Oil exploration: Showunmi warns towards Ogun East–West divide, urges balanced improvement

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Otunba Segun Showunmi, has cautioned the Ogun State Authorities and stakeholders towards framing oil exploration within the state as a contest between Tongeji Island in Ipokia Native Authorities Space and Eba Neighborhood in Ogun Waterside Native Authorities Space, warning that such a story may create avoidable political and social stress.

In an open letter on his official X deal with on Sunday, and addressed to Governor Dapo Abiodun and different political leaders, conventional rulers and group representatives throughout the state, Showunmi mentioned the rising public dialog round oil exploration was taking “a course that dangers creating a synthetic battle the place none ought to exist.”

“This open letter is written out of necessity, not comfort,” he said, including, “Let me be unequivocal: Ogun State doesn’t face a selection between Tongeji and Eba. Any try to border it that method is deceptive and counterproductive. We will and will need to have each.”

Showunmi famous that Tongeji Island had for many years been recognized as internet hosting oil deposits in industrial portions, stressing that the standing of the realm was neither speculative nor latest.

“Tongeji Island, in Ipokia Native Authorities Space, has been recognized for many years as internet hosting oil deposits in industrial portions. This isn’t conjecture. It’s not a latest discovery,” he mentioned.

In response to him, from the navy period via successive civilian administrations, Tongeji had constantly been acknowledged as central to Ogun State’s aspiration to develop into an oil-producing state.

“This expectation is long-standing, documented, and deeply embedded within the consciousness of the folks,” he added.

Showunmi warned that the extended delay or uncertainty surrounding oil exploration in Tongeji was unfair to host communities that had waited patiently through the years.

“The continued delay or ambiguity surrounding Tongeji, after years of anticipation, is neither honest nor sustainable,” he mentioned, noting that such communities “deserve readability and motion, not shifting narratives.”

Whereas acknowledging the rising consideration on Eba Neighborhood as a part of rising power and maritime improvement efforts, Showunmi mentioned improvement in Ogun Waterside was respectable and deserved.

Nonetheless, he warned towards what he described as a “harmful thought” that progress in a single space should come on the expense of one other.

“On the identical time, Eba Neighborhood in Ogun Waterside has rightly come into focus as a part of rising power and maritime improvement efforts. The folks of Ogun Waterside are entitled to improvement, and no accountable stakeholder disputes that.,

“What should be resisted, nevertheless, is the damaging concept that progress in Eba requires the sidelining of Tongeji. Growth is just not a zero-sum sport. Ogun State is just not so poor in imaginative and prescient that it should develop one space by abandoning one other,” he said.

Showunmi additional cautioned that pitching Ogun West towards Ogun East, both straight or not directly, would weaken the state’s inside cohesion.

“Pitting Ogun West towards Ogun East straight or not directly serves nobody. It breeds suspicion, weakens inside cohesion, and undermines the very progress we declare to hunt,” he mentioned.

He outlined what he described as a transparent path ahead, calling on the federal government to “maintain and advance initiatives referring to Eba Neighborhood” whereas additionally to “reaffirm, fast-track, and conclusively pursue oil exploration in Tongeji Island.”

“Something in need of this balanced strategy can be learn rightly or wrongly as selective improvement, and that notion alone carries political and social penalties that Ogun State doesn’t want,” Showunmi warned.

Urging the governor and different stakeholders to indicate inclusive management, he mentioned Ogun State was able to pursuing improvement throughout a number of fronts.

“This can be a second for decisive, inclusive management. Ogun State is massive sufficient, mature sufficient, and strategic sufficient to hold each Tongeji and Eba ahead with out hesitation or excuses,” he mentioned.

He concluded with a name for equity and historic accountability, insisting that the state should rise above slender issues.

“I urge His Excellency, the Governor of Ogun State, and all stakeholders to rise above slender calculations and embrace a improvement technique anchored in equity, steadiness, and historic accountability. Ogun State can do higher. And we should”, the chieftain’s open letter concluded.