Historically, the upper echelons of monarchy – where emperors and kings reigned – were often driven by insatiable appetites for power, wealth, and territorial conquest. These ambitions ignited wars, birthed exploitative treaties, and legitimized the subjugation of smaller nations and diverse ethnic groups. In that same spirit, colonial empires – unable or unwilling to suppress such destructive impulses – perfected the art of resource extraction by amalgamating disparate tribes into artificial political entities designed for easier domination. It was through this imperial logic that the British carved out and named “Nigeria” – a geopolitical creation rooted more in administrative convenience and economic gain than in the well-being of its inhabitants.
Paradoxically, Nigeria, despite gaining independence, still groans under the weight of the very exploitative ethos it inherited. This post-colonial legacy is starkly evident in how successive governments have managed resource-rich regions, especially the Niger Delta. Before colonial intrusion, many of these communities were self-governing and autonomous. Today, their resources are commandeered under a centralized system that reflects colonial thinking more than it does justice or federal equity.
Even if it could be argued that colonial powers were driven by greed and exploited foreign territories for their own gain, one would have expected that an independent Nigerian government, liberated from imperial subjugation, would reject the cynical governance styles imposed by their colonizers, particularly on moral grounds. Regrettably, that hope has been repeatedly betrayed. The same exploitative governance style persists, cloaked in nationalism but rooted in centralized control, reinforced by laws that institutionalize inequality and undermine local autonomy.
No law exemplifies this colonial residue more than the Land Use Act of 1978. This legislation, far from being a genuine reform, represents a legal anachronism that disrupts constitutional ideals and contradicts globally accepted principles of federalism. In a true federal system, constituent states or regions retain control over their natural resources. But the Land Use Act concentrates ownership and control in the federal government, effectively stripping communities – especially in the Niger Delta – of their right to benefit from the wealth beneath their soil.
The arrangement is blatantly unjust. Under the current framework, the federal government appropriates and commercializes natural resources extracted from the states, then returns only a fraction of the proceeds to the actual hosts. Critics have rightly condemned this as a form of internal colonization. The exploitative machinery of the colonial past is now operated not by foreign rulers in uniform, but by fellow Nigerians in suits – perpetuating the same logic of extraction without accountability.
Worse still, the privatization and commercialization strategies that followed have only compounded the injustice. Oil blocks are allocated through systems that include competitive bidding and discretionary awards, yet the local populations – those who suffer the direct consequences of extraction – are often marginalized, emerging too poor or politically powerless to qualify for participation in the bidding. Thus, they remain locked out of the immense wealth generated from their ancestral lands.
For the Niger Delta, this is not merely an administrative grievance – it is an existential crisis. The region bears the brunt of environmental degradation, economic dislocation, and social upheaval, all while its vast wealth is funneled elsewhere. The voices of its people, calling for justice, equity, and resource control, are met with indifference – or worse, suppression.
This contradiction can no longer be ignored.
Nigeria cannot continue to uphold colonial-era legislation while professing to be a sovereign, democratic, and federal republic. The Land Use Act must be repealed or radically restructured. It is antithetical to the principles of justice, federalism, and shared prosperity.
As Nigeria gears up for another round of constitutional review, the people of the Niger Delta must assert, loudly and persistently, their demands for genuine resource control, the devolution of powers, and true federalism. True nationhood requires more than just a shared flag and anthem; it demands the moral courage to dismantle unjust systems, even when those systems have become politically convenient.
If Nigeria is to move forward as a united and equitable nation, it must rid itself of the colonial virus of exploitation – both in mindset and in law.
The time for reform is now.***
