Ogoni People

Adding to issue was the need to improve the lives of the Ogoni people by giving them jobs, an education, and cleaning up the region. Although “oil deposits in Nigeria’s Niger Delta generate 80 percent of current government revenues” (Weeks 599), “oil revenues have improved the lives of few Nigerians: Some 70 percent of the country’s 155 million citizens live in poverty, two-thirds lack access to basic sanitation and life expectancy is less than 48 years” (Weeks 600). The final proposal that promised education and job training for all people in the region from Shell and the government was hopeful in that the Ogoni would now have a form of income, and it would be a start to helping them get out of poverty. “Payments toward the Ogoni people will

I think the simulation also accurately portrayed how minor groups in Nigeria were ignored, like the HRW, CWG, and Greenpeace. However, I’m unsure as to why the CWG had a vote in the final proposal. There were also some issues that the simulation ignored altogether: They didn’t include foreign country’s involvement or investments in the oil production. I’m sure the United States pushed our way in somehow, and surrounding countries of Nigeria, specifically Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, were involved as the oil spills affected them, as well. Another thing was that groups that had a lot of actions taken against them didn’t actually end up paying for them/experiencing consequences. They were basically just threats that never went on to something more significant. They also decided not to include the fact that there are other major oil companies working in the region, such as Royal Dutch Shell and Eni (“Nigeria: Hundreds of Oil Spills Continue to Blight Niger Delta”). I do think, however, that if these aspects we considered in the simulation, it would have made everything a lot more

Not only did Shell agree to this, but they were the ones who initiated the compromise and asked for our protection. The second way the first face of power was used was when the IMF agreed to give the government $60 million in investments for infrastructure if Shell invests $35 million. This took a little negotiation: “In order for your company to expand in the region, you must contribute to improving the regions infrastructure. How much are you willing to give?” (“Messages”). Now, these actions taken by both examples are choices made by each group, but the fact of the matter is that these weren’t purely choices – these actions were “needed by society as a whole or at least by some politically significant figures” (Shively