Still On Niger Delta (written 2005)

Still On Niger Delta

By Kola Ibrahim (ibrolenin@yahoo.com), written in 2005, culled from www.gamji.com in February 2012.

The Niger Delta crisis has regained a new energy since the activities of the MEND (Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta). There are mixed feelings for the activity of MEND by the public. Some who feel the impact of the degradation of the oil cartels in the oil producing areas in the country, support the activities of MEND in teaching Nigerian government and the oil cartels lessons (while also drawing local and international attention to the problem of the area). Others feel that the Nigerian government must deal with the “trouble makers” in order to protect the “continuous existence of the country”. Another dimension to the issue is the clearness vis-à-vis immediate resolution of the environmental crisis, quit notice to oil cartels, demand for oil wealth of the region, etc, which these (MEND) guys put to the issue, which is stronger than that of Asari Dokubo. More importantly, these people refused to be carried away by backward politics of divide-and-rule of the government. Furthermore, despite the nebulous nature of its demands, MEND still draw the support and attention of the international community (even those who wanted to keep quiet).

However, without putting the crisis in proper perspective, the struggles of the Niger Delta people will again be derailed. One must first ask what the motives of the MEND people are. Is it to resolve the contradiction of the Niger Delta in a short-term manner or holistically? If it is meant for short-term resolutions, it will be vital to tell these people that their methods can resolve the matter but will later result in another fiasco for the Niger Delta people, including MEND in the end.

It must first be stated that the problem of the Niger Delta is not peculiar with Nigeria but with capitalism that prioritizes the profits for the rich few who controls these oil cartels as against the welfare and environment of the people living in these areas. From the Amazons of Ecuador to the Middle East, even to New Orleans in US, the oil cartels build fortresses to protect their properties and wealth while people living in the areas are subjected to the state of nature that Thomas Hobbes described as brutish and short. Not only oil, but also other minerals producing and exploiting cartels are involved in environmental economic degradation of the people of not only the oil producing areas but also the countries and the regions hosting the mineral resources. While they export millions and billions of dollars to their base countries through exploitation of the wealth of the land and sweat of the workers, they import currency devaluation, debt, deficit trade and poverty to the people of the mineral producing countries. To perpetuate this relation, they play roles in controlling the social and political situations in the host countries through the imperialist spy agencies – CIA, et al. To seal the agenda, they force pro-imperialism governments to borrow money and be eternally dependent on them (forget the fraudulent debt relief hype; it is just what it is – a political hype).

Therefore, if $1.5 billion is given to the Niger Delta states by the Shell as demanded by MEND as compensation for environmental degradation of the region by the oil giant, it cannot solve the problems of the area. The problems of the area as much as they are environmental and economic, they are also political. In as much as imperialism through multi-national vampires along with their local corrupt stooges in the corridors of power continue to control the economy and politics of the country, no meaningful development can happen to the Niger Delta areas or the whole country. The banality of this thinking is shown in the recent experience, in which hundreds of billions accruing to the Niger Delta states from the 13% derivations are being sunk into the personal accounts of the government officials of each states – many of whom also get to power through subversion of the mandate of the people, ably generated by the ruling PDP.

The country is now been held by the shackles of capitalist imperialism and not a single hostage taking by MEND can resolve it. If the money ($1.5 billion) is given to the Niger Delta people, who will manage it on their behalf; the same corrupt leaders or the people through democratic committees set up to manage the fund? It is obvious that the first option is unreasonable while the second option requires high level of popular political struggles of the Niger Delta people with the government. Such struggle will be met with life and death opposition by the capitalist government that is not ready to concede genuine democracy to the people of the Niger Delta (nay Nigeria) that can set clear examples to other oppressed people who are looking for alternatives. Therefore, to make any meaning out of the demand for reparation from oil cartel, the MEND must make itself popular among the Niger delta people by making the organization a popular one that will be rooted in the mass of people. This at the same time also needs a political platform with other pro-people organizations in the country to tackle the oil cartels and their government on the political plane so that they will not be isolated; more so that Nigeria’s capitalist elements in politics are united against the oppressed people of all regions.

Another question that should be asked is the rationale behind the $1.5 billion calculation as a true measure of the exploitation of the area. In real sense, the money cannot genuinely develop the Niger delta. The question then is that, if the money is exhausted, will the MEND demand for another one or accept their fate?

This also leads to another question, which has to do with the relation of the Niger delta people with the oil corporations – chase them away or allow them to continue their exploitation. Surely, the more they stay there, the more the degradation and the more the pauperization of the Niger delta people because the more money spent to improve lives of people in the Niger Delta, the lesser the profit of oil multinationals and money to loot for politicians. What then will be the long-term solution to the problem? Should they continue to take hostages and collect money; and after few years get arrested by the government's goons? Surely, such cannot be a reasonable way out. If the oil cartels are to be chased out, what will be the reaction of the Nigerian government and imperialism? Stand aloof? Surely, this will generate a serious attack from the government which officials’ main survival depend on oil while US government will not keep quiet and allow 10% of its cheap oil source just go away.

In fact, the whole imperialism will react and isolate the Niger delta people. Such action may even find negative responses from other ethnic groups who may consider such action as a means to stifle their survival. Therefore, the only way out is to join force with the other oppressed people of not only Nigeria, but also other countries where imperialism is destroying their survival; and wage political battle to take over the political power by the working and toiling people. It is only then that imperialism can be put into check. This will require nationalization of the huge oil industry in the hand of the pro-poor government that will organize an environmental-friendly exploration while the huge profit from the oil industry, rather than being used to service the interests of the few moneybags, will be used to develop the Niger delta, the social services and the economy as a whole.

This requires high-level political commitment of not only the MEND but also other organizations in the Niger delta, which cannot be achieved in the creeks of the Niger, but through conscious political relations with other organizations of the working and oppressed people within and outside the country. Without this, the organization (MEND) will one way or the other becomes a tool in the hands of some corrupt politicians who want to use them to boost their bargaining power with the ruling class. While the opposition of MEND to the elitist organizations in the Niger delta who want to use the issue to gain political strength is welcome, it is believed that such should be moved forward by taking political initiatives with other pro-poor and working class organizations in the Niger delta and the country as whole.

The idea of hostage taking of the foreign workers who also are looking for means to solve their capitalism-induced poverty must however be condemned. Such action cannot enjoin the support of the working and poor people of other countries that ordinarily are sympathetic to the Niger delta crisis. This may even become a serious issue when the present Niger delta issue gets to its pinnacle as the government and imperialism will want to rely on people’s disproval of hostage taking method to attack not only the MEND but also the whole of the Niger delta communities and Nigeria’s working people. This is exemplified in the armed attack on Gbamaturu and other community recently, while the Odi massacre is still fresh in our minds. Furthermore, one must also condemn the passive reaction of the NLC leadership to the issue. While the labour leadership correctly condemns the hostage taking method, it fails to lend concretely its support to the Niger delta struggle by calling on all pro-democracy organizations and pro-poor Niger delta organizations to address the Niger delta crisis and the political and economic crisis of the country. If NLC had done this, it would have placed Nigerian government and imperialism on the defensive.

Furthermore, we must also decry the vandalizing of oil facilities by MEND as such action, while not resolving the issues also gives the corrupt Nigerian government and the oil cartels excuse to loot more money in the name of repairing oil facilities while more money will voted for security of the pipelines. Moreover, it is uneconomical to destroy facilities built with the sweat of working people of the country. The question now is that, when the genuine people’s government takes over, will it be building new oil facilities? Aside this the vandalizing oil pipelines has brought this untold hardship to many poor families who have no access to petroleum products.

Therefore, the MEND and other youth organizations in the Niger delta must take a conscious pan-Nigerian political road to the problem of the Niger delta. It must join force with other pro-people organizations to demand for the nationalization of the oil corporations for people’s interests and massive development of not only the Niger delta but also every nooks and crannies of the country. The Nigerian resources are capable of doing these ten times if the wealth of the country is taken away from the hands of the self-serving corrupt capitalist politicians and their imperialist masters. This is what MEND and others should stand for.

KOLA IBRAHIM

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. (ibrolenin@yahoo.com)

Written in 2005