The Politics of Bones
Dr. Owens Wiwa and the Struggle for Nigeria's Oil
"The paradox of multinational petroleum production is that it generates great wealth while generating even greater poverty" - J. Timothy Hunt.
It has been over 13 years now since the execution of nine environmental activists by Nigeria's military dictatorship, but the story of these activists has not quietly faded into history. Among the dead was Ken Saro-Wiwa, an internationally-known writer and spokesperson for the Ogoni people, whose land in the Niger River delta had been devastated by oil extraction. His story and the battle against Royal Dutch/Shell continues on today, as the Niger delta remains hostage to some of the worst environmental degradation on the planet.
Summary: The Politics of Bones
After narrowly escaping Nigeria himself, Dr. Owens Wiwa took up his brother's crusade. The Politics of Bones recounts Wiwa's life as the younger brother of Ken Saro-Wiwa, along with the environmental destruction brought on by the oil companies in Ogoniland, and the official corruption that led to his brother's imprisonment and subsequent execution on a trumped-up murder charge.
After his escape from Nigeria to London and then to Toronto with his infant son and wife, Wiwa fought to have his brother's remains returned to the family for a proper burial. The title of the book refers to the complicated negotiation required before Owens was permitted to exhume his brother's bones for a proper burial. The "politics of bones" was how a forensic anthropologist from Physicians for Human Rights had summed up the bizarre combination of science, misdirection, myth, greed, and fear surrounding the death and secret burial of Ken Saro-Wiwa.
Environmental Devastation in Southern Nigeria
While many are familiar with the infamous struggle for environmental justice in the oil fields of southern Nigeria and with Ken Saro-Wiwa, the author and Nobel Peace Prize nominee, The Politics of Bones brings to light important details from the events leading to the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa. It provides a rare glimpse into some aspects of the private life of Ken Saro-Wiwa and the rise of the struggle against multinational oil companies operating, with little regard for the land and lives of the inhabitants, in the Niger delta.
According to J. Timothy Hunt, Nigeria saw its absolute poverty rate (the percentage of the population living on less than a dollar a day) soar from nine per cent in 1970 to 46 per cent in 1998. However Nigeria is the wealthiest country on the African continent due to its oil industry and while most Nigerians have been sliding into poverty and destitution, the political and economic elites of the country have grown even richer. The operations of multinational companies and Nigeria's political elites are put under the spotlight in this book, as they all have responsibility in the execution of the Ogoni nine and the human rights and environmental abuses rampant in Ogoniland.
Author and Style
The author of The Politics of Bones, J. Timothy Hunt, details the incriminating evidence against Royal Dutch/Shell operations in the area, as well as the individuals and organizations that helped Ken Saro-Wiwa and Owens Wiwa in their struggle. Combining journalistic reportage with dialogue and other elements of story-telling, this book is an excellent read for those who are interested in the topic, as well as those not familiar with the incredible story of Ken Saro-Wiwa and his family.
Additional Resources:
Human Rights Violations: Child Soldiers Still Used in Burma
Corporate Social Responsibility: Corporations Operating in Burma
By J. Timothy Hunt
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