Oil and minority ethnic nationalism in Nigeria : the case of the Ogoni

This study examines the origins, goal(s) and consequences of the struggles of the minorities in the oil-producing areas of Nigeria. The minorities have common aspirations which derived from similar economic and environmental conditions occasioned by oil-exploitation .. However, interethnic rivalry which sometimes resulted in violent clashes between neighbours among them, selfregarding . patron-client Hes and state repressive response to nascent political action were among the factors wh'ich P!evented them from forging· a strong regional movement. They, therefore, pursued, for the most part, their goal of
internal independence through separate ethnic movements.
From a case study of the Ogoni, one can speak of a phenomenological relationship between the role of the elites and other factors . in the emergence of minority ethnic nationalism in the oil-producing areas of Nigeria in the sense that the· latter existed as mere conditions until the former transformed them into factors. There is evidence that the exploitation of oil started causing discontent among the peasants almost at the same time it commenced. They expressed their discontent, at best, in the forms of sabotage, theft and other clandestine actions.
They never perceived their situation in ethnic terms such as that the oil wealth their ancestral homeland is endowed with was being exploited for the benefit of other ethnic groups. It was the elites who perceived the situation of the minorities this way and proceeded to mount nationalist campaigns when they were convinced that their reformist approach was not yielding the desired results.
The state responded with a mixture of non-violent and violent strategies of containment. The latter strategy in Ogoni' s case culminated in the exploitation of whatever differences that might have existed between the Ogoni and their neighbours to the end of preventing the spread of the example of Ogoni effective resistance to other oil minorities.