On-the-struggle-for-the-entrenchment-of-social-investments-in-the-niger-delta-region-only-a-few-actually-fought-the-fight
September 7, 2020 | News
ON THE STRUGGLE FOR THE ENTRENCHMENT OF SOCIAL INVESTMENTS IN THE NIGER DELTA REGION – ONLY A FEW ACTUALLY FOUGHT THE FIGHT
It is no news that the Niger Delta region in Nigeria, has had its share of struggles and upheavals from the moment crude oil, and later natural gas/condensate, was discovered and explored in about more than five decades ago. One aspect of that struggle, was to get the International Oil Companies (IOCs) to be faithful and do the needful in their social investments’ responsibilities. This particular struggle and advocacy, is a bit different from that which was engineered by different militancy groups in the region, to get the attention of the Federal Government. The former, was more of trying to get the IOCs to do what is expected of them in their areas of oil and gas explorations and production in the region.
Needless to say, that few persons were the one who had actually fought for the many Social Investment projects/programmes being enjoyed in the Niger-Delta at the moment. For me, I would say that I have been privileged, in the last two decades, to have sacrificially contributed my own quota of service in this area, towards the entrenchment of development in the region in this regard. And till date, I will continue to play my role within my limited capacity to bring about that needed change we all desire in our oil and gas host communities of the Niger Delta region.
The reason is simply hinged on the fact that the Nigerian Government at all levels have failed to provide the basic social infrastructural projects needs of the region. And since the Oil Companies are engaged in the exploration and production of oil and gas to fund government activities, the locals of the region now sees the Oil companies as their Government, especially since they cannot easily get in touch with the politicians in power. So, the locals hold on to the Oil companies just to get their attention.
For instance, in a letter dated 12th July, 2000, which was intended to draw the attention of the relevant authorities of the then Federal Government of Nigeria, the Nigerian National Assembly and those in the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), on the subject of the Marginalization of the oil producing communities by Shell and Other Oil Companies. It actually took several months of advocacy, countless Petitions/letters and Rejoinders against Shell and the government at all levels on some of their mismanaged Social Investments initiatives, before I was invited to the National Assembly by then Senate Committee On Petroleum Resources, under the then Sub-Committee Chairman (Public Petitions), Senator A. A. Ibrahim (Jnr). And I have been invited to the Senate five times between 1999 to 2000. And each time I visited, I responded to their invitation for interactive sessions, and they always appreciated my views since they were not violent in any way.
Back then, the National Assembly Chambers and Committee meeting Halls were places of serenity, maturity and honour in the handling of legislative matters and Public Complaints. It was not like what we have now in the National Assembly, which the current crop of Politicians have turned it into a cinema hall and play ground of some sort. Back then, nobody talks arrogantly and disrespectfully amongst the Senators, or to any person invited. Like we saw happen recently between members of the Senate and House of Representatives, and the Minister of State for Labour, Employment and Productivity, Festus Keyamo.
In my own case then, the lawmakers carefully listened to my complaints, as well as those who the complaints were against. Nobody accused anyone of anything without hearing their own defense. Nobody shouted or raised their voices on anyone then. Representatives of Shell (SPDC) were on the other side, while I was standing alone in the Chambers answering questions. They did not walk people out, even if the views were against the opinions of some of the Senators then. Sadly today, our Nigerian lawmakers see themselves as Lords whose opinions should always count more than anyone else invited in the Chambers. But that is a topic for another day.
Still on the subject matter. There was a time I dragged the Federal Government of Nigeria to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, over this same issue of the marginalization of the Niger Delta oil and gas host communities. Though, the case was rejected by the ICJ in a letter dated 16th November, 2000, on the grounds that, according to their Article 34 of the Stature of the ICJ: “only States (and not an individual) may be parties in cases before the Court.” But the Nigerian Federal Government then was strongly advised to “listen to the voice of the people” from the Niger-Delta region. That to me, was an added value towards the actualization of the desired end, which had contributed to have led to Federal Governments efforts towards addressing the underdevelopment in the region, in the years that followed to what we now have today.
The agitation, struggle and advocacy then, and even up till now, was always peaceful and never aggressive, as I also drew the attention of other international organizations and foreign Governments to the deplorable situation in the Niger Delta region. This included the then Pope John Paul II, who responded from the Vatican through its Secretariat of State in a letter dated 4th September, 2000. Others include the United Nations (UN), The Commonwealth, The British Government, The International Standard Organisation and others. The intensity of my agitation actually increased after the unfortunate death of Ken Saro-Wiwa. And since then military administrations were not listening to the cries of our people, I decided to start drawing the attention of the international community. The advocacy took quite a long while, before they started responded to our letters, and putting the necessary pressure on the then Nigerian Federal Government to do the needful, all of which culminated to contributing the little we now enjoy today in the Niger Delta oil and gas host communities.
Zik Gbemre.
July 2, 2020.
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
It is no news that the Niger Delta region in Nigeria, has had its share of struggles and upheavals from the moment crude oil, and later natural gas/condensate, was discovered and explored in about more than five decades ago. One aspect of that struggle, was to get the International Oil Companies (IOCs) to be faithful and do the needful in their social investments’ responsibilities. This particular struggle and advocacy, is a bit different from that which was engineered by different militancy groups in the region, to get the attention of the Federal Government. The former, was more of trying to get the IOCs to do what is expected of them in their areas of oil and gas explorations and production in the region.
Needless to say, that few persons were the one who had actually fought for the many Social Investment projects/programmes being enjoyed in the Niger-Delta at the moment. For me, I would say that I have been privileged, in the last two decades, to have sacrificially contributed my own quota of service in this area, towards the entrenchment of development in the region in this regard. And till date, I will continue to play my role within my limited capacity to bring about that needed change we all desire in our oil and gas host communities of the Niger Delta region.
The reason is simply hinged on the fact that the Nigerian Government at all levels have failed to provide the basic social infrastructural projects needs of the region. And since the Oil Companies are engaged in the exploration and production of oil and gas to fund government activities, the locals of the region now sees the Oil companies as their Government, especially since they cannot easily get in touch with the politicians in power. So, the locals hold on to the Oil companies just to get their attention.
For instance, in a letter dated 12th July, 2000, which was intended to draw the attention of the relevant authorities of the then Federal Government of Nigeria, the Nigerian National Assembly and those in the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), on the subject of the Marginalization of the oil producing communities by Shell and Other Oil Companies. It actually took several months of advocacy, countless Petitions/letters and Rejoinders against Shell and the government at all levels on some of their mismanaged Social Investments initiatives, before I was invited to the National Assembly by then Senate Committee On Petroleum Resources, under the then Sub-Committee Chairman (Public Petitions), Senator A. A. Ibrahim (Jnr). And I have been invited to the Senate five times between 1999 to 2000. And each time I visited, I responded to their invitation for interactive sessions, and they always appreciated my views since they were not violent in any way.
Back then, the National Assembly Chambers and Committee meeting Halls were places of serenity, maturity and honour in the handling of legislative matters and Public Complaints. It was not like what we have now in the National Assembly, which the current crop of Politicians have turned it into a cinema hall and play ground of some sort. Back then, nobody talks arrogantly and disrespectfully amongst the Senators, or to any person invited. Like we saw happen recently between members of the Senate and House of Representatives, and the Minister of State for Labour, Employment and Productivity, Festus Keyamo.
In my own case then, the lawmakers carefully listened to my complaints, as well as those who the complaints were against. Nobody accused anyone of anything without hearing their own defense. Nobody shouted or raised their voices on anyone then. Representatives of Shell (SPDC) were on the other side, while I was standing alone in the Chambers answering questions. They did not walk people out, even if the views were against the opinions of some of the Senators then. Sadly today, our Nigerian lawmakers see themselves as Lords whose opinions should always count more than anyone else invited in the Chambers. But that is a topic for another day.
Still on the subject matter. There was a time I dragged the Federal Government of Nigeria to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, over this same issue of the marginalization of the Niger Delta oil and gas host communities. Though, the case was rejected by the ICJ in a letter dated 16th November, 2000, on the grounds that, according to their Article 34 of the Stature of the ICJ: “only States (and not an individual) may be parties in cases before the Court.” But the Nigerian Federal Government then was strongly advised to “listen to the voice of the people” from the Niger-Delta region. That to me, was an added value towards the actualization of the desired end, which had contributed to have led to Federal Governments efforts towards addressing the underdevelopment in the region, in the years that followed to what we now have today.
The agitation, struggle and advocacy then, and even up till now, was always peaceful and never aggressive, as I also drew the attention of other international organizations and foreign Governments to the deplorable situation in the Niger Delta region. This included the then Pope John Paul II, who responded from the Vatican through its Secretariat of State in a letter dated 4th September, 2000. Others include the United Nations (UN), The Commonwealth, The British Government, The International Standard Organisation and others. The intensity of my agitation actually increased after the unfortunate death of Ken Saro-Wiwa. And since then military administrations were not listening to the cries of our people, I decided to start drawing the attention of the international community. The advocacy took quite a long while, before they started responded to our letters, and putting the necessary pressure on the then Nigerian Federal Government to do the needful, all of which culminated to contributing the little we now enjoy today in the Niger Delta oil and gas host communities.
Zik Gbemre.
July 2, 2020.
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes