MOSOP Disowns Alleged Meeting With Ooni of Ife, Reaffirms Ribadu-Led Dialogue

ByNewsmakers

Feb 4, 2026 #Fegalo Nsuke, #MOSOP, #MOSOP President, #Nuhu Ribadu, #Ogoni, #Olu Andah Wai-Ogosu

MOSOP President, Fegalo Nsuke

Matilda Omonaiye/

The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has disowned and dissociated itself from a reported meeting with the Ooni of Ife, saying no such engagement was authorised by its leadership.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke said the organisation’s attention was drawn to claims that some individuals had met with the Ooni of Ife while purporting to represent MOSOP.

“MOSOP wishes to state unequivocally that its leadership is not aware of, nor did it authorise the said meeting with the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II,” the statement says.

Nsuke stressed that while MOSOP remains a mass-based movement open to all Ogoni people, the issue of its leadership has already been clearly settled by the courts. He cited the judgment of the Saakpenwa High Court delivered on February 27, 2025, which restrained Prince Biira, Lazarus Tamana, Letam Nkpoka and Legborsi Saro Pyagbara from presenting themselves as President of MOSOP.

The court, he added, also nullified any elections purportedly conducted in the name of MOSOP on January 20 or March 27, 2024, including the election that produced Olu Andah Wai-Ogosu.

Against this background, MOSOP declared that it completely disowns the alleged delegation and dissociates itself from whatever decisions may have been reached at the meeting said to have taken place in Ile-Ife or elsewhere.

The organisation further reaffirmed its commitment to the ongoing dialogue process being coordinated through the Office of the National Security Adviser, led by Nuhu Ribadu.

MOSOP urged the Ogoni people to remain calm and to continue supporting the Ribadu-led dialogue, describing it as a rare opportunity to address longstanding issues affecting Ogoniland and to work towards a lasting resolution of the conflicts.

“The Ogoni public should remain supportive of MOSOP’s leadership as we chart a clear path towards the development and liberation of the Ogoni nationality,” the statement concluded.