President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has posthumously conferred the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) on the late Ogoni leaders Albert Badey, Edward Kobani, Theophilus Orage, and Samuel Orage, collectively known as the “Ogoni Four.”
The announcement was made on Wednesday at the State House, Abuja, during the presentation of the Ogoni Consultations Committee report. According to the government, the honour recognises the Ogoni Four’s contributions to Nigeria’s socio-political landscape and underscores the administration’s commitment to the rights and welfare of the Ogoni people.
Addressing the Ogoni delegates, President Tinubu urged reconciliation and unity in the region. “May their memories continue to inspire unity, courage and purpose among us. 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,” he said.
The President assured stakeholders of his administration’s support for peace, environmental remediation, and economic revival in Ogoniland, while facilitating the return of oil exploration. “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 said.
He recalled that in 2022, the previous administration handed over Ogoni oil operations to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its partners, adding that his government would honour and build on that decision. Tinubu also directed the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to commence immediate engagement with the Ogoni people, NNPCL, and relevant stakeholders to finalise modalities for restarting operations.
“A dead asset is not valuable to the community, the country or the people. The longer we procrastinate, the worse it is for everyone,” he said, while instructing the Minister of Environment to integrate pollution remediation into the dialogue framework.
The President further called on Ogoni indigenes to partner with the government in transforming the wealth beneath their soil into national and local benefits. “Let us together turn pain into purpose, conflict into cooperation, and transform the wealth beneath Ogoni soil into a blessing for the people and for Nigeria,” he said.
Presenting the report, NSA Nuhu Ribadu said the consultations engaged all four Ogoni zones, including local communities, traditional leaders, and the diaspora. He noted that the report should serve as a blueprint for implementation, with an inter-agency task force comprising NNPCL, relevant ministries, and the Ogoni Dialogue Committee to drive execution.
Rivers State Governor Sim Fubara commended the Tinubu administration for its genuine commitment to resolving long-standing issues in Ogoniland. “The presented report on Ogoni Consultations is a sign that this government is serious about resolving these issues, and I think we need to give them all the necessary opportunity and time to ensure that this problem is resolved once and for all,” he said.
Professor Don Baridam, Chairman of the Dialogue Committee, emphasised that the consultations were inclusive and that the final report reflects the unified aspirations of the Ogoni people. It captures demands for structured participation in oil production, renewed environmental remediation, and a sustainable development framework.
Oil exploration in Ogoniland ceased in 1993 following sustained protests over environmental degradation, culminating in the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other activists in 1995. Recall that during Nigeria’s Democracy Day celebrations on June 12, President Tinubu granted posthumous national honours to the Ogoni Nine and pardons in recognition of their sacrifices for environmental justice and human rights.
