Nigerian environmentalist wary of COP30 outcomes, hopeful about youth
As-salamu alaykum. Nnimmo Bassey, a longtime campaigner against environmental damage in Nigeria’s oil-producing regions, plans to attend the UN climate summit in Brazil next month - though he’s not optimistic about what will come from the official talks. The 67-year-old describes these yearly gatherings as a kind of ritual where countries take part “while knowing that nothing serious will come of it.”
Bassey says he’ll spend his time at the conference meeting other activists on the sidelines rather than relying on the formal sessions. For him and many others, these outside spaces are where solidarity is built, ideas are shared, and organizing happens - and he hopes that one day those grassroots spaces might become the real places decisions are made while politicians play a lesser role.
He points to the Niger Delta as a clear example of the harm from extractive industries and fossil fuels. Since oil was first found in southern Nigeria in the 1950s, huge quantities have been spilled into the Delta. Independent research and national reports show decades of pollution that have devastated communities Bassey calls a “sacrifice zone.” Despite this damage, authorities continue to push for more production; the government recently reported an increase in active drilling rigs. Bassey is clear about his stance: he believes oil should be left in the ground and not be extracted.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, is already feeling the effects of climate change even though the continent contributes a small share of global emissions. Bassey highlights many local problems: increased desertification in the north, severe gullies in the south, deforestation, and environmental harm from illegal mining. He traces much of today’s damage back decades, saying the patterns of degradation started early in the country’s oil and mining history.
Born the year Nigeria began exporting crude, Bassey grew up in a farming and trading family in the southeast and lived through the Biafra War’s terrible impact. An architect by training, he moved into human rights and environmental work, standing with figures like Ken Saro-Wiwa against abuses in the Delta. After more than thirty years of activism, his demands remain consistent: governments and polluting companies must be held accountable, the environment restored, and affected communities compensated. His organization, Health of Mother Earth, is supporting legal action by a traditional leader against Shell, seeking damages and action to address long-standing contamination.
Despite the bleak picture and denials from some oil companies that blame sabotage for spills, Bassey is encouraged by a new generation of activists. “There’s a big groundswell of people who are rising up... young people rising up,” he said. “I’m really very inspired. That’s positive.”
Wa alaykum as-salam.
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