Supplement to the Geography of Oil Lecture
The following “Bill of Rights” issued by the Ogoni
people of Nigeria illustrates some of the ways that local populations and
environments can bear the costs of oil development, and it also captures a
number of the themes lectured on by Professor Dunn. These include: (1) the
problems associated with the political borders drawn by colonial powers, (2)
the varying impact of colonialism on different ethnic groups, and (3) the
uneven geographic distribution of development in the former colonies.
OGONI BILL OF RIGHTS
PRESENTED TO THE GOVERNMENT
AND PEOPLE OF
We, the people of Ogoni (Babbe, Gokana,
Ken Khana, Nyo Khana and Tai) numbering about 500,000 being a separate and
distinct ethnic nationality within the Federal Republic of Nigeria, wish to
draw the attention of the Governments and people of
·
1. That the Ogoni
people, before the advent of British colonialism, were not conquered or
colonized by any other ethnic group in present-day
· 2. That British colonization forced us into the administrative division of Opobo from 1908 to 1947.
· 3. That we protested against this forced union until the Ogoni Native Authority was created in 1947 and placed under the then Rivers Province.
· 4. That in 1951 we were forcibly included in the Eastern Region of Nigeria where we suffered utter neglect.
· 5. That we protested against this neglect by voting against the party in power in the Region in 1957, and against the forced union by testimony before the Willink Commission of Inquiry into Minority Fears in 1958.
·
6. That this protest led to the inclusion of our
nationality in
·
7. That oil was struck and produced in
commercial quantities on our land in 1958 at K. Dere
(
· 8. That oil has been mined on our land since 1958 to this day from the following oilfields: (i) Bomu (ii) Bodo West (iii) Tai (iv) Korokoro (v) Yorla (vi) Lubara Creek and (vii) Afam by Shell Petroleum Development Company (Nigeria) Limited.
· 9. That in over 30 years of oil mining, the Ogoni nationality have provided the Nigerian nation with a total revenue estimated at over 40 billion Naira (N40 billion) or 30 billion dollars.
· 10. That in return for the above contribution, the Ogoni people have received NOTHING.
·
11. That today, the Ogoni
people have:
(i) No representation whatsoever in ALL institutions
of the Federal Government of Nigeria
(ii) No pipe-borne water.
(iii) No electricity
(iv) No job opportunities for the citizens in Federal, State, public sector or
private sector companies.
(v) No social or economic project of the Federal Government
· 12. That the Ogoni languages of Gokana and Khana are underdeveloped and are about to disappear, whereas other Nigerian languages are being forced on us.
· 13. That the Ethnic policies of successive Federal and State Governments are gradually pushing the Ogoni people to slavery and possible extinction.
· 14. That the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited does not employ Ogoni people at a meaningful or any level at all, in defiance of the Federal government s regulations.
·
15. That the search for oil has caused severe
land and food shortages in Ogoni one of the most
densely populated areas of
· 16. That neglectful environmental pollution laws and substandard inspection techniques of the Federal authorities have led to the complete degradation of the Ogoni environment, turning our homeland into an ecological disaster.
· 17. That the Ogoni people lack education, health and other social facilities.
·
18. That it is intolerable that one of the
richest areas of
· 19. That succesive Federal administrations have trampled on every minority right enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution to the detriment of the Ogoni and have by administrative structuring and other noxious acts transferred Ogoni wealth exclusively to other parts of the Republic.
· 20. That the Ogoni people wish to manage their own affairs
Now, therefore, while reaffirming our wish to remain a part of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we make demand upon the Republic as follows: That the Ogoni people be granted POLITICAL AUTONOMY to participate in the affairs of the Republic as a distinct and separate unit by whatever name called, provided that this Autonomy guarantees the following:
· a) Political control of Ogoni affairs by Ogoni people.
· b) The right to the control and use of a fair proportion of OGONI economic resources for Ogoni development.
· c) Adequate and direct representation as of right in all Nigerian national institutions.
· d) The use and development of Ogoni languages in all Nigerian territory.
· e) The full development of Ogoni culture
· f) The right to religious freedom.
· g) The right to protect the OGONI environment and ecology from further degradation.