" I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY MAN ON THE SURFACE OF THIS EARTH THAT CAN DO ONE-TENTH OF WHAT LESI MAOL IS DOING IN OGONILAND." - NWISABARI BANI

The Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Comrade Nwisabari Bani, has responded to a series of allegations made by Gani Topba, particularly Topba’s description of the Ogoni stakeholders’ meeting hosted by KAGOTE as an illegal gathering.

Bani, while reacting to the allegations, accused Gani Topba of being known in Ogoniland for consistently attacking leaders and portraying virtually every Ogoni leader in a negative light.

According to him, Topba has no basis for describing the stakeholders’ meeting as illegal, noting that the gathering was attended by prominent leaders across Ogoniland, including political leaders, traditional rulers and opinion leaders.

Bani stressed that the absence of Gani Topba from the meeting or the fact that he was not invited does not make the gathering illegal.

“If Gani Topba was not invited to the Ogoni stakeholders’ meeting hosted by KAGOTE, that does not make the meeting illegal,” he said.

He also urged Gani Topba to stop referring to the office of the KAGOTE President as illegal, insisting that there is no known crisis or litigation challenging either the office of the KAGOTE President or the leadership of Chief Lesi Maol.

“There is no crisis or litigation anywhere in the world challenging the office of the KAGOTE President or the person of Chief Lesi Maol,” he said.

Reacting to an earlier allegation by Gani Topba that all appointees of the Khana Local Government Council are cultists, Bani described the claim as false and demanded an apology from Topba, noting that he is also an appointee of the council.

“Gani Topba called me a cultist by describing all appointees of Khana LGA as cultists. Gani Topba needs to apologise to me,” he said.

Bani further expressed strong support for Chief Lesi Maol, describing him as a man sent by God to contribute to the redemption and development of the Ogoni people.

“Chief Lesi Maol is a man who has been sent by God to redeem the Ogoni people,” he said.

He added:

“I don't think there's any man on the surface of this earth, who isn't a political office holder, that would've done one-tenth of what Lesi Maol is doing in Ogoniland.”

Bani called on Gani Topba and other stakeholders to focus on issues capable of promoting unity and development in Ogoniland rather than creating further divisions among the people.