7.8 Wastewater Treatment of Oil Industries
163
The Niger Delta is the area that the Niger River’s natural Delta covers as
well as the areas found to the west and east that produce oil. The northern
boundaries are found close to the Niger River of Aboh, whereas the eastern
and western boundaries are located close to the Imo and Benin Rivers,
respectively. It is estimated that the area covers about 25,000 km 2 (Mähler
2010). The Niger Delta is also made up of nine states: Ondo, Abia, Cross
River, Imo, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, and Rivers. The region consists
of some distinct characteristics, including having one of the sandiest coastal
ridge barriers, freshwaters, seasonal swamp forests, and lowland rainforests.
The region is quite heterogeneous in terms of ethnicity and culture. The five
main cultural and linguistic groups are Igbo, Delta Cross, Ijaw, Edo, and
Yoruba.
The Delta Cross is predominantly made up of Ogoni, Abua as well as Ogbia.
The Ogoni are the most famous globally due to their agitation for autonomy
and resource control. Despite the Igbo and Yoruba being the two largest
ethnic groups within Nigeria, they are among the smallest in the Niger Delta.
The major Yoruba groups are the Ikale and Ilaje in Ondo State borderlands
and the Itsekiri in Delta State. Despite oil being beneficial to the country, oilbearing communities found within the Niger Delta perceive oil as a curse
rather than a blessing. In these communities, erosion, deforestation, land
dereliction, as well as destroyed farmlands are the major signposts for the
destruction left behind by oil (see Fig. 7.1). It has also contributed to the
pollution of creeks and destruction of aquatic life in the coastal Niger Delta.
In places where there are spillages, the losses witnessed cannot be quantified
in monetary terms. The other evidence of oil being a curse is the increasing
problem of acid rain that leads to the destruction of houses. Following
over 50 years, exploration, environmental degradation, and pollution have
continued to afflict local communities, leading to brutalizing poverty, health
hazards, deaths, unemployment, and diseases among the Ilaje and Ogoni
found in the Niger Delta. Niger Delta produces 100% of the country’s oil
and gas, but the Ilaje community survives without electricity or clean running
water (Ross 2012). For instance, for one to see a doctor, they have to travel
many hours using boats. Oil has occasionally been spilled into these creeks,
thus disrupting the fishing communities or causing violent conflict. When
the Delta region occupants try to protest, they are usually paid off, set
against each other, or shot. High rates of criminality, youth unrest as well
as lawlessness have also plagued the Delta. The tragedy and curse of oil
in the region can be narrated well through the eyes of the Ilaje and Ogoni
communities. One example of the devastation caused by oil pollution on the
Ogoni community is the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa for fighting for the
rights of the Ogoni Community (Ross 2012). More information about Kenule
Saro-Wiwa can be found under the individual matter section.
163
The Niger Delta is the area that the Niger River’s natural Delta covers as
well as the areas found to the west and east that produce oil. The northern
boundaries are found close to the Niger River of Aboh, whereas the eastern
and western boundaries are located close to the Imo and Benin Rivers,
respectively. It is estimated that the area covers about 25,000 km 2 (Mähler
2010). The Niger Delta is also made up of nine states: Ondo, Abia, Cross
River, Imo, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, and Rivers. The region consists
of some distinct characteristics, including having one of the sandiest coastal
ridge barriers, freshwaters, seasonal swamp forests, and lowland rainforests.
The region is quite heterogeneous in terms of ethnicity and culture. The five
main cultural and linguistic groups are Igbo, Delta Cross, Ijaw, Edo, and
Yoruba.
The Delta Cross is predominantly made up of Ogoni, Abua as well as Ogbia.
The Ogoni are the most famous globally due to their agitation for autonomy
and resource control. Despite the Igbo and Yoruba being the two largest
ethnic groups within Nigeria, they are among the smallest in the Niger Delta.
The major Yoruba groups are the Ikale and Ilaje in Ondo State borderlands
and the Itsekiri in Delta State. Despite oil being beneficial to the country, oilbearing communities found within the Niger Delta perceive oil as a curse
rather than a blessing. In these communities, erosion, deforestation, land
dereliction, as well as destroyed farmlands are the major signposts for the
destruction left behind by oil (see Fig. 7.1). It has also contributed to the
pollution of creeks and destruction of aquatic life in the coastal Niger Delta.
In places where there are spillages, the losses witnessed cannot be quantified
in monetary terms. The other evidence of oil being a curse is the increasing
problem of acid rain that leads to the destruction of houses. Following
over 50 years, exploration, environmental degradation, and pollution have
continued to afflict local communities, leading to brutalizing poverty, health
hazards, deaths, unemployment, and diseases among the Ilaje and Ogoni
found in the Niger Delta. Niger Delta produces 100% of the country’s oil
and gas, but the Ilaje community survives without electricity or clean running
water (Ross 2012). For instance, for one to see a doctor, they have to travel
many hours using boats. Oil has occasionally been spilled into these creeks,
thus disrupting the fishing communities or causing violent conflict. When
the Delta region occupants try to protest, they are usually paid off, set
against each other, or shot. High rates of criminality, youth unrest as well
as lawlessness have also plagued the Delta. The tragedy and curse of oil
in the region can be narrated well through the eyes of the Ilaje and Ogoni
communities. One example of the devastation caused by oil pollution on the
Ogoni community is the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa for fighting for the
rights of the Ogoni Community (Ross 2012). More information about Kenule
Saro-Wiwa can be found under the individual matter section.