NewsRescue
By Akanimo Sampson,
Port Harcourt
OGONI mass organisation, Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has warned against what they described as ”malicious and desperate activities” currently going on in Rivers State, aimed at gaining political power.
MOSOP Publicity Secretary, Fegalo Nsuke, said in an online statement that the Ogoni people are deeply concerned that at a time when they have decried and warned against further appalling attempts at dividing them, ”some local politicians are fanning the embers of division in our area”.
”Reports credited to some Ogoni political stalwart indicated albeit regrettably his trumpeting factionalism in MOSOP when he is aware of the truth”, Nsuke said.
According to him, ”while we recognise his right to freedom of expression, we do not see how inflammable statements drumming division helps the reported peace process. The approach, in our view, demonstrates some desire for unabated crisis and instability in MOSOP and it is not funny”.
The group has therefore, advised their kinsmen and women harbouring ”malicious and desperate tendencies including undermining peace, integrity and stability of Ogoni for some agenda, to sink their sentiments and join hands with the people in the effort to build a virile, peaceful, indivisible and prosperous Ogoni.
”To us, the task of organising the Ogoni society for the actualisation of the common dream is enormous and requires our collective response rather than the resort to worthless and shameful distractions as experienced in the past one week.
”That some busy-bodies manipulated to act the script of masterminds made some noise swallowed by guilt that diminished their claims cannot be rightly termed “faction” and should not have been promoted but for some hateful agenda”.
Continuing, the group said, ”building peace and oneness amongst the Ogoni, in our opinion, cannot be achieved through inflammable statements, which would end up deepening the problem instead of providing answers. It is for this reason that we call on Ogoni political leaders to be mindful of their utterances and actions to avoid igniting crisis in the area and risking alienation.
”We will like to make it abundantly clear that MOSOP is not against anybody. MOSOP stance and activities are anchored on the mandate freely given to it by the Ogoni people, which bother on promoting, protecting and defending the rights and privileges of our people. And this we must continue to do without minding whose ox may be gored.
”The time has come for people to be more concerned about the challenges retarding our development and become a saddening squeeze on our collective narrative. The visible gang-up against Ogoni expressed through sustained oppressive tendencies including excruciating marginalisation and denial of political representation at the highest levels in Rivers State, designed and implemented to condemn us to perpetual obscurity should push us to do the needful rather than organising and funding internal wrangling and decimation.
”It is our position that the modest improvement regarding our situation is a function of MOSOP activities overwhelmingly encouraged and supported by the people and not otherwise. Therefore, whoever stands in the way of MOSOP stands in the way of the Ogoni people and will be resisted peacefully and non-violently”.
