When the
Fritzl’s look back now, they could only in retrospect remember their
days in hell but are now grateful to the Austrian authorities for
giving them meaningful lives filled with great opportunities to
prosper. Their lives have been transformed as they now enjoy
facilities, which give satisfaction and joy. This is what the Niger
Delta people deserve from the Nigerian government. In my opinion, it
is not too much to ask.
WHAT PRESIDENT UMARU YAR ‘ADUA’S GOVERNMENT
SHOULD DO IN THE NIGER DELTA REGION. by
Joseph Ifeanyi Chikunie
In
proffering a much needed solution to the problem of the Niger Delta,
it is very imperative to draw an analogy that best explains the frayed
nerves, circumstances and deep feelings of the Niger delta people.
A
recent occurrence in Austria best sums up the prevalent mood in the
Niger Delta and offers us the opportunity of learning how to assuage
the feelings of the deprived, abused and oppressed. My submission is
that if the Federal government is sincerely willing to solve the Niger
Delta crisis, it must then take similar steps taken by the Austrian
authorities in rehabilitating the lives of Elizabeth Fritzl and her
seven children she produced with her father; the children’s
grandfather-turned biological father.
Josef Fritzl, 73, imprisoned his daughter in a cell in an underground
of his house and ended up committing incest with her leading to her
seven children. During the period of her stay in the underground cell,
she was denied very important amenities of life such as educational
advancement, good health care facility, economic needs and use of
natural resource including sunlight.
When you consider how the majority of Niger Delta people have been
deprived of essential services and resources then you will immediately
acknowledge the similarity in both scenarios.
For
so many years, Josef Fritzl’s children were subjected to psychological
trauma; they were literally assaulted and dehumanized. They lived
substandard lives beneath the house. In Elizabeth’s case, she was
underground for 24 years. At the time of her captivity, she was very
young, beautiful and desirable but now is 42 years old. She however
can be mistaken for a woman in her late 60s.
It
is instructive to note how the authorities tackled the problem once
they discovered the truth when the eldest child, Kerstin aged nineteen
fell ill and had to be taken to the hospital. They were all given
adequate medical care, counselling and other physical needs; Kerstin
was placed on a life supporting machine and just regained
consciousness after being in coma for a long time.
Furthermore, we see their rehabilitation assuming different phases of
freedom, immediate care, and provision of facilities, education,
economic empowerment and finally a platform to become whoever they
want to be.
These are the recommended developments, which when adopted will
inevitably lead to permanent peace in the Niger Delta thereby enabling
Nigeria’s oil output to be unhindered. The eventual result is that
there will be enough resources to make everyone happy (the Nigerian
government and the Niger Delta people). I shall now consider these
improvements, point by point.
FREEDOM
I
am not proposing a separate state for the Niger Delta people rather
they should be allowed to freely indulge in peaceful ways of
ventilating their feelings. It is wrong to prevent a people from
protesting perceived wrongs with a demand that they are given a fair
share of the nation’s resources. Those who make peaceful change
impossible make violent change inevitable.
It
is instructive to note that when Ken Saro Wiwa and others were killed
by Sanni Abacha, youth of the Niger Delta took it to heart. It was an
unjust execution and it hardened feelings in that region leading to
the taking up of arms subsequently. We all know how the situation has
now degenerated. If the Ogoni people had been allowed to peacefully
carry out their campaign while the Nigerian government honestly
responded to their agitation, I seriously doubt if we will be having
problems in the Delta today.
CARE
The
best way to begin assuaging a people’s ill feelings is to instantly
show concern and offer immediate care. The Nigerian government must
prove to the people of the Niger Delta region that their problems are
Nigeria’s problems. The people require immediate care, which the
government has no option but to provide.
However, the government has long blown the impact of this phase in
resolving the problem. The people no longer trust the government but
this can be remedied if the President can make a special national
broadcast on the Delta crisis. He should announce government’s
determination to offer a fresh plan towards changing course in that
region. His speech should be short, direct and inspiring. He must then
articulate the steps to be taken in sufficiently addressing the
problem; steps that are hereby being expressed.
PROVISION OF FACILITIES
Let
the people begin to see a meaningful impact of government’s efforts in
their lives. Rather than wasting time and energy organising one summit
or the other, the government should embark on a dedicated
infrastructural development of the region.
When the people begin to see hospitals and industries all over the
Delta, schools being constructed, recreational facilities being
established and the provision of amenities as pipe borne water, decent
housing estates and electricity, they will embrace government efforts.
This is not the time for so much talk, we have had enough. The
government should put up if it wants to demonstrate a strong resolve
in addressing the crisis in the Delta. Governor Fashola of Lagos does
not engage in long speeches, trying to show Lagosians how he is
performing; the actions of his government and the many structures he
has put up in so short a time, speak for him. Let me warn that we
shall achieve little under the present Niger Delta development effort.
The government should establish a Niger Delta Development Trust Fund (NDDTF)
to be headed by the likes of Professor Wole Soyinka with members like
Nuhu Ribadu, Pat Utomi and Dora Akunyili. All other bodies set up to
achieve this purpose should be scrapped because they were and are
still politicized.
The
best way to shut agitators up is to begin a physical development of
the region that the people can see. They will begin to lay down their
arms and even if a few disgruntled elements intend to continue their
violence, they would be shouted down by the majority of the people
including the elders. Deriving no support or moral authority, all
militants will surrender. People might argue that there have been
development, it has largely remained insufficient and inadequate. Let
us also appreciate the fact that any commission charged with the
responsibility of developing the Niger Delta must be headed by a
revered figure. It is not for nothing that calls have been made for
Jimmy Carter of America to intervene. Let Professor Wole Soyinka play
a role. He understands the language of militants and is respected by
the Niger Delta people.
EDUCATION
In
addition to providing schools, libraries and other educational
centres, it is important that public enlightenment is carried out by
both the government and the proposed NDDTF. Enlightenment is one way
of disarming a people. However, this should run side by side with
physical development of the region.
Elders, leaders, former militants and state governors should actively
participate in this enlightenment campaign with distribution of
leaflets and tabloids. The people must be made to appreciate the
efforts of government towards achieving a change for the better. They
will point to the different developmental projects being embarked upon
and stress that peace is needed to sustain them.
ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
A
hungry man is an angry man. There are many graduates of Niger Delta
origin roaming the streets without a job. Some of them are easily
attracted by the militants.
The
government must as a matter of urgency begin to set up industries in
the region to drive job creation. Let the people see how government
strive to empower them economically such that they can generate income
to provide for their needs. As the saying goes: “teach me how to fish
rather than giving me fishes from time to time as you please”.
PROVISION OF A PLATFORM
Equity and fairness is direly needed in the Nigerian state and this
holds true beyond the confines of the Niger Delta region. It is
delusional to think that we can assuage the bruised feelings of a
people when we continue to operate under an unfair system.
We
have consistently made calls for the convening of a people’s sovereign
national conference. This has been rebuffed by successive governments
mainly because they fear that they will lose their grip on power.
Ironically, a conference will strengthen their hold as the nation
would have become rancour-free, with no ill feelings of one region
against another and above all, a state where peace and cohesiveness
reign supreme under a restructured true federation.
It
is important to provide a platform that will enable everyone have a
sense of belonging. The truth is that the Niger Delta people believe
that they are being exploited and abused.
They believe that they are needed in Nigeria not because they are
valued but simply because the oil in their region is highly desirable.
There is a need to change this perception.
What best way can this be achieved than a programme of action by the
government that should leave nobody in doubt of its honesty of purpose
and a determination to do the right thing for the Niger Delta people.
This will not be a sign of weakness but a demonstration of
government’s responsibility in righting the wrong, an offering of hope
to the deprived and an effort to bolster a prosperous country
populated by people who share common objectives in a truly united
Nigeria.
When the Fritzl’s look back now, they could only in retrospect
remember their days in hell but are now grateful to the Austrian
authorities for giving them meaningful lives filled with great
opportunities to prosper. Their lives have been transformed as they
now enjoy facilities, which give satisfaction and joy. This is what
the Niger Delta people deserve from the Nigerian government. In my
opinion, it is not too much to ask.
