Oil and Politics Clash in Nigeria

Paul Wee is with the Washington-based United States Institute of Peace. He recently visited Nigeria and says that despite the country’s oil wealth, the situation in the delta is deplorable.”Down by the coastline, the Ogoni people live – – 500-thousand people. They sit right on top of the oil. When you go through this territory, you go through towns that have absolutely no electricity. There’s no hospital and no school. People [are ] very frustrated [and] very angry,” says Wee.

The Ogonis are one of a number of ethnic groups living in the delta. Others include the Ijaws, the Itsekiri, the Urhobo, and farther inland, the Ibos. Combined, they make up more than 10-million of Nigeria’s total population of more than 130-million. The groups say their demands that the federal government share its oil revenues have been all but ignored. They also say oil production has caused pollution on such a massive scale that traditional farming and fishing has become difficult if not impossible, making the economic situation in the delta even worse.

Voice of America