Dear Enquirer,

There is need to act together to save PLANET-EARTH! The Environment affects human health,
life and livelihoods. Pollution and global warming are man-made. They are
caused mostly by companies and some individuals. Their ravaging global effects
on humanity are manifesting. We are all effected! Wild-fires and floods are now
frequent tormentors of humanity.

I want to bring to your notice my manual titled, “ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS”. In it, I shared how
the environment affects humanity; how pollution and global warning are ravaging
the earth, what caused them, organisations working to protect the earth and
what we can all do to protect planet-earth. When the earth is protected, human-interests
are also protected.

The Ogoni experience is a typical example of how environment negatively affects health,
life and livelihoods of a people. Prior to oil extraction activities by Shell in Ogoni-land,
Niger Delta area, Nigeria, in 1958, the people of Ogoni were enjoying their
little paradise. Children running and playing, women congregating together
exchanging folktales. Ogoni-land was lush with vegetation, birds singing in the
trees. Fishers reeling in their latest catch. Farmers enjoying bountiful
harvests from their crops.

Shell then arrived in Ogoni, with their thirsts for oil and gas in 1958. BOOM! The
earth shakes, children running and screaming! BOOM! The earth, quakes, frightening
children screamed, running, shouting the names of their parents.

Shortly after Shell started operations, the environmental glory that mother- nature
bestowed upon the Ogoni people, began to deteriorate due to 24/7 gas flaring that
polluted the atmosphere and oil spills that contaminated land, streams and
creeks. The torrential tropical rain falls, mixed with the soot in the
atmosphere to produce acid-rain which soaked into the soil, rendered it
infertile to support crops cultivation.

Health problems became prevalent in Ogoni due to environmental pollution. Respiratory
problems were on the increase. Asthma sufferers were rising in their numbers. Wheezing
chest and bronchi problems were all rising among the people. Nasal congestions and
breathing problems were tormenting the people. Itching eyes and visual
impairments were caused and aggravated among the people due to black particles
dropping from the atmosphere 24/7 caused by gas-flaring.

Life expectancy became shortened between (45-50 years) as there were no medical
facilities to cater for the growing numbers of sick people. Premature deaths
were high among the people. The people had no access to safe drinking water as
no pipe-burned water was available. They continued to consume waters from the
streams, not minding the fact that they were unsafe.

Livelihoods of the people disappeared. Ogoni people, by tradition, are mainly farmers and
fishers. With their creeks and land contaminated, the people were deprived of
their means of livelihoods. They practise agriculture with crude utensils.
Farmers use hoes and machetes. Fishers, use dug-out canoes and throwing-nets.

Crude oil and acid-rains killed fish from their creeks and lakes. Crude oil and acid-rains
also made their soil infertile. Their sources of income became wiped out. Poverty
established its stronghold among the people.  

The Ogoni experience is a glaring example of how the environment has tremendous effects
on health, life and livelihoods. As an Ogoni individual, who lived in the Ogoni
environment during the early years of my life before Shell arrived on Ogoni-land
in 1958, I saw it all.  

I did my primary and secondary education in Ogoni. It was during the period of Shell’s
full activities in Ogoni. The period could be best described as an era of hell-on-earth
for the Ogni people.

The blasting sounds from gas-flaring, the black particles dropping from the atmosphere due
to gas-flaring, the polluted water in the streams without alternative sources
of drinking water, the dense crude oil in the creeks and on land, the networks
of oil pipes that crisscrossed over large surface of farm-lands, the heat from
the unburied oil-pipes, the health challenges caused by these circumstances,
the high mortality rates among the Ogoni people, and the destruction of their
sources of livelihoods pushed the people to the brink of extinction.

In 1990 the Ogoni people formed the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP),
as a unified front to defend themselves non-violently against threats of
annihilation. The movement started protesting non-violently against the
activities of Shell, backed by the Federal Military Government of Nigeria. The peaceful
protests were crushed with military might.

There were mass casualties among the peaceful protesters. Activists were either brutalised
or killed. The Ogoni people became sandwiched between the interests of Shell
and the Federal Military Government of Nigeria. No considerations for indigenous
rights and concerns. Amnesty International condemned their joint gross human
rights abuses in Ogoni.

In 1993, the UK branch of MOSOP was formed on the advice of the late Nigeria MOSOP leader,
Kenule B. Saro-Wiwa. I was already in the UK as a student, and I got fully
involved in campaigning in the UK. On the 10th November 1995, nine Ogoni activists, including Kenule Saro-Wiwa were executed by hanging.

In my book, “Ogoni Deserves Justice”, which led to the development of this manual, I elaborated on Shell’s extraction activities in Ogoni, covering how environmental safety
measures were compromised by them. In that book, I narrated my experiences as an
Ogoni individual who witnessed the Ogoni environment prior to the start of oil
activities there in 1958 by Shell. I also witnessed how the activities of Shell
polluted and devastated the Ogoni environment during the period of their
operations, which I also covered in the book.

The book became the source of idea and inspiration for creating this manual, as I applied the
Ogoni situation to global circumstances. A knowledge of the book will contribute to better understanding of the background that led to the writing of this manual.

MODEL FOR SAFE HUMAN ENVIRONMENT AND HOW IT WAS VIOLATED IN OGONI, NIGER DELTA, NIGERIA AND THE REST OF THE WORLD.

The model for safe human environments was set by the creator of humans in the garden of
Eden. The creator of mankind planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He
put the first man whom He had created. The creator of the universe then commanded
the ground to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, good for food, the
tree of life, tree of knowledge of good and evil. A river also went out of Eden
to water the garden; and from there it parted into four others.

“And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden to dress it and to keep it.”
(Genesis 2:15 KJV). NOTE: The first man was instructed by his creator to dress
and keep his environment safe.

The environmental challenges the world is facing is because humanity compromised on
the instructions given to the first man by his creator in the garden of Eden,
concerning his safe environment. Pollution and global warming/climate
change, that are ravaging the earth, including biodiversity loss are all caused
by mankind’s failure to comply with safe environmental standards set in the
garden of Eden.  

A poisoned environment is detrimental to humans and the entire ecosystems. It is necessary
that we should all develop environmental consciousness. Any form of human
activity that threatens the safety of the environment should be resisted.  

WE ALL NEED TO GET INVOLVED IN PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT

The first wealth of humanity is good health. Every other material wealth is secondary. It
is not possible to enjoy great material wealth with poor health. It is obvious,
that environment has tremendous impacts on health. It is therefore imperative
that we should all be involved in activities that would protect our environment
as it is a sure way of protecting our health, life and our livelihoods as well.

Practical steps that we could all take to protect the environment are contained in the manual.
Take steps now to protect the environment in the interests of you, your family,
your loved ones and future generations. The aim of this manual is to generate
awareness about the importance of safe human environments. When we have safe human
environments, it would contribute to good health, promote longevity and protect
our livelihoods. The love of money by few individuals should not be allowed to
put the majority into jeopardy. It’s an attitude of either greed or ignorance or
both.

NOTE: In the 21st century and beyond, companies that want to grow and succeed
should show love for the environment! Global environmental consciousness is
continually rising. Youths are getting more involved in environmental activism.
Environmental NGOs are getting more support from the public. Climate change/Global
warming effects are giving mankind serious thoughts. Environmental protection
laws are becoming more draconian. Any company that shows no love for the
environment or pollute the environment, would face the law, and, also adverse
publicity, which could turn their customers away from them to patronise their
competitors. Corporate love for the environment is corporate success. You have a
role to play to protect our environment. Everyone has a role to play to protect
planet-earth. In the manual you will see various steps an individual or a
company could take to protect planet-earth. Knowledge alone makes no
difference. Action does! Health is wealth! Health depends on the environment! It’s
not possible to enjoy life of great wealth with poor health. Get involved in
protecting the environment.