Lagos — These apocalyptical words of Charles. G. Finney- a lawyer turned Reverend Gentleman aptly describes the mode of oil and Gas exploration and exploitation by oil coys in the Niger Delta since 1958; when oil was first discovered in Olobiri-Bayelsa State.

Gas flaring for starters, is the "burning off" of gas components amongst other by-products during oil exploration and drilling by oil companies and differs from pollution by oil spillages, discharge of effluents and other chemicals into the environment and water/marine courses. This phenomena, it must be stressed, is considered hazardous to human, aquatic life form, and to the environment, globally and within the petroleum industry.

This attracted informed comments from Late Claude Ake in Tell Magazine of 29th January 1996, where he observed that Nigeria releases 35 million tons of Co2 each year and 12 million tons of methane, which invariably makes her oil fields a major contributor to global warming. Twelve years after his comments, Thisday Newspaper of Sunday,30th March 2008 corroborated this and alleged that Nigeria flares more gas than any country in the world, as it flares 24.1 billion cubic meters of gas each year. This, most industry watchers believe is equivalent to the total amount of gas utilized or consumed by Pakistan as a country.

The increasing global concern over climatic change and the growing calls for alternative sources of clean and renewable energy (i.e solar, wind powered etc) the emergence of Mosop and the Ogoni struggle, against environmental blight and degradation in the Niger Delta, have all made the call for " no gas flares date" a topical issue in Nigeria.

However, the often repeated Federal Government's desire to end gas flaring in the face of equally repeatedly failed "no-gas flares dates" has become worrisome, given recent conflicting press reports. while Thisday Newspaper of Wednesday, 30th January, 2008 (pp11) quoted the Hon. Minister of State (petroleum) Mr.. Odein Ajumogobia (SAN) as saying that the Federal Government would not go back on the December 31st 2008 deadline as gas flares down date, the same paper on Wednesday, 26th March 2008 (pp10) quoted the M.D.of NNPC- Alhaji Abubakar Yaradua as saying that the date is unrealistic for lack of requisite funding plan.

Mr. Sumonu-M.D of SPDC added his voice in Thisday Newspaper, page 8 of Monday 7th July 2008, and opined that contributory fund from the Federal Government under joint-venture agreements with oil coys was applicable in the gas flaring stoppage scheme.

However, the scenario above pales into in significance when compared to the revelation by the NNPC/DPR on two key related issues;

(i) Lack of requisite law to stop gas flaring -reported in the Guardian of Monday, 31st March, 2008

(ii) An alleged green light given by the federal government to oil Coys to determine "no gas flares deadline" reported in the Punch of Wednesday 30th April, 2008(p10)

The combined effect of all these, when viewed against the backdrop of the absence of a "critical mass" i.e. the lack of requisite facilities to store and utilize the quantum of natural gas-so gathered (as SPDC and other oil companies claim to be doing currently) renders the whole intention to end gas flaring by 31st December, 2008-a pipe-dream.

Clearly seen, these revelations are as patronizing as they are instructive: Firstly, it exculpates the N.N..P.C from the implied obligation to formulate a draft bill in this regard, on behalf of government for consideration by the National Assembly.

Secondly the absence of legislation against gas - flaring and funds for infrastructural development seems to provide enough ammunition for the oil Coys in their unrelenting opposition to Federal Government's stand on this issue. The plausibility of their argument notwithstanding, it nonetheless tend to portray them as being arrogant and morally insensitive to the incalculable damage gas flaring does to the environment and human lives in the oil producing communities.

An unfair critic of the activities of oil companies in Nigeria would undoubtedly charge them with having a warped sense of proportions in this no-gas flares debacle, since gas has been flared by them long before government became a joint venture partner (JVP) in oil exploration and exploitation activities. A radical critic, would undoubtedly sum all of their activities, including their alleged attempt to hector the Federal Government to pander to their wishes, without regard to her desire to meet the legitimate expectations of the people, as smacks of corporate militancy.

This apparently could have formed the objective basis for Ake to have referred to the quantum and the atrocious manner gas is flared by oil companies as "shelling Nigeria Ablaze" in one of his last publications in the print media.

Since it is said, that we (humans) are what we repeatedly do", Nigeria must therefore choose to be a medieval or modern country and not both as "No gas flares" has since become a global concern and a public safety imperative.

Similarly public pronouncements on this sensitive issue, it is humbly suggested, be measured, non-conflictual and driven with the passion to achieve government's set objectives in determinable ways. Commitment it must be stressed here, is all it takes to be good at something in which failure is so easy.

However it is observed with respect that any proposed legislation in this regard would be incomplete if its provisions do not cover ways and means of providing the "missing critical mass" already mentioned in this piece.

Similarly, a citizens bill to end gas flaring could be sponsored by the Niger Delta professionals, and Niger Delta political elite who endlessly sing the messianic role of N.D.D.C as the ultimate political elixir of the underdevelopment of the region, even when her much trumpeted Master plan did not deem it fit to highlight the need to "end gas flaring" as an integral development component. The country may also decide to study the legal frame work guiding operations in the Oil and Gas sector in a country like Oman, where their oil and gas laws are obeyed to the letter and the her citizens respected by operating companies.

We should indeed be grateful to Late Ake, whose unwavering commitment to public education and above all transforming thought, always doused in humor and sadness contributed also to our understanding of one of the causes of environmental pollution, declining fish stock and other sea food, attributable to failure to adopt best practices by oil companies in Nigeria.

It has become a notorious fact that there is a nexus between environmental harm and violation of a peoples right to life and good health in other climes, as shown in the case of Toledo District V Belize and Bowoto V Chevron/Texaco (still ongoing in a district court in San Francisco); while the outcome of Wiwa V Royal Dutch shell and Wiwa V Anderson will be the crowning glory against corporate militancy by corporate citizens engaged in oil exploitation in the Niger Delta. The debilitating effects of gas flaring on the various communities if allowed to fester would in the end leave victims with no other option than recourse to seeking judicial remedy.

It is therefore to the memory, achievements and legacies of this great scholar, whom African Studies Association and African American Institute (ASA/AAI) have since honored with a memorial Award programme in USA and funded by the Ford Foundation, that I herewith renew my humble call on the Governments of Rivers and Bayelsa states in particular, to immortalize Ake's name, by instituting a professorial chair or memorial academic award at University of Port-Harcourt in his honor Please.

This proverbial prophet of social change, who has been honored abroad, should also be recognized in his own home and country. God bless the soul of Claude Ake.

-LeggJack wrote from Abuja