By Sylvester Asoya
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The crisis in Nigeria’s oil-rich region, the Niger Delta, took a frightening turn a fortnight ago when Bonga Field, an offshore oil facility was attacked by militants. Subsequently, Nigeria’s President, Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua, declared war on armed groups who are believed to have carried out this attack and the ones before it. Elsewhere, leaders of these armed groups are perceived not only as heroes but also as liberators and protectors of the environment. In fact, the people of Niger Delta have always insisted that they have a right to choose their heroes, whether the rest of Nigeria agree with them or not. They may be controversial individuals but these characters have always been seen as arrow heads in the struggle to free the people of Niger Delta from environmental degradation as well as social and economic neglect to which they are subjected in the Nigerian federation.
Isaac Adaka Boro: He remains the undisputed pioneer Niger Delta activist and revolutionary, widely believed to have laid the foundation for the struggle in that region. But Boro was a man of many parts: a students’ union president, teacher, policeman and an army officer. He abandoned his programme at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he was a chemistry major, to lead an armed campaign against the Federal Government of Nigeria. Like the issues of today, Boro had accused the then military government headed by General Yakubu Gowon of criminal exploitation of the region’s oil and gas resources. Using the Niger Delta Volunteer Force which consisted of armed militia, Boro declared the Niger Delta Republic in 1966, and fought the Federal Government for 12 days before he was overwhelmed by federal soldiers.
Kenule Saro-Wiwa: Writer, television producer and environmentalist, he emerged first as spokesperson and later president of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP. He internationalised the struggle when he presented the famous Ogoni Bill of Rights at the United Nations. In fact, the bill of rights demanded increased autonomy for the Ogoni people, fair share of the proceeds of oil revenue and concern for the environment where the oil extraction takes place. In 1992, Saro-Wiwa was imprisoned for many months by the military without trial. In 1993, he was arrested again but released after one month. He was later arrested in 1994 and accused of inciting the youths who murdered four Ogoni elders. Though he denied all the charges, he was eventually sentenced to death by a kangaroo court. By the time he was executed by the Sani Abacha regime in 1995, he had made significant progress in re-directing the Ogoni struggle in particular and the Niger Delta in general.
Mujahid Dokubo-Asari: He is the most prominent of all the leaders of armed groups in the Niger Delta. Born in 1964, Asari was president of Ijaw Youth Council in 2001 before he founded the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force. He had wanted a career in law but he dropped out after three years as a law student at the University of Calabar. As president of IYC, he inspired the organisation to issue the Kaiama Declaration which centred around a peaceful struggle for freedom, self-determination and ecological justice. IYC also resolved to fight for “resource control and self determination by every means necessary.” To achieve this, he retreated into the creeks and spearheaded the agitation and later, the crisis which rocked the region in 2004. Asari also threatened to attack pipelines and oil installations and this forced oil companies to withdraw, leading to a drop in oil production. After unsuccessful peace talks with former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, Asari was arrested and charged with treason. He was, however, released on 14 June, 2007 by the new administration led by Umar Musa Yar’ Adua.
Henry Okah: He leads the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, MEND. Since 2006 when it was formed, MEND has never hidden its desire and preference for violence and the use of arms as a tool for liberating the troubled region. Okah is seen, particularly by government officials, as a saboteur and criminal arms dealer who is making a fortune from the unrest in Niger Delta. But there are many Niger Deltans who see him as a saviour and challenger of their common enemy. In fact, following his arrest and detention, MEND affirmed that there will be no peace in the region unless Okah is released. Despite his detention, he is still a strong force in the region.
BOLAJI ADESOJI
30 June 2008 11:38Henry Okah, Asari Dokubo should take note of this. If Isaac Adaka Boro’s Force could be overwhelmed by the Federal Military Forces within 12 days when the military was not as sophisticated as it is now, what would happen if the Federal Government decides to fight back now. As Nigeria is presently constituted, no single section of the Country can fight aginst the Federal might and succeed. They should take to the advise of Prof Soyinka (Uncle Kogi) that intellectual strugle should be adodpted instead of arms strugle. They should also take example from NADECO who without carrying arms drove the Military out of the scene of governance in Nigeria. A while word is enough for the wise. They should stop wasting innocent bloods. They should also think of the assets of south south citizens scattered all over Nigeria particulay Lagos and Abuja. The rich among them should also try to be developing and investing in their areas instead of establishing factories and industries in West and North. Ibori alone can develop the whole south south with his stolen loots.
Oluseyi Said.
1 July 2008 10:25Adesoji Bolaji you are absolutely wright, pls to them in the Niger Delta disturbing the peace of this nation, pls our Nigerian Editors, Pressman and woman, all media houses, should pls copy what this guy wrote and made it known to the entire general public for us to read and preach to them that they are too small to disturb this country.
Akinola W. Admola
1 July 2008 18:47No matter what ,arms strugle remains the worst of all forms of freedom struggle,this is because it always leave the blood of the innocent citizens in its paths.Examples of arms struggle for freedom abounds in the world that are still fresh which my brothers in niger delta can still learn from.
Intellectual struggle is the best, though might be slower ,it is the most honorable and desirabe even more economical ,interms of life and property risks.If my dare millitants are not seeking selfish end,they shuold seek knowledge about what they are doing now and go for leave.
Sincerely ,im a neutral person,i dont have any stake at all in niger delta but i feel for years of environmental degredation of the region and equally feel for present Government which to me looks more ready to make the niger delta more better-off.
Please Lets give peace a chance.It cost us nothing.
Umeh
2 July 2008 10:02When the rich steal from the poor and the poor become deprived and hungry .he will take up arms against the rich and the rich will never know peace until he gives back what is due to the poor. The nigerian state should be wise to avoid a catastrophe.The signs are all over.
Greed is dangerous.
broz
2 July 2008 18:04Footnote in history:- Isaac Adaka Boro insurrection was pre-Gowon In fact it was during the Balewa era. The youths then were idealists. Balewa used a machine gun to kill a fly by sending troops to the Niger Delta when the youths on Boro side had only one or two double barelled guns between them.
Of course the Niger Deltans cant be pleased when they see all the oil money looted in Abuja to subsidise unproductive North and the Deltans reduced to abject poverty. Their lands are polluted, their fishing areas are polluted, there is no clean drinking water, yet they produce more than 80% of money going into FG coffers.
ikechukwu damian
2 July 2008 19:00u can only be talking from lagos,kogi abj.and kaduna enjoying the wealth of the poor and oppressed niger deltans.
why not take a trip there and talk or worst still go close to the heat and see what will happen to u?
Robert Akani
3 July 2008 15:08The Nigerian Army cannot stand the young men of the Niger Delta in ‘guerilla’ warfare. My fear is that the militants do not succumb to the temptation of working with Islamic fundamentalist groups that have been luring them for a long time now in exchange for guns and other sophisticated guerilla warfare arsenals.
The end result is that no one will be able to take oil from the Niger Delta anymore. These people have a God given mandate to fight for their resources. if we are frank with ourselves, we will agree that they have been patient for too too long !!
Jonuel
3 July 2008 18:27These guys carrying guns are hungry but dont know how to get the food rather ther so called leaders steal the nations money , establish factories in another man’s land while their children are dieing. Just like some Govs from that region in the last administration stole so much from us (Nigerians).
I believe those oil coys cant be drilling oil from their land without compensating them. They shouldnt disturb the peace of the nation but go and disturb their leaders. Their leaders have been eating the money; some day they will die and wouldnt go to hell or heaven with a dime. They should learn from the death of the so called strong man of Ibadan politics dat died and was just thrown into the ground. No matter the wealth one acquires on earth, some day one would dies and take nothing from this planet earth. Let this money go round and ther would be peace in this our great nation. We are not poor but greediness has eaten deep into every sector.
Dick Okon
4 July 2008 02:31I strongly believe that the Niger Deltans militants have a strong reason to fight. I am totally in support of whatever they are doing to free themselves from the hungry and greedy politicians who use the dividends of their resources to decorate the north. Has anybody ever wondered what would have if the oil was found in the northern part of nigeria. So don’t blame the militants.
Dr Charles C Ibe DVM
4 July 2008 20:01Adaka Boro faught Ironsi’s regime and not Gowon.
Gowon released him and incorprporated him into Nigeria Army.
After Boro had written him a passionate letter from the prison acknowledging the creation of Rivers State by Gen Gowon.
He faught under garrison command of Brigadiar Adekule.
He died in the war front under questionable circumstance.
Igwebuike Asogwa
4 July 2008 22:02those whose only opinion is to talk to militants to drop their arms, while keeping mute about telling Nigerian government to get out of he peoples’ land and stop stealing their resources by force of arms are hypocrites and evil. there is not justification, absolutely none for Nigerian government to send troops to the Niger Delta and continue to murder the people under many guises. The robbers and the thieves and the murderers are those who constitute the nigerian government, both past and present.