A NIGER DELTA WITHOUT OIL

 

This happened before any bombing or attack on Oil Installations in the Niger Delta

“Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind.

It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

A struggle takes on a life of its own and it’s only a matter of time before another person or group picks up the gauntlet. With the death of Isaac Adaka Boro, it was the hope of those who conspired to take his life that it will bring to an end the struggle he stood and died for, but they were wrong. A new era emerged - the era of intellectual pursuit, seeking redress for the same things Isaac Boro carried arms for, but the conspirators went to work and advised murder as the antidote to the intellectual struggle. Ken Saro Wiwa and the Ogoni 9 unfortunately paid the supreme price. It was only a matter of time - the Kaima Declaration was born and the conflagration that followed, the rest as they say is History.

For the records, I am an admirer of Mahatma Gandhi and an adherent of his non-violence principles. My belief in non-violence is so strong; I studied Peace in the University. And like any Peace student or advocate will point out, there are benefits that can be derived from Conflicts. Napoleon Hill said “Every adversity, every failure, every heartache (and you can add; every conflict) carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.” And as Rosa Luxemburg noted “Those who do not move, do not notice their chains”

Many arm chair critics will take up their pen and abuse the Niger Delta Avengers, they are experts at analyzing the problems of the Niger Delta, they point at the effects on the Environment occasioned by the bombings of oil installations, (they forget that the environment had suffered pollution since 1958 and that many in the region are used to it) and they conclude that the Avengers and all such groups are Mercenaries who are fighting for their pockets.

They insist (erroneously) an Ijaw man was there for six years, he did nothing for the region as his cabinet was sharing money to all sort of characters and nobody said anything then and that they should not expect PMB to do anything about the plight of a region neglected by one of their own. They also point out the obvious that dialogue of any sort should be carried out with the elected representatives of the people and not any charlatan as they will like to call those involved in the armed struggle.

Most of these analysts had never been to the Niger Delta and those who do end up in the mini cities like Warri or Port Harcourt.

Oil is said to have been and continues to be the main stay of Nigeria since 1958. In fact Abuja the Federal Capital Territory is said to have been built from Oil Revenue. A visit to communities around Oil Installations tells a sorry tale of living in abject poverty in the midst of abundance and that is putting it lightly.

The People who live in this squalor, drinks, take their bath, etc in the same heavily polluted
River and its a few minutes walk from a Flow Station.

Let me point two fundamental errors I think contributed to this sorry state of affairs:

1)    GOVERNMENT'S INSINCERITY: The Federal Government had been insincere in its handling of the developmental challenges of the Niger Delta. There is a saying that “If you don’t want a task to be accomplished, set up a committee” the Government had followed this time worn principle to the latter as they do not only set up committees but agencies to tackle issues of the Niger Delta. From the River Basin Development Authorities to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and in some cases a Ministry is set up for a simple project; The Ministry of the Niger Delta was set up to build the East – West Road. But let me ask, which Ministry was set up to build Abuja? Which agency was raised to construct the Third Main Land Bridge?

2)    LOPSIDED IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INDIGENIZATION DEGREE:  At the height of the oil boom, the Government of Gen. Yakubu Gowon enacted the indigenization decree that made participation of Nigerians with connections in the oil industry. However, the degree did not mandate Oil Companies to have their Operational Head Offices in their areas of operation but in Lagos the then Capital City, which gave those resident in Lagos unfair advantage over those resident in the Companies areas of operation as all employments were done from the Head office baring people from the region were these Oil conglomerates actually carries out their operations, a situation many in the Niger Delta had kicked against insisting that we are tired of been “hewers of wood and fetchers of water”

WHY ARE CONFLICTS PREVALENT NOW?

Because of the political maneuverings of the Former Military President Ibrahim Babangida, many Politicians did not take seriously the short transition program put in place by Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar as they adopted a “Sidon look” approach. In the dawn of the present Democratic dispensation, very few “Thorough Breed” politicians were elected or selected into public office. Many of those who scaled through had no knowledge of Politics a situation that has continued till date further exacerbating the rise of conflicts.

THE WAY FORWARD:

Many advocates believe the way forward is True Federalism or Fiscal Federalism, I dare say a name change or a policy change will not engender the needed result. The Government needs to do the following:

EXECUTE PROJECTS DIRECTLY:

The Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC and The Ministry of the Niger Delta had done well for the region, but their creation also comes along with bottle necks, vested interest and bureaucracies that further add to cost of carrying out projects in the Region. I am an advocate of a “People Oriented Budgeting” where the budget from the local to the Federal Government is based on the needs of the people. That will also scrap the mysterious Constituency Projects. The Town Hall meetings been held in some parts of the Country by the ruling party would have been a forum to achieve that, if it’s not a jamboree.

After ascertaining the real needs of the people, the needs can now ne itemized in terms of which can be executed by the Local, State and or Federal Government. When the item is budgeted for it will be published in major and State Newspapers, announced on radio and handbills are printed to educate the public on the contractor, quality, size and duration of the project, which will put paid to abandoned projects or projects that are haphazardly constructed.

INDIGENES PARTICIPATION IN THE OIL INDUSTRY:

A situation where the people from the region are not players in the Industry is not in the best interest of the Industry or the Nation. Deliberate steps must be taken to make Individuals or at best Communities stake holders in the fortunes or misfortunes of Oil Exploration. That way the Communities will safeguard Oil Installations and repel or report saboteurs as stake holders. The present attempt by the Government to use Militant groups against one another or set up coast guard agencies will not work neither will the use of force. As former US Vice President Al Gore said “When people flirt with despair about the future, they are less likely to take actions necessary to safeguard it, focusing instead on the short-term”

Making Communities Stake Holders in the Industry is the best way to safeguard Oil installations. Will a Niger Delta without Oil hurt the people of the Niger Delta more? The Answer is blowing in the wind.

Just Thinking Aloud!