Activism and the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta Region of Nigeria

Abstract

This study examines militancy as one of the tools of activism in the Niger Delta region geared towards addressing pervasive inequity and marginalization in the region which predates independence in 1960. The spontaneity culminates to 12 days revolution in the Niger Delta region led by Isaac Adaka Boro in 1966 and, this however increased in intensity since the return of the democratic rule in Nigeria in 1999 with the emergence of movement for the survival of the Ogoni people (MOSOP) Niger Delta volunteer group (NVG) Egbusi Boys (EBs), movement for the emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND). This activism extends to different parts of Nigerian states such as; Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) in the south eastern, Boko Haram (Islamic jihadist fundamentalist) and lakurawa in the Northern part and the Oodua people’s congress (OPC) in the Western part and other anomic groups such as EndSARS in 2020 to address police brutality.  However the study adopted anomic theory as the theoretical lens while data was sourced through secondary and primary source. The primary data were sourced through semi structured interview where 25 respondents’ were purposively selected from the three states of Delta(8),Bayelsa (8) and Rivers(9)while the secondary data were sourced through journal articles, periodicals, government reports, newspapers and internet based materials, and data analyzed in thematic content. The study found that activism is a useful tool  for the advancement of any society that deployed it for social justice, and the study  concludes that activism whether it metamorphose to militancy or not is a critical instrument for addressing societal injustice and, as well as to hold government accountable