Question Is Nigerian black gold a blessing or a curse? Response What is Black Gold? Black gold is a coined or derived word to mean ‘Crude Oil’ or ‘Petroleum’. This name (Black Gold) is given to crude oil because of its black colour when it comes out of the ground. Therefore, black gold (Oil) is an economically important substance that generates a great deal of money. Black Gold in Nigeria Crude oil is one of the natural endowments that occupy the crust in the southeast of the country. Well sought after by governments and individuals from around the world, it has over the years been nicknamed the black gold by many a people who deem it logical to compare its popularity with the precious metal (Gold). The importance of natural resources to the growth of a country’s economy cannot be underestimated. A country endowed with natural resources can be considered to be blessed. When these resources are effectively utilised, they can uplift the quality of life of the people of that nation otherwise, they can serve as a curse for the nation. Shortly after the exodus of the colonialists, this gem (Crude Oil) was discovered! But while other states with similar endowments have made do with the precious gift bestowed upon them like the biblical faithful servant who invested the money given him by his master and reaped bountifully, Nigeria, the tenth largest producer of crude oil with more reserves than China (15.5bbs), India (5.8bbs) and Norway (7.5bbs) put together, have yet to record any meaningful achievement since crude oil was first discovered more than four decades ago. While Egypt with a meagre one-ninth of what Nigeria has, has developed good infrastructure and maintains a steady economy in north Africa, Nigeria, the most populous black nation on earth- the only reasonable maxim that the west uses to describe her, cannot boast of same. Rather the men of straw who are saddled with the responsibility of fixing the economy, providing for the polity as well as tackling such germane issues as job creation, food and social security amongst others have worn their thinking caps askew thereby thinking the opposite. Nigeria’s crude oil has divided opinion who expressed that the black gold is a blessing or a curse, depending on which side of the divide one belongs. The people who believed oil is a blessing to the country are obviously the people benefiting from its exploration. They cart away the proceeds from oil to acquire material assets for themselves at the expense of our collective development. This is a pain inflicted by the minority group of people referred to as “political class” on the masses. The second category of people who believed oil revenue only enriches the elite and not the crumb of it goes to ordinary people. Perhaps, this was the reason why the people trooped to the streets in their thousands to protest the government decision to remove oil subsidy on the 1st of January 2012. It was trailed by several activities that made Nigerians to become wild and resentful against the government they believed has not done enough to better their lots. Over the years, crude oil exploration in Nigeria has caused many problems for the people with many saying oil is becoming a curse to Nigeria people. Since 1958 when the nation discovered the ‘black gold’ in Oloibiri in Bayelsa State, it would be incorrect for anyone to deny its adverse impact on environment, politics and security in Nigeria. The Federal Republic of Nigeria is Africa’s most populous nation and for a long time, agriculture was its main source of income but since 1956 when oil was discovered in then British protectorate Nigeria by collaboration between British Petroleum and Royal Dutch Shell, and production began in 1958 agriculture was soon neglected. A large oil industry was established in Nigeria, much like its Arab counterparts and yet very unlike them, it has yet to see much in return. Oil in Nigeria has proven to be much more of a curse, rather than a blessing for the country. Crude oil in Nigeria has been seen as not a blessing but rather a curse due to the following reasons: The first reason why oil has not been a blessing but a curse to Nigeria is unfortunate, unplanned and mismanagement of the crude oil and its companies (Refineries). The Nigerian oil industry has taken a significant toll on the environment and therefore elicited a violent opposition movement. The callous and unethical mismanagement of oil companies has resulted in s