ON 23 July 1903 a British military force overwhelmed the defenders of the West African town of Burmi. By his act they brought the Sokoto Caliphate the most independent state in the region under British domination and laid the fondation for the colonial state of Nigeria.
week Nigeria heir of (etcilar expeditionary force Petroleum unceremoniously booted out of the country.
If Nigeria's action compounding of business politics, it's not necessary to go too far to see where they learned their lesson. For the last two decades of the 19th century, southern Nigeria was ravaged as a freebooting army under the flag of the Royal Niger Company opened the country up for British When they ENA0e staunch resistance in ine turn or te century army simply took over their free enterprise crusade.
Nigeria's . takeover of BP greeted by Lord Carrington blimpish indignation. regret the timing of this action', he was reported to have spluttered to the press.
But 1903 is long gone. A thousand backed up by four machine guns and a 75mm. would not fare very well against the 250,000-strong Nigerian army. does the present state of the British CUlUILEY make economic important took that began to meet the north at the British was 'They will advisable.
Maxim cannon hationalisation Nor weight. warfare SOUTH-AFRICA The fact of the matter is that, despite all their bluster, the protests of Carrington and the Tories over the BP General cannot go beyond words. Even these don't carry much Carrington has insisted that there is no truth in the Nigerian charge that their oil is being used to supply South Africa, in contradiction with the UN Assembly's call for embargo. But BP openly admits that supplies oil to South Africa, denying only that it comes from Nigeria or the North Sea.
In fact it is public knowledge that SOUTH AFR BP BP approved 'swop allows it to exchange both Nigerian and North Sea oil for oil from other countries, which is then sent to South Africa. The hydrocarbons bubbling through the Shell/BP may not have Nigeria' stamped on them, but one thing is sure into the UK.
BP's Ilav.
cent of its oil, essential economy.
and as well. kollallc them operating a governmentagreement' which refinery in 'Made in South Africa. which fact that the mare rete rbookmara The Bookmarx Club is now ani established method for socialists to get the best of new socialist books at a big discount-and delivered to your door HOW IT WORKS. You send us £4.50 for which you will receive the books on List A below plus those on one other list of your choice.
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. you will save pounds on the retail value of the books (shown in known books which KILLER DUST by Alar set counts as ane lis - LAD ON THE ROAD by Jimmy ON NORTHERN magazine waich las sel • LID1 C David •LAVU REPORT ON (OOD Beynon & Hilary BLACK ON THE cimish each extra list) and wrfing NAME ADDRESS WELFARE by Send to BOOKMARX CLUB. 265 Seven Sisters Road, London, N4 - they would not be there but for the Nigerian oil flowing Moreover, there is no doubt that extensive investments and operations in South Africa provide support to ine Between them Shell and BP supply South Africa with over 40 per and their refining is essenta to ise South Atrican to the South African BP's operations in both Nigeria South Africa alt inextricably wound up with those of Shell. The Nigerian government should indeed 'think again', as Carrington has asked them to - and take over Shell's assets That is the only way to prevent the use of Nigerian oil in a web of dirty deals to ensure that the South Africar police and army have the sort of fuel reserves necessary for such operations as the invasion of Angola.
Nor should the blow to the oil be softened by payıng "comensation'. They are hardly on the breadline given thei hold over the international transport processing and distribution of oil. BP has almost shrugged off the Nigerian move, saying that it will buy Nigerian oil on the commercial market.
The money raised by the take-over of the oil companies should go to those who need it and have suffered from the companies' conduct - the freedom fighters of Zimbabwe and majority of urban blacks are now reckoned to live below the poverty datum line and it becomes clear why Bishop Muzorewa has little political THIRD QUARTER …… 1979 Extra lists can be the form 1 your LIST D is split into two sets of wellon the shelves of any socialist. Eact nets 160p DAUGHTERS. ealter Sheila Rowbotham & Jean McCrindlt on in which women talk a GIRL Buchi cmecneld NATIONALISM AND Sondes in ts uge o y , Bogues (50p)
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