Ten years after the launch of the Ogoni clean-up exercise, the Ogoni Liberation Initiative has criticised the Federal Government and the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), demanding greater accountability, transparency and tangible development outcomes in Ogoniland.
The Executive Director of the initiative, Dr. Fabeke Douglas, made the call in an open letter dated September 7, 2026, addressed to the Minister of Environment, HYPREP management, the Federal Government, the people of Ogoni and the international community.
Fabeke said he was moved to tears after watching the Minister of Environment and some Ogoni leaders plant trees in Bane as part of activities commemorating the late Ken Saro-Wiwa, but expressed concern that the memorial activity did not adequately reflect the sacrifices made by Saro-Wiwa and the other members of the Ogoni 9.
According to him, while tree planting was necessary for restoring Ogoni’s degraded environment, “symbolism without substance is an insult to their sacrifice.”
He questioned why the Minister and HYPREP management did not inspect the water project in Bane, Saro-Wiwa’s hometown, which he alleged remained non-functional.
Fabeke also drew attention to the poor condition of the road leading to Bane, describing it as a narrow bush track that was unsuitable for a community of such historical and global significance.
He further criticised what he described as the neglect of the families of the Ogoni 8, arguing that the families of those who stood with Saro-Wiwa and paid the ultimate price for the Ogoni struggle deserved a sustainable support programme.
“The families of the other eight men who stood with Ken and refused to say no to death are still living in pain and hardship,” he said, arguing that HYPREP had the capacity and mandate to establish a lifetime programme that would sustain the families and preserve their legacies.
On the 10th anniversary of the clean-up, Fabeke demanded a comprehensive assessment of what had been achieved since the exercise was launched.
He questioned the availability of functional water systems in Bane and other impacted communities, visible livelihoods programmes for Ogoni people and certified sites that had been fully remediated and independently verified as clean.
He also raised concerns over the companies handling remediation activities, calling for reputable firms with proven technical capacity and track records to be engaged in the clean-up.
Fabeke alleged that huge sums of money had been spent on anniversary activities and projects that had failed to deliver the expected benefits to the people, insisting that the 10th anniversary should have provided an opportunity for an audit and evaluation of the programme.
“If you know the budget spent on the 10th anniversary celebration and failed projects, you would weep,” he said, while demanding greater transparency over expenditure.
The Ogoni activist also questioned the implementation of an environmental training programme for Ogoni youths, alleging that UNEP had received more than $1 million for training young Ogonis in sustainable environmental skills to monitor and facilitate the clean-up.
He asked how many Ogoni youths had been sent abroad for such training, expressing concern that some young people had instead been reduced to what he described as “data boys” involved in errands and praise-singing.
Fabeke appealed to Ogoni leaders to use the 10th anniversary to demand accountability, assess the performance of the clean-up programme and correct identified failures.
He said the legacy of Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni 9 should be reflected in practical improvements in the lives of Ogoni people, including clean water, jobs, education, environmental remediation and dignity.
“Let us honour them with action, not only with trees,” Fabeke stated.
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