SHARING NIGER DELTA EXPERIENCE WITH THE READING PUBLIC

Saturday, 25 August 2012. By Florence Utor Source: http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=96574:sharing-niger-delta-experience-with-reading-public&catid=74:arts&Itemid=683 THE book, Remaking The Niger Delta: Challenges and Opportunities, by Kingsley Kuku reinforces the on-going debate on how not to treat the hen that lays the golden egg. But what makes the book deep is the profile of the author who is believed to have Niger Delta running in his veins. Presently as the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Niger Delta Affairs, Kuku wasn’t only born in the region, he grew up there, so he has deep knowledge of the plight of the region, the hardship and suffering of the people. The author may not have been born when oil was discovered in the region in the 1950s or even the 60s, but he was involved in the struggle to emancipate his people from the environmental degradation through the exploitation of crude oil by the Federal Government through the multinational oil companies. He equally played a critical role in the amnesty programme of the government aimed at bringing peace to the region. This led to the disarmament and empowerment of the youths in the region. Remaking The Niger Delta: Challenges and Opportunities can be regarded as a national vision from a child of the Niger Delta conflict. Having been the national spokesman of the Ijaw Youth Council, one of the formidable pressure groups for the struggle and emancipation of the region, and someone passionate for peace and for an end to the spilling of the blood of the people of the Niger Delta in response to their righteous demands. As a key play in the Amnesty Programme, which Kuku coordinates on behalf of President Jonathan, the book seeks to place in historical and contemporary perspective and demonstrate how fundamental the programme is to Nigeria’s future direction. The book highlights the often forgotten point that instability in the Niger Delta causes the very foundations of the Nigerian polity and economy shudder. That is why the strategic direction and the many concrete proposals set out in the book for building on the Amnesty Programme and taking Nigeria forward should be considered. It also provides a summary overview of the history of Nigeria and the Niger Delta. The introductory chapter examines Nigeria’s development in the context of the rest of Africa and its importance on the world stage because of oil. It focuses on the Niger Delta in the context of oil and demonstrates how stability of Nigeria and its economy is inextricably linked to the stability of the region and its oil producing communities. In the book, the author not only chronologically examines the contextual basis of the problems of the region but assists readers in having better understanding of the problems in the region and the root causes of those problems. He also offers some perspectives that should inform and shape policy direction of governments and various agencies to effectively resolve immediate problems and bring lasting solution, peace and progress to the region as a legacy for sustainable development from which other parts of the country can learn and benefit. Also examined is the role and responses of various stakeholders since the region came to the attention of the rest of Nigerians and the rest of the world in the 1950s when oil was discovered. And to sustain the peace being enjoyed in the region since the introduction of the amnesty programme, Kuku looks at the oil and gas production and the social and economic development of the Niger Delta region. He calls on oil companies to exercise corporate social responsibility as an acknowledgement and demonstration of the need to marry social investment, the building of social capital and alleviation of poverty and promotion of social inclusion with economic development and wealth creation. He urges governments to extract CSR commitments from the oil companies as part of the Joint Venture Agreements with host communities. The book points to the way forward and provides a comprehensive road map for Nigeria, carefully crafted by the true son of the soil. The author highlights the need to integrate the Niger Delta and Nigeria, having regard to what led to the amnesty proclamation, the amnesty programme itself and intervention and sustainability issues. He also looks at the work and recommendations of a number of commissions established over the years to consider the reason for the continuing agitation in the region and the process that led to the amnesty programme. He also examines the economic potential of the Niger Delta and the implications it has for Nigeria viz-a-viz the oil and gas exploration and production in the region within the context of enabling the full value-chain of other economic activities. He concludes that this approach will create employment, conserve the eco-system, create more wealth for the region and the country in general. Also explored by the author, is the role of bodies such as the NDDC and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, as well as state and local governments in the post-amnesty environment. He argues that the opportunity now exists to coordinate the activities of existing bodies set up by government to bring peace and stability to the Niger Delta and to develop the region. To underscore the intrinsic bond between the Niger Delta and Nigeria, Kuku demonstrates how achieving success in the region will give a great boost to the country’s national security aspirations both on the domestic and foreign policy fronts. As somebody who has seen it all, the author carefully looks at what the future holds for Nigeria and the Niger Delta region and emphasizes why the country needs to diversify its economy, leveraging on oil and gas revenue from the region, warning that failure to do this may result in continuing heavy dependence on oil and gas revenues and exposure to dwindling fortunes in volatile oil markets at a time of actual and projected population growth. The author further examines the reality of multiculturalism in Nigeria and argues that there will be increasing plurality and complexity in society and that young people will continue to cross artificial boundaries and claim the world. He concludes that if the country longs for economic growth and development, and is creating the environment for investment and for attracting foreign investors, it should also be better prepared to manage the challenges of plurality. Having seen the gains the amnesty programme of the federal government has brought to the region in the last four years, Kuku tasks stakeholders to exploit this unique opportunity to stabilise the region. The country’s ability to forge a future of peace, economic, social and political stability and prosperity for all Nigerians, according to him, will depend on how well “we can learn from the painful lessons of the region and how we respond to the great possibilities that the country offers.”