DEAD WHALE WASHES UP AT AKASSA

HIGHLIGHTS 

1. Dead whale washes up at the Akassa beach 

2. Same beach where 9 people, mainly kids died after bathing in oil polluted waters, December 2000 

3. Starving fishermen eat decomposing whale 

4. Continuing tale of oil spills 

5. Off-shore pollution don't stay off-shore

6. Hunger and anger in the land 

7. Resource control NOW!

INTRODUCTION

The whale, obviously one of the largest animals in the world (some could be up to 15 meters long) is a rare phenomenon in tropical waters. Residents of Akassa Island at the tip of the Atlantic Ocean in Bayelsa State were naturally surprised to find a dead whale on a remote beach on the island.

The most significant surprise though, was how the villagers reacted to this strange find. Many villagers from the fishing settlements on the island scrambled to the beach with their buckets and machetes to collect parts of the partially decomposed whale for food.

ERA's visit to the beach shows just what scramble took place when the whale was found. The villagers had hacked off lots of its parts. The entire head was gone while several other parts littered the beach. As one fisherman puts it: "The whale, was Godsend food." This is the general feeling among the people in the area who are predominantly poor fishermen.

But a scenario where fishermen who should have an abundance of fish consume a decomposed whale their food leaves more questions than answers. Akassa Island has been experiencing dwindling fish stocks as a result of the activities of oil companies operating there.

It is obvious that offshore oil activities do not keep pollution offshore. The people on the land bear the brunt. This speaks volumes about arguments about whether off-shore oil belongs to States or Abuja.

REACTIONS

"Oil exploitation in this area is causing a lot of pollution which is killing the fishes we depend on both for our food and livelihood," says Robert Cole of the Akassa Coast Conservation Initiative, a group of volunteer youths who protect aquatic lives on the island.

Inatimi Duwei of Gboama village says the decline in fishes has caused poverty and hunger and that was why the people ate the decomposed Whale. "That is the level of poverty we are talking of. Something that is dead and rotten, but people take delight in cutting some for their food. You can imagine, this will never happen under normal circumstance. That shows the level of poverty."

For Friday Mai, another resident of the island, the consumption of the decomposed whale is a reflection of how the oil industry has changed lives for the worst over the years to the extent that in their quest for survival villagers have to eat decomposed aquatic animals found on their beaches.

"Previously, fishermen would only eat fishes they caught alive, and it was unthinkable that anyone would want to eat a decomposed whale because there was a lot to eat. But now the situation has changed. There are no more fishes and it is now common to see villagers eating dead fishes. That shows that people are not getting enough to eat because of the effect of the oil industry."

Friday Mai says in eating dead aquatic animals found on their beaches, the people face a major health risk since the aquatic animals might have been killed by poison from the oil industry. This is a classic case of how poison from the oil industry has become food for villagers in the oil rich Niger Delta region. This scenario is serious food for thought. Observers who predict tougher times reckon that at the rate pollution is killing aquatic animals in the area, there will come a time when even dead fishes at the beach will be a luxury.

There is a general suspicion that the whale is a victim of oil pollution in the Akassa area where pollution are frequent. The American oil company Texaco is particularly guilty of causing pollution there. In 1980, 230 people died following a major oil spill now known as Funiwa 5 blow out. And only last December, nine people mainly children died when they came in contact with highly toxic oil spilled from one of the company's facilities.

Incidentally, the whale was found at the beach where by last December's pollution occurred. "Since oil pollution has killed human beings and aquatic animals on the beach in the past, it will hardly be surprising if the whale also died of pollution," says Cole.

The devastating effect of oil pollution in Akassa is by no means an isolated one. Communities around the Niger Delta face a similar situation. But the oil industry, which imposes this ugly situation, continues to make billions of dollars yearly with hardly any portion of the money getting to the people.

ERA's RECOMMENDATION

1. The Federal Ministry of Environment should take appropriate action against oil companies pollution our waterways and poisoning our people and aquatic lives. 

2. Oil Companies should pay adequate compensation to local people and communities who have suffered from pollution. 

3. The oil companies should clean up all polluted sites in the Niger Delta.

4. For equity and fair play, oil-bearing communities in the Niger Delta must control their resources and their environment. 

5. Campaign against new oil exploration, especially in pristine areas/frontiers including offshore zones

For more information contact: ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS ACTION/ FRIENDS OF THE EARTH (FoE, Nigeria) #214, Uselu-Lagos Road, P. O. Box 10577, Benin City, Nigeria Tel/Fax: + 234 52 600165 E-mail: eraction@infoweb.abs.net  Port Harcourt: # 13 Agudama Street, D-Line, Port Harcourt Tel: + 234 84 236365 E-mail: oilwatch@infoweb.abs.net

 Lagos: # 1 Balogun Street, Ikeja E-mail: disera@infoweb.abs.net

 London: E-mail: njaja@compuserve.com