Internal colonialism and regional resistance to oil exploitation in the Niger delta

Abstract

The Niger Delta states have a history of non-performing government institutions. Efforts of the Federal government to address the problems of the region date back to the formation of the Niger Delta Development Board in 1958 through NDDC of 2000 to Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs in 2008. The given mandates were to develop the region to be funded with 13% derivation revenue as a special fund contributed from the federation account. Unfortunately, the oil producing communities, the expected beneficiaries of the oil derivation revenue allocations back to the region, have had little or no influence in the allocation and management of these funds.The political elites utilized awards of oil blocks as patronage to their political friends to elicit their cooperation and consolidate power at the federal government level at the expense of those who suffer the effect of oil exploration. To this end, this study aimed at finding out whether the abuse of public office through gross deprivations leading to poor governance and lack of accountability by few elite at the regional and federal levels who divert the resources meant for the development of the region (with impunity for personal interest), is a prerequisite for both regional and national developments.