From last week, continues the  narrative of how the minority question gave birth to the appointment of the Willinks Minority Commission and its relevance to the Niger Delta which has always been considered a special area in Nigeria. 

(4) The Board shall be responsible for advising the Government of the Federation and the Governments of Eastern Nigeria and Mid-Western Nigeria with respect to the physical development of the Niger Delta, and in order to discharge that responsibility the Board shall – (a) cause the Niger Delta to be surveyed in order to ascertain what measures are required to promote its physical development; (b) prepare schemes designed to promote the physical development of the Niger Delta; together with estimates of the cost of putting the schemes into effect; (c) submit to the Government of the Federation and the Government of Eastern Nigeria and Mid-Western Nigeria annual reports describing the work of the Board and the measures taken in pursuance of its advice. (5) Parliament may make such provision as it considers expedient for enabling them to discharge its functions under this section. (6) In this section, “the Niger Delta” means the area specified in the proclamation relating to the Board which was made on the twenty-six day of August, 1959. (7) This section shall cease to have effect on the first day of July, 1969 or such later date as may be prescribed by Parliament”.

In addition, the Balewa government created Mid-Western region out of Western region in June 1963. The region comprised Benin and Delta Provinces of the Western Region with Benin City as the capital.

On May 27, 1967, the then Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (90) created Rivers State in the Niger Delta Region of Southern Nigeria and South Eastern State. The two states were created out of the old Eastern Region. General Gowon named Brigadier General Udukaha Jacob Esuene (1936-1993) from Eket as governor of South Eastern state. He also named Lieutenant Commander Alfred Papapreye Diete-Spiff (82) who was then twenty-five, as governor of Rivers state. No other Nigerian leader did anything for that region until General Ibrahim Babangida (83) GCFR created Akwa Ibom out of Cross River state on 23 September 1987. He then named my friend HOMEBOY, Brigadier General (rtd.) Jonathan Anene Tunde Ogbeha from Lokoja who was born on September 1, 1947 as the pioneer Military Governor of the state. General Babangida went further to create Delta state on August 27, 1991. He named Air Commodore (retired) Luke Chijuba Ochulo from Okpofe Ezinihitte Local Government Area in Mbaise in Imo state as governor. 

On July 9, 1992, same General Babangida established Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC) through decree No 23. The objectives of the Commission shall be—

(a) To receive and administer the monthly sums from the allocation of the Federation Account in accordance with confirmed ratio of oil production in each State—

(i) For the rehabilitation and development of oil mineral producing areas, (ii) for tackling ecological problems that have arisen from the exploration of oil minerals; (b) to determine and identify, through the Commission and the respective oil mineral producing States, the actual oil mineral producing areas and embark on the development of projects properly agreed upon with the local communities of the oil mineral producing areas;

(c) To consult with the relevant Federal and State Government authorities on the control and effective methods of tackling the problem of oil pollution and spillages; (d) To liaise with the various oil companies on matters of pollution control (e) To obtain from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation the proper formula for actual oil mineral production of each State, Local Government Area and community and to ensure the fair and equitable distribution of projects, services and employment of personnel in accordance with recognised percentage production; (f) To consult to the Federal Government through the President, the State, Local Governments and oil mineral producing communities regarding projects, services and all other requirements relating to the special fund;

(g) To render annual returns to the President, Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces and copy the State and Local Governments on all matters relating. 

To be concluded