Nigeria Corruption Story on PBS FrontlineWorld Online

Please check out a new story on Frontline dealing with corruption and bribery in Nigeria. They have used a few of Ed's photos to illustrate the project. This is an important issue in Nigeria and is one of the prevailing problems that holds this energetic and intelligent country from moving forward and progressing into the new century in a unified and prosperous manner.

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Danielle Finds "Beauty in Disaster"

Danielle describes Curse of the Black Gold as "...a vivid written account...[which]...creates a deep understanding of the mental and social hurt the oil industry has caused this culture." Combined with "...remarkable and breathtaking photographs...these two elements make it impossible to look away, to ignore, to be apathetic about the demise of a land rich with resources, allure, and potential."

Examining the image (left), she comments on the oil industry as "...the colonizer who forcefully took all that Nigeria had to offer, leaving nothing behind but pain and wreckage.


Looking at the photo (right), Danielle goes on to question, "What happened that made the citizens of this town wreck their home in such a manner? Why have they abandoned their mother for the oil? There is a sense of hopelessness and despair among the people of the Niger Delta, perhaps they feel nothing for their mother any longer."

Danielle: "The massacre of the Niger Delta is clear in this book. There is no denying its impact on the environment and the people." However, there is an optimistic sentiment in this student's words as she remarks that "[t]he most remarkable part about this book was that I didn’t lose hope in the Delta’s recovery. It is possible; there are signs of life, joy and beauty throughout the book."

With this in mind, Danielle discovers "...so much life in this photo , even though it’s a funeral procession. Finding joy and life amongst death is not an easy task, but it has become an essential part of survival for the people because of the nature of the region. There’s so much we can learn from these resilient Nigerians. Not to give up, give in, or to stop living."

Danielle, thank you for your submission and positive outlook.

To read all of Danielle's essay, click below.

Danielle Young
4/7/09
Section 3
Beauty in Disaster

Why should anyone care about what is happening in the Niger Delta? This is a cynical question to say the least, but one that nevertheless pops up time and time again when talking about issues outside the United States. No one wants to pay any attention to the world outside their own front lawn because of the complexity of the problems and the distance they’re able to place between themselves and the declining world across the Atlantic. Ed Kashi and Michael Watts tackled this dilemma head on with their book, Curse of the Black Gold. By bringing in accounts of the travesty written by different people Michael Watts creates a deep understanding of the mental and social hurt the oil industry has caused this culture. At the same time we’re receiving a vivid written account our brain is overloaded with color, clarity, and emotion projected through Ed Kashi’s remarkable and breathtaking photographs. Together these two elements make it impossible to look away, to ignore, to be apathetic about the demise of a land rich with resources, allure, and potential.

The text that impacted me the most was “My Blessing, My Curse” by Kaine Agary. The blunt metaphor of the rape and destruction of Nigeria as a mother was impossible to forget. “Lost in his desire, one of these friends had no control as his knife slowly slashed at my body” (p 153). This passage is eerily portrayed in the large photograph on pages 18 and 19. A man, one of mother Nigeria’s many sons, stands strong and stoic loosely holding a massive knife behind his back. He stands gazing into the distance presumably unfazed at the black blood pouring out of the earth, staining and destroying the splendor described by Agary as “paradise.” Many others crowd around the scene as well staring into the huge fracture ripped into the earth by a massive oil pipeline. The shell symbol on the back of the knife man’s jacket represents the colonizer who forcefully took all that Nigeria had to offer, leaving nothing behind but pain and wreckage.

Immediately preceding that photograph is another one that plays out the drama of Agary’s short story. Remnants of the beautiful paradise of Nigeria are seen in that the palm tree lined horizon framing the shantytown precariously lining the water’s edge. “From my head grew great big bunches of plantain; out of my pores oozed palm oil; my legs stood long and strong, the healthiest of rubber trees…” (p 152). Although surrounded by the majestic landscape of the delta corruption has made Nigeria’s people turn on her. They’ve destroyed her precious resources by dumping garbage and filth everywhere in order to exploit her secret treasure buried between her legs. “In my mouth most glands have shut down and the little saliva there is so acidic, only a fraction of the fish that once swam in it can now survive in it” (p 153). What happened that made the citizens of this town wreck their home in such a manner? Why have they abandoned their mother for the oil? There is a sense of hopelessness and despair among the people of the Niger Delta, perhaps they feel nothing for their mother any longer.

This desperation is evident in the interview by Tom O’Neil with the Grand Commander of MEND. “We still believe in negotiations and dialogue. But we will not wait while the government kills us. We have a mandate of defending ourselves” (p 197). Tompolo is blunt about the mission of MEND; they are acting out as a people who have been abandoned by their government and robbed of their most profitable resource. They use strategies and tactics available to them, what they feel is the best way to get the job done. Their appearance says it all. A masked army shrouded in fog, wielding intimidating, colossal machine-guns. They refuse to be intimidated anymore, refuse to surrender what is rightly theirs. They’re prepared to defend to the death themselves, the land, and their oil.

The massacre of the Niger Delta is clear in this book. There is no denying its impact on the environment and the people. Flipping through the pages poignant details of catastrophe are lined up, one-by-one through images and voice. The most remarkable part about this book was that I didn’t lose hope in the Delta’s recovery. It is possible; there are signs of life, joy and beauty throughout the book. Whether its quaint shacks lined up one by one, inhabited by people dressed in beautiful color, or women making use of the only oven they can find: fire from an oil pipeline. Or the stark contrast between the natural green grasses slashed by a silver metal tube. These people aren’t just living, but thriving. I want to bring in one final photo. On pages 184 and 185 a band is marching through the streets, followed by women dressed in bright pink headscarves and shirts. There is so much life in this photo, even though it’s a funeral procession. Finding joy and life amongst death is not an easy task, but it has become an essential part of survival for the people because of the nature of the region. There’s so much we can learn from these resilient Nigerians. Not to give up, give in, or to stop living.

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Welcome Conor to the Conversation

Conor chose "Forms of Resistance in the Niger Delta" as a title for his essay.


He comments on the photograph above which "...depicts a 'disgruntled employee' confronting oil extraction head-on. An arm of the oil rig...tower[s] over the man in his small boat. He is isolated in a seemingly boundless body of water with nothing to grasp but a metal skeleton spewing flames. The caption reveals that he intends to take over the rig, but he seems to have little power over the vessel. It looks as though he needs rescue. His face seems relaxed, and yet, his is the smile of a man in utter desperation, with nothing left to lose. Amongst a scene of gray skies, murky waters, and diabolic flames, a strange bit of irony can be found inscribed inside the boat: 'Holy Paradise'. A sticker visible between his legs reads, 'Fear Not', driving the point home that this man shows uncanny fearlessness in confronting the behemoth rig."

Conor: "An analogous moment of confrontation is depicted...[when] [a] group of “disgruntled locals” stand purposefully near an apparatus at the site of an oil spill. ...a [S]hell employee wields a machete...behind his back, still leaving it visible to the protesting men. This image illustrates the menace of a militarized oil industry. From an American perspective, it is chilling and bizarre to see the Shell logo coupled with brutal weaponry. It is the ultimate irony that after exploiting the land’s resources and polluting the land by spilling oil, Shell is the only entity showing force in the image."

Conor has sited examples where "The locals confront the industry peacefully, as opposed to the violent tactics of MEND." But he goes on to suggest we ponder the question "...are they freedom fighters or criminals? There is no clear answer, but it is important to note that Nigerians are fed up and ready to fight back in any way they can."

Conor asks us all "...how can these people show their anger and make positive changes without bloodshed?" He comments that "It is easy to see the frustration that can build in a circumstance where legitimate forms of refusal are ignored, or worse, extinguished." And he notes that while "...an apology from Shell won’t rebuild the Delta’s infrastructure, perhaps it will help to heal its soul."

Conor, thank you for your thought-provoking observations.

The essay can be read in its complete form by clicking below.





Conor Mendenhall
CAAS 247: Modern Africa
Curse of the Black Gold Paper
4/7/09

Forms of Resistance in the Niger Delta

Dimieari Von Kemedi’s piece, “Nero’s Folly,” delves into the topic of resistance against the Nigerian oil industry. Kemedi tracks the history of MEND, a group that has used violent force to disrupt oil extraction in the Delta. Kemedi notes that Nigeria is in a condition of chaos, the result of “years of criminal neglect, exclusion, and repression,” and is now ripe for revolution. He argues that the emergence of MEND was inevitable in a climate of growing bitterness.

MEND’s outward appearance has ranged from unexpected power and confidence to uncoordinated attacks and internal struggle. The question arises, are they freedom fighters or criminals? There is no clear answer, but it is important to note that Nigerians are fed up and ready to fight back in any way they can.

Kemedi enriches his explanation of MEND-type resistance with the anecdote of David Independence. As an unemployed engineer, qualified with a master’s degree, he decried the oil industry with ethnic discrimination, and the Nigerian government with long-standing repression. Independence turned to the militia to give him something worth for, worth living for. People like Independence are stripped of their humanity, which results in their creative abilities giving way to destructive activity.

The photograph on pages 4-5 illustrates the discussion of resistance in the Delta. Kashi’s image depicts a “disgruntled employee” confronting oil extraction head-on. An arm of the oil rig juts into the frame from the right, towering over the man in his small boat. He is isolated in a seemingly boundless body of water with nothing to grasp but a metal skeleton spewing flames. The caption reveals that he intends to take over the rig, but he seems to have little power over the vessel. It looks as though he needs rescue.

His face seems relaxed, and yet, his is the smile of a man in utter desperation, with nothing left to lose. Amongst a scene of gray skies, murky waters, and diabolic flames, a strange bit of irony can be found inscribed inside the boat: “Holy Paradise.” A sticker visible between his legs reads, “Fear Not,” driving the point home that this man shows uncanny fearlessness in confronting the behemoth rig.

An analogous moment of confrontation is depicted in the photo on pages 18-19. A group of “disgruntled locals” stand purposefully near an apparatus at the site of an oil spill. In the foreground, a shell employee wields a machete. He holds it behind his back, still leaving it visible to the protesting men. This image illustrates the menace of a militarized oil industry. From an American perspective, it is chilling and bizarre to see the Shell logo coupled with brutal weaponry. It is the ultimate irony that after exploiting the land’s resources and polluting the land by spilling oil, Shell is the only entity showing force in the image. The locals confront the industry peacefully, as opposed to the violent tactics of MEND. We are left to ponder, how can these people show their anger and make positive changes without bloodshed?

The political route is entangled with corruption and riddled with injustices. Ledum Mittee explained in Watts’ interview that MOSOP’s efforts for governmental transparency and accountability were stifled by military force and the underhanded dealings of opportunistic politicians. It is easy to see the frustration that can build in a circumstance where legitimate forms of refusal are ignored, or worse, extinguished. But what is the difference between Mittee and Independence? Why does Mittee’s confidence in the political system prevail while his fellow Nigerians persistently sell out their own people for a cut of the loot? He understands that the anger fomenting in Nigeria can be harnessed by anyone for any range of purposes. This is exactly the problem that MEND saw as it began to splinter internally. We can see that there are opportunists in politics and militias alike.
Mittee explains that the MOSOP and the Ogoni people need to hear an apology from Shell more than they need monetary compensation. Although an apology won’t rebuild the Delta’s infrastructure, perhaps it will help to heal its soul.

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Natasha Gains New Insights

Natasha probably speaks for many of us when she writes in her recently submitted essay, "Before reading Curse of the Black Gold, I knew very little about how the United States gets its oil, and I knew even less about the processes that happen in order for the oil to reach the United States." She continues in her essay to examine photographs which give her a new perspective on everyday frustrations faced by Nigerians.

Natasha notes "...local youth guard the first wellhead that was drilled in the Niger Delta. Oil was a failure in this region of Olobiri and the wellhead is a monument representing the lack of success that caused much frustration to those who live in the region. The youth are disposable. They are paid 'standby' [paid by oil companies to do nothing] even with an unsuccessful wellhead."

"In another picture...a woman is baking in a gas flare caused by leaky pipelines. Human beings are not meant to live in these conditions. However,...these occurrences are so common that they have learned to live around these leaks. ... The local Urohobo people were living there before the oil companies...[and] they cannot just get up and leave. There is also a picture that shows children playing in the polluted waters of Finima. They have adapted to these dangerous conditions, and worst of all, the parents are watching their children literally play with fire and swim in oil."

Natasha: "There is a lack of opportunity for youths in places like these, ...an infinite cycle of violence and corruption...The oil companies step in and lower the standard of living for many locals. ...The youths then turn to each other and start looking for standby jobs that pay them to do nothing. In effect, they are feeding the fire of the oil companies by accepting their money. This also causes the ungovernability of the Niger Delta because everything is fueled by corruption and most people advocate it through violence because they don’t know any better."

Natasha, thank you for sharing.

To read the essay in its entirety, click below.

Natasha Wad
April 4, 2009
History 247.002
Pedro Monaville

Curse of the Black Gold

“Nigeria is not a country, it is a profession” (43). The violence and corruption in the Niger Delta is a result of this mindset. Oil companies and even locals think of Nigeria as a profession. The country is vulnerable to powerful people and companies that have the means to take advantage of the country’s resources. The violence in Nigeria is brought by the oil industry and is astonishingly underrepresented. The amount of corruption in Nigeria is much higher than I ever thought. The intense corruption resembles colonial Africa during the slave trade. The book and lecture by Michael Watts and Ed Kashi helped me understand the extent of the violence in the Niger Delta and why there is this notion that the Niger Delta is ungovernable.

Before reading Curse of the Black Gold, I knew very little about how the United States gets its oil, and I knew even less about the processes that happen in order for the oil to reach the United States. When Ed Kashi and Michael Watts lectured to our class, they introduced new perspectives about oil in Africa. Michael made a very touching argument about how the extent of American’s concerns about oil is the price, while there are much more horrible things that happen so that we can drive our gas-guzzling SUVs.

The demand for oil in the US causes an enormous amount of violence in the Niger Delta. Powerful countries like the US and countries in Europe have only provoked violence in Nigeria by creating room for corruption. The corruption has come from three main sources. The first is that corruption has flowed downward and become decentralized. It is no longer the state that has ultimate control because the violent youth groups have emerged. Second, the state military does not have a monopoly over the advanced weapons. These weapons are now available to notoriously armed forces, which pose a threat to state power. Thirdly, the rule of a new political class, known as Godfathers, has emerged as machine politicians (46). The intense corruption goes hand in hand with the notion that the Niger Delta is “ungovernable”. One reason this idea has been adopted is that there are so many violent youth groups competing for power under the oil companies. The companies pay youth groups to do nothing; this is called “standby”. There is no state power in Nigeria because too many different groups are trying to come into power using violence in an effort to build strong rapports with the oil industry. Another reason the Niger Delta is ungovernable is because The Oil companies function as a government (46). No country can succeed under the control of the Oil industry. The only reason these companies are considered governing bodies is because they are the ones who have the most money and power in the country. They aren’t actually doing a good job of governing because they aren’t acting in the best interests of the people. Although oil companies act as a terrible governing body, they are constitutionally inclined to pay the region in which they operate money for occupying their land (46). On page 45 in Curse of the Black Gold, local youth guard the first wellhead that was drilled in the Niger Delta. Oil was a failure in this region of Olobiri and the wellhead is a monument representing the lack of success that caused much frustration to those who live in the region. The youth are disposable. They are paid standby even with an unsuccessful wellhead.

As Ed Kashi and Michael Watts explained in their lecture, the oil companies have an obligation to give money to “community development”. They do so by paying local chiefs the allocated money and their responsibility to “community development” is done, but who knows where the money really goes. For example, Shell spends about $60 million on community development each year, but cash payments amount to more than double that amount (46). I never fully understood why the oil companies had such a bad reputation, but now I see these companies in Nigeria as a corrupt dictatorship. US oil companies come to places like Africa because these poor places are extremely vulnerable. The people living there don’t always know their rights and don’t realize that they are getting ripped off. Meanwhile, so many of the Nigerians are still very poor and starving while the powerful nations take advantage of them and make millions off of their suffering.

In another picture from the pamphlet we received at Michael Watt’s lecture, a woman is baking in a gas flare caused by leaky pipelines. Human beings are not meant to live in these conditions. However, this picture depicts that these occurrences are so common that they have learned to live around these leaks. The lifespan of the people who live around the oil spills and gas flares is short, but there is very little for them to do. The local Urohobo people were living there before the oil companies stepped in and planted their operations they cannot just get up and leave. There is also a picture that shows children playing in the polluted waters of Finima. They have adapted to these dangerous conditions, and worst of all, the parents are watching their children literally play with fire and swim in oil.

There is a lack of opportunity for youths in places like these, which causes them to band together and form youth groups. There is an infinite cycle of violence and corruption that I have seen in this book. The oil companies step in and lower the standard of living for many locals. By doing so, the youths of the community are more likely to lose their family members who work in these bad conditions. The youths then turn to each other and start looking for standby jobs that pay them to do nothing. In effect, they are feeding the fire of the oil companies by accepting their money. This also causes the ungovernability of the Niger Delta because everything is fueled by corruption and most people advocate it through violence because they don’t know any better.

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"Sacred and Profane" - Essay by Sydney

Sydney chooses to begin an engaging essay with a quote from over 40 years ago: “Remember your seventy year-old grandmother who still farms before she eats; remember also your poverty-stricken people; remember too your petroleum which is being pumped out daily from your veins, and then fight for your freedom.”-Isaac Adaka Boro, Niger Delta Volunteer Service, 1966.

Continuing from this introduction, Sydney examines "Now is the Time" by Oronto Douglas. "I hear echoes of Martin Luther King Jr. giving his 'I Have a Dream' speech and the vision of America he brought to the Lincoln Memorial. I also hear Barack Obama’s honesty he brought about America’s economic status and also a message of hope during his 2008 presidential campaign in Douglas’ article." And "...I see the power, the constructive and deconstructive capabilities of humankind in Kaine Agary’s 'My Blessing, My Curse.' Kaine Agary analogizes her body as Nigeria creating a personally deep connection with her land and demonstrates that the world stands idle with blinders strapped on."

After examining and articulately discussing the works of Douglas and Agary in the essay, Sydney presents a personal perspective,"...I recognize that hope is evident—specifically in the articles —a great first step in the socio-political economic right direction. But, is hope enough?"

Sydney explores that hope when looking at images in the book. [Left] "I see lack of contentment specifically in the closed eyes of the mother...Her child is one who potentially could transform the Niger Delta into a place that is more livable, healthy and vibrant than it is now." Like Amy Gilbert in an earlier essay, Sydney recognizes the mother's commitment and intimacy -"...a necessary dependency..."- with the child. Interestingly, they both comment on the mother's facial expression - despair connected with hope of a new generation.

[Below] "In the background there are men with umbrellas as she walks confidently without one. To me, she brings a hope amidst the cloudy, rainy day and finds a way to fend for herself when there is not an easy way to do that ... She brings innovation, utilizing her only available apparatus. This image is hope. There is hope; it just needs to be enacted by a generation who sees the potential to fix corruption caused by oil companies large enough to corrupt the figures in power that possess the handle and control strings attached to the marionette puppet—its people."


Sydney, thank you for your valuable contribution, your observations of hope, and for asking us all to reflect "...as noted in Douglas’ piece by the biblical Ecclesiastes 'To everything a season', —the season is now to remember and to act."

Please click below to read the entire essay.

Sydney Zimelis
CAAS 247
GSI: Tara Dosumu Diener
Short Paper on Curse of the Black Gold

Sacred and Profane: Personal Insights on Pictures and Text from Curse of the Black Gold Photographsby Ed Kashi and Edited by Michael Watts

“Remember your seventy year-old grandmother who still farms before she eats; remember also your poverty-stricken people; remember too your petroleum which is being pumped out daily from your veins, and then fight for your freedom.”-Isaac Adaka Boro, Niger Delta Volunteer Service, 1966 (Page 143 in Curse of the Black Gold)

“Now is the Time” by Oronto Douglas describes what citizens in the Niger Delta need to accomplish as well as describing the situation through someone who has seen, felt, and lived the Niger Delta. I see the power, the constructive and deconstructive capabilities of humankind in Kaine Agary’s “My Blessing, My Curse.” I hear echoes of Martin Luther King Jr. giving his “I Have a Dream” speech and the vision of America he brought to the Lincoln Memorial. I also hear Barack Obama’s honesty he brought about America’s economic status and also a message of hope during his 2008 presidential campaign in Douglas’ article.

After hearing Ed Kashi and Michael Watts speak about and after personally reading their book on the oil conflict in the Niger Delta--how it is affecting its citizens (including rebels), oil companies in the area and as an industry as a whole, and youth among many other groups of people in the area and beyond Nigeria’s boundaries--I recognize the impact of the oil companies and the complexities of their presence. The integration of Kashi’s photographs and Watts’ collection of text blended together creates the most potent combination. Blending words with pictures and pictures with words compliment each other to create a fuller, more colorful and dimensional image in my mind. The combination of photographs and text bring breadth and depth that would not have been achieved had the two not been paired together.

Douglas describes, in his article “Now is the Time,” how justice is necessary and cannot afford to go “under the radar” in the Niger Delta. He explains an inability to talk “directly and plainly” about the matter that has “led to the corporate prescription of hangman’s solution…of resource ownership, control, use, and management.” Douglas describes how the people living in the Niger Delta desire absolute control of resources exported from their homeland and how they should be profiting from oil found. This, evidently, is demonstrated in lifestyles emphasized in Kashi’s photographs and Watts’ selection of articles written by various people impacted at all levels and distances from the Niger Delta oil quandary. Douglas explains, “The government turns a blind eye until the source of the rents and royalties is threatened by youths and community people who are condemned as militants and terrorists.” People need to take action. MEND needs to evaporate and there needs to be a transformation of youth mentality from standing idly by with payoffs into youth movements promoting justice. Douglas urges Niger Delta citizens to have complete control of their lives in all aspects because when they possess organizing of their lives, they can have assured “safety” and “well-being” and obtain the highest potential level of justice for the suffering brought upon the Delta’s citizenry.

“We are all victims,” Douglas notes, and that is not an over exaggeration in my mind. He continues describing victimization; “from fraud to maladministration” there are seemingly (to me at least) almost too many problems for the existence of a viable solution. Personally, I recognize that hope is evident—specifically in the articles—a great first step in the socio-political economic right direction. But, is hope enough? The pictures demonstrate little hope with blazing fires in the backgrounds from oil pipes, shacks constructed of scraps, and people living off of little. I see lack of contentment specifically in the closed eyes of the mother who is breast-feeding her child surrounded by belongings on a tightly packed boat spread on pages 158 and 159. Her child is one who potentially could transform the Niger Delta into a place that is more livable, healthy and vibrant than it is now. (Footnote: I love the intricacies of this picture. The mother and child’s intimacy with one another depict a necessary dependency. The mother needs the closeness of her daughter and the satisfaction of knowing that the child is nearby on such a crammed boat. The child needs the mother for life and sustenance through care, food, and protection from others on the boat and their belongings. Everyone in this picture is doing something—some are relaxing, others taking in the view, and some are collecting and protecting their items. There is a case of sprite amongst the other goods—a sign of commodity colonization.) I turn to the image on page 146 of the girl in the red dress with a shirt stretched over her head to keep it protected from getting wet during a summer rain shower. In the background there are men with umbrellas as she walks confidently without one. To me, she brings a hope amidst the cloudy, rainy day and finds a way to fend for herself when there is not an easy way to do that (like if she had an umbrella similarly to the other men in the picture). She brings innovation, utilizing her only available apparatus. This image is hope. There is hope; it just needs to be enacted by a generation who sees the potential to fix corruption caused by oil companies large enough to corrupt the figures in power that possess the handle and control strings attached to the marionette puppet—its people.

Later Douglas asks, “But must Shell, Chevron, Agip, Exxon Mobil, TotalFinaElf be allowed-or expected-to provide the water we drink when we are thirsty, build the hospitals we attend when we are sick, fund the schools in which we instruct our youth? Must Big Oil act as our road builders? What in other words is the business of the governments that represent us?” The questions Douglas poses are provocative, heart-felt, and necessary to examine when quantifying if the oil companies bring anything beneficial to the Delta region. Sure, they are bringing schools, healthcare, and water. Are those material items for citizens enough for land that is being demolished for oil and dividends passed out to the people in power and the socio-political economic status in high distress? I would consider alternatives to the seemingly heavier destruction than the “reparations” paid by the oil companies. I would also ask would there be water, hospitals and schools otherwise? We can reverse the complexities brought by oil companies, Douglas notes and I personally agree, by respecting elders and having communal institutions to gather together. Customary rule and ways prior to the infiltration of oil companies need to be re-established and promoted. There cannot be joint ventures between the government and the oil companies and dialogue is more important than ever.

Douglas powerfully and directly acknowledges, “The rest of the world is not waiting for us [citizens of the Niger Delta].” Kaine Agary analogizes her body as Nigeria creating a personally deep connection with her land and demonstrates that the world stands idle with blinders strapped on. She describes her pores full of palm oil, her legs long and strong like rubber trees and in her mouth were once many fish to feed her children, her breasts full of milk, and that there was a treasure waiting to be uncovered in a secret place no lover has touched before. This was her paradise. Each time she saw a ship in the Atlantic, it was an opportunity it receive a new lover and satiate their cravings to be nourished. Her reference to colonialists made them seem as if they brought “a way to heaven and a way to wealth,” attractive possibilities. Nothing provided in the same satiating way compared to her life previously. She married a lover and a landlord, analogous to “the rest of the world” as mentioned above, did nothing but take pleasure in seeing Agary suffer as she lost her body and treasure to the lover that spread her secret to unknown strangers.

“With each barrel of my treasure that they took from me, an ounce of my energy went. My beauty, the milk that fed my children, the fist that swam aplenty in my mouth, the plantains on my head, all diminished with every barrel that was taken away.” News of the situation was spread to other places, but people did not understand completely. Love seems to have been misinterpreted or falsified. “I lay here unconscious;” I see this as Agary’s description of the status of the land. The treasure between her legs is symbolic of the barrels of oil located as the heart or riches of the Niger Delta. Now she is infertile of everything she once possessed because of the temptations taken from the government and oil companies. What once was a blessing evolved into a greedy curse as a result of the oil conflict in the Niger Delta and relations with oil companies vying for barrels of treasure.

We need to act now as proven by Douglas, Agary, the little girl with the shirt over her head for protection, and for the suckling child who could have a bright future if the Niger Delta is organized into a functional system where respect and consideration for its people exists. “To everything a season,” as noted in Douglas’ piece by the biblical Ecclesiastes—the season is now to remember and to act.

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Mayowa Provides a Very Personal Perspective

A first hand account relating to images from Curse, provides a unique insight into the lives of innocent Nigerian civilians.

Mayowa: "...images [left] that I felt [were] very powerful, and really brought the message home of the lack of human rights within the Niger Delta...depicts a malicious military attack on Aker camp. ...The expression of the woman viewing pictures of her bar that was destroyed is priceless. She has a look of despair in her eyes, as she reminisces about what everything that she worked for and the ruins in her surroundings add to the discouraging scene. This bar was a very popular meeting spot for MEND meetings, in fact the Grand Commander and I had a meeting a couple weeks before the attack happened."

Mayowa again provides a personal story: "...one of the photos [right] that I can relate to most in this book because of the degree of burns and injuries that this man underwent. I have seen many of my men die in my arms and experience injuries and violence of the same level as Patrick. This picture represents the struggle that the civillians in the Niger Delta experience. It was all due to a military attack while he was resting inside the 'comfort' of his own home. It is sad that the turmoil in the Niger Delta has robbed people of their homes, families, and even their lives. This is the reason that MEND must fight, to defend the simple rights of its people."

The picture [left]"...of the MEND soldier being buried, hits close to home again because I knew that man. He was a valiant soldier whose sole commitment was to fulfill all of his duties of being in MEND. He risked his life for the people in the Delta. I feel that there was a reason that you used this picture as the last one of the book and I think it ultimately symbolizes the injustice, suffering, and struggle that we are going through here in the Delta. ...'The Delta people must be allowed to join in the lucrative sale of crude oil... only in this way can the cataclysm that is building up in the Delta be avoided. Is anyone listening?' It prompts me to wonder; will this struggle never end?"

Mayowa, thank you for sharing so much of your personal trials and tribulations!

The notations made for this post can not possibly communicate Mayowa's experiences and thoughts completely. Please read the entire essay by clicking below.



Name: Mayowa Ogundipe
Section leader: Tara Diener
Date: 04-07-09

Jomo Gbomo's final email

Hi Ed, I just finished reading the final product of Curse of The Black Gold . I was very intrigued by the photographs that you used to represent the struggles within the Niger Delta. The depictions of what MEND has gone through and sacrifice to achieve the emancipation of the Niger Delta were also very interesting. I also liked the idea of using the pictures in conjunction with different passages to properly describe and illustrate the troubles that we have gone through in the Niger Delta. I hope you dont mind, but I was interested in giving you some quick feedback of a couple of my favorite parts of the book. This will probably be the final email you receive from me.

One of the images that I felt was very powerful, and really brought the message home of the lack of human rights within the Niger Delta, was the spread on pages 200-201, w hich depicts a malicious military attack on Aker camp. Aker Camp was one of the slums in Port Harcourt where innocent civilians were attacked in the Niger Delta. The expression of the woman viewing pictures of her bar that was destroyed is priceless. She has a look of despair in her eyes, as she reminisces about what everything that she worked for and the ruins in her surroundings add to the discouraging scene. This bar was a very popular meeting spot for MEND meetings, in fact the Grand Commander and I had a meeting a couple weeks before the attack happened.

On page 206-207 A man named Patrick Oghogho, is photographed with several burns and cuts on his body. This page is indeed one of the photos that I can relate to most in this book because of the degree of burns and injuries that this man underwent. I have seen many of my men die in my arms and experience injuries and violence of the same level as Patrick. This picture represents the struggle that the civillians in the Niger Delta experience. It wass all due to a military attack while he was resting inside the “comfort” of his own home. It is sad that the turmoil in the Niger Delta has robbed people of their homes, families, and even their lives. This is the reason that MEND must fight, to defend the simple rights of its people.

I was very interested to read the interview with our MEND Grand Commander Tompolo addressing MEND's attacks on the Oil facilities. In my opinion, General Tompolo represents our views very well and handles O'Neill's questions with poise. O'Neill questions the attacks that we have made and General Tompolo responds by saying “ we want a public apology (for the ambush killings) but they have not done it... Why are the bodies (of the ambush victims) not released in a public way for burial?” (p. 197) It is obvious that your pictures of the victims of the militant victims are harsh depictions of life in the Niger Delta, but in order for MEND's goal to be fulfilled we need more alliances like your's to depict to the world the hardships that the citizens in the Niger Delta go through.

This battle that MEND is fighting is not intended to harm people, we are simply looking for emancipation of the Delta. Towards the end of Nero's Folly it says; “What is clear is that there is no military solution to the crisis in the Delta.” (p. 191) I disagree with this quote obviously because we in MEND use forceful military tactics to halt the problems in the Delta. On page 210 – 211 the spread It shows young MEND militants brandishing their weapons and also references that MEND's forceful military tactics have led to 25% of Nigeria's oil output being deferred. This is evidence that the tactics that we have been using have been efficient and we need to continue to fight against the oil companies and government.

The picture on page 217 of the MEND soldier being buried, hits close to home again because I knew that man. He was a valiant soldier whose sole commitment was to fulfill all of his duties of being in MEND. He risked his life for the people in the Delta. I feel that there was a reason that you used this picture as the last one of the book and I think it ultimately symbolizes the injustice, suffering, and struggle that we are going through here in the Delta. I think that the placement of the quote fits very well on the page. “The Delta people must be allowed to join in the lucrative sale of crude oil... only in this way can the cataclysm that is building up in the Delta be avoided. Is anyone listening?” (p. 217) It prompts me to wonder; will this struggle never end?

Ed I really feel that this book did an excellent job of bringing our situation in the Niger Delta to life. Your use of graphic images and different passages to give background to the images was an excellent idea. The only thing that I regret is that a photo of my own was not displayed in your book. One final note; I just want to point one thing out to you “ I never met Jomo Gbomo. At least, I don't think so” (p. 25). We have met face to face, but that specific date and time shall forever be my secret and will be taken to my grave.

The opinions expressed in this paper are not actual thoughts of MEND leader Jobo, but interpretations of what I would have believed Jomo's interpretation and opinions towards this book would be.

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Student Contributions Continue with Adam

Thank you Adam Frye for joining your fellow U of M essayists. Your photographer's eye provided some unique interpretations of images from Curse of the Black Gold.

Adam: "[The photo]...successfully share[s] many ideas without the need for words. The canoe looks [like]...[the] same type that have been used in Africa for hundreds of years; nothing about it suggests it has any industrial or Western influence. ...in contrast to the clothing of the three locals....the canoe and the attire represent the conflict of influences occurring in Nigeria. ...people wish to convey a sense of modernity and Western savvy, yet they are still grounded in their African tradition..." Adam continues his comments regarding the "struggle between modernity and the African tradition" as observed in this image: "While the three people communicate an idea of wanting to Westernize, the pipeline and the contaminated water put across the idea that Westernized industry is being forced onto this village with grave repercussions....the complicated relationship between African and Westernizing forces."

Adam: "...with one short paragraph this image [right] becomes a powerful story. [It]...illustrates many of the maladies of modern Nigeria only when...coupled with the words explaining the situation. ...the process of roasting...on the burning tires. A combination of industrial pollution and over population is forcing this teenager to prepare food over a fire that, 'produce[s] a lot of smoke, which often carries toxic chemicals from the breakdown of rubber compounds while burning.' This practice is not only unhealthy [b]ut clearly perpetuates the pollution that helped put him in the situation to begin with. The combination of text and photograph narrates the story of Nigeria’s lack of infrastructure and resources to meet the rapid population growth and how it has forced this youth to poison the very food that sustains his people and himself."

Adam, we thank you for your remarks and input.

To read all of Adam's essay, click below.


Adam T. Frye
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
History


The book Curse of the Black Gold by Ed Kashi and Michael Watts uses many techniques to communicate the dire situation in Nigeria. A collaboration of stunning photographs and various types of literature work together to inform the ignorant of the impact fifty years of oil exploitation has had on the Nigerian delta. The following two examples demonstrate two different ways this message is articulated.

The photograph spread out on pages ninety-three and ninety-four successfully share many ideas without the need for words. The image depicts two young African girls and an older African gentleman in a traditional boat/canoe in one of the rivers of the Bayelsa State. The canoe looks as if it were the same type that have been used in Africa for hundreds of years; nothing about it suggests it has any industrial or Western influence. This canoe stands out in contrast to the clothing of the three locals. One girl is wearing a horizontally striped blue and yellow shirt with Capri pants and the other is wearing what look like bell-bottom pants and a sundress, all pink. The man does not differ from the style of the girls, a striped bottom-down shirt and khaki pants . The sundress was popularized by Lilly Pulitzer in America during the 1960’s, the Capri pants were made fashionable by Mary Tyler Moore during her time on the American Dick Van Dyke Show, and bell-bottom jeans became popular as part of the United States hippie counterculture during the 1960s . The clothing of the three locals clearly has no African influence thus the canoe and the attire represent the conflict of influences occurring in Nigeria. Fashion tends to be a well thought out image inherently combined with a message the wearer wishes to express. This three people wish to convey a sense of modernity and Western savvy, yet they are still grounded in their African tradition, represented by the boat. This struggle between modernity and the African tradition is raised once again within the very same photograph. The three in the boat are in the left foreground of the picture and the dominating image to the right is the large oil pipeline in the background. The tube emerges from the water for what looks like fifteen meters and submerges again, most likely being some sort of inspection point for the system. The pipeline looks very dirty and unnatural compared to very traditional looking thatch huts located directly behind it. To further the idea of the presence of the oil line is the rainbow in the water caused by oil that has clearly leaked into the river . While the three people communicate an idea of wanting to Westernize, the pipeline and the contaminated water put across the idea that Westernized industry is being forced onto this village with grave repercussions. This idea is unnecessarily explained by the caption that informs the reader that the huts belong to a fishing village called Nembe and that the pipeline, belonging to Shell, is polluting the water and killing the fish . Thus this photograph by itself vividly represents the complicated relationship between African and Westernizing forces.

The photograph taken on page hundred and twenty-five ofCurse of the Black Gold illustrates many of the maladies of modern Nigeria only when it is coupled with the words explaining the situation. The photo is of a young man, possibly even a boy, in a garbage heap with tire fires burning all around him. The ground is covered with black soot and there are other people carrying on with various activities in the background. The boy is bending over and clearly working with the pile of slaughtered goat that is located directly in front of him. Blood oozes from the pile of dead livestock and the deep red hue is strikingly vibrant due to its contrast with the black ashen ground . This image alone, though graphic, does not carry a strong message (except maybe for vegetarians). Yet with one short paragraph this image becomes a powerful story. The caption explains that this area typically relied on fish for food but that oil pollution and over-population has dried up the fish stocks. The Hausa and Yoruba Muslims imaged are forced to eat different foods and the lack of resources forces them to prepare the new cuisine any way possible . Now the significance of the photograph is revealed. The boy is in the process of roasting the goats on the burning tires. A combination of industrial pollution and over population is forcing this teenager to prepare food over a fire that, “produce[s] a lot of smoke, which often carries toxic chemicals from the breakdown of rubber compounds while burning.” This practice is not only unhealthy put clearly perpetuates the pollution that helped put him in the situation to begin with. The combination of text and photograph narrates the story of Nigeria’s lack of infrastructure and resources to meet the rapid population growth and how it has forced this youth to poison the very food that sustains his people and himself.

Ed Kashi and Michael Watts understood that the situation in Nigeria is truly a crisis. They decided to utilize the influence of both photography and literature to relate to the world the environment of the modern Nigerian delta and their work Curse of the Black Gold is a powerful success to this end.

Kashi, Watts. pg. 125
Kashi, Watts. pg. 120
“Tire Fire” found at (April 6, 2009)

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Ed Interviewed by the Netherlands' Premier Gallery

Although a knowledge of the Dutch language would be helpful at times, it is not necessary to appreciate Ed's recent interview with Noorderlicht Gallery in Groningen. A discussion of Ed's work with regards to specific photos from Curse of the Black Gold, allows the listener to "see" the captured images through the spoken word.

Click the link below to hear the interview in its entirety.
De Avonden

And visit Noorderlicht Gallery

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Another U of M Essay from Eric

Thank you to Eric Walter for recognizing that, "One factor allows understanding of any people – humanity." With this idea in mind, Eric goes on to comment that , "...when I am shown the photographs of the people of Nigeria and read a passage in their voice, I can build up at least a basic relation to their lives. It is this relation which gives the text and images their power."

Eric: "...thirteen oil pipes running through a Delta neighborhood. ...children standing outside all staring at Ed Kashi, except for one girl running across the pipes and a boy playing on top of them. ...so many implications. How could these oil companies be affecting the Niger Delta society? What is the boy thinking as he plays on the pipes? The image alone sparks emotion and imagination, but it invokes as many questions as answers."

In reference to the photo, Eric remarks on "Dark Through the Delta", a poem by Uche Peter Umez, "...[which] can be summarized by the last 7 lines: 'I see the fat of the land / being eaten out by the burgeoning pollution, / by the intricate machinery of oil greed– / behold, it is the fortune / of my hapless kin / being eroded, stealthily erode...' ...[T]his poem eloquently says that a great fortune, th[r]ough greed and wastefulness is being harvested with nothing returned to its owners. The poem is a beautiful irony in a despicable situation, a valuable look at one native man’s insight expressed in an emotional, intellectual and artful level."

Eric presents another perspective on an image Sara Winker remarked on in her essay. "A particularly striking image is...the photo...of MEND members deep in the swampland giving a show of arms for fallen comrades. Most the members have adorned themselves with red ribbons, a symbol that the Ijaw god of war, Egbesu, is protecting them. It is an interesting combination of ancient custom with a modern fight."

Eric leaves us all with this thought, "Imagine a scenario as General Motors aspires to a last-ditch effort to save itself, where a CEO viewing photos/text such as those in Curse of the Black Gold exclaims, 'We finally get it. Our plan for car production has global implications.'”

We all need to reflect on the impact our actions have on humanity and our planet. Thank you Eric for inspiring the thought.

To read all of Eric's contribution, click below.

Eric Walter
4/7/09
Hist 247

An Introspection of Humanity: Pictures and Text in Curse of the Black Gold

In order to fully understand any culture I believe that one must not only be part of that culture but must experience other cultures beyond the one he lives in. It is hard to define what is a “full understanding,” but if someone can say, “I am truly an American” then that person should inherently be on the road to this full understanding. Thus, one may be live in a place, even for years, but never truly grasp the culture unless he was born and raised there. For one example, I have studied Irish culture for many years and lived in County Cork for a summer. Beyond what I knew about the Irish from their music and literature was multiplied a hundred-fold by living as part of the culture. With that accomplished, I realized that the longer I stayed there I would understand more and more, but never could I say that I fully understand what it means to be Irish. However, by taking in others’ such styles I have a new perspective of what it means to be an American. In another way, I have studied Latin for five years, but as I read more and more Roman literature and study Roman archeology, how could I ever understand fully even some of their most common colloquialisms. And indeed, Irish and Latin cultures are understood as Western mentalities, so to completely comprehend a culture so different from mine is surely unattainable.

But full understanding must not need to be the goal. One factor allows understanding of any people – humanity. Any person has the same needs and desires – family, friendship, food, comfort, art. Thus to empathize with any man requires only an open mind to the most basic needs and wants. So when I am shown the photographs of the people of Nigeria and read a passage in their voice, I can build up at least a basic relation to their lives. It is this relation which gives the text and images their power. Indeed I am referring to the opus of Ed Kashi and Michael Watts. Truly (as ignorant as it may be), before I opened Curse of the Black Gold, I had no idea that the U.S. was even taking oil out the Niger Delta area. Quickly I learned that out of the Billions of dollars worth of oil per year (even per month) taken from the Delta, the U.S. is the consumer of about fifty percent. Now if I had read such unknown media as the New York Times, I may have gathered as much. To derive such an intensive understanding that I now have is due to attending to such a book. I just could not have done it without seeing the pictures, reading the text, and most especially listening to Ed Kashi and Michael Watts give their first hand (second hand?) impressions (aside from the daunting task of visiting myself no doubt).

So to put in some concrete examples, let me refer to the photograph on pages 2-3. The image shows thirteen oil pipes running through a Delta neighborhood. There is a group of children standing outside all staring at Ed Kashi, except for one girl running across the pipes and a boy playing on top of them. The scene immediately strikes the viewer with so many implications. How could these oil companies be affecting the Niger Delta society? What is the boy thinking as he plays on the pipes? The image alone sparks emotion and imagination, but it invokes as many questions as answers. This is where the power of images defers to words. Since the image draws me in, I am compelled to read the first text entry, Shadows and Light in the Niger Delta by Ed Kashi (25-27). This passage is essential to the book because it explains the context of the book. The book’s creation was no tourist trip: both the government and the oil companies do not want him there, and he allied with a upstart militant group, MEND in order to move inside these restricted areas of the Delta. Reading about MEND and seeing pictures of their members, I have found one native perspective on the crisis. I gain a key understanding from seeing and reading how one particular, powerful group of “bitter men” intend to work towards a solution with radical means. A particularly striking image is that on pages 214-215. The photo is of MEND members deep in the swampland giving a show of arms for fallen comrades. Most the members have adorned themselves with red ribbons, a symbol that the Ijaw god of war, Egbesu, is protecting them. It is an interesting combination of ancient custom with a modern fight.

As I see more images of the Delta and more faces of the people, I can further understand and empathize with their feelings and mentalities. It is multiplied by the eloquence of Michael Watts, particularly during a discussion with him, when he said in a cathartic moment I can only long to create here: The Niger Delta continues to fuel the Modern World by being exploited. First, their people were stolen, then their palm-oil and now their black gold. His article explains how in 1956 oil was discovered in the Delta, a pipeline was in action by 1957 and by 1958 Nigerian oil was fueling British vehicles. By the ‘70s the output was comparable to today, 2.4 million barrels per day. Now, due to groups like MEND, 800,000 million barrels per day are kept from being exported. Other notable statistics: oil made up 87% of government revenue in 2007, an estimated 70% of that was stolen or wasted in 2003 and “only” 40% wasted in 2005. There is this small region of the world with a billion dollar export, but its government fails and the people that live literally where the oil is extracted stay there with nothing. These are disturbing facts that must be disseminated no matter what the medium.

At this point I have talked about some of the history of the Delta, the value and secrecy of its export, its unacceptable governmental waste and some of its exceptionally upset citizens. This is all crucial to understanding the state and proving that there is a crisis, but what is all important is going back to that photo on pages 2-3 of the pipes running through the neighborhood. It is about the families that were there before anyone knew there was oil, and how oil has changed their culture and landscape. One Delta poet, Uche Peter Umez has a poem, Dark Through the Delta on page 69. It can be summarized by the last 7 lines: “I see the fat of the land / being eaten out by the burgeoning pollution, / by the intricate machinery of oil greed– / behold, it is the fortune / of my hapless kin / being eroded, stealthily eroded….” Another whole paper could be written about this poem, and the thesis would express that this poem eloquently says that a great fortune, though greed and wastefulness is being harvested with nothing returned to its owners. The poem is a beautiful irony in a despicable situation, a valuable look at one native man’s insight expressed in an emotional, intellectual and artful level.

By reading some text, it is easy to understand how corrupt it is in the Delta. But what a news article may not fully explain is why we should care, why we should do something about it. This is where we need to find a thoroughfare– namely the juxtaposition of text and photography– to elicit empathy. By seeing a community’s habitat and seeing the people’s conditions and expressions on their faces, it then becomes easier to feel what they are thinking. Hopefully then it becomes clear that we shouldn’t take our energy for granted. Our oil is a limited resource and somewhere there are men losing their lives to keep us from getting it without anything in return. If the pictures and text in Curse of the Black Gold don’t directly influence the United Nations or U.S. government at least it should inspire its readers to stop blindly using Nigerian oil.

Imagine a scenario as General Motors aspires to a last-ditch effort to save itself, where a CEO viewing photos/text such as those in Curse of the Black Gold exclaims, “We finally get it. Our plan for car production has global implications.”

I imagine Kashi and Watts have similar fantasies on the impact their work could have on the United Nations, World Bank or even Wall Street. Or the impact on an individual American. It could happen.

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Andrew Joins the Discussion

A freshman in Professor Hunt's African history class, Andrew Goddeeris wrote that Curse "...utilizes a constant symbiotic relationship between images and words to weave a complex narrative about the oil industry in Nigeria and its disastrous effects on the environment, politics, and citizens. Kashi and Watts’ book is able to both captivate and alarm, fascinate and anger, bewilder and outrage."

"One of the book’s most powerful and important images [cover & spread pgs. 66-67]...Two men, faces unseen, stand a few feet from the camera, soaked in oil, as they take a break from haphazardly cleaning up an oil spill. The photo is a remarkable metaphor for the role of oil in Nigeria as a whole. Clogging each pore, covering every inch of skin, the oil clings to the men, coating them in a substance with immense value, but a substance whose economic benefits they have yet to receive. The men are Nigeria. Just as they are drenched with oil, so to is Nigeria."

"If this incredibly powerful image is a metaphor for the larger picture of oil in Nigeria, the piece 'Oil Fever' by Nnimmo Bassey (p. 90-1) provides a razor-sharp insight into a specific aspect of the nature of the oil industry. ...one dominated by disaster capitalism...As long as disaster is profitable for such a wide range of powerful people...there is little incentive for those same people to increase transparency and operate with the interests of the people of Nigeria in mind."

Andrew's comments on Ibiwari Ikiriko's poem “Under Pressure”, identified the use of "...short, simple syntax and striking exclamations of 'Danger!' 'Death!' and 'Warning!'...to paint a picture not only of the daily hazards Nigerians face as a result of the oil companies, but also of a way of life changed by the invading petrol giants... ...with the words [from the poem]...hauntingly located next to a startling picture of an oil fire blazing out of control...The effect is a palpable sense of heat, or danger, and of wanton neglect for the safety of the Nigerian people by the oil companies and government."

"The combination of Ed Kashi’s remarkable images and the articles and poetry assembled by Professor Michael Watts in Curse of the Black Gold provokes not only a much deeper understanding of the horrible situation of oil in Nigeria, but it also provokes anger and indignation at the atrocities committed in the Niger Delta in the name of oil and the urgent need to effect change."

Andrew, thank you for your contribution and eloquent words.

Please read all of Andrew's essay by clicking below.

Andrew Goddeeris
CAAS 247-003

Images and Text in Curse of the Black Gold

Photographer Ed Kashi and Professor Michael Watts’ stunning book Curse of the Black Gold utilizes a constant symbiotic relationship between images and words to weave a complex narrative about the oil industry in Nigeria and its disastrous effects on the environment, politics, and citizens. Through rich, moving photographs from Kashi’s expedition to the oil-rich Western African nation and vibrant, passionate pieces from African authors, Curse of the Black Gold becomes a powerful statement on the destructiveness of the extractive petro-economy. Curse of the Black Gold is a triumph of the relationship between photographs and words and their ability to arouse indignation and inspire change. By combining startling, fantastic visual aids with concrete, quantifiable written pieces, Kashi and Watts’ book is able to both captivate and alarm, fascinate and anger, bewilder and outrage.

One of the book’s most powerful and important images is featured prominently on the cover, and is also found as a stunning two page spread on pages 66 and 67. Two men, faces unseen, stand a few feet from the camera, soaked in oil, as they take a break from haphazardly cleaning up an oil spill. The photo is a remarkable metaphor for the role of oil in Nigeria as a whole. Clogging each pore, covering every inch of skin, the oil clings to the men, coating them in a substance with immense value, but a substance whose economic benefits they have yet to receive. The men are Nigeria. Just as they are drenched with oil, so to is Nigeria. Oil is commerce, is politics, is a way of life. Oil is omnipresent in Nigeria, dictating and shaping life in the cities and Delta alike. The men cannot clean themselves of the oil that permeates their skin, and Nigeria cannot rid itself of the oil that lies beneath its soil. The men have been hired to clean up an oil spill, and this signifies how, for seemingly many, many years to come, Nigerians will be cleaning up after the careless, destructive oil companies that are happy to abuse Nigeria for profit.

If this incredibly powerful image is a metaphor for the larger picture of oil in Nigeria, the piece “Oil Fever” by Nnimmo Bassey (p. 90-1) provides a razor-sharp insight into a specific aspect of the nature of the oil industry. The article explains that the oil industry is one dominated by disaster capitalism, that is companies that benefit from gas flaring, oil spills, and the other associated natural and manmade disasters that stem from oil extraction and production. As long as disaster is profitable for such a wide range of powerful people – from government officials to C.E.O.s – there is little incentive for those same people to increase transparency and operate with the interests of the people of Nigeria in mind. With the image of two oil-slick men fresh in the reader’s mind, this article enforces the desperation of the situation and the crucial need for power to be restored to the people of Nigeria in lieu of the oil cartels and their beneficiaries. While the image arouses notions of an extensive, corrupt industry that pays locals to clean up its messes, the article solidifies and consolidates outrage against the oil institution that is so predatory and grossly capitalistic in its methods and practices by putting a face on the perpetrators of such heinous and destructive acts and the damage they cause.

One of the most moving pieces in Curse of the Black Gold is the poem by Ibiwari Ikiriko entitled “Under Pressure” (p. 98). Using short, simple syntax and striking exclamations of “Danger!” “Death!” and “Warning!” Ikiriko paints a picture not only of the daily hazards Nigerians face as a result of the oil companies, but also of a way of life changed by the invading petrol giants. “Trespassers will be compressed. Roasted. Melted.” The words are hauntingly located next to a startling picture of an oil fire blazing out of control. The effect is a palpable sense of heat, or danger, and of wanton neglect for the safety of the Nigerian people by the oil companies and government. One gets the sense that people truly are roasted or melted by the pipelines, and the combination of strong, startling words with an actual application of the words in a very real setting has the effect of impressing upon the reader not only the constant danger facing Nigerian people but also the lawlessness oil companies operate under and the failures of government to protect its citizens.

By combining startling, fantastic visual aids with concrete, quantifiable written pieces, Kashi and Watts’ book is able to both captivate and alarm, fascinate and anger. These images and pieces illuminate two very important aspects of the oil industry in Nigeria. First, oil is all encompassing, playing a massive role in commerce, politics, and daily life. Because of this huge spectrum of influence, oil is a remarkably profitable industry, and one that is self-reproducing precisely because of things like the profitability of its disasters. When companies and government win in all cases, even disaster, not only is there no incentive to avoid disaster, but also more importantly there is no incentive to change the atrocious status quo. Secondly, the oil industry is remarkably destructive and dangerous, and it is largely the failings of government that allow the environment to be ravaged and Nigerians to be burned, maimed, and killed. The combination of Ed Kashi’s remarkable images and the articles and poetry assembled by Professor Michael Watts in Curse of the Black Gold provokes not only a much deeper understanding of the horrible situation of oil in Nigeria, but it also provokes anger and indignation at the atrocities committed in the Niger Delta in the name of oil and the urgent need to effect change.

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Welcome Amy - Another Student's Interpretations

Thank you to Amy Gilbert from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor for contributing her essay on Curse of the Black Gold. According to Amy, "Two...texts that...[were] especially interesting...gave a historical background of the youth and women involved in and suffering through this conflict. ...'Generation' by Felix Tuodolo and Ibiba Don Pedro’s piece...'Vanishing Soft Side' provided me with a narrative to deepen my understanding of the photographs..."


Amy: "...a worker cleans up an oil spill in the town of Oloibiri. Machete in hand, this young man’s posture suggests he is in front of a larger struggle. His eyes appear tired and angry, yet ready to fight. As a youth, this man serves as a voice of the people, in charge of the progress and political change of his fellow Nigerians. His body covered in dirt and sweat represents this struggle, and the need to persevere as he carries the future of his community on his shoulders."

Amy: "...a woman rests as her daughter breastfeeds amidst a crowded market boat on a two-hour long journey to their small village. The woman holds her head in her hand, eyebrows furrowed, and surrounded by cardboard boxes, empty plastic bottles and bags, blankets, bare feet, and her child burrowed in her bosom. The connotation radiating from this picture is one of strength and perseverance while this woman provides for her child. The voices of the women in the Niger Delta have been suppressed by the violence of MEND, yet their struggles continue. Looking at this photograph, I hear this woman not complaining, but continuing to nurture and fight for the future rights of her children as advocated by Ibiba Don Pedro."

Amy: "An additional photograph that I found extremely poignant...two young boys sitting in a run-down primary school at a desk in an empty room. One boy is looking over the other's shoulder and helping him with his schoolwork. In reference to Tuodolo’s passage, I see the strength of prospective youth leaders in this image, preparing to take on the task of defending their Niger Delta and generating social change. This photograph also emits a feeling of comfort, of a motherly warmth and support...as the one child looks over the other’s work. His expression of concentration and pursed lips conveys his dedication, hard work, and desire to succeed. In understanding the passages by Tuodolo and Don Pedro as well as the history told by Michael Watts, this image of the two young boys portrays the present and future of the Niger Delta situation."
Amy, thank you for your comments and observations.

To read Amy's entire essay, click below.

Amy Gilbert
Curse of the Black Gold
April 7, 2009


In Curse of the Black Gold, Ed Kashi’s striking photographs of the Niger Delta are paired with Michael Watts and others’ brilliant texts. The intense emotions captured in each photograph paired with historical and personal narratives of the Delta allow for a deeper understanding of the nature of the injustices of oil insurgencies in the Niger Delta. The Niger Delta is known as the “world of shadows”, one in which the disparity between the secrecy and publicity about their causes remains in the dark of this troubled land. As Michael Watts wrote in his prologue of the book, “oil has brought only misery, violence, and a dying ecosystem” (p. 36). The subsequent photographs and texts in the book display this suffering and allow the reader to feel and witness these hardships. Two of the texts that I found especially interesting were those that gave a historical background of the youth and women involved in and suffering through this conflict. These two passages, entitled Generation by Felix Tuodolo and Ibiba Don Pedro’s piece entitled Vanishing Soft Side provided me with a narrative to deepen my understanding of the photographs as well.

In Felix Tuodolo’s passage entitled Generation (p. 114-115), he describes the “restive youth problem”, or the discrepancy between generations and politics. The Nigerian Delta youth are composed of those aged fifteen to forty-five, and assumed the position of those responsible for the mobility and advancement of their people. These youth serve as mediators, protectorates, and leaders seeking to better the politics of the Niger Delta, and employ a wide variety of force and violence to succeed. These young people carry the burden of responsibility on their shoulders, and they have therefore often been called the “shadow structures” of the Niger Delta.

With the knowledge of these circumstances gained through reading the words of Tuodolo, the heavy weight of this pressure is evident in Ed Kashi’s photographs on the faces of the youth. On page 8, a worker cleans up an oil spill in the town of Oloibiri. Machete in hand, this young man’s posture suggests he is in front of a larger struggle. His eyes appear tired and angry, yet ready to fight. As a youth, this man serves as a voice of the people, in charge of the progress and political change of his fellow Nigerians. His body covered in dirt and sweat represents this struggle, and the need to persevere as he carries the future of his community on his shoulders. With the assistance of Tuodolo’s writing, the enormous power and influence this man assumes as a youth aids in understanding the visual depiction of his struggle.

In the passage entitled Vanishing Soft Side by Ibiba Don Pedro (p.128-129), she illustrates the importance of women’s roles throughout the Niger Delta. Don Pedro argues that women have suffered the most during the oil crisis; including losing their husbands and sons and being victims of rape. These sometimes-invisible struggles are what give some women the strength to become influential activists among youth groups involved in inciting change. While women may be in the backdrop of the Niger Delta society, Ibiba’s passage indicates that they are the mothers of the potential future leaders of their society.

It is this responsibility that is expressed through Ed Kashi’s images of the Niger Delta women. On page 158, a woman rests as her daughter breastfeeds amidst a crowded market boat on a two-hour long journey to their small village. The woman holds her head in her hand, eyebrows furrowed, and surrounded by cardboard boxes, empty plastic bottles and bags, blankets, bare feet, and her child burrowed in her bosom. The connotation radiating from this picture is one of strength and perseverance while this woman provides for her child. The voices of the women in the Niger Delta have been suppressed by the violence of MEND, yet their struggles continue. Looking at this photograph, I hear this woman not complaining, but continuing to nurture and fight for the future rights of her children as advocated by Ibiba Don Pedro.

An additional photograph that I found extremely poignant is on page 117, with two young boys sitting in a run-down primary school at a desk in an empty room. One boy is looking over the others shoulder and helping him with his schoolwork. In reference to Tuodolo’s passage, I see the strength of prospective youth leaders in this image, preparing to take on the task of defending their Niger Delta and generating social change. This photograph also emits a feeling of comfort, of a motherly warmth and support indicated by Don Pedro, as the one child looks over the other’s work. His expression of concentration and pursed lips conveys his dedication, hard work, and desire to succeed.

In understanding the passages by Tuodolo and Don Pedro as well as the history told by Michael Watts, this image of the two young boys portrays the present and future of the Niger Delta situation. The work and struggles of the youth and support for their community represent a considerable part of the hope for the future of the Niger Delta, a society full of lawlessness and criminality. This image also symbolizes a yearning and thirst for a brighter outlook and a need for the improvement of the oil insurgent situation. The future of the Niger Delta is in the hands of these youth, those who engage in a continuous endeavor to truly make a difference for the betterment of their people.

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Livebooks new Photojournalism Website Design

I don't usually endorse many services or products, especially for free, but I must tell anyone who is interested and/or in need of website development, especially photojournalists, that Livebooks has just introduced a new site to help you out. Especially with the demise of services like DigitalRailroad, there's never been a better time to look into what Livebooks has to offer. I have worked with them to develop my Niger Delta website, Curse of The Black Gold, and found them to be very helpful and great to work with. The costs seem reasonable, especially compared to hiring an independent web designer. It's really a question of what works best for the individual, but you should check them out.

Livebooks Photojournalism

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Sara - The First Student Voice!

Thank you to History major Sara Winik for being the first University of Michigan, Ann Arbor student to offer her contribution to our ongoing discourse on the Niger Delta.


Sara: "From behind the curtain door is a young girl, curious but also reserved, peering at the photographer through the rain. This photograph is symbolic of many attitudes in the Niger Delta. The people of the region are the ones who suffer at the hands of all other groups; big oil companies, government, and militant groups. The people have no reason to trust any higher body in power because everyone else involved in the Niger Delta cycle are benefiting at the locals’ expense."

Sara: "The combination of these two scenes demonstrates the disparity between the wealthy in power and the poor Nigerians. The mother has no one to look to for help. The King, nevertheless, sits peaceful in the reception room of his palace while the people he is supposed to lead, suffer."

Sara: "Lastly, the photograph of MEND and another armed militant group depicts how even the people standing up to the oil companies and the government cannot be trusted. Although they appear similar, the two different militant groups can be distinguished from how they are holding their guns. The group on the left is pointing their guns down toward the other group whereas the militants in the boat on the right are pointing their guns to the sky. This photograph shows the internal differences amongst militant groups. The Nigerians are not organizing uprisings together. Instead, separate factions form that work together at times but mostly for profit not for the greater good of the region."



Thank you, Sara for your insights!

To read Sara's essay in its entirety, click below.

Sara Winik
History 247
3/29/09
Black Gold Paper

The Cycle of Trusting ‘No Body’ in the Niger Delta: Curse of the Black Gold


Ed Kashi’s pictures coupled with Michael Watt’s writings can be used together to see the cycle of mistrust in the Niger Delta that leads to suffering, injustice, and poverty. The people of the Niger Delta do not have anyone to represent them or represent their issues. The oil companies exploit the Nigerian environment, natural resources, and labor. The government benefits from big oil companies paying them off. Additionally, many militant youth groups who claim to be fighting for equality in the Niger Delta are actually benefiting from government and big oil companies’ bribes. The pictures and texts together portray this cycle.

One of the earliest pictures in The Curse of the Black Gold, is a picture on page 12-13 which depicts a metal house with bold black graffiti on the wall reading “Trust No Body.” From behind the curtain door is a young girl, curious but also reserved, peering at the photographer through the rain. This photograph is symbolic of many attitudes in the Niger Delta. The people of the region are the ones who suffer at the hands of all other groups; big oil companies, government, and militant groups. The people have no reason to trust any higher body in power because everyone else involved in the Niger Delta cycle are benefiting at the locals’ expense. Even Kashi, a photojournalist who is attempting to open the eyes of the world to the mistreatment of the Niger Delta, appears threatening to this little girl.

The history of the Niger Delta’s extractive economy as told in Ukoha Ukiwo’s “Empire of Commodities” further shows how the people have little to trust as seen in the above photograph. Ukiwo explains how at first the Portuguese entered the region to extract its spices and ivory. Then, by the 1700s, the population was used as slaves, following a transition into legitimate commerce in palm oil. Eventually, the European and Americans extracted oil starting in 1956. Ukiwo states that “the Niger Delta stands today-as it has for five centuries and more-at the epicenter of a violent economy of extraction,” (70). This article shows how historically, the people of the Niger Delta have been exploited. Therefore, the graffiti from the picture saying “trust No Body” reigns true in the fifteenth century as well as today.

Moreover, the juxtaposition of a picture of a King to a picture of an eighteen-year-old mother further shows how the people of the Niger Delta have no one to trust. King Egi of Ogabaland is shown sitting on a leather couch wearing a lavish red and gold shirt with a golden crown and leather shoes. Next to him is a toddler boy in pants and a white polo shirt playing on the couch (106-107). However, on the next spread is a young mom staring up at the camera in desperation. To her left is her two-year-old son barley clothed, sleeping on the floor (108-109). The combination of these two scenes demonstrates the disparity between the wealthy in power and the poor Nigerians. The mother has no one to look to for help. The King, nevertheless, sits peaceful in the reception room of his palace while the people he is supposed to lead, suffer.

The idea of the government benefiting at the expense of the civilians is seen in a quote by Alhaji Nuhu Ribadu, the Chairman of the Nigerian Economic And Financial Crimes Commission. This text supports the disparity of wealth and resources as represented in the photographs. In 2007 Ribadu stated, “the Nigerian state is not even corruption. It is organized crime,” (203). This quote describes how the corrupted state does not look out for the wellbeing of the population. Instead, like the picture of the well-dressed King, the government profits to the detriment of others. This connects back to the first photograph of the graffiti, as well. It shows how there is no one for the average young mother to look to for help. This type of exploitation in the Niger Delta has occurred continuously for decades.

Lastly, the photograph of MEND and another armed militant group depicts how even the people standing up to the oil companies and the government cannot be trusted. Both militant groups are photographed in motorboats with black masks and machine guns (214-215). Although they appear similar, the two different militant groups can be distinguished from how they are holding their guns. The group on the left is pointing their guns down toward the other group whereas the militants in the boat on the right are pointing their guns to the sky. This photograph shows the internal differences amongst militant groups. The Nigerians are not organizing uprisings together. Instead, separate factions form that work together at times but mostly for profit not for the greater good of the region.

Falix Tuodolo’s article, “Generation,” describes the dynamics of the youth groups in Nigeria as well. He explains how the past few decades have transferred a large amount of power from the chiefs to the youth. The youth “have inserted themselves between local communities and big business and between local communities and government,” (114). However, Tuodolo also states that the youth groups compete with one another for “power and supremacy,” (115). This proves, as seen in the picture of the two militant groups working together but still weary of one another, that the groups alleged goals of providing equality to the people never actually reach the people. Instead, the militant groups take power for themselves and are another sphere of influence that the Nigerian people cannot trust.

The pictures combined with the texts in the Curse of the Black Gold work in tangent to depict the Nigerian peoples’ inability to trust any higher power in the region. The oil companies exploit the land and people, the government profits off of the oil companies, and the militant groups take advantage of the oil companies. In the end, it is the Nigerian people who live in poverty and face unequal conditions. As seen in the saying on the metal house the Nigerian people “Trust No Body,” because all the groups are fighting for power and profits not the Nigerian population’s interests.

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