…launches book on oil theft
Yenagoa—A monarch has opined that injustice in the Niger Delta region occasioned by the impact of oil exploration and oil theft in the Niger Delta has been identified as the major cause of the many security challenges in the region.
Mangrovepen gathered that King Bubaraye Dakolo, Agada IV, the Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama Kingdom in Bayelsa State, made the statement during the launching of his book entitled “The Riddle of the Oil Thief.”
The king noted that oil has brought nothing but doom to the people of the Niger Delta region and has deepened their miseries for several decades.
Dakolo, who is a member of Course 38 of the Nigerian Army and younger brother to late Captain Perebo Dakolo, one of the revolutionaries that staged the 1990 Gideon Orkar Coup, lamented the underdevelopment of the Niger Delta region.
He pointed out that with the book, the liberation of the Niger Delta people has started as it will awaken the consciousness of the people.
Dakolo said the book is the story of the Ijaw man, the story of the lives of the Niger Delta people, and the story of oil and gas.
In his words: “If the injustice in the Niger Delta region had been addressed, there would have been no Boko Haram, there would have been no banditry, there would have been no kidnappings, there would have no 90 million poorest of the poor in this country.
The book is about righting the wrongs and about solving the Nigerian dilemma. Today Nigeria is in dire straits of all kinds of criminal groups all over. And of all of these stems from the injustice in the oil and gas production. So once you fix the injustice in the Niger Delta, you fix Nigeria’s problem.”
The book reviewer, Dr Sam Amadi, who is an Associate Professor and Director, Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, said that the book has provided a window for the leadership of the country to solve the various insecurity challenges across the country by enthroning good governance.
“The book gives us a window to solve Nigeria’s crisis, whether it is unknown gunmen in South- East and banditry in the North, kidnapping everywhere, the answer is good governance.
“The answer remains give people back their rights, their land and their resources and their power to manage their lives locally so that they can improve their lives and create prosperity. And therefore there would be no need for them to come with violence to repress them,” he said.
Governor Douye Diri who was Special Guest of Honour seized the opportunity to criticise the revenue sharing formula in Nigeria, describing it as unjust, inadequate and unacceptable.
He also faulted the 13% derivation paid to oil producing states by the Federal Government, saying it is stark injustice.
