REVISITING THE NIGERIAN STATE HEGEMONY AND OIL RESOURCE CONFLICT IN THE NIGER DELTA ISSUES AND PROSPECTS

Abstract

The protracted resource control struggle and the attendant conflict in the oil-rich Niger Delta of Nigeria has remained a subject of constant discourse. This study therefore sets out to problematize and interrogate the origin and nature of the struggle, its political dynamics and legal implications vis-à-vis-the Nigeria state’s policy and politics over the governance of land and oil resources. The study utilized documentary method of data collection and analysed its data using content analysis technique. The post-colonial state theory formed the theoretical anchor of analysis. The paper argues that as a predator, the Nigerian state has assumed the status of an all-powerful institution and this explains why its legislations and coercive governance of natural resources facilitated its usurpation of the resource rights of the people of Niger Delta and every other parts of the federation. The study recommends for democratic resource governance that will address the agitations of fair share of oil proceeds, fiscal autonomy, balanced federal structure and devolution of powers.