Nigeria: Niger-Delta Rebellion

The Conflict In Nigeria, there is a delta in the south The delta is basically an area of land that is exploited for oil The government teams up with oil companies and runs the delta People there are extremely poor and lack Federal Ministries They have no basic necessities such as plumbing, roads, and electricity

The Conflict The delta produces 90 percent of the country’s oil The leading oil company is Shell However, the government, teamed up with the foreign oil companies, reaps all of the wealth gained There is corruption in the government- officials have secret oil block distribution The government cares more about oil than its suffering people This has fueled resentment in the Niger-delta region

The Conflict Temporary political machines are created to ease the crisis, but they are not genuine. Funds from the region go elsewhere. (Again, corrupt government…) Oil spills, gas, and flares make for bad living conditions for the people in the Niger-Delta region. Very strange “Rule of Law” where people get in trouble for dumb reasons

The Conflict This long-term resentment has led to organized, violent actions There is also resentment between groups competing for oil jobs The spread of the rebellion puts Nigeria on the brink of war Nigerian government set up “intimidating” military forces the rid the area of the rebelling groups

The Conflict There are rebel groups that organize strikes Ex: MEND, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta They have strikes, robberies, blow up pipelines, torch villages, attack creeks, and hold people for ransom

The Conflict All of the violence and long term resentment puts the people of the Niger-Delta region on the brink of war with foreign oil companies and their own government

Back It Up… Colonial Roots Previous to the Berlin Conference, Britain had interest in regions of Nigeria. In the scramble for Africa, it was determined that the area that makes up current Nigeria belongs to Britain. The delta was established as the Niger Coast Protectorate. Around 1900, the Niger Coast Protectorate was expanded and called Southern Nigeria. Frederick Lugard was made commissioner/commander-in-chief of the northern Nigeria protectorate. He was not welcomed with open arms by the Africans (rulers specifically) Lugard established chief rulers for small regions in the northern protectorate (indirect rule). Lugard combined the northern and southern protectorates of Nigeria in 1914 and was appointed governor of both. The new region became known as the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria

Back It Up… Colonial Roots After WW1, the British got two thin strips of Cameroon (Germany ’ s colony that was invaded by Britain/France) that are now part of eastern Nigeria. By 1951, after WW2, Nigeria was split into 3 parts- northern, eastern, and western; each with its own house of government. In 1957 a federal prime minister was elected and a real government was formed (each region got their own internal self-government). Independence from Britain was granted in October of 1960.

Back It Up… Colonial Roots Basically, Britain left tensions between the regions up to Nigeria. The hostilities became a big issue in Nigeria. Most of the population inhabited northern Nigeria. Tensions boiled between 1962 and Midwest region established in The eastern region rebelled and assassinates the federal prime ministers and the leaders of the northern and western regions Many people were massacred in the north.

Back It Up… Colonial Roots A new leader emerged, Yakubu Gowon, who made Nigeria into 12 states. That increased the already intense hostilities. One of the states decided to break off into an independent nation, the Republic of Biafra. A devastating civil war insued, with the US and Britain supporting the federal government and France supporting Biafra. Biafra suffered greatly, surrendered, and no longer exists. Today the tensions between regions that Britain left behind are still prevalent. Britain did not leave behind any economic developments, which is ironic because of the great wealth they took from the oil reserves.