Page 75 - Vol 33 Issue 34 2021

Justice oil

Delay tactics? up by the Nigerian government to oversee the
clean up process, has been mired in allegations
Environmentalists and activists have been of corruption.
questioning whether Shell’s actions are simply a “The project started without the implementation
stalling technique, while they continue to exploit of the emergency measures recommended by
the resources of the region to the detriment of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
the people and the environment. These measures include the provision of
These allegations are founded on the basis of potable drinking water for the people and of
a 2009 decision by Shell Corporation to settle out course the provision of issues around livelihood,
of court with a group of Ogoni people. including the building of a contaminated soil
The 2009 settlement of $15.5 million (€13 management centre... “ environmentalist
million) -- which some people described as FyneFace Dumnamene argued.
insufficient to redress the devastating pollution, Such allegations are ones that some feel will
human rights abuses and misery suffered by not go down well with the people. For those who
millions of Ogoni people over several generations have been involved in the ongoing campaign for
-- may have stalled the agitation for a while but better living conditions, any actions by HYPREP
did not successfully stop it. that do not conform with people’s expectations
For some people, such as Bemene Tanem, even will be opposed.
this year’s court ruling, ordering Shell to clean up “Any report of corruption in HYPREP will be
the environment, fell short of the demands of the seriously resisted,” Sunny Zorva said. “The people
Ogoni people. are not happy about it, because it’s about their
“... what the Ogoni people are demanding for life, it’s about their environment.”
basically is political emancipation, we have been
deprived of our economic rights, despite the Hope on the horizon
huge economic and natural resources God had
endowed in our land, we have not benefited from There is, however, a high degree of optimism
it economically,” said Bemene. among different experts and Ogoni residents.
The importance of the people benefiting After President Buhari’s administration
economically from any projects being carried out apologized for the delay in the cleanup, the work
is further articulated by Legborsi Yaamabana, a resumed in earnest and 17 sites were certified as
journalist and Ogoni resident. having being cleaned.
“What we just want to see in Ogoni is an There was a sense that keeping their promise
court ruling would not translate into concrete improvement in the socialeconomic and also works to the government’s advantage,
action. environmental life of the Ogoni People ... that as they also benefit from a clean Ogoniland
“The Ogonis are not satisfied with the level even the present attempt to clean the area environment.
of environmental remediations so far,” said have to march with a socioeconomic recovery,” “They said Ogoni people are volatile or violent,
environmentalist FyneFace Dumnamene. Legborsi told DW. it’s because they do not have jobs, they do not
While the Nigerian government acknowledged These sentiments are not shared by Sunny have what to eat or what to do. But when these
that the cleanup exercise was not going according Zorva, former spokesman for the Movement for things are back, there will be security in the place,
to plan, due to the COVID pandemic, it insisted the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), who sees even the government will benefit,” assured Zorva.
that the process was going on smoothly. the current steps being taken as huge milestones The UN estimated that the entire effort to
This is a position that is vehemently challenged in the right direction. reverse the shocking levels of pollution caused by
by some of the Ogoni residents. “Individuals will benefit, the community will oil spills could take as long as 30 years.
“I am not satisfied with the cleanup exercise,” benefit, the government will benefit, and, in fact, Such a long time frame is to be expected given
said Bemene Tanem, an Ogoniland resident who the companies that will later come to do some the extent of damage that has been wrought by
insisted that reports of a smooth cleanup were work in the area will also benefit ... after the decades of Shell’s involvement in the destruction
“fake news.” clean up, the water will be restored, the aquatic of the environment and persisting accusations of
“President Muhammadu Buhari actually life will be restored, farmland will be restored for human rights abuses.
meant well for the Ogoni people, but for those farmers to continue their fishing and farming,” That ill-treatment ultimately led to the 1995
that are executing the project, they are not doing maintained Zorva. execution of activist Ken Saro-Wiwa by a former
what they ought to do.” military regime in Nigeria for fighting for the rights
This refers to an ongoing plan to clean up the Allegations of of the Ogoni. (Courtesy of DEUTSCHE WELLE)
heart of the country’s oil industry, which came
after Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari Corruption Mimi Mefo Takambou is a print and
asked the UN Environment Programme to assess The optimism shared by some of the people is broadcast journalist in Cameroon
the level of oil contamination in 2016. dampened by growing allegations that, while Shell
But some five years later, the UN reported claims to have done significant work in cleaning
shocking pollution levels.
up the Ogoni environment, the governing council
and board of trustees -- known as HYPREP -- set

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