President Tinubu has conferred posthumous national honors of Commander of the Order of the Niger, CON, on the late Ogoni four; Albert Badey, Edward Kobani, Theophilus Orage, and Samuel Orage.
The President bestowed the honors on the four leaders while receiving the report of the Ogoni Consultations Committee at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Tinubu urged the people of Ogoniland to embrace reconciliation and unity after decades of division. “May their memories continue to inspire unity, courage, and purpose among us,” he said. “I urge the Ogoni people across classes, communities, and generations to close ranks, put this dark chapter behind us, and move forward as a united community with one voice.”
The President pledged his administration’s support for peace, environmental remediation, and economic revival in Ogoniland. He confirmed plans to facilitate the resumption of oil production in the area, saying, “I am encouraged by the overwhelming consensus of the Ogoni communities to welcome the resumption of oil production. The government will deploy every resource to support your people in this march towards shared prosperity.”
Tinubu recalled that in 2022, the previous administration handed the operatorship of the Ogoni oil field to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, and its partners. He stressed that his government would build on that decision and directed the National Security Adviser, NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to begin engagements between Ogoni communities, NNPCL, and other stakeholders to finalize modalities for restarting operations.
The Minister of Environment was also tasked to integrate pollution remediation into ongoing dialogue with the people. The NSA stated that the consultations engaged all four Ogoni zones and the diaspora, capturing demands for structured participation in oil production, accelerated cleanup, and sustainable development.
Ribadu reaffirmed Tinubu’s commitment to peace, stability, and inclusive development in the Niger Delta, saying, “Peace is being restored already, and Nigerians will soon see the benefits, not just in Ogoniland, but across the Niger Delta and beyond.”