News
Ogoni Group Rejects FG’s Oil Exploration Plans,Gives Non Negotiable Conditions
The Ogoni Voice Achievers Foundation (OVAF) has rejected the federal government’s plan to restart oil exploration in Ogoniland, demanding that no operations commence until a full environmental cleanup is completed and historical justice, including the exoneration of the late Ken Saro-Wiwa and other Ogoni activists, is secured.
In a statement signed by OVAF’s Founder and Board of Trustees Chairman, Hon. Ambassador Gospel Barifii Gokana, the group described the government’s approach as ‘deeply flawed, unjust, and unacceptable.’
It warned that resuming exploration without addressing decades of neglect and pollution could stir resentment, social unrest, and renewed conflict.
The foundation’s intervention comes in response to reports that the government had justified its plans for oil restart on the grounds of economic recovery and energy needs.
But Ambassador Gokana faulted that position, pointing to a lack of genuine consultation with the Ogoni people.
“Only a select few have been invited into closed-door negotiations. This selective engagement fails the test of free, prior and informed consent, which is… a right under international human rights norms,” he said.
He also criticised what he described as an ‘absence’ of transparency, accusing the government of making decisions in Abuja offices without deep consideration of what Ogoni communities have suffered historically.
OVAF expressed alarm over the lack of public information on environmental impact assessments, benefit-sharing arrangements, and safety standards.
Central to the group’s stance is the federal government’s failure to fully implement the recommendations of the 2011 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report, which documented extensive oil pollution in Ogoniland.
“To resume oil exploration without first fully implementing UNEP recommendations is both ethically wrong and likely to compound the suffering of Ogoni people,” Gokana said, adding that the work of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has so far been insufficient.
The group laid out non-negotiable conditions, including a halt to new exploration until the UNEP report is fully implemented, reparations are determined, and a genuinely inclusive stakeholder process is established, involving OVAF, MOSOP, women, youth, and traditional councils.
It further demanded binding legal instruments for equitable benefit sharing and independent oversight of environmental safety.
In a symbolic appeal, OVAF called for the exoneration of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists executed in 1995, saying it was necessary for restoring dignity to affected communities.
Ambassador Gokana further made a direct appeal to President Bola Tinubu and relevant agencies “to listen to the voices of the Ogoni people… and to respect our rights, lives, lands, and futures.”
As the world celebrate this year’s World Environment Day today,the Ogun State Waste Management Authority OGWAMA as urged residents of the States to keep their environment clean and stop indiscriminate dumping of waste in public places and imbibe proper waste disposal.
Special Adviser to the Governor and Managing Director of the Ogun State Management Authority OGWAMA, Honorable Farouk Akintunde stated this in a statement to mark the 2026 World Environment Day.
He said indiscriminate dumping of waste in public and unauthorized places breeds untidy, unhealthy environment which are inimical to public safety and retard economic growth of the society.
Akintunde also advised them to imbibe proper waste disposal by patronizing Waste PSP assigned to their immediate community for proper waste disposal for just a token instead of them to use the cover of the night to dump them in discriminately on the median,roadsides and public places which he says deface the aesthetic beauty of the State.
“Ogun state residents are known as clean and fun-loving people.We should not allow few of us to dent our pride through their untoward attitudes and behaviors,so when we see them dumping indiscriminately in our environment we should say something”
“We will on our part continue to do our best in terms of proper waste management through sensitization and advocacy as we urge all residents to containerize their waste for easy collection by government accredited PSP”
”For industries domiciled in the state, let me remind them of the need to allow government accredited PSP assigned to them to perform their statutory duties instead of patronizing illegal PSP which will attract sanction when they are caught by our enforcement team as OGWAMA will not allow them to turn the state to dumpsites for illegal industrial waste some of which are not environmentally friendly” Akintunde added.
He did not forget to remind all residents of the State that Ogun State Waste Management Authority will step-up it enforcement activities in all nooks and crannies of the state to maintain a clean,safe and healthy environment .
June 5th, Transfermarkt updated. The new market values of Barcelona players. Three players increased and nine decreased, with Raphinha dropping by 10 million to 70 million euros.
Increase (Euros)
Joan-Garcia increased by 5 million to 45 million
Eric-Garcia increased by 5 million to 40 million
Gerard-Martin increased by 10 million to 35 million
Decrease (Euros)
Raphinha decreased by 10 million to 70 million
Kounde decreased by 5 million to 60 million
Balde decreased by 5 million to 50 million
De Jong decreased by 10 million to 35 million
Casado decreased by 2 million to 18 million
Christensen decreased by 1 million to 8 million
Cancelo decreased by 1 million to 8 million
Lewandowski decreased by 1 million to 7 million
Szczesny decreased by 100,000 to 800,000
Unchanged (Euros)
Yamal 200 million
Pedri 150 million
Fermin 100 million
Cubarsi 80 million
Olmo 60 million
Ferran Torres 50 million
Rashford 40 million
Gavi 30 million
Bernal 30 million
Araujo 20 million
Bardghji 15 million
Singer Niniola Apata has opened up about her late husband, Michael Ndika, and the central role he played in her music career and personal life.
Speaking in a video at a gathering held in his honour, Niniola recounted how their relationship shaped her growth as an artist and as a person.
Ndika, CEO of African music platform NaijaReview, died on May 19, 2026 at 44.
She said he was her strongest supporter from day one even when she considered stepping away from music, he pushed her to continue.
According to her, Ndika believed in her talent and vowed to make her a star.
Niniola described their bond as inseparable, stressing how he was part of her daily routine and her main source of emotional support. Since his death, she said, her life has changed completely.
She thanked his family for embracing her and admitted that coping with the loss has been hard.
Reflecting on their marriage, she called it a love story.
She said Ndika gave her everything and lived for her and while she was the face and voice of her brand, he was the engine behind it.
She said: “My story with Michael is a love story. Michael did everything for me. Everything was for me, he was breathing for me. He loved me, I loved him so much. And I learned so much from Michael. But Michael met me raw, and he said, I’ll make you a superstar.’ And he did. I was just the face and the voice, but Michael was the engine.
“Even when I decided to, you know, give music a break, he didn’t let it. The first person I saw in the morning was Michael. And the last person who closed my eyes at night was Michael. So now what do I do? Tell me, what do I do? Michael was the best thing, the best person that ever happened to me.”
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