OIL AND YOUTH RESTIVENESS IN THE NIGER DELTA

The unending crisis in the Niger delta region which rose to a crescendo boiling point with the bombing of Oil installations and the kidnap of four foreign Oil workers is caused by lack of understanding between stakeholders in the Oil rich region. The companies on their own have always failed to keep to the term of understanding and agreement reached by their host communities. The failure of the Nigerian government and political class to address the politics of oil has led to the inevitable which was the kidnap of a Briton, a Honduran, an American, and a Bulgarian. The seizure of two vessels, attack on three flow stations and killing of 14 soldiers of the Joint Task Force codenamed “Operation Restore Hope”. There was also robbery operations carried out on major multinational Oil Companies location. The group claiming responsibility for all this attacks call themselves Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).

Each time radical militants of the Niger Delta seize oil flow stations, kidnap oil workers and inflict punishment on Nigerian security forces, the international price of crude oil shoots up. The daily production output of the oil companies in the Niger Delta drops, and so Nigeria loses revenue. Oil theft is made easier, and perhaps more important for the purpose of the militias, the international community focuses afresh on the problems of the Niger Delta. Their action is dramatic. The effect is even more so. Shell which depends on the Niger Delta for ten per cent of its global oil production, as well as the other oil majors are already used to crises of this nature. There can be no doubt that they consider violent attacks on their processes and installations, part of the price to be paid for doing business in Nigeria.

As an advocate of peace initiative and a proponent of the use of non-violence in addressing the oil exploitation and environmental degradation of the Niger Delta region by multinational and transnational companies, we must first take a dive into the cause of youth restiveness which has metamorphosed into proliferation of arms and emergence of militias. The communities always see protest as a major way of attracting the attention of the Oil companies, Government and the public to come to their aid. In recent time; this has been the focal point of addressing their grievances. The companies most times claim ignorance of their responsibilities; could it be that the communities have no right to their claim of developmental projects? Why are the companies not responding to the plight of the people? It is imperative to know that the oil companies are the chief actors of youth restiveness in the Niger Delta region!

When environmental and economic conditions deteriorate to unbearable level, the oil-bearing communities naturally react. Shell, Mobil, Chevron or any of the international oil corporations respond by securing the assistance of the Nigerian Police or military to terrorize and brutalize Protestants. Most of the complaints relate to unemployment, environmental degradation, destruction of means of livelihood and health. The attitude of security agents towards protesters has been responsible for the maiming, outright killing and other cases of human rights abuses in the affected oil communities.

Youth restiveness has become also a plaque inflicted by the government on the people of Niger Delta; no civilized society will tout the future of her youths. The region contributes 90% wealth to the economy of the country and there is little or nothing done by the government and the operating companies to show restitution for this huge contribution. The government in the past has always sidelined this region from meaningful development, thereby shying away from the plight of these people. This disposition is borne out of the fact that the government keeps blaming military continued stay in office until 1999, but a survey of the last seven years of rule by this present administration has shown that we are still living in an extension of military rule in the camouflage of a democratic institution.

The Niger Delta region is recognized with bad roads, low infrastructural development, high level of unemployment, female prostitution and low industrialization rates. You will agree with me that it grieves and naturally energizes conflict as they watch the treasury being looted by government officials. The agitation of the youth is that, what are their restitution for their depleted land and sea environment caused by oil spillage or gas flaring, global warming experienced where oil flared causing green house effect, the ozone layer depletion leading to sun burnt and cancer, acid rains and many more.

For instance, to secure employment with one of the oil companies destroying the environment as skilled and semi skilled workers is another concern as recruitment of staff is done from the companies corporate headquarter located far away from the community, while only the casual (unskilled) workers are requested from the host community, when asked they say youths of the region are unqualified for those Jobs but statistics shows that the Niger Delta has the highest number of undergraduate in Nigeria universities, so also the total number of graduate students from the region are more during National youth service corps (NYSC), a Nigeria self employment program for graduate students, if not injustice while would qualified youths from this communities not employed by the Oil and Gas Companies? The Niger delta region is where I have not only seen marginalization but also government and organization injustice and oppression

The unemployment and sufferings among the youth of the Niger Delta even among those with university certificate should be addressed spontaneously, as the increase in armed robbery, hostility to company’s staff and properties, prostitution among the female youth, ritual killing is becoming too alarming, these activities are carried out by youth who after seeing the high level of unemployment and sufferings even with university and polytechnic graduates after spending years of education, still roaming the streets and many still staying with their parents, resort in these vices for quick money making. If this problem is not addressed urgently by the government it will simply endanger the future of the country.

The terrorist attacks heard of in Iraq, Afghanistan and other part of the world started from little and always have a request and restive demand from the affected group. They are called terrorist because they make use of confiscated explosives and weapons while that in the Niger Delta are called militant youths because the government still underrate their activities. I believe that all terrorist started from being a militant, as the operation of the so-called militant youths is getting more sophisticated.

The truth is the world is mercurial; ignorance is paving way for awareness, so also the people of Niger Delta. No wonder the bible says “the kingdom of God suffereth violence and the violence taketh it by force”. Achieving our goal constructively and peacefully should be the Nation’s concern and human activists global appeal.

The lack of commitment by the Federal Government towards the enforcement of standards in the oil companies has encouraged the oil companies to operate without hindrances. Notwithstanding, Nigeria is a signatory to a number of International conventions on standards maintainable in the Oil and Gas Companies. These Conventions/Treaties have been honoured in the breach than in their observance. Federal Government Bodies, such as DPR and the Federal Ministry of Environment have exhibited such inexplicable nonchalance that has left the host communities with no hope of a better tomorrow. They have abandoned their statutory role of policing the oil and gas companies; leaving one to wonder and doubt their patriotism and regard for the oil producing communities.

The Federal Government is making matters worst by incessant increase in petroleum product (PMS) almost every quota. The poor people in the society mostly live on Kerosene for domestic uses. Kerosene product is even more expensive that fuel… where are we going from here? The incessant increase is impoverishing the poor more and more; the bulk of youth restive nature in the society is caused by the children of the poor people, most of who cannot be taking care of by their parents. The inflation rate is on the increase; the government should not kill the timid citizens in the name of deregulation. In as much as deregulation is good; it should be done with policies put in place to cushion the effect in relation to eliminating the sufferings of the masses.

As youth violence, acrimony, and confrontation is not the way forward to solve problems of this magnitude; youth should be all embracing and sort for legal means in order to articulate their intention. No doubt, if neglected for too long one would want to exhibit some level of stubbornness. Be that as it may, we should try as mush as possible to follow due process in the pursuit of our fundamental rights.

Youth Restiveness and other social vices can be curbed when our leaders lead by good example, when there are Jobs, when there is food on the table, and when our youth have a hope for better tomorrow, we sincerely hope that the leaders of today should not only talk and talk, but also talk and follow it up with action and reality when it comes to setting good examples for our youths. Our leaders should be transparent and have open policy from the top to the bottom.

However, Job creation and training scheme for youth will reduce youth restiveness. The government and private sector should make it as a policy to train youth in their locality in different vocation, to enable them to be industrious and self employed, for example an industrious economy is a rich economy, hence Japan without oil is better and a wealthy nation. Also, if a youth is trained in a particular vocation, such youth may need the services of another youth and thereby reducing the burden of unemployment syndrome
and youth restiveness in the society.

Finally, Youth restiveness should be handled with care and with a more open heart, the youth of today do not have confidence in the Government, Private sector and some individuals who have jilted them in the past, as we all know an injury that is not heal inside but heal in the surface is not healed. We are appealing to all, that we should try and solve this canker worm, ones and for all. In order for us to have a viable economy and thereby attracting foreign investors to our country, instead of engaging in propaganda and public relations as a way of attracting foreign investors. Our problems need to be given a top priority, garnish with moral justice and discipline. We believe that we are almost there in solving the problem of youth restiveness and other social vices as most people have taken it as a point of duty and task to address these issues, the media has demonstrated love and concern for our country Nigeria in curbing this canker worm and thereby making a lot of progress. Nigeria is a blessed and highly favoured country.

Comrade Sunny Ofehe

President/Founder

Hope for Niger Delta Campaign, HNDC.

The Netherlands.

sunnyofehe@yahoo.com