By Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja
Oronto Douglas died on 9th April 2015.
Yesterday was the 10th year anniversary of his death!!!
I had the privilege of meeting him during my days as an undergraduate law student at the Rivers State University.
In the year 2002, as a fourth-year law student, I selected Environmental Law as an elective course.
I spent a lot of time at the environmental library of the Environmental Rights Action (ERA) which was located at the D/Line Area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
It was during those library visits that I held discussions with Oronto Douglas (then the head of ERA) and others such as the late Patrick Naagbanton.
These discussions inspired me to write environmental law as the focus of my master’s degree dissertation.
During my PhD dissertation, the 2003 book co-authored by Oronto Douglas was an invaluable reference material.
The title of the book is: “Where Vultures Feast: Shell, Human Rights and Oil in the Niger Delta”.
It was co-authored by:
“Ike Okonta and Oronto Douglas”, in the said book, both authors “present a devastating case against the world’s largest oil company, demonstrating how (in contrast to Shell’s public profile) irresponsible practices have degraded agricultural land and left a people destitute. The plunder of the Niger Delta has turned full circle as crude oil has taken the place of palm oil, but the dramatis personae remain the same: a powerful multinational company bent on extracting the last drop of blood from the richly endowed Niger Delta, and a courageous people determined to resist.”
Even though he did not live to see it, Shell has now vacated Nigeria’s Niger Delta for good.
And the previous impunity and neglect of previous governments of Nigeria against the Niger Delta region has at least abated!!!
In the place of Shell and oppressive governments, another monster has arisen in the form of the quartet of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (PBAT), Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (NEW), a group of pliant members of the judiciary and the current leadership of the National Assembly.
Beginning with the Supreme Court judgment of 28th February 2025 to the unconstitutional declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers, this quartet has demonstrated that nothing, no legal or constitutional impediment can stand in the way of the illegal political ambition (s) to capture and control both the revenue and political capital belonging and emanating from Rivers State.
Just like Roman Emperors of historical times, they have appointed a Consul/Procurator holding the unconstitutional title of Sole Administrator, a title that is not mentioned under Section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 under which they purported to derive powers to impose the said State of Emergency in Rivers State.
If Oronto Douglas were alive, he would be heartbroken to watch that one of the arrow-heads of this illegal contraption is a former comrade named Professor Ibibia Worika, recently appointed as Secretary to the unconstitutional Government of the said Sole Administrator of Rivers State.
It will be heart-breaking to Oronto Douglas considering that Prof. Ibibia Worika was one of the intellectual heavyweights in the fight for environmental justice for the Niger Delta region.
Prof. Ibibia Worika’s PhD study at the University of Aberdeen and the book based on his this is entitled: “Environmental Law & Policy of Petroleum Development: Strategies and Mechanisms for Sustainable Management in Africa” and was published by Anpez Centre for Environment and Development in 2002.
There is no use crying over spilled milk.
There is a popular saying: “When Vultures Surround You, Try Not To Die”.
The above-named proverb is apt and is a call for resilience in the face of the great odds.
The Niger Delta region has demonstrated resilience and survived the combined assault of both Shell and successive Nigerian governments!!!
There is no doubt that Governor Fubara and others who uphold the Rule of Law, would be survivors of this current onslaught against Rivers State and the quartet and the unconstitutional Sole Administrator!!!
We shall overcome!!!!
