British-Irish Artist, Activist, Advocates for Ogoni, Niger Delta Voices at COP28

By Obiabin Onukwugha

As the COP28, scheduled to hold in November this year draws near, British-Irish Artist and Activist, Darren Cullen, says it was time for the voices of the people of Ogoni and the Niger Delta to be amplified at the conference to let the global north pay for the devastation caused by their companies in the region.

Cullen, who uses satire to present his activism, stated that oil multinationals responsible for the severe damage to the environment should be held accountable.

The environmental activist spoke when he visited polluted sites in Eleme and Gokana local government areas of Rivers State, recently.

Cullen, while speaking with journalists, described as heart breaking, the extent of ecological damage done to the environment as a result of oil exploration activities by the oil multinationals.

“I am here to see the devastation caused by Shell and other companies in Ogoni land. Seeing the devastation here, the ecological damage in the Niger Delta that has been caused by Shell, Chevron, ExonMobil and other companies, is heartbreaking.

“First I was very sad to hear this but now I’m just angry and then to walk away and for them to divest. It is good thing that they are leaving but to leave this mess is inferior and I think they have to pay for what they did here”, he said.

He lamented that the people were left to live in a highly polluted environment, and promised to hold the oil companies especially Shell accountable for their activities through his campaign back in the United Kingdom and at the COP 28.

“I am almost lost for words after what we I just saw. The oil is in every square inch of the land. It’s in the soil, it’s in the water, you can smell in the air and how is it possible to live like that when the water you are drinking is killing you.

“I will try to hold Shell accountable for contamination that they brought to this region and to advocate for Shell to be held accountable as they leave the Niger Delta. They shouldn’t be able to leave and just wash their hands off it and let the people live in their mess. That is not acceptable.

“I will be making my work and campaigning for justice for people in the Niger Delta and Ogoniland specifically. The global north need to listen to the people who are living in a mess that our companies have created here. I will be going back to the Europe, to the UK and try to amplify the voices that I have heard here.

“We need the voice of the Ogoni people and the Niger Delta at the COP28. We have heard too much from oil executives, and politicians in the West, broken promises about dealing with climate change. It is time to act”, he stated.