The Political Economy of Nigeria's Recent Flood Disaster: a Focus on Niger Delta

Mark Olise·

The Political Economy of Nigeria’s Recent Flood Disaster: a Focus on Niger Delta The recent flood disaster that affected several coastal and riverine communities in Niger Delta is one more step in the dark towards midnight. This is one of the darkest moments of our lives and it require all hands to be on deck to address the factors that led to this revolt from “mother nature”.

Man driven by greed, attacks and rapes the environment as if he doesn’t know that there is a need for some balance in nature. Man does not only live in the environment but derives life from it; in fact he is a part of it as a human component. It is for this reason that we must learn as a matter of urgent necessity to preserve and invest in the environment that we take a lot from. We woke up to this sad news with so much trepidation, pandemonium and stampede; our homes taken over by serpents, dangerous reptiles and hippopotamuses while devastatingly submerged in water as if a tsunami had occurred.

This is preposterous considering the fact that we live in a part of the world that is most insulated from the challenge of natural disasters, hence the envy of world. As students of nature and friends of the environment, we appreciate the extent of damage to human lives, human habitation, eco-system, pastoral economy, infrastructure, social environment and human psychology.

The trauma will live with us for a very long time! However, all these could have been avoided. For 46 year now, we have been running a country that now has a population of about 160 million persons on the basis of a neo-colonial-driven, dependent and un-regulated extractive industry that is localised in the delta of River Niger. The resultant effects of non-observance of best practices in this industry that is not operated by us is what we in Niger Delta suffer today with spill over effects extending to other people in Nigeria who have a relationship with River Niger and the Atlantic Ocean.

 Nigeria as the largest black habitation on Planet Earth is defined by unproductiveness due to her refusal to harness the abundant scientific and technological knowledge in the pursuit of advancement by building a modern national economy. She relies on rent taking from International Oil Companies (IOCs) who in turn drill the earth irresponsibly for oil deposits found in one quarter of the number of federating units in the federation. The proceeds of this rent which is shared between the Federal Government and the 36 unproductive Federating Units has become a subject of aggressive looting in what could be best described as the worst case of corruption ever recorded in human history.

Any State that operates a mono-cultural economy that is based on rent taking can only produce a government and people that are economically idle, politically docile, socially violent, systemically dysfunctional, morally bankrupt, intellectually barren, philosophically short-sighted, spiritually weak and indescribably corrupt; and one of the victims is the physical environment. Sadly, because Nigeria depends solely on proceeds from rent paid by IOCs, her situation is more of that of a beggarly neo-colonial state. She lacks the willpower and capacity to enforce the observance of environmental best practices. Associated gas is flared with reckless abandon resulting in the release of a substantial amount of green house gases to the atmosphere at a level that makes Nigeria the country where the highest amount of gas is flared after Russia which has far more proven gas reserve.

Gas flaring is one of the largest contributors to global warming – the effect of which is the flood disasters we are experiencing today. Gas flaring also means colossal economic loss because associated gas just like non-associated gas is a cleaner fuel than petroleum and can be said to be the future of our energy need. It can be used sustainably to overcome Nigeria’s complex energy crisis of power supply by installing small to medium scale power plants close to flare points. Nevertheless, this complex case of resource curse of socio-political, economic, cultural and environmental dimensions can be subjected to a reverse course if we do the following: · The re-organisation and strengthening of the existing Meteorological Stations, Environmental Protection Programmes and National Emergency Programmes · Declaration of a State of Emergency on the Environment and Economy ·

The beginning of processes that will lead to the Restructuring of the Nigerian Polity and Economy which can be best done through the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) to create a sustainable framework for the diversification of Nigeria’s Economy and a democratic and patriotic participation of the people in the affairs of state. · An end to gas flaring and insistence on environmental best practices. ·

And the beginning of a rapid processes that will lead to the abolition of onshore drilling of crude oil. Finally, there are very urgent steps to take to Rescue, Rehabilitate and Resettle the flood victims now that the devastating floods are here. The relief fund voted so far by the Federal Government is grossly inadequate and can only handle the initial part of this effort. It is in this light that we call on individuals, groups, corporate bodies, foreign governments, local and international aid agencies to rise up to the occasion on a humanitarian basis. We also call on individuals to form volunteer groups to assist in evacuating the affected communities.

The Niger Delta Peoples Salvation Front (NDPSF) is already putting together a committed team of volunteers for this purpose and will welcome any relief material donated by those who by virtue of their busy schedule might not be able to physically engage in volunteer work. Once more, we commiserate with all those who lost their loved one and properties as a result of this flood disaster.