We are Rude Oil. We are focused on the environmental and social injustice issues caused by oil extraction in the Niger Delta.
Failing to maintain a good economy, can result in widespread disease and public health, social unrest amongst the poor, a loss of economic and industrial ties, and potential exploitation of individual and groups by powerful individuals. This is the case of resources in many states of Nigeria being stripped away. The Niger Delta is one the most consecrated region, known for its resources. These resources accounts for the major functions of life and society. While the rich drink pure (bottled) water, enjoy electricity, and other good things in life, the others are left to suffer.
“It is certainly no new thing to expect that the ecological and economic consequences of petroleum development would have multiplier effects on the social and cultural life of the people in the oil producing communities,” (Ajibade & Awomuti, 1994). Despite the enormous amount of resources, the communities in the Niger Delta are suffering from environmental degradation, poor health facilities, poor housing, insecurity, poor educational facilities, and the lack of potable water, infertile soil, and even unemployment.
While the government has a final say in matters of law, little social education exist on the matter of adaptable techniques to surmount the problems of their local environmental, education, and employment needs. In these communities the explorations and exploitation of oil and gas industry has damaged farmlands and fishing grounds, which also leads to the critical issue of the increasing incidence if poverty.
This map contains satellite data extracted from NOAA and Google Earth pertaining to incessant gas flaring that takes place daily in the Niger-Delta Region polluting precious ecosytems, exacerbating human health problems, and wasting a precious resource that could be pumped back into the economy to solve Nigeria and Africa's energy crisis. According to sources, Nigeria flares 56,000 meters cubed of gas daily, which contains over 250 toxic compounds including the two biggest greenhouse gases (Carbon Dioxide & Methane) and carcinogenic substances. Soil and water samples collected throughout the region have shown levels of pH consistent with Acid Rain which destroys fertile soil, corrodes inadequate infrastructure, and pollutes most water sources. Nigeria has one of the biggest proven natural gas reserves (182 trillion cubic feet) and this could be used to solve the country's and Africa's energy crisis, but the lack of infrastructure to supply natural gas is missing and the multinational oil companies burn up to $2.5 billion per year in energy. Residents, villages, and communities within this region suffer from various respiratory illnesses like asthma and bronchitis, are more susceptible to leukemia, suffer haematological effects leading to anemia. Nutritional deficiencies in most residents (excluding the corrupt social/political elite) occur due to the gas flaring affecting the Niger-Delta agrarian lifestyle and fisheries which are a huge part of this region's livelihood and economic operations locally. The images on some of the points verify the endless gas flaring near precious natural resources, environments, and ecosystems. This map serves as an interactive map to educate and expose the masses to the catastrophes and environmental racism and injustices that happen daily in the Niger-Delta Region.
