Oil...

I have reached my limit. I'm finally really, truly realizing that something SERIOUSLY needs to be done to correct the vicious cycle of death, exploitation and poverty that runs rampant through Africa. hearing about it in lectures and on the news is one thing, but to actually read specifics and understand the injustices occurring everyday is sickening. Reading about the oil in Nigeria is just another prime example of Africa's goods and materials being jerked out of their hands almost immediately. Nigeria has managed to get screwed over simply for being lucky, it seems as though Africa is the little kid who gets bullied by all of the other power hungry countries, and every time yet another resource has been discovered some other country comes in before Africa even figures out what should be done. I saw in the reading that Nigeria's biggest source of gaining income through exports is oil, and today they import more than they export! What I cant get past is that oil always equals money!!! and despite this Nigeria rates below all of the other oil nations and has an annual per capita income of $1400! Although there are some good people in this fight, trying to defend Nigeria, there are still too many power hungry people coming from inside and outside of Nigeria, if the people of Nigeria cant even unite to protect their resources, why should anyone else not want to take advantage of the "fragile state" of this country. Its so tragic to see what material goods can do to people, and this is Africa's blessing and curse. As long as Africa has been being taken advantage of, it has been for good reason: they have tons of natural resources and other countries will take whatever ruthless action they need to to ensure an uneven distribution of wealth and profit.