OML46: Enaigbagha Tasks Renaissance to Urgently Meet Ogbotobo Demands

The National President of Oburu Liberation Front, the apex apolitical pressure group in Opu-Oburu Kingdom, Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa state, Comrade Michael Tare Enaigbagha, has urged Renaissance Africa Energy Limited to speedily implement all items contained in a communique issued and submitted by the Ogbotobo Federated Community.

Daily Report Nigeria recalls that Renaissance Africa Energy Limited acquired onshore assets of the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) following a prolonged takeover process.

Following the takeover, Ogbotobo community issued Renaissance a communique containing demands and terms of service on April 17, 2025, during a stakeholders engagement meeting organised by the company at Mathocrystal Hotel, Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

In a communique obtained by our correspondent, the Ogbotobo communities outlined several critical demands aimed at fostering development and inclusion.

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These demands include the construction of shore protection infrastructure, the enforcement of local content policies to ensure employment opportunities for indigenes, and the establishment of a liaison office to enhance community representation.

The communities also called for the payment of rent for land occupation, the award of contracts and subcontracts to host community contractors, and the provision of scholarships for students from the area.

Furthermore, the communique expressed deep frustration over the slow pace in the implementation of developmental projects, emphasizing the need for urgent action to address the long-standing concerns of the people.

However, in a statement on Thursday, Comrade Enaigbagha, who also doubles as the Management Committee member representing Tonton-ama community in the Egbemo Host communities Development Trust (Egbemo HCDT), said “Renaissance Africa Energy Limited must prove itself to be entirely different from its predecessor, SPDC.

The statement also copies Governor Douye Diri, Hon. Isaac Onniye – Executive Chairman Ekeremor Council, Chief of Army staff, Director-General of DSS, Inspector General of police.

The youth leader noted that “most of the issues raised in the communique are agreements shell entered into with the Ogbotobo people since 1997 that they failed to implement.

“Renaissance must expel our fears that she’s not another SPDC in new clothing. During the stakeholders engagement meeting Yenagoa, most of the questions raised by the attendees were about expression of fears of if Renaissance would be positively different from SPDC seeing that the staffing is still made up of majority of SPDC staff who stifled development opportunities in the Ogbotobo Federation consisting of Ogbotobo, Agbayama and Tonton-ama Communities.

“Our demand is for Renaissance Africa Energy Limited to first call for a meeting for round table discussion between the company and the Ogbotobo people to device modalities on the possible means all items on the issued communiqué could be expediently implemented and secondly set-up a time frame within which every item in the said communique could be fully implemented.”

Mr Enaigbagha expressed “total support” for the decisions taken by Ogbotobo Federated Communities leadership that Renaissance Africa Energy Limited must as matter of urgency deliver on every item on that communique as a failure to do so would force the Ogbotobo people to employ other means of reactions that will impede the free flow of oil/gas in the Ogbotobo flow station.

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“By this publication, we are calling on the Nigerian Police Force, DSS, Nigerian Army and other security agencies to take note that should there be any break down of law and order that would impede oil exploration operations in the Ogbotobo flow station as a result of the above subject matter, Renaissance African Energy Limited should be held responsible.

“The Ogbotobo people are the most peaceful people you could ever find in the whole of Bayelsa state. We have aided Shell’s (now Renaissance) smooth operations even during the Niger Delta arm crisis between 2005 – 2006, and due to our efforts, the Ogbotobo flow station was not blown-up like others. Yet, our kind gesture, simple and peaceful nature has always made us to be insulted by these oil companies.

“They treat us with much disdain. In fact, they have continued to take us for granted and treat us like slaves in our land over our God-given oil/gas, but this generation won’t take that from them.”

Mr Enaigbagha said “we are giving Renaissance Africa Energy Limited two (2) weeks to call for a meeting and within a period of three (3) months to implement every item on that communique and failure to do so would attract serious resistance from Ogbotobo and her federating communities and by this notice all security outfits within Bayelsa state and the country at large should take note that Renaissance African Energy Limited should be held responsible if there’s any break down of law and order in the Ogbotobo flow station.”

The National President of Oburu Liberation Front, the apex apolitical pressure group in Opu-Oburu Kingdom, Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa state, Comrade Michael Tare Enaigbagha, has urged Renaissance Africa Energy Limited to speedily implement all items contained in a communique issued and submitted by the Ogbotobo Federated Community.

Daily Report Nigeria recalls that Renaissance Africa Energy Limited acquired onshore assets of the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) following a prolonged takeover process.

Following the takeover, Ogbotobo community issued Renaissance a communique containing demands and terms of service on April 17, 2025, during a stakeholders engagement meeting organised by the company at Mathocrystal Hotel, Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

In a communique obtained by our correspondent, the Ogbotobo communities outlined several critical demands aimed at fostering development and inclusion.

These demands include the construction of shore protection infrastructure, the enforcement of local content policies to ensure employment opportunities for indigenes, and the establishment of a liaison office to enhance community representation.

The communities also called for the payment of rent for land occupation, the award of contracts and subcontracts to host community contractors, and the provision of scholarships for students from the area.

Furthermore, the communique expressed deep frustration over the slow pace in the implementation of developmental projects, emphasizing the need for urgent action to address the long-standing concerns of the people.

However, in a statement on Thursday, Comrade Enaigbagha, who also doubles as the Management Committee member representing Tonton-ama community in the Egbemo Host communities Development Trust (Egbemo HCDT), said “Renaissance Africa Energy Limited must prove itself to be entirely different from its predecessor, SPDC.

The statement also copies Governor Douye Diri, Hon. Isaac Onniye – Executive Chairman Ekeremor Council, Chief of Army staff, Director-General of DSS, Inspector General of police.

The youth leader noted that “most of the issues raised in the communique are agreements shell entered into with the Ogbotobo people since 1997 that they failed to implement.

“Renaissance must expel our fears that she’s not another SPDC in new clothing. During the stakeholders engagement meeting Yenagoa, most of the questions raised by the attendees were about expression of fears of if Renaissance would be positively different from SPDC seeing that the staffing is still made up of majority of SPDC staff who stifled development opportunities in the Ogbotobo Federation consisting of Ogbotobo, Agbayama and Tonton-ama Communities.

“Our demand is for Renaissance Africa Energy Limited to first call for a meeting for round table discussion between the company and the Ogbotobo people to device modalities on the possible means all items on the issued communiqué could be expediently implemented and secondly set-up a time frame within which every item in the said communique could be fully implemented.”

Mr Enaigbagha expressed “total support” for the decisions taken by Ogbotobo Federated Communities leadership that Renaissance Africa Energy Limited must as matter of urgency deliver on every item on that communique as a failure to do so would force the Ogbotobo people to employ other means of reactions that will impede the free flow of oil/gas in the Ogbotobo flow station.

“By this publication, we are calling on the Nigerian Police Force, DSS, Nigerian Army and other security agencies to take note that should there be any break down of law and order that would impede oil exploration operations in the Ogbotobo flow station as a result of the above subject matter, Renaissance African Energy Limited should be held responsible.

“The Ogbotobo people are the most peaceful people you could ever find in the whole of Bayelsa state. We have aided Shell’s (now Renaissance) smooth operations even during the Niger Delta arm crisis between 2005 – 2006, and due to our efforts, the Ogbotobo flow station was not blown-up like others. Yet, our kind gesture, simple and peaceful nature has always made us to be insulted by these oil companies.

“They treat us with much disdain. In fact, they have continued to take us for granted and treat us like slaves in our land over our God-given oil/gas, but this generation won’t take that from them.”

Mr Enaigbagha said “we are giving Renaissance Africa Energy Limited two (2) weeks to call for a meeting and within a period of three (3) months to implement every item on that communique and failure to do so would attract serious resistance from Ogbotobo and her federating communities and by this notice all security outfits within Bayelsa state and the country at large should take note that Renaissance African Energy Limited should be held responsible if there’s any break down of law and order in the Ogbotobo flow station.”