Human Life in Africa

It is said that human life began in Africa, and it is in Africa that we may see the results of the progress of Man’s journey on Earth.

This great continent has nurtured and embraced us since our time on this planet began, offering an abundance of all that nature can give. It remains still the richest place on earth for natural resources, a situation which developed countries have exploited avidly, and yet despite the massive investment in oil, diamond and coltan mining extraction, over 70 % of the people of Africa live in poverty, some in famine.

The countries and the companies, external and internal, that have been taking advantage of her assets have all too often ignored their community responsibilities to give back where they have taken, in gratitude to the land and its occupants, but instead have allowed unacceptable labour practices to be rampant, enabled conflicts and wars to be funded and destroyed swathes of fertile land through oil spills and excessive drilling, all without accountability.

A new UN report says that the Ogoniland region of Nigeria has suffered the worst oil pollution ever known in the world which may take 30 years to clean up. The land has been devastated, waters contaminated with high levels of carcinogens and local inhabitants killed through related health problems or explosions, and yet it has gone largely ignored by oil users like you and me. Few noticed, few cared, and I suspect it will be many more years before Shell, the company largely liable, puts it right. Interestingly but unsurprisingly, Shell, which denied there were problems for decades, will agree compensation and settle claims only under Nigerian law and not that of its main parent country, the UK.

In Africa we see the best and the worst of the frailties of Man and it is in Africa, that great ancient country, that we have the greatest opportunity to prove that humanity is in its essence compassionate. Rather than taking from her for so long, perhaps now we can begin truly to give back, helping those who starve, those who have been exploited and who have lost their livelihoods, and honouring the lands and the creatures which have been abused. It is not too late.