Date Published: 03/08/10

RE: Ogoni: Amaechi and illegal bunkering from abandoned Shell facilities By Ben Wuloo Ikari.

Dear Izeze,

While I agree with some of the points so made herein about what MOSOP, Ogoni and Ken Saro-Wiwa stand for, let me humbly disagree with few others.The MOSOP today under Ledum Mitee, who is a member of the Amaechi government against MOSOP Constitution (conflict of interest) has been bought over after Nov. 10, 1995. In short, he's bought during the unjust injustice Ibrahim Auta's Military Tribunal, which he worked with to wrongfully convict and hanged Saro-Wiwa, the big fish and 8 others. It's therefore not true all the allegations you've made against "MOSOP." Implying the real Saro-Wiwa MOSOP is not liable for Mitee, government and $hell's MOSOP of the day. What you're writing against or about is no longer the idea that took the world by surprise. This is the same idea some of those abroad (Diaspora) are fighting hard to keep and you ignorantly claimed different Ogoni/MOSOP groups are fighting themselves over leadership. The person who has been planted by government and $hell to disstabilize MOSOP and create a picture of rancour is Mitee.

Meanwhile, what lies do you claim or lied those abroad are peddling; could you expatiate on them to proof you aren't one of the Ogoni enemies and in the government pocket? This people use consultants such as you for their uncivilized treats. I hope you haven't forgotten, and also that no amount of hate or propaganda against Ogoni will overcome the people's collective will to survive against all odds. Our cause shall remain just irrespective of the propaganda and repression. And we shall win surely! We're making sure Mitee don't succeed in achieving the Federal Government and $hell's diabolical plans against MOSOP and Ogoni, to suffice the final death of Saro-Wiwa, their ultimate wish as he remains the ghost in the lives-it shall be so! These plans includes an unhindered movement into the Ogoni oilfields for hydrocarbon extraction-but over our dead bodies!

Some of us (the people) who still believe in Saro-Wiwa's dream are rightly struggling to oust Mitee, who betrayed the Ogoni 9 at the gallows to enable him do what he's doing for the government and $hell Oil. The silence you spoke about of "MOSOP" is in a master plan designed by the government and $hell. They're all partners in progress therefore know what is going on in Ogoni. When some of us have been writing about Mitee and his acts of betrayal, the manner in which he's pulled Ogoni back into docility and other atrocious and criminal behaviors of his, most Nigerian media, even some foreign ones decided to pay deaf ears. Unfortunately, and ironically, you've began talking into government talking points or propaganda against Ogoni it's so killed.

Other media in Nigeria which are mostly the "yellow envelop" kinds will as usual jump onto this bliss because they all benefit from the oppression of people such as Ogonis who have stopped their oil for about 17 years from flowing to the nation's corrupt coffers. And it's become a big source of worry for the nation's businesses such as the media. Take this home, Mitee has been in a forced leadership as a ruler for more than 14 years with nothing to show for his undemocratic tenures. He's recently petitioned to EFCC for misappropriating or not giving account of more than N1 billion donated by both foreign and local donors for the Ogoni development. What has the EFCC done other than a smoke screen invitation and subsequent release; is he not in Amaechi's cabinet? You should please ask questions as a "consultant" because for you to be effective you must ask questions before drawing conclusions.

 Those pressuring Mitee to respect the MOSOP Constitution and the group's ideals are fighting a good cause to protect what Saro-Wiwa and others stood and died for. What the government and oil companies have done and still doing to Ogoni is same they've done to the Niger Delta cause, using disreputable rulers of the region to box-in and divide a vibrant freedom fighting group that was pushing them to doing the right thing. Consequently, be very cautious not to eat the baits(if you haven't done so already)of Amaechi and his illegal administration. Although I don't support any act that would cause further oil spill in Ogoni, and call on any one or all those involved in such alleged acts capable of despoiling the already battered environment to stop forthwith, that is if such activities mentioned are taking place.

What is allegedly happening shouldn't be the reason Mike Cowing, who is sponsored by $hell and collaborating with Amaechi to not observe due process in the so-called clean up exercise but working on presenting an Impact Assessment document with Amaechi when no actual work has been done to insult Ogoni. All they're planning is rush through a ruined land, river, etc. damaged within 35 years, in one year and tell the world the degraded sites in Ogoni have been cleaned, revamped and efforts put in place for such damages not to occur again. Has $hell not claimed it had repeatedly cleaned and revamped the Ebubu spills and others in the Eleme kingdom of Ogoni nationality? It did make such claim even in 1970 when the spill first occurred in the area.

Mr. Cowing has been written on the issue of due process and his activities; his connivance with $hell and government and Amaechi's unwillingness to support the payment of compensation which is part of the acceptable international standards in cleaning polluted sites. And when I asked him some questions he's refused to answer (because they touched on integrity and morality or ethics required by his office and other international organizations)but the first and maybe second message he'd responded to. That is, when I asked him the hard questions such as, who is sponsoring the clean up other than $hell? and if he thinks the sponsors or financiers ($hell) will not influence his actions and decisions among others.

Mind you, this is a collaboration; a conspiracy, call it! What they're doing is give Ogoni a bad name, having known they've pulled Mitee and some others into their pockets and sealed their mouth. That is they may use these allegations as excuse to possibly opt out of the half-hearted and unprofessional cleaning exercise Ogonis have protested against. They may also claim most of the more than 350 spill sites Cowing said he found are caused by illegal bunkering as $hell has always claimed spills in Ogoni/Niger Delta are mostly caused by sabotage. Yet, they forget Ogoni had located these sites (more than 400) long before the issue of bunkering in the Niger Delta was raised few years ago. Could you imagine $hell and government's reckless operations for 35 years in Ogoni and now making excuses on bunkering of which no independent confirmation exist? This plot isn't new to real MOSOP people; and we're watching with keen interest.

Meanwhile, you'd agree with me they've said nothing about the reported JTF assisting in the so-called illegal bunkering. This means some highly placed individuals within and without Ogoni may be behind the alleged acts hence the use of the military for protection. Now, have you been to Ogoni to ascertain things for yourself before drawing your sword; or have you forgotten Amaechi is part of the Nigerian project against Ogoni and the Niger Delta region? Was he not in the administration of former Gov. Ada George, which sent fictitious reports to Abuja claiming Ogonis were declaring their independence from Nigerian? Odili was the Deputy Gov. then; he'd come through, played his inglorious roles and the turn is Amaechi's who didn't even contest any elections but became a "governor" to axe Ogoni and other unsuspecting groups.

A snake stays a snake; and a toad knows its route even in the dark. If anyone should be culpable and liable it must be $hell first; the Federal Government and NNPC, then Mitee, Amaechi, and Cowing before any other person of Ogoni stock involved in any unholy acts they've prepared the ground for by killing MOSOP in Mitee's hands. An action that strip MOSOP under him the control over the population (its respect thrown to the dogs)because the people are still yearning for the real MOSOP Saro-Wiwa broached. We must redeem it from them; it's just a matter of time. Remember, Ogoni remains innocent of all government, $hell and media concoction because its leadership machine has been confiscated, but only temporarily!