Vanguard (Lagos)

11 June 2008
Posted to the web 11 June 2008

By George Onah

Thousands of Ogoni of Rivers State took to the streets of Port Harcourt, Monday, jubilating over the sacking of Shell Petroleum Development Company by the Federal Government from their land, and the resolve to replace the oil giant with another oil prospecting company.

The people carried placards with various inscriptions, some of which read "Non violence pays, bye-bye to Shell, no more shell in Ogoni land, justice for Ogoni, justice for all, thank you President Yar'Adua, no more genocide in Ogoni land", among others.

They sang and danced through major streets of Port Harcourt and terminated at Government House, where they delivered their solidarity message to President Yar'Adua through Governor Chibuike Amaechi.

In the message delivered on their behalf by MOSOP President, Mr. Ledum Miitee, expressed gratitude over the decision of the Federal Government to replace Shell as the oil exploiting company in Ogoniland.

For the full article please visit: http://allafrica.com/stories/200806110340.html

For additional background, also see a Guardian article from June 5, 2008: http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/news/article01//indexn2_html?pdate=050608&ptitle=New%20firm%20replace%20Shell%20in%20Ogoni \\