Before Ken Saro-Wiwa was publicly executed in a flawed trial that represented IOCs vs. the People, he said:

“I am not one of those who shy away from protesting injustice and oppression but the military do not act alone. They are supported by a gaggle of politicians, lawyers, judges, academics, and businessmen, all of them hiding under the claim that they are only doing their duty, men and women too afraid to wash their pants of their urine. We all stand on trial, my lord, for by our actions we have denigrated our country and jeopardized the future of our children.”

In my years of working in the Niger Delta Region, as far back as 2010, I have seen the value chain of injustice. We are quick to pass blame, but if we are sincere in Africa, the truth must be told.

Everybody plays a role in this evil.

First and foremost, the eldest of them all, the Oil Companies. They cut corners, use cheap materials, divide and rule for their benefit, empower thugs, overlook warnings, ignore guidelines, exploit cheap labor, and treat the people with disregard. Their footprints are stained with the oil that poisons our rivers and lands, with the blood of those who resist, and with the tears of generations whose livelihoods have been wiped away.

To the Regulators—those who should stand as the gatekeepers of our safety and environment. Instead, they collect bribes, ove

rlook non-compliance, fail to show up, adopt a lackadaisical attitude, employ unqualified personnel, and ultimately betray the trust of the people. Your silence and inaction have allowed this cycle of destruction to continue.

To the Top Nigerian Workers in the Oil Industry. You cut corners, inflate figures, purchase substandard materials, pay bribes, and teach the IOCs how to exploit the system because you have connections in high places. You intimidate junior staff, subjugate women, and take advantage of the vulnerable, all for personal gain. You are just as guilty as the companies you claim to oppose.

To the Community Leaders and CDCs. You embezzle funds meant for your people, inflate contracts, sell scholarship slots, and mobilize cultists to intimidate those who dare to speak out. You create unnecessary factions to weaken the collective voice, sabotage agreements, and align with the IOCs against your own people. You sell out your communities for a seat at the table of oppressors.

To the CSOs and NGOs. You were meant to be the voice of the voiceless, but instead, you cut corners, pocket funds meant for relief, sell palliatives meant for flood victims, use suffering as a campaign tool, and give resources meant for the people to your family and friends. An NGO was caught selling solar panels that were funded for free distribution. You mislead communities, exploit their pain, and turn advocacy into business.

As Ken Saro-Wiwa put it:

“We all stand on trial, my lord, for by our actions we have denigrated our country and jeopardized the future of our children.”

But let this be our turning point.

The Niger Delta does not have to be a wasteland of lost hope and stolen futures. It can be a land of prosperity, clean waters, fertile lands, and opportunity. But it begins with accountability. It begins with truth. It begins with a collective refusal to continue down this destructive path.

We must demand better—better policies, better leadership, better implementation, and better commitment to our people. If Nigeria is to rise above its challenges, it starts with the decisions we make today.

We cannot afford to fail the generations yet unborn. The time for change is now.

Sincerely,

Diolu Tobechukwu Prosper

Concerned Niger Deltan…