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The former Secretary to
Rivers State Government, an
Ogoni man, may also be right
in saying that there was
leadership in Ogoni. By
refusing, even under
pressure, to put Ogoni
people together under one
common leadership group, he
was saying by implication
that there was a political
leadership in Ogoni. Senator
Lee Maeba was the person at
that time, but he was not
always available to play his
role.
Those of the other school of
thought felt that Ogoni
leadership was provided by
their groups. The defunct
Ogoni Contact Group (OCG)
was formed by some elites to
provide leadership. This
could not work for obvious
reasons - it was too elitic,
economic conscious and
lacked the people's mandate.
In the same vein, His Royal
Majesty, the chairman of the
Supreme Council of Ogoni
Traditional Rulers and now
the chairman Rivers State
Council of Traditional
Rulers, King G.N.K. Gininwa
attempted to do the same
thing and failed. This one
failed because it had too
much political undertone.
The good old KAGOTE on its
own part was priding itself
as the apex body of Ogoni
people, but could not do
more than that. This group
lacks the acceptance of the
young people.
MOSOP, the pressure group,
was not left out of the
claim for the leadership of
Ogoniland as it claims to be
the mouth piece of Ogoni
people.
The Governor is therefore
vindicated.
The truth, however, is that
Ogoni is not short of
leaders, but who is that
person?
Perhaps, we have to go back
to the drawing board to look
at the whole matter again.
What type of leadership do
we want: Singular or group
leadership? Political or
cultural leadership?
Religious or ethnic
leadership?
If singular leadership is
desired, our duly elected
senator fits in. But what
happens when he is no more
Senator?
If on the order hand, group
leadership is preferred, I
will suggest that
representatives of the major
groups in Ogoni be put
together in a confederation
to form the leadership
group. This group will elect
its officers and their
president will automatically
become the leader of Ogoni
people. Such groups may
include:
1. The Politically elected
representatives from the
Local Government Chairman
level.
2. The Traditional Rulers.
3. The Elders (KAGOTE)
4. MOSOP.
5. The Clergy.
6. The Youths.
7. The Women.
As for the quality of who
becomes the leader, that is
a matter for another
discuss.
Every right thinking Ogoni
person will appreciate that
this seeming vacuum in Ogoni
leadership is doing us no
good as it has created a
situation where any person
or group speaks in
representative capacity for
Ogoni people.
May I therefore, use this
opportunity to urge our
political leader, Senator
Magnus Abe, who is now
trying to do what his
immediate predecessor could
not do to create an
identifiable leadership for
Ogoni people.###
Signed: Chief Precious Ngbor |
