Youth Leader Condemns Jubilation Over Senator Mpigi’s Death

President of the South-South Youth Initiative (SSYI), Comrade Imeabe Oscar, has condemned the widespread public celebration of the demise of Senator Barinada Mpigi, who represented Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the Senate.

Imeade gave the condemnation in a statement on the reactions of some people in Rivers particularly from the Ogoni ethnic nationality, who allegedly took to the streets dancing and singing on hearing the passing away of the deceased.

The youth leader called on the people of Rivers South East Senatorial District not to celebrate the death of the senator but mourn him.

He said, “In as much as people are celebrating the death of Senator Mpigi, I won’t like to join those people even though as an Ogoni son, we’re not happy that the late Senator who was supposed to be a champion of Ogoni struggle disappointed us.

“Let me call on the people of Rivers South-East Senatorial District not to celebrate his death but join us to mourn him. In as much as he was not 100 percent okay or 50 percent good to us, he is our brother.

“The death of Senator Mpigi should be a wakeup call to not just politicians in Rivers State but also to the politicians in Ogoni land. Senator Mpigi is one of the illustrious sons of Ogoni but unfortunately, his style of leadership wasn’t comfortable with some of us.

“Something that was actually meant for the entire Ogoni – the University of Environment, which was supposed to be one government’s compensations for the oil exploration expected by the federal government led by President Bola Tinubu, he diverted it to his own community even when we’re aware that it was not attracted by him.

“We also know that that project was actually attracted because of Mr President’s interest in oil resumption in Ogoniland. But Senator Mpigi decided to extend it to his community just to harmonise his relationship with Desmond Akawor. So, it was not a thing of joy for those of us from Ogoni.

“At the same time, the resumption of oil which was something that the Ogonis were against and died for – our Ogoni heroes, Ken Saro-Wiwa and others laid their lives for this particular oil issue,  Sen. Mpigi was one of those persons responsible for its resumption in the national assembly.

“We had expected that Senator Mpigi would have agitated that the death of Ken Saro-Wiwa should be compensated and that the purpose for which he (Saro-Wiwa) died should not be abused but rather what we saw was immediate plan or plot for oil resumption because of his governorship ambition for 2027.”