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

Egbadju Obukohwo Abraham
(Griffiths and O’Callaghan’, 2002). This is the situation that the
people had been contending with for decades.
Indeed, the negative effects of oil spills on the Niger Delta
environment are untold and have been well documented (Idoniboye
and Andy 1985; 311-314, Ikein 1990: 131; Taiwo and Aina 1991: 55-
58, Oyebadejo and Ugbaja 1995:12-15, Ikporukpo 1999:15, Frynas
2000:158-162). For example Ikein (1990) and Manby (1999 a) observe
that the incidences of water-borne and other types of diseases have
been on the increase among the inhabitants of the Niger Delta region.
The annoying aspect of the whole matter is that is seems that the
multi-national oil companies operating in the region as well as the
Federal Government of Nigeria are not convinced of the harmful
effects and threats to the existence the inhabitants are passing
through. It is the people’s perception of government’s feigning
ignorance or its insensitivity of the Nigerian government and its allies
(the multi-national oil companies) to their plight that has increased
the intensity to take up fight against the “perceived enemies” to their
comfortable existence and livelihood as a people – the Nigerian
Government and the multi-nationals operating in the region.
Therefore, no matter the perspective from which one views the
situation of the reactions from the inhabitants of the Niger Delta
region, the issue boils down to a people’s struggle to ensure their
existence. The approaches that the people of the region may have
employed might be considered wrong or right in certain academic
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