Letter: Shelling out presents to Nigerian chiefs

Sir: The clear implication of your correspondent David Orr in his article "Shell wins over village with cash and liquor" (1 December) that hard cash and a few bottles of liquor was all it takes to convince communities to accept an oil rig in their area is insulting to the people of the Niger Delta. The lawyers, doctors, university lecturers, senior civil servants and a range of other professionals who come from these communities - indeed, most Nigerians - might be as disturbed as I am over the comparison between the people of the delta today and "19th-century natives won over by gifts of colourful beads and fine cloths".

If Mr Orr understands the traditions and customs of Nigeria, he knows that any citizen formally visiting a community other than his own would pay his or her respects by presenting a gift of some substance, usually liquor and kola nuts, or a token in lieu. The same behaviour is rightly expected of Shell, which spent about pounds 1,000 hosting a gathering of council chiefs and the people of the Greater Bonny Area, comprising several communities, including Sangama. The chiefs jointly plan community development for the entire area to ensure an integrated approach.

This goodwill exercise should not be confused with Shell's community initiatives, which are based on providing lasting benefits to the communities. For example, communities of the Greater Bonny Area benefit from a youth training scheme, annual scholarships for secondary and university students, provision of schoolteachers, hospital equipment, a road, water scheme, and electricity, as well as agricultural assistance for farmers. Two new projects are a library, now being commissioned, and the renovation of a community secondary school.

Yours faithfully,

Emeka Achebe

General Manager

Shell Petroleum Development Company

Lagos, Nigeria

4 December