Oil Palava, Goverment Wahala
- Democracy and Development in Nigeria
Oil
Palava is a communications and development awareness-raising project funded by
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland. Central themes of the project are
democracy, development and human rights in
Nigeria.
The
focus of the project is on the discussion over the ethics of
Nigeria’s booming
oil industry (oil palava), the
political turmoil of the nation (government
wahala) and the impact they have on the everyday life of Nigerians. The
message centres on documentary films by Nigerian documentary film maker Ihria
Enakimio who visited
Finland
in May 2010 to discuss the situation in his home country.
Ihria Enakimio
Ihria Enakimio is a Nigerian documentary film maker, journalist and
societal activist. His are of specialisation has been development communications where he
has dealt with issues such as domestic violence, widowhood rights, maternal
health, social responsibility and issues related to
Nigeria’s Delta Area.
Ihria Enakimio is
Executive Producer and CEO of Songbird Communications Ltd., a company producing
dramas and documentaries for radio and television. He also runs Megahertz
Ltd. Studio facilities and works as a freelance instructor for media training project in development communications.
Documentary Films
Oil
at the Bottom portrays life in the Nigerian oil region where some inhabitants
of the area have turned to armed rebel groups and kidnappings to fight the rule
they deem undemocratic.
We Dare Hope documents
Nigeria’s
presidential elections of 2003 where power was successfully handed from one
civilian government to another for the first time in the history of independent
Nigeria.
NO SAFE HAVEN: Acid; Liquid Hate explores the impacts of arbitrary rule on
development, culture and tradition in
Nigeria. What has gone wrong in a country where acid can be thrown over young women's bodies as a form of male revenge without any punishment by the authorities?
Democracy and Development
Democracy
is a prerequisite for development, implementation of human rights and economic growth
globally. Functioning democratic
systems nurture sustainable development by ensuring the fruits of development
will benefit the entire population of the country.
Democracy development can be promoted also through
cooperation projects. Development organisations can support third world
countries for example by increasing people’s access to basic services as a part
of poverty reductions strategies, raising awareness on the importance of active
societal participation and strengthening nondiscriminatory models of operation.
