Contending Issues in the Niger Delta Crisis of Nigeria - Journal of ...

Contending Issues in the Niger Delta Crisis of Nigeria - Journal of ... Contending Issues in the Niger Delta Crisis of Nigeria - Journal of ...

26.01.2015 Views

Chapter I: Understanding the Niger Delta Conflict: Matters Arising a poly ethnic nation, have had tremendous negative impact on the Niger delta region in terms of the experienced underdevelopment, manifested in unemployment, poverty, absence of basic infrastructure and inequality. It then posits that the lack of attention to these impacts and agitations by the oil MNCs and the Nigerian state; the use of coercive apparatuses of the state; demand welfare from politicians who seem to neglect them; an expression of the general angst of unemployed youths against the rest of society and as a way of making a living albeit, criminally that provoke the emergence of militant youth groups that have found kidnapping as a veritable weapon to compel attention and wrest concessions. Chapter 5: Oil as a Source of Political Conflict in Nigeria: The Case of Ijaws. The major argument is that the failure of the Nigerian authorities to yield to Ijaws agitation for better life, and appropriately use the oil money to develop the Ijaws and the Niger-Delta generally to ease their situation led to various upheavals against the problems of social exclusion, development and environmental degradation, among others, facing the ljaw people and its environs. Chapter 6: The struggle against exploitation and marginalization takes a historical survey of and implications of the uprisings and protests in Nigeria’s Diger delta. This paper posits that government coercive use of force against the various revolts and protests have failed to check further protest and then advice that government should find a lasting solution to the crisis in order to avoid the Congo, Liberia or Rwandan experience. Ibodje and Allen in chapter 7: The political class and 14

Dr. Victor Ojakorotu and Olaopa Olawale intergovernmental relations in Nigeria examine the character of the political class in relation to intergovernmental relations. The linkage, from 1999 to date, appears to present a typology of federalism where communication of the orders of government is influenced negatively by the character of politicians. Fashionably, every federal system is unique in some way. So is the relationship of the orders of government. The question is, what is the character of the political class How has it affected intergovernmental relations It is argued here that the institutions for the management of intergovernmental relations in Nigeria lack institutionalization in many respects, resulting in the undue exercise of influence from higher orders of the political class on the lower orders of governments and their politicians. 15

Chapter I: Understand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> <strong>Niger</strong> <strong>Delta</strong> Conflict: Matters Aris<strong>in</strong>g<br />

a poly ethnic nation, have had tremendous negative impact on <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>Niger</strong> delta region <strong>in</strong> terms <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> experienced underdevelopment,<br />

manifested <strong>in</strong> unemployment, poverty, absence <strong>of</strong> basic <strong>in</strong>frastructure<br />

and <strong>in</strong>equality. It <strong>the</strong>n posits that <strong>the</strong> lack <strong>of</strong> attention to <strong>the</strong>se<br />

impacts and agitations by <strong>the</strong> oil MNCs and <strong>the</strong> <strong>Niger</strong>ian state; <strong>the</strong><br />

use <strong>of</strong> coercive apparatuses <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> state; demand welfare from<br />

politicians who seem to neglect <strong>the</strong>m; an expression <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> general<br />

angst <strong>of</strong> unemployed youths aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong> rest <strong>of</strong> society and as a way<br />

<strong>of</strong> mak<strong>in</strong>g a liv<strong>in</strong>g albeit, crim<strong>in</strong>ally that provoke <strong>the</strong> emergence <strong>of</strong><br />

militant youth groups that have found kidnapp<strong>in</strong>g as a veritable<br />

weapon to compel attention and wrest concessions. Chapter 5: Oil as<br />

a Source <strong>of</strong> Political Conflict <strong>in</strong> <strong>Niger</strong>ia: The Case <strong>of</strong> Ijaws. The major<br />

argument is that <strong>the</strong> failure <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Niger</strong>ian authorities to yield to<br />

Ijaws agitation for better life, and appropriately use <strong>the</strong> oil money to<br />

develop <strong>the</strong> Ijaws and <strong>the</strong> <strong>Niger</strong>-<strong>Delta</strong> generally to ease <strong>the</strong>ir situation<br />

led to various upheavals aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong> problems <strong>of</strong> social exclusion,<br />

development and environmental degradation, among o<strong>the</strong>rs, fac<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>the</strong> ljaw people and its environs. Chapter 6: The struggle aga<strong>in</strong>st<br />

exploitation and marg<strong>in</strong>alization takes a historical survey <strong>of</strong> and<br />

implications <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> upris<strong>in</strong>gs and protests <strong>in</strong> <strong>Niger</strong>ia’s Diger delta.<br />

This paper posits that government coercive use <strong>of</strong> force aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong><br />

various revolts and protests have failed to check fur<strong>the</strong>r protest and<br />

<strong>the</strong>n advice that government should f<strong>in</strong>d a last<strong>in</strong>g solution to <strong>the</strong><br />

crisis <strong>in</strong> order to avoid <strong>the</strong> Congo, Liberia or Rwandan experience.<br />

Ibodje and Allen <strong>in</strong> chapter 7: The political class and<br />

14

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