Niger Delta, Oil And Stockholm Syndrome
In 1964, on the floor of the Northern House of Assembly, the whole members were in unanimous agreement that Igbo people should be expelled from the North. It was at this occasion that Alhaji Usman Liman made that famous statement, “The North is for Northerners, East for Easterners, West for Westerners and the Federation is for all”.
Prior to the civil war in1967, the North willingly assented to the Aburi Accord. Now, the British pointed out to the North the oil wealth in the South, hence, the North reneged on the Aburi Accord and instead put forward a clique that caught the frenzied fancy of other Nigerian tribes, “To keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done”.
Great Britain and Russia supplied Nigeria with lethal weapons of war. The North ganged up with the MiddleBelt, the South-West and the area known today as the South-South and pounded the Igbo nation into smithereens.
At the end of hostilities in 1970, the oil boom came. It was then said that Nigeria’s oil wealth was enough to pay every born Nigerian N100 a day. The money was so much that the Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon said, “Nigeria’s problem was not money but what to do with money”.
The North had total control of the whole oil blocs. As Northern political elites grew richer and richer from the sale of crude oil, the Niger Delta was being devastated. Oil spillage made agriculture and fishing almost an impossibility.
During the war, Captain Adaka Boro and Ken SaroWiwa fought on behalf of Nigeria. They masterminded the blockade of sea routes that brought food aid to Biafra. Millions of children died of “kwashiorkor”.
Not long after the hostile war, Captain Boro and Saro-Wiwa realised to their chagrin that like Adam, they had traded off their heritage, and like Esau, they had sold their “birth right.” They tried to recover what they sold out and both were cruelly murdered by the North that they served against Biafra.
Today, over 86% of the entire oil blocs in the Niger Delta are owned by Northerners. The land of the Niger Delta is far more degraded and devastated than ever. The Ogoni clean-up is yet to start.
In view of technological advancement in the world today, it is being widely speculated that in 10 years’ time, solar energy will render the usage of oil as a source of energy obsolete.
Oil spillage has destroyed marine life and made agriculture difficult in the Niger Delta region. Therefore, when we come to the point that solar energy has overtaken oil as a source of energy or has considerably reduced the demand for oil, what will be the fate of the Niger Deltans?
Right now, there is a bill in the National Assembly that tends to bring the creeks, waterways and ponds under federal control. What this means is that when the bill becomes a law, no Niger Deltan can farm, fish or work the waters unless he first obtains a licence from one politician in Abuja, who invariably, is going to be one “Mallam”. There is the further possibility that the federal government can get up one day and relocate the Niger Deltans to any area that the government choses away from their natural homes which has now become government land by legislation.
The government of Buhari has refused to sign the Petroleum Industry Bill which would have given some relief to the Niger Deltans. The whole administrative structure of the oil industry has been fully Fulanised!
I feel very sad and furious that in the face of these facts, a free born of Niger Delta sees it fit to support the APC government that is determined to ruin their future and subject them to perpetual slavery. To me, this is the height of mental and spiritual depravity.
I can understand those who served in high political offices, who dipped their fingers in the collective purse being blackmailed and coerced into APC. But I cannot comprehend their incapability to face their challenges, but rather, chose to sell their peoples’ future into slavery just to cover up their guilt, which eventually, they must still account for.
I am still all the more upset that the lawyers and the elite of Niger Delta region are not doing much to enlighten their people on the danger ahead in joining the APC.
The pathetic story of the Niger Delta is like that of a man who laboured for his wages.
When he received his pay, he hurried home to his family. His wife went to the market and purchased food items in the house and prepared a delicious meal. Then a burly neighbour barged into the house, seized the food, set the family at the corridor and dished out little portions in a plastic plate (amnesty) for each member of the family and then, sat down in the lounge with his own family to enjoy the sumptuous meal!
How honourable the Niger Deltans should consider themselves for scrambling and fighting each other for this “amnesty” when someone else is relishing the main menu!
Evidently, Niger Deltans are suffering from Stockholm syndrome, a situation whereby a slave looks up to his oppressive master as being kind for giving him a little food after long, deliberate starvation!