stoy of the niger delta
The Nigeria Delta, is the delta of The Niger River in Nigeria, also known as oil rivers as it is major producer of palm oil. The area was British oil rivers protectorate from 1885 to 1893 till it expanded and became the Niger Coast Protectorate.
The conflict in Niger Delta arouse around early 1990s over the issues on foreign oil corporations and minority ethnic groups who felt being exploited particularly in OGONI and IJAW. Fearful Victims of crimes, looked for justice for crimes committed against them. The regional and ethnic conflicts were so numerous that fully detailing each is impossible. However, there have been a number of major confrontations that deserve elaboration. Hence, making Niger Delta center of international controversy over devastating pollution, ecocide and human right violation.
Niger Delta’s oil effects have been disastrous to the environment. Local public faces a great deal of hardships due to deteriorating environmental conditions of the surrounding. Statistics states more than seven thousand oil spills were reported in three decades
1n 1998, loss of control over resources to oil companies were enunciated by IJAW people in Kaiama Declaration. Nigerian government sent troops to occupy delta states, where soldiers opened fire with rifles and tear gases killing a lot many people.
Ever since the day, local people cooked up activities against commercial oil refineries. It was these two factors that led a student activist called Isaac Boro to agitate for change in the 1960s. Currently employers of SHELL (primary corporation), were taken hostage by outraged localities. Ten to one, these things resulted in greater governmental intervention in the region with mobilization of Nigerian army concluding in extreme violence and human right abuses!!Again in April 2006, a bomb explosion near oil refinery came as a warning against Chinese expansion in the region.
Conflict perseverance accomplishes a remedial meaning in civilizations. It provides chance for the examinations of alternative pay offs in a situation of situated incongruities, and re-establishes regularity, by smoothing negotiations and placing parties in conflict in situations in which they can choose alternative positive decisions to resolve differences
Awareness is the key to every delinquent. The need of the hour was to Concur with the opinions expressed by the Utomi and Comrade Oshiomhole, to endow the youths in the Niger Delta region and invest more in education and libraries in the region. Surely, people deserves great deal of respect after more than fifty years of exploitation, environmental degradation and abuses!!
In scheduling new library buildings, librarians must look forth for Conference halls and meeting rooms, Exhibition areas, lectures and film shows.
For a better Niger Delta of tomorrow need of the hour is zero tolerance to fraud, a stop to caustic opinions, limpidity and surely accountability. Hence, to conclude re integration of ex militants into the civil through training or other means with a rapid provision of social and economic amenities by devastated Niger Delta region to develop with its natural gifts of nature should be prioritised!!
