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The Politics of Kidnapping of Oil Workers in Nigeria by Temitope

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The Politics of Kidnapping of Oil Workers in Nigeria by Temitope University of Alberta Criminal Resistance? The Politics of Kidnapping of Oil Workers in Nigeria By Temitope Babatunde Oriola A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Sociology © Temitope Babatunde Oriola Fall 2011 Edmonton, Alberta Permission is hereby granted to the University of Alberta Libraries to reproduce single copies of this thesis and to lend or sell such copies for private, scholarly or scientific research purposes only. Where the thesis is converted to, or otherwise made available in digital form, the University of Alberta will advise potential users of the thesis of these terms. The author reserves all other publication and other rights in association with the copyright in the thesis and, except as herein before provided, neither the thesis nor any substantial portion thereof may be printed or otherwise reproduced in any material form whatsoever without the author's prior written permission. Library and Archives Bibliotheque et 1*1 Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de Pedition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington OttawaONK1A0N4 OttawaONK1A0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-81250-1 Our file Notre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-81250-1 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non­ L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library and permettant a la Bibliotheque et Archives Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par telecommunication ou par I'lnternet, preter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des theses partout dans le loan, distribute and sell theses monde, a des fins commerciales ou autres, sur worldwide, for commercial or non­ support microforme, papier, electronique et/ou commercial purposes, in microform, autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. The author retains copyright L'auteur conserve la propriete du droit d'auteur ownership and moral rights in this et des droits moraux qui protege cette these. Ni thesis. Neither the thesis nor la these ni des extra its substantiels de celle-ci substantial extracts from it may be ne doivent etre imprimes ou autrement printed or otherwise reproduced reproduits sans son autorisation. without the author's permission. In compliance with the Canadian Conformement a la loi canadienne sur la Privacy Act some supporting forms protection de la vie privee, quelques may have been removed from this formulaires secondaires ont ete enleves de thesis. cette these. While these forms may be included Bien que ces formulaires aient inclus dans in the document page count, their la pagination, il n'y aura aucun contenu removal does not represent any loss manquant. of content from the thesis. ••I Canada Dedication For Ken Saro-Wiwa and his lieutenants who joined those beyond death on 10 November 1995. May we never be poor bearers of the torch. I am confident that Nigeria will fulfill its creed as one prosperous people. Abstract Militias specializing in kidnapping oil workers and vandalizing oil infrastructure purportedly as a form of protest against marginalization by the state and transnational oil corporations are rife in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. This study interrogates the interstitial space between legitimate protest and criminal expropriation in that region. The data for this project draws upon extensive fieldwork in Nigeria. This includes interviews and focus group discussions with six sets of actors, including community groups, politicians, military officials and insurgents. I also analyze official statements from the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), the group allegedly spearheading these kidnappings. This data provides insights into how MEND seeks to frame the insurgency as a form of protest. My analysis demonstrates that impression management pervades kidnapping episodes. The major concern of the Nigerian state is to provide an atmosphere that is sufficiently safe for oil extraction while several insurgent commanders have succeeded in inventing an alternative political structure for accessing the conventional structures of society. For others, kidnapping is a dangerous but innovative means of livelihood in a perpetually depressed economy. While the insurgency generates harms for the oil-producing communities, it also creates benefits for some participants. The diffusion of opportunities for self-enrichment among institutional and non-institutional actors suggests that kidnapping in the Delta occasionally serves a. public good. The combined actions of those who support the existing order alongside the (often violent) challengers has resulted in a synthetic statics which both paradoxically harms and benefits all parties. Insurgents seek to portray the situation in the Niger Delta as a form of war and oil workers as enemy combatants. This metaphor of war is used to frame their violent actions as a form of justifiable repertoire of protest. Acknowledgements I owe an irreparable debt to many people. I do not presuppose that a few words would do. To my supervisor, Dr. Kevin Haggerty, who has been a source of indescribable motivation, thank you for doing what you do. Your clinical approach is mesmerising. This could not have been possible without you. My committee has been outstanding. I am grateful for their willingness to provide timely feedback and constructive criticisms. Many thanks, to Dr. Gord Laxer, a scholar with an uncommon intellectual touch. Thanks for introducing me to Charles Tilly and Eric Hobsbawm. Dr. Andy Knight has been incredibly supportive. Thank you for those meetings and advice based on your wealth of experience. Dr. Yasmeen Abu Laban made me think through many standpoints in her intellectually stimulating way. I appreciate your kind time. I owe a lot of what I learned in social movements to Dr Clement Dominique. Your insightful comments and suggestions were invaluable to this academic exercise. Dr. Patrick Bond of the University of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa also provided helpful comments for which I am grateful. I appreciate the Department of Sociology, the Faculty of Arts and the University of Alberta for the F.S Chia, Izaak Walton Killam Memorial and the Field Law Leilani Muir Graduate Scholarships, among others that ensured I was fully concentrated on my studies. The International Development Research Council (IDRC) provided a Doctoral Research Grant that supported my fieldwork in Nigeria. I appreciate the support of the people of Agge in Bayelsa state and Okerenkoko in Delta state. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experiences. I appreciate the help of General Mobolaji Koleoso, Lt. Col. Timothy Antigha and Col. Rabe Abubakar. Many journalists, informants, activists like Ken Saro Wiwa (Jr.), and other research participants made this work possible. Thanks to Pastor & Mrs Tokunbo Okunnu of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) International Christian Centre, Winnipeg Manitoba; Pastor & Pastor (Mrs) Ayodele Adejumobi, the ministerial team (including Pastor & Mrs Jide Lawal and Dr. and Mrs Idowu Adeoye) and members of the RCCG, Rhema Chapel, Edmonton for the spiritual and moral support. The choristers at Rhema Chapel deserve special mention. It has been a privilege knowing you and serving as song director. May we sing with the 24 elders. The peripatetic life of an international student requires tremendous assistance. My friends spread across the world supported me. Thanks to Olufemi Adigun, Tina Okafor, Nduka Ughamadu, Benjamin Ogunmola, Dr. Paul Ugor, Dr. Nduka Otiono, Idowu Ohioze, Gabriel John, the Akindeles, Nicole Neverson, Captain Wright Eruebi, the Famobios, the Osiberus, the Nnanis, the Audus, Yemi Alawode, Taiwo Okunnu-Odubela, Olumide & Joy Olatunji, and my god-son Alexander Olatunji. Many thanks to all the members of the Nigerian Advancement Institute (NAI), including Kelechi Madu, Festus Ofume, and Olabisi Akinkugbe. It has been a wonderful experience getting to know friends and colleagues at the department like Manoj Misra, Hadden Paol, Ashley York, Jasmine Thomas, Marie Leduc, Nurullah Abu Sadat, Sluggett Bryan, Kamrul Islam, Paul Joose, Patrick McClane, Heidi Bickis, Joshua Freistadt, Tonya Davidson, Greg Eklics, Daniel Trottier, Ariane Ellerbrok, Zajko Michael, Barret Weber, Ondine Park, and many others. My family and friends in Nigeria provided tremendous assistance in the course of this study. They include Reverend Sam Adesua, Wole Adesua and Goke Ogunleye. Honourable and Mrs Johnson Alalibo have been immensely supportive as well as Scot Okomi, Morris Alagoa of the Environmental Rights Action and his staff, Professor Benjamin Okaba and Talarileifa Akpandara. Thanks also to Dr. Funke Fayehun and her family, Francis Adebayo, Grace Maisamari and Dr. Alanana Otaki. Mr. Bode Ojo encouraged me to seek graduate studies in Canada. Professor Layiwola Erinosho nurtured this quest and remains a mentor. Dr. Charles Adeyanju facilitated the admissions process by providing invaluable information and mentoring me when I arrived in Winnipeg in December 2005. Professor Russell Smandych and Kathryn Smandych were the first family I knew in Canada. They remain so to this day. Dr Lori Wilkinson has been a counsellor, teacher and friend. I am grateful for everything. As usual, my family's love twinkling from afar was a
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