Ogoni Youths Demand Answers on $300m Dialogue Fund, Want Bori State in Roadmap

A coalition of Ogoni youth groups has demanded verifiable answers on the source, status and purpose of a reported $300 million fund tied to the Ogoni dialogue process. It also asked the federal government to make the creation of Bori State part of the implementation roadmap for the 20 demands arising from the dialogue.

The Coalition of Ogoni Youth Groups (COYOG) called on President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Government to stop delaying implementation of the demands. It also warned against what it described as attempts by politicians, privileged individuals and vested interests to hijack the process for personal, political and economic benefit.

On the fund, the coalition said the Ogoni people deserve verifiable answers on the source, status and intended purpose of the money, and on the arrangements for its management and accountability.

It argued that questions surrounding public-interest funds should not be suppressed, politicised or used as an excuse to frustrate the broader dialogue.

“Transparency must be non-negotiable,” the coalition said, adding that accountability and the successful conclusion of the dialogue were not mutually exclusive.

Beyond the fund, COYOG insisted that the demand for Bori State must receive explicit and documented attention in the implementation roadmap. It described the demand as fundamental to the political inclusion, equitable representation, administrative accessibility and aspirations of the Ogoni people.

The coalition said the Federal Government and relevant constitutional institutions should identify the appropriate pathway for considering the proposed state, in line with the constitutional procedures governing state creation in Nigeria. It added that the demand must not be ignored, indefinitely postponed or used as a bargaining instrument by political interests.

“For COYOG, the demand for Bori State is a fundamental question of political inclusion, equitable representation, administrative accessibility and the aspirations of the Ogoni people,” the statement said.

“Any genuine effort to address the Ogoni question must engage this demand openly and seriously alongside the other provisions of the Ogoni Bill of Rights and the 20 demands contained in the Dialogue Committee’s report,” it added.

The coalition called on the Federal Government to give a clear and documented commitment to implementing the agreed demands through an interim Memorandum of Understanding.

According to the group, the agreement should specify the responsibilities of relevant institutions, implementation timelines, funding arrangements, monitoring mechanisms and public reporting obligations.

It also urged Tinubu to set up a representative Presidential Implementation Committee with a clearly defined mandate, measurable milestones and enough authority to coordinate implementation of the recommendations.

The demands in the Ogoni Dialogue Committee’s report, it said, should not be reduced to political promises or ceremonial declarations of selective implementation.

The statement was jointly signed by 17 youth leaders, among them Chief Kpakol Aleema Kpakol, President, Ogoni National Youth Congress; Comrade Collins Lebeteh Kenneth, its spokesman; Gen. Ikeh Albert Jnr, President General, Khana Youth Assembly; Chief Barineka Tornwe, President, Ogoni General Youth Assembly; Mene Barisi Kenneth Kaabee, President General, PA-Gokana Supreme Youth Council; Comrade Ken Nnaa, President, Yorla Oil Field Youth Association; and Nadum Ana-Ana, President, Ogoni Community-Based Youth Leaders Forum.

The leaders expressed concern over what they called political and elite capture of the dialogue process. They warned that the collective aspirations of the Ogoni people must not be sacrificed for personal, political or economic interests.

The coalition maintained that the dialogue was a collective struggle for justice, environmental restoration, political inclusion, resource control and sustainable development, and that its outcome must reflect the aspirations of the Ogoni people rather than the interests of a few individuals. It said the sacrifices of generations of Ogoni people must not be undermined by political manoeuvring, selective representation or undisclosed arrangements.

“The Ogoni dialogue process is a collective struggle for justice, environmental restoration, political inclusion, resource control and sustainable development. It must not become the exclusive preserve of a few individuals seeking to negotiate away the collective aspiration of the Ogoni people,” the coalition said.

Dispute over ODC leadership

The coalition’s position comes amid concerns over the leadership structure of the Ogoni Dialogue Committee (ODC). The concerns followed a statement reportedly credited to Rev. Fr. Pius Kii during the service of songs for the late Mrs Rosemary Kobani at Corpus Christi Cathedral, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday.

According to COYOG, Senator Olaka Wogu was reportedly recognised as the leader of the ODC at the event. The youth groups disputed the description. They said Wogu is a member of the committee’s Harmonisation Subcommittee and not the chairman or leader of the central committee. They named Professor Don Baridam as leader of the central committee and said his leadership and mandate should be respected by all stakeholders.

The coalition explained that the Harmonisation Subcommittee was set up to harmonise reports and recommendations from the Tactical and Technical Committees before presenting its work through the appropriate ODC structure. It said membership of the subcommittee does not confer the authority to assume leadership of the central committee or to speak independently on its behalf.

“We respect Senator Olaka Wogu as a political leader and member of the dialogue structure. However, no individual, irrespective of political status or influence, should place himself above the established institutional framework of the ODC,” the statement said.

COYOG cautioned Wogu against public conduct or representations that could create confusion about the committee’s leadership. It also urged religious leaders and other public figures to verify institutional positions before making pronouncements capable of misleading the Ogoni people.

Call for regular updates

The coalition called on the ODC leadership, under Professor Baridam, to strengthen its public communication and give regular, accurate and comprehensive updates on the progress of the dialogue. It asked the committee to communicate the outcome of its harmonisation exercise, explain the decisions reached, identify outstanding issues and publish a roadmap for implementation.

Appeal for unity

The youth groups urged Ogoni political leaders, traditional rulers, community institutions, civil society organisations, women’s groups and other youth formations to remain united and vigilant in protecting the collective interests of the people.

They recalled that the Ogoni people had endured decades of environmental devastation, political marginalisation and unmet expectations. They argued that the credibility of the current dialogue would depend on the implementation of agreed commitments.

According to the coalition, the success of the process should not be measured by the number of meetings held, the personalities involved or public statements issued. It should be measured by concrete commitments fulfilled, environmental damage addressed, political demands advanced and improvements in the living conditions of ordinary Ogoni people.

COYOG reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful advocacy, constructive engagement and democratic mobilisation, and pledged to keep holding relevant institutions accountable for their commitments.

“The Ogoni dialogue belongs to the Ogoni people. Its outcomes must serve the Ogoni people. Its implementation must be transparent, inclusive and measurable.

“No political interest, individual or elite group is greater than the collective future of Ogoni land,” the statement said.