By Orkula Shaagee
President Bola Tinubu is not leaving any stone unturned in his determined efforts to generate enough revenue to develop Nigeria in his “renewed Hope Agenda” administration.
He has already revived toll gates across the country,increased taxes and is in the process of another tax increment through the controversial “tax reform bills”, which were late last year sent to the two chambers of the National Assembly for approval.
Similarly, oil, being Nigeria’s major revenue earner has also received a boost from the Tinubu administration, with Port Harcourt refinery resuming crude oil refining after five years of shutdown.
Warri Refinery, according to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), has also resumed operations at 60% capacity. Work is also ongoing at the Kaduna refinery.
In Ogoni land where oil exploration has been suspended for many years due to controversies surrounding environment degradation among other issues, is being considered by the Tinubu administration for revival.
It is a welcome development that the Federal Government is using a peaceful approach in its desire to resume oil exploration in Ogoni land.
Now a potential restart of oil production Ogoniland region in southern Nigeria, where Shell halted its operations in 1993 following violent protests over allegations of widespread environmental damage and human rights abuses, has been earmarked by government officials as a potential way of increasing its foreign exchange earnings.
“The broad consensus in Ogoni is in favor of restarting production,” said Ledum Mitee, a veteran environmental activist and former president of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People.
In a realistic and bold move to achieve this, President Bola Tinubu, on January 21, 2025, held a closed-door meeting with a delegation of Ogoni leaders led by Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State.
The meeting came after a coalition of civil society organizations demanded an allocation of $1 trillion from the Federal Government for the cleanup of the Niger Delta and compensation for lost livelihoods, before the resumption of crude oil production in Ogoniland.
After the meeting, Tinubu directed the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, to coordinate negotiations with various parties within Ogoniland in the oil-rich Niger Delta area to resume oil production in the area.
Also on Monday, February 4, 2025, President Tinubu signed a bill establishing the Federal University of Environment and Technology (FUET) in Ogoni, in addition to pledging more support for the community.
Ogoni town of Tai will host the University.
All these are President Tinubu’s non-violent approach to calm fray nerves in Ogoni land and ensure that oil exploration in the region resumes in earnest.
During the signing ceremony at the State House, President Tinubu said the establishment of the University will further empower Ogoni citizens and provide more opportunities for participation and development.
“Today marks a significant milestone in our national journey towards environmental justice, education and sustainable development.
“The Ogoni have been at the forefront of our development and agitation and have suffered enough environmental degradation,” the President said.
“It is more than the creation of a university. It is the reaffirmation of our unwavering commitment to the people of Ogoni, the Niger Delta and the entire nation as a whole.
“For decades, the Ogoni people have been at the forefront of the fight for environmental restoration and sustainable development, shaping national and global conversations on these critical issues.
“By signing this bill into law, we are taking a decisive step towards addressing historical grievances and creating new opportunities for learning, growth and prosperity,” he stated.
The President affirmed that the University will “serve as a centre of excellence, equipping young Nigerians with the knowledge and skill to tackle present environmental challenges, drive clean energy solutions and contribute to our national sustainable economic development.”
President Tinubu thanked the National Assembly, particularly the Senate and House of Representatives leadership, for properly considering the bill.
“Let me also commend the Ogoni delegation. Your steadfast advocacy for justice is encouraging. It will be rewarded, I assure you.
“As we look ahead, I urge all the stakeholders, traditional institutions, the academic community, the private sector, partners and all other youth to embrace this University as a beacon of knowledge, unity and progress.
“Together, we will ensure that it will not only fulfil its mandate but also stand as a catalyst for transformational development across the country,” the President said.
Minister of Education Dr Tunji Alausa said the University will prioritise interdisciplinary programmes in environmental science, clean energy, and sustainable technology, equipping students to tackle regional and national ecological issues.
The National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, said the establishment of the University will address long-standing concerns and efforts to restore Ogoniland.
Ribadu noted that Ogoniland should be prioritised for inclusive development and environmental sustainability.
Senator Mpigi Barinada, leader of the Ogoni delegation, thanked the President for signing the bill establishing the Federal University of Environment and Technology.
Barinada said establishing a university would serve as a beacon of hope for the Ogoni community and an encouragement to “shield the sword” and embrace peace.
However, there is a school of thought that until contentious issues are addressed, it will be premature to resume oil exploration in Ogoni. Issues like doing further consultations, building trust and showing genuine commitment to real environmental governance.
“The challenge all along has been the opaque nature of oil exploration not just in Ogoni land but in the entire Niger Delta.
It is believed that until we address that in a transparent manner, the way benefits derivable from oil exploration is distributed the country will not make much progress in the renewed bid to resume oil exploration in Ogoni land in particular and Niger Delta in general.