By Abdullahi Lukman
King Bubaraye Dakolo of Ekpetiama Kingdom in Bayelsa State has raised alarm over the worsening environmental crisis in the Niger Delta, urging Nigerians to take immediate action before the damage becomes irreversible.
Speaking at a book reading event on environment and culture in Benin City on Monday, May 26, 2025, Dakolo described the region as a victim of “ecoside” – the systematic destruction of its environment through unchecked oil pollution, gas flaring, and years of regulatory failure.
“For 70 years, the flares have never gone out. Our rivers are poisoned, our people are dying, and no one is being held accountable,” he said.
Illustrating the depth of the crisis, he added, “The Kingfisher bird no longer lives in the creeks. It now nests in my palace.”
Dakolo criticized regulatory bodies like the former Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) for lacking independence and relying on oil companies such as Shell and Chevron for logistics and operations.
He reflected on a lost era when rivers were clean, fish were abundant, and communities thrived.
Related Posts
Also an author, Dakolo shared passages from his books Riddles of the Oil Thief, Pirates of the Gulf, and The African Voice, which document the Niger Delta’s environmental and political struggles.
He called on citizens to organise, reclaim their land, and hold polluters accountable.
Supporting Dakolo’s message, Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), warned that environmental degradation is contributing to a national health crisis.
“When a society has many young people and few elders, something is wrong with the environment,” Bassey said.
He emphasized that without a safe environment, other pillars of society — including democracy and development — cannot stand.
Bassey stressed the power of storytelling and literature as tools for resistance and public awakening, urging Nigerians to speak out.
“If we fail to act, we are complicit,” he said, calling for collective responsibility in addressing the ecological crisis.
