• Thursday, March 28, 2024
businessday logo

BusinessDay

OML 25: Radio programme sparks off row in Port Harcourt

oml 25

If matters are not treated well on the crisis over Oil Mining Lease (OML) 25, the Kula oil field, fights may break out one day on the streets of Port Harcourt or anywhere else in Rivers State. It almost broke out at a radio station in the Garden City on Saturday, July 27, 2019.

An activist from Ogoniland was in the studio (93.7) owned by Silverbird when Chukwuemeka Woke, the chief of staff to Governor Nyesom Wike, allegedly stormed the studio and joined the debate. He was said to have berated the guest, Gani Togba and called him unprintable names in an unstoppable manner.

Groups have started filing behind either Shell that has a renewed licence to the oilfield or Belemaoil, an indigenous oil company that now operates OML 55 bought from Chevron but which seems to have dazzled local oil communities with its community development model.

Belemaoil has 3.5 percent share in OML 25 and hopes to acquire it after Shell would have divested in 2017. This did not happen and women in Belema community where the flow station is located occupied it and stopped operations.

In the midst of the conflict, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) renewed Shell’s licence, an action that seemed to cause huge consternation and division in Kula areas.

The Rivers State government had tried to mediate and gave seven days ultimatum for the women to vacate the platform and for operation to resume in the field that has already lost over N700Bn in two years of non-functionality. Soldiers guard the platform but women block the access road and the helipad where oil workers land on choppers.

Wike has consistently said he has right to mediate and that since the FG has renewed Shell’s license, the oil giant has right to resume operation. A lot of persons have seen a point in that. Wike also said the warring parties have signed a peace agreement in Government House and it should be allowed to see the light of day.

The action of the chief of staff immediately sparked widespread condemnation around the state and many called it breach on freedom of the press. Sources at the studio insisted that Woke was not a guest and was not invited to the studio. Other witnesses said the government official berated the anchor of the programme, Segun Owolabi, who incidentally is the general manager of the station and a tested reporter with huge knowledge of the Kula environment and politics.

Woke was quoted to have heaped insults on Togba and repeatedly called him a fraudster (419ner). Many have called for action against Woke or proceedings against what they called an ‘invasion’.

Security agencies are said to have made contacts with various segments of the media leadership in the state to understand what really happened and the clauses that may have been breached. Media veterans are also being rallied to take a stand on the matter.

The state government however seems certain it did no wrong and is still charging against Togba, still calling him 419ner in print. Togba has emerged as a voice in Ogoni, asking oil exploration to return through Belemaoil. This has pitched him against other groups in Ogoni.

The Rivers State Government House media team led by the Special Adviser on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, has picked on a newspaper that they said reported the incident in the form of an ‘invasion’.

Instead, Nwakaudu picked on what Woke said there and not how he got there. The seasoned journalist from the guardian stable said the Chief of Staff was right to go to the studio to correct insinuation against the state governor because his calls were not being allowed.

The government statement on Sunday, July 28, 2019, reported the Chief of Staff to say Wike has the constitutional responsibility to protect  the constitution  of  the Federal Republic of Nigeria at all times.

“Appearing on Viewpoint, a phone-in programme of Rhythm FM Port Harcourt on Saturday, Woke said Governor Wike will never shy away from his responsibilities of promoting peace and security across the state.

“Woke explained that he decided to participate directly in the programme after several attempts to participate via telephone failed to yield fruits as he was never connected to the live studio.”
He was further quoted thus, “I express my displeasure on the attitude of your programme; a situation where you create platforms for 419ers to come and misinform Rivers people.  Seated by my left is Gani Togba.  It is unfortunate that a man like Togba will come here and dish out tissues of lies.

“Governor Wike has the right to protect the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Nobody has the right to take the laws into his own hands. For two years, the OML 25 has been besieged by some persons.  Three meetings took place before a resolution was reached.  How can Gani Togba be talking about issues that he knows nothing about.  The major concern of Governor Wike is the security of lives and property.”

Togba is Ogoni but is now leading an open campaign for OML 25 in faraway Kula, saying he was told ina dream by the alte Ken Saro Wiwa to support Belemaoil. He claimed to have 7000 Ogoni people behind his protests but his detractors said he was paid to do so.

This is how bad things have become in the matter of OML 25 in Rivers State and well-meaning citizens fear that things may get even worse.