Political violence and oil in Africa: The case of Nigeria

The book argues that in order to better understand the undercurrents of the Niger Delta conflict, it is imperative to analyse the dynamics of choice in terms of the distinct courses of action taken by the Ogoni and Ijaw. Given the similar structural constraints, the author considers why the Ogoni adopted nonviolent resistance, and the Ijaw violent resistance.

Chapter One made available here provides an introduction to oil and political violence in African conflicts, discusses the methodology and scope of this study, and presents a synoptic overview of four other resource-rich countries in Africa (Angola, Chad, Congo, and South Sudan) that have, like Nigeria, experienced oil-related conflicts. It briefly introduces the prelude to conflicts and resistance in Africa dating back to the colonial era where different African communities protested against various forms of rules imposed upon them by colonial rulers. The modes of resistance employed were violent as demonstrated by the Kenyan Mau Mau rebellion, the Maji Maji resistance in Tanzania, the Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba resistance in Senegal and the nonviolent resistance seen in the Aba Women’s riot in Nigeria. This book addresses the reasons explaining why the Ogoni and the Ijaw, having shared similar lived experiences, decide to adopt different strategies of engagement with the state that saw the use of nonviolence and violence in the Niger Delta.