Edith CHUKU
Following the emergence of a new National Executive Council of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People MOSOP in the just concluded election, the Gbenemene Bangha Kingdom, King Suanu Baridam, has sued for peace.
The King in a release by the newly elected MOSOP Publicity Secretary, Mr Imeabe Saviour Oscar, charged the new leadership to seek the frontiers of peace and reconcile aggrieved members to avoid statements capable of putting Ogoni in a bad light.
With the hope that this development would mark the end of various splinter groups that have operated under the guise of MOSOP, Baridam pledged his support for the newly inaugurated leadership even as he described the emergence of Prof. Olu Andah Wai-Ogosu as President of MOSOP as a right step in the right direction for the Ogoni people.
Speaking when the MOSOP leadership paid him a familiarisation visit at his Port Harcourt residence, the King was quoted to have said “I must say that if Ogoni people want to do the right thing, they should know that all other parts of Ogoni have served as President of MOSOP except Eleme and if the president now is coming from there, we should support him and so Prof, I will support you.
“I want to also urge you to go back and reconcile aggrieved members especially affiliates, we must go together as a group and rectify every problem, let’s reduce the frontiers of war so that we can achieve what is expected of us because Ogoni needs us.
“I want to also appeal to those of you who are executives of MOSOP to avoid statements that will put us in a bad shape with the present government,”
The Royal Father added: “I want to also advise Ogoni people not to abuse any of our leaders because of politics, don’t abuse the present governor, don’t abuse the past governor, they are leaders and if they have differences, I assure you that we are doing everything as traditional rulers to ensure that they are resolved.
“So on behalf of the Ogoni people, the Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, the Khana Traditional Rulers Council, we will support you but you must please reach out to elites of Ogoni. I thank you for coming and like I have said, go back and rebuild the frontiers of MOSOP and avoid statements that will put us into problems; let us seek for peace at all times”.
Speaking earlier, the President of MOSOP said he and his EXCO were in the King’s residence to familiarise with him and seek his collaboration in rebuilding Ogoni and taking it to the desirable heights.
According to him “You are the second Royal Majesty we have come to visit, which underscores the importance we place on you and your contribution to MOSOP. Thank you for giving us this audience and we promise to always relate with you when we have issues that require your inputs so that together we can make entire Ogoni proud.”
Speaking as part of the MOSOP delegation, the immediate past president, Senior Comrade Legborsi Pyagbara appealed to the Royal Father to extend same support he gave to him to the new leadership.
“Your Majesty I want to urge you that the same support you gave me during my time, transfer same support to this new leadership because it’s only that support that can make them also stand. And I will also beg you that you gather your traditional fathers also behind him, COTRA became very strong because of the kind of collaboration we had. So we believe that with their support and your own support, the new president will do his best to take Ogoni higher,” Pyagbara said.
On his part, Dr Ben Gbenemene Kpae, a lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt who was also part of the delegation noted that King Suanu Baridam’s effort in the congress convened by the Ogoni people in 2021 has led to the emergence of a new MOSOP leadership and thanked the Royal Father for his role in rebuilding MOSOP.
Recall that in its judgment on March 7th, 2024, the Customary Court of Appeal holden in Port Harcourt directed the MOSOP Electoral Committee to proceed and finalise its electoral process for the election of executives to lead the esteemed organisation.
In adherence to this ruling, the MOSOP Electoral Committee conducted elections for various vacant offices within MOSOP, including the National Executive Council, Kingdom Executive Councils and Affiliates. These elections took place on March 12th and April 1st, 2024, respectively.
However, at the end of polls into National Executives Council of MOSOP, the following persons were elected in the keenly contested process.
1) Prof. Olu Andah Wai-Ogosu – President
2) Susan Lekara Serekara N – Deputy President
3) Chief Nasikpo Nyidedha Nledi – Secretary General
4) Nubari Dominic Saatah – Assistant Secretary
5) Chief Migbara Wilfred Tanee – Financial Secretary
6) Theophilous Dike B. – Treasurer
7) Comr. Imeabe Saviour Oscar – Publicity Secretary
8) Barr. Nkiri Celestine Nornubari – Legal Adviser
