From Boro to Wiwa: An Inquisition into the Various Resistant Movements in Niger Delta and Governmental Responses

Abstract

The Niger Delta region comprises of nine states of Nigeria which nature have endowed with natural deposit of petroleum and natural gas. The discovery of petroleum in commercial quantity in Olobiri in 1956 heralded a period of economy prosperity as the financial windfall from the trade in the “black gold” was unprecedented in the country. But the aftermath of this seeming economic prosperity have not transcended positively in the life of the citizens of Nigeria in general and those of the Niger Delta in particular. Drawing on data from the secondary sources and relying on the Relative Deprivation Theory as a template for analysis, this study assessed how structural inequalities in oil revenue distribution, environmental degradation, and political marginalisation have generated recurring cycles of resistance. It further interrogated governmental responses (ranging from military suppression and amnesty programmes to legislative reforms), and evaluated the impact and legacies of these struggles on Nigeria's political economy. The study revealed that resistances in the Niger Delta have adopted various forms, all tailored towards ensuring that the populaces are beneficiaries of the output of their environment. It found that government responses to resistance movement are not always tailored toward ameliorating the sufferings of the people, but to minimize tensions while it continues to maximize profit at the detriment of the locals. The study showed that non-violent resistance in the region is often met with stiff military responses, resulting in loss of lives and properties. It recommended that governmental policies for the Niger Delta should be people oriented and not used as a conduit to siphon resources and gratify cronies. It concluded that for peace to be achieved in the Niger Delta, government must wake up to its responsibilities of taking care of the yearnings of the people.