Oil and Emerging Ruling Class in Nigeria's Niger Delta Region

The history of oil extraction in Nigeria cannot be extricated from the sociocultural, economic, and political life of the people of the Niger Delta region, with its attendant multi-dimensional challenges—extreme poverty, environmental degradation, conflict, and cultural change. As a direct response to the vestiges of oil, there seems to be a dramatic change in the nature and character of the ruling class in the region—from orthodox to neo-ruling class. Interestingly, previous studies have focused largely on resource-related inter- and intra-community conflicts, including the quest for self-determination heralded by militancy. However, this study seeks to examine the historical parallels between oil and the dynamics of the ruling class in the region. It argues that the emerging ruling class is both internal and external and largely connected to the control of oil resources. Pertinently, the social actors in the industry, traditional institutions, politics, and civil society are no longer the orthodox, but rather eccentric neo-actors. The study applies the cyclical theory of social change and a qualitative research design as its theoretical and methodological frameworks. This study concludes that members of the neo-ruling class, who now have access to oil wealth and power—just as the previous or orthodox ruling class had control over palm oil and the commercial waterways—are responsible for underdevelopment, as well as the socio-economic and political dynamics driving social inequalities and unrest. It recommends free, fair, and secure elections; the strengthening of socio-cultural values and norms; and the facilitation of equitable wealth redistribution to ensure sustainable development.