Oil exploration in Ogoniland: Hope or betrayal?

For the first time in decades, the Nigerian government is pushing to resume oil exploration in Ogoniland, a region whose history is marked by environmental devastation and fierce resistance against oil giants.

But while the Federal Government insists that renewed drilling will bring prosperity, many Ogoni people remain skeptical, haunted by a past of pollution, displacement, and unfulfilled promises.

Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, insists that President Bola Tinubu is deeply committed to the development of Ogoniland, a region that has become synonymous with environmental struggle. Speaking on Channels Television’s Newsnight on Monday, Momoh highlighted Tinubu’s engagement with Ogoni leaders as proof of his sincerity.

“The President is a visionary and he understands the feelings of the people,” Momoh said. “For the past year, Mr. President has held two meetings with Ogoni traditional rulers, political and religious leaders, all in a bid to bring about peace in the region so that oil exploration can resume.”

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Beyond dialogue, the minister pointed to concrete actions, such as Tinubu’s recent signing of a bill to establish the Federal University of Environment in Ogoniland, aimed at addressing the region’s longstanding ecological damage. He also noted ongoing projects under the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), which he claimed had stalled before Tinubu’s administration took office.

But for many Ogonis, promises of development sound all too familiar—and hollow.

The kingdom of Ogoniland, home to roughly one million people, has long suffered the consequences of oil exploration. For decades, crude oil extraction—led by Shell in partnership with the Nigerian government—left behind a trail of pollution that poisoned farmlands, destroyed rivers, and displaced entire communities.

The tipping point came in the early 1990s when the Ogoni people, led by renowned activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, mobilized against environmental degradation. Their resistance led to a brutal crackdown by the Nigerian military, culminating in the execution of Saro-Wiwa and eight other activists in 1995. Shell eventually ceased production in Ogoniland in 1993, but the scars remain.

A United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) assessment found that the region’s contamination was so severe that a proper cleanup would take at least 30 years and require an initial investment of $1 billion. After years of delays, cleanup efforts finally began in 2019, but many locals say progress has been slow and uneven.

Now, the Federal Government is not only talking about environmental restoration but also restarting oil exploration—a move that has sparked heated debates.

Some Ogoni youth groups have expressed support for the initiative, seeing it as an opportunity for jobs and infrastructure development. But others fear history repeating itself. They argue that without clear safeguards, renewed drilling will only deepen their suffering, undoing any progress made in environmental restoration.

A critical question remains: Will oil exploration in Ogoniland this time be different?

For decades, the Ogoni struggle has been a symbol of resistance against corporate and governmental exploitation. As the Nigerian government pushes forward with its plans, the world will be watching closely—will this be a moment of redemption or another chapter of betrayal?

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