A House of Representatives aspirant for the Warri Federal Constituency, Hon. Daniel Ezekiel, popularly known as Aluta, has lauded the Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, for what he described as a bold and timely intervention on the global oil pollution crisis in the Niger Delta during a recent interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation.
Ezekiel said the monarch’s appearance on the BBC had once again drawn international attention to the decades-long environmental devastation and economic deprivation suffered by oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta.
According to him, the interview resonated deeply across the region and beyond, giving renewed global visibility to the plight of communities whose lands and waterways have been degraded by oil exploration.
He noted that the Olu of Warri spoke candidly on the impact of oil pollution on Warri and neighbouring communities, challenging governments at all levels to move beyond rhetoric and take concrete steps towards the development of the region that sustains the nation’s economy.
Ezekiel said the monarch’s remarks underscored the long-standing injustice faced by Niger Delta communities, where farmlands have been destroyed, rivers polluted and livelihoods lost, while the wealth generated from the area is deployed to develop other parts of the country.
“For decades, oil exploration has devastated the environment, plunging communities into poverty, ill-health and underdevelopment. Fishermen can no longer fish, farmers can no longer farm, and many youths are trapped in unemployment and hopelessness,” he said.
He added that oil pollution had transcended environmental concerns to become a human survival crisis, warning that continued neglect had fuelled restiveness, crime and despair among young people in the region.
Ezekiel, who is also a leading figure in the Youth O’Clock Movement, said the group had remained at the forefront of advocacy for environmental justice, youth empowerment and sustainable development in the Niger Delta.
He described the movement’s leader, Hon. Ezekiel Daniel Perela, as a consistent grassroots advocate who had engaged communities, challenged authorities and promoted policies aimed at job creation and environmental remediation.
Observers, he noted, have described the Olu of Warri’s intervention as courageous and exemplary leadership that speaks truth to power and amplifies the voices of marginalised communities.
Ezekiel stressed that the Niger Delta required action, representation and accountable leadership, rather than sympathy, adding that public office must be seen as a responsibility to protect lives, land and future generations.
As political activities ahead of 2027 gather momentum, he said the call for generational leadership had become imperative, insisting that leaders who understand the region’s challenges and aspirations must emerge.
He, therefore, commended the Olu of Warri for what he called his unifying and courageous stance, noting that the monarch’s intervention had rekindled hope and renewed the resolve of Niger Delta people to continue demanding justice and development.
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