagship sustainability initiatives — is progressing steadily, alongside ongoing shoreline cleanup assessment technique (SCAT) operations and process monitoring involving civil society organizations, including CEHRD.
Prof. Zabbey further described the recent recognition of Ogoni wetlands as a Ramsar Site of International Importance as a landmark environmental victory capable of restoring biodiversity and global ecological relevance to the area.

“We owe our people the responsibility of fully remediating Ogoni and restoring livelihoods. What HYPREP is doing today will become a model for environmental restoration in other impacted regions,” he said.

The HYPREP boss also acknowledged the support of civil society organizations and pledged that the project would continue to pursue sustainable development and long-term environmental recovery.

Also speaking, Director of Technical Services at HYPREP, Prof. Damian-Paul Aguiyi, commended CEHRD for honouring the Project Coordinator, insisting that Prof. Zabbey’s leadership has repositioned HYPREP and accelerated visible progress across Ogoniland.

The Ken Saro-Wiwa Hall of Fame features distinguished personalities celebrated for humanitarian service, activism, and societal impact, including Ken Saro-Wiwa, Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi, Gani Fawehinmi, and Dele Giwa.

Prof. Zabbey’s induction comes amid a wave of recognitions for his leadership in the Ogoni cleanup project.

He was recently named Social Impact Man of the Year at the Daily Independent Newspaper Awards in Lagos and also received the Grow Africa Prize for Excellence as an Icon of Nation Building for his contributions to grassroots empowerment and societal development.

In addition, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and churches in Gokana Local Government Area honoured him for his support toward the advancement of Christianity, while the Senior Staff Club of the University of Port Harcourt recognized him for outstanding leadership and contributions to institutional and community development.

The multiple honours reflect growing national recognition of the milestones being recorded in the Ogoni cleanup project, particularly in mangrove restoration, environmental remediation, and critical infrastructure development across the region.