By Mandela I. Archibong
Reality has dawned rather sooner than later. News making the rounds has it that the NNPC with considerate backing from the presidency is exploring alternative measures to harnessing and improving the oil sector thereby changing the landscape of the nation’s oil industry. Chief amongst these reports are the reinvigorated push for oil exploration in the Chad basin and recently, the reported deal with Niger Republic which will allow the laying of pipelines that will convey oil all the way down to the Kaduna refinery.
This development is not welcome in all quarters of the country, but of course this reaction is as expected. While Northern Nigerians have every right to be elated as the economic landscape of Northern Nigeria looks to be changed for good, our brothers south of the Niger are in no friendly mood. I know the opinions are diverse and reactions equally divergent.
After listening to a call on a talk show programme on the radio channel, Inspiration FM, here in Akwa Ibom State, called “Talking Point”, it was not hard to figure out how people of the Niger Delta feel about this latest development. A lot of the callers expressed their total disappointment in the President Buhari-led federal government. Some even alleged that the President has neglected and has no plans to consider the plight and socio-economic welfare of the region and its people. Take this input from a caller for instance, “The President is not being fair to the people of the Niger Delta. His decision to go and import oil from Niger Republic shows that he does not care about what happens to us in the Niger Delta”. Another caller alleged that, “they own all the oil wells here in the Niger Delta. Now, after ravaging the Niger Delta through oil exploration, spillages and the rest, the ‘North’ is now going back to develop their region and leave us”.
Listening to these narratives, one may be tempted to conclude, albeit fallaciously, that indeed the administration of President Buhari has and is subtly executing some sort of agenda.
Power and, by extension, socio-economic development and prosperity for the Niger Delta people, flow through the barrel of not guns but oil. The people of this region have for years laid claim to this life force which flows in their lands and carries Nigeria on its back. The relationship between the Niger Delta and the rest of the country was steady yet extremely fragile. Then last year, the bombs were rolled out and all hell was let loose. A spate of bombings and explosions, and Nigeria was soon on her knees which were by now shaking terribly and unsure if it can sustain the weight of the nation it carried. No amount of effort by the government was welcome by the avenging militants. Moves to dialogue were rebuffed and anything that looked like repairs on any damaged pipeline was met with more ferocious attacks.  Suddenly what flows from the barrels of oil now seems to be destruction reminiscent of the natural political power that grows from the barrel of a gun.
“Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents, which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant”, – Horace. If Nigeria had to move on, then a viable option had to be explored. In these times, diversification – a move away from an oil-dependent economy is being vigorously touted but as the world and indeed Nigeria are still dependent on oil for now, a search for an alternative source of black gold appeared the shrewdest action to take.
Enough said about the federal governments’ decision. Personally, I think it is a wise move. I know a lot of people will bring up issues of the cost of embarking on such projects given the precarious economic times we are in right now. But I would want us to compare such costs with the government’s frustrated effort at restoring oil flow from the Niger Delta.  If this rigmarole between the federal government and the militants of the Niger Delta is allowed to continue, I am afraid Nigeria may be stuck in a rut and the effect of this is far more negative than the cost of laying pipelines from Niger Republic to Kaduna. One would agree with me that progress made no matter how slow is better than no progress at all.
Finally, regrettable is the current condition of the Niger Delta region. In addition to the menacing and life destroying oil spills that have plagued the region, the plight of the region has been worsened by the deliberate blowing up of oil facilities which further damage the environment. All these in the name of the fight for the right of the people of the Niger Delta but that fight is so wrongly pursued that by the time the dust would have settled, the Niger Delta region and its peoples will be left far worse than they were prior to this period. Rather than progressive development, we will be left with a lot of cleaning up to do which will cost billions of dollars and several years to achieve.
By the foregoing, one can understand the apprehension of the average Niger Delta person and thus relate well with the sentiments expressed by the callers on the radio show I listened to. One thing is clear: any oil installation sited in the North will not be attacked senselessly like we are doing here in the south. In this age, I believe that a lot of lessons have already been learned and experience plucked from the predicament of the Niger Delta region. The northerners will appreciate their assets and guard them with their all and if it means blood then with the last drop of their blood it will be.
What then will we have? A prosperous society where basic social amenities are provided and grudges, if any, are properly addressed and resolved. It isn’t too late for us here in the Niger Delta if you ask me. PANDEF, an umbrella of Niger Delta elders, had met with the president and asked certain things of him.
The militants should sheath their swords and let peaceful conflict resolution occur. If this is done, I believe we can still get things right from there and not run the risk of being a failed region when others have moved on. This time calls for introspection.
Archibong  writes from Akwa Ibom State

Related News