What We Must Do

The Niger Delta region of Nigeria, straddling the Gulf of Guinea, is arguably one of the most resource rich regions in the world. The oil rich region being the mainstay of the Nigerian economy from its creation in the 19th Century by British colonialists, till date, has played an outsized role in the politics of the Nigeria, and to a certain extent, the natural resources politics of the world. The economic dependence of the Nigerian state and international resource extraction companies and its negative externalities-making it arguably the most polluted ecosystem anywhere on planet earth-on the region has over the course of its history spurred uprisings and agitations from the people with a political end of political autonomy and resource ownership. "What We Must Do" captures the history of the ethnic nationalities of the Niger Delta region and their relationship with the Nigerian state and international oil companies, focusing on the political struggles and agitations of the people of the region, while proposing steps that must be taken to guarantee the socioeconomic and sociopolitical survival. and advancement of the region and its people.