The Destruction of Odi: Political and Psychological Implications

Priye Torulagha

The political and psychological implications of the destruction of Odi town in Bayelsa State are many and far reaching.

First, the devastating attack simply confirms and solidifies the feelings throughout the oil-producing areas that Nigeria does not care and has no interest in protecting the human rights of the citizens. Its primary interest is petroleum, no more no less.

Second, that the Nigerian Government has never made a serious effort to discuss the issues, hence, does not understand the true feelings of the citizens of the oil-producing areas regarding the exploration, exploitation, environmental degradation, revenue allocation, political and economic marginalization.

Third, the Nigerian Government assumes that the increasing youthful militancy in the Niger Delta can be stopped by teaching the communities from which they came a lesson. The destruction of Odi, is therefore, regarded as a lesson. Here, the government ignores a universal truth. When people are pushed to the wall, they definitely always fight back. Moreover, the government is making it quite easy for militant groups to have recruits for their causes. The more the government resorts to big stick military tactics, the more the militant groups would apply guerrilla tactics to fight back.

Fourth, the government misreads the Niger Delta situation. The Niger Delta rebellion is a grassroots movement, stemming from 39 years of neglect. It is organized by the youths, from the bottom up. This is quite different from the Biafran situation which was organized from the top down. It cannot be controlled by manipulation, twisting of the arms, intimidation, or destruction of lives and property. However, it can be managed by the actual negotiation of the issues.

Fifth, the attack on Odi, like the attacks on Kaiama, Iriyan, Opia, Egi, Obite, Obagi, Yenagoa, Ogoniland, Etche, Ikebiri, Imiringi, Choba etc. shows a military force that either lacks self confidence or is not trained to carry out surgical operations without endangering everyone. The soldiers seemed to be scared, hence, shoot indiscriminately in a lawless manner. They seemed not to be aware of the international treaties concerning the treatment of noncombatants. The people of the oil-producing areas have been treated by Nigeria's para-military, security, and the military forces as nonNigerians and dealt with harshly. Generally, these forces kill indiscriminately. Likewise, despite protests, no military or police officer has ever been tried by the Nigerian Government for excessive use of force and indiscriminate killing of innocent citizens. Although, unfortunate, it is not surprising that the Egbesu Boys killed those 12 policemen. The militaristic behavior of Nigerian forces is compelling Niger Delta youths to take up arms and fight back to protect their communities. The military behavior is also forcing the citizens of the oil-producing areas to treat Nigerian police and military forces as "occupation forces."

Sixth, the Nigerian Armed Forces still find it very difficult to relate to the civilian population. Since the military came into power, it has not been able to create a workable military/civilian community relations program that would enable soldiers to treat civilians as honorable and respectable citizens. In other words, the Nigerian military is not growing intellectually and psychologically to reflect changes in Nigerian society. The military continues to think and behaves like an occupying colonial force, even though Nigerian society has become much more sophisticated. This creates a major national problem. Infact, the more than 30 years of military misrule is directly connected to the military's inability to intellectually see beyond the horizon. Therefore, the proliferation of militant ethnic groups is directly related to the big stick tactics of the military in dealing with the civilian population.

Seventh, the Federal Government of Nigeria, like a vast majority of the colonially-induced African governments, lacks foresight in devising nonviolent ways of resolving political and economic disputes. This is why military force is the modus operandi of the state. For instance, the Niger Delta and the oil revenue sharing issues would have been resolved since Gen. Yakubu Gowon's era, but those in power thought that they could manipulate,threaten, bribe some people, and pacify through the use of force. It is not an overstatement to say that Nigeria still does'nt know how to solve the oil issue. Likewise, Nigeria still cannot explain why the area that produces 90% of the country's revenue is the least developed and is the poorest.

Eighth, the destructive attack on Odi was intended to warn other oil-producing communities about Nigeria's willingness to use massive force if necessary.Militarily, it made sense but politically and psychologically it did not. It demonstrates the fact that Nigeria's democracy is dominated by the military. It confirms the allegations of the citizens of the oil-producing areas concerning the extreme abuse of their rights by Nigeria. Like the killing of Chief Ken Saro Wiwa, the destruction of Odi has further highlighted to the world, the Niger Delta situation. Nigeria seems to be its worst enemy because of the tendency to analyze situations militarily without taking the political implications into consideration. Nigeria has put Odi in the world map.

Ninth, the destructive attack on Odi was also intended to put a stop to the Egbesu phenomenon. The stories about the invincibility of Egbesu members had a devastating psychological effect on members of the police and the military. The government could not accept a condition in which its ability to use force could be hampered by the fact that bullets fall harmlessly without hitting their targets. Morever, the members of the para-military and the military forces would become too scared to carry out governemt orders for fear that Egbesu members would literally kill them without any chance of escape. Since Odi is considered to be the headquarters of the Egbesu group, the Nigerian Government decided to destroy it in order to convince soldiers and Nigerian citizens that there is nothing to the Egbesu thing.

Tenth, the destructive attack on Odi and the killings at Choba and other oil-producing areas show that Nigeria is increasingly becoming a neocolonial state. In particular, the relationship between Nigeria and the multinational oil corporations foretells of an increasing dependence on foreign interests. The relationship seems to be violative of Nigeria's sovereignity. The Nigerian Government does not hesitate to kill Nigerian citizens and destroy properties in order to protect the interests of multinational corporations. The closest examples of what is happening in Nigeria today are Congo and Liberia. In the Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Congo Leopoldville, Zaire), the multinational corporations were very powerful and helped to instigate the Katanga rebellion. Congo is still controlled by mutlinational corporations. Liberia was literally ruled by the Firestone Tire Corporation before the civil war. The country could not developed because every decision had to gain the approval of Firestone. In both the Congo and Liberia, only few people gained from the resources. In Nigeria, only few corrupted people gained from the oil wealth. Nigeria is also going the way of the Banana Republics of Latin America in which multinational corporations held both political and economic power.

Nigeria is also becoming very neocolonial, in the sense that its primary interest in the oil-producing areas appears to be oil. In this regard, the attack on Odi and other towns resembled the Royal Niger Company attacks on Itsekiri, Patani, Abari etc. in 1894 and the attack on Nembe in 1895 in reprisal for the Akassa Raid. The Royal Niger Company wanted to make sure that its economic interests could not be stopped by the indigenes. Nigeria too does not care about what happens to the indigenes, as far as the oil continues to flow.

Eleventh, the ultimatum given to the governor of Bayelsa State ordering him to restore order was a major political mistake. It confirms once again the feeling that Nigeria does not understand the situation in the Niger Delta and all the oil-producing areas. If previous military governors could not restore order to the region, how does any one expect a civilian governor to restore order, in just a twinkling of the eye? After more than 30 years of promises and failures, the people in the oil-producing ares have no respect for any Nigerian governmental authority. The lack of respect is particularly acute in Bayelsa State. Moreover, the state government is considered to be a colonial stooge of the federal system. Consequently, the state only exists in theory. The governor has no real power. The governor's powerlessness is heightened by the fact that Nigeria has historically dealt with the oil-producing areas by appointing to office corrupt elements from those communities who then served as stooges to the big federal players. In short, the ultimatum simply weakened the governor even more.

Real power in Bayelsa and throughout Izonland lies with the Izon National Congress (INC) and Izon Youth Council (IYC). Any serious negotiation must involve the governor, INC and IYC. The IYC will be suspicious of any deal made with either the governor Or the INC alone. The Isokos, Itsekiris, Ogonis, Ikwerres, Uhrobos, Ibibios, Etches, etc. are also going the way of the youth councils because some of their elders let them down in the past by serving as money carriers for the oil bunglers.

Twelve, Nigeria must rebuild Odi very quickly in order to avoid establishing a legal precedent that a whole community can be held accountable for the actions of a few. The miltiary action was built on the notion that Odi should be punished for the actions of Egbesu members. Such a sweeping interpretation of the law is dangerous to the stability of Nigeria. If Nigerian Government justifies such an interpretation of the law, then what stops the people of the Niger Delta from holding all former heads of state of Nigeria and top governmental officials responsible for the exploitattion of the Niger Delta?. What stops Nigerians from killing all former government officials for running down the country? What stops various communities from waging war against the police and the military for years of brutality?

Thirteenth, Nigeria must convene a national conference to discuss the structure, the direction and the distribution of power and resources. This is the only way to legitimize Nigeria's existence after a bastard colonial origin. All issues, including the Sharia must be discussed democratically.

Fourteenth, the Nigerian Armed Forces lacks human relations skills in dealing with the population at large. The military has shown time after time a proclivity toward excessive use of force in dealing with communal problems. Basically, officer candidates and officers should be made to take courses in political science, psychology, and human relations. The courses should be selected so as to demonstrate the relationship between political consequences and behaviors. In other words, enable officers to know that people react aggressively when provoked or physically abused by undue use of force. The more the military acts and reacts forcefully, Nigerians too act and react forcefully in order to counter the abuse of power.

Priye S. Torulagha (PH.D., MHR)

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