Nigeria Oil Crisis Essay

Fariha Ahsan, period 5 This article displays a vivid picture for us about the conditions in Nigeria due to the oil reserves. Though Nigeria contained the potential to strive and become a wealthy oil nation, leaving the cocoon of poverty encompassing Africa- it became trapped in a lot of corrupt dealings. Today, the Niger Delta in Nigeria has caught the attention of world wide humanitarian and environmental activists. The article states how in the past, the corrupt government ruling Nigeria was funded by Western governments and large oil corporations. Together, the group have benefited from the fossil fuels that are in abundant supply in the delta region. However, the mines are not the only things that are in this area, there are people of the Niger Delta who have been harshly affected for decades due to this illegal mining. The Ogoni, Ijaw and other minority groups of the Niger Delta have been stripped away of their environment and basic human rights. Their non-violent protests have been ignored and harshly cracked down by the money-hungry government. For example, during one non violent protest, Shell paid several community members to break off the protesting group. The Human Rights Watch has sided with the people of the delta, as it is clearly visible how the oil mining has ruined the area. The oil corporations have destroyed the chances of neighboring communities and minorities to form. Money to control the environmental pollution has been insufficient, causing extremely- harsh living condition with scarce drinking water, and abundance of malnourishment and disease. The oil mining has destroyed the land of the Nigerian Delta as well as the homes of many living there. After the delta started receiving world wide attention some change has begun to start, but the previous government has left behind much chaos. It is reported that in the last decade, the military took control of the region’s people, burned homes and killed masses of civilians. The present government has attempted on being more democratic and open, so change is still underway.