Information & discussion about African diaspora photographers and publishing.

Osodi, George. Delta Nigeria: The Rape of Paradise (Trolley Books, 2008)

Osodi_DeltaNigeriaDelta Nigeria: The Rape of Paradise. George Osodi,  Trolley Books, 2008, 248 pages, 200 color illustrations, hardcover, ISBN: 978-1-904563-85-3, UK £24.99 \ US $49.95 \ EURO €39.95 \ CAN $54.95.

Publisher’s description:

Oil was discovered in the Niger Delta in the 1950s, and soon after a powerful international oil industry developed. Nigeria today is the world’s 5th largest exporter to the US. However the people are poor that live in this oil-rich land, and the environment that surrounds them is deadly – oil leaks and explosions abound, whilst the water supply is heavily contaminated.

In recent years, local guerillas in balaclavas and speed boats and armed with enormous rounds of ammunition have taken on the oil companies. They demand the right to live in their own clean and unpolluted land, that damage is restored to the delicate delta environment and stake a 50% claim on all oil pumped out of the creeks.

These dramatic images document for the first time the extent of the environmental damage, revealing not only to the world, but also to Nigeria itself, what exactly is happening to their country, where everything is being taken from this land – and nothing is being given back to the people.

George Osodi is a Nigerian photographer from Lagos. His photographs range between photojournalism and artistic documentary, closely observing social, economic and ecological processes of exploitation. George Osodi was chosen to be part of the prestigious Documenta art fair in 2007.

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Subscribe to our feed

Black Photographers Book Reviews preserves and promotes the history of African diaspora photographers and subjects in publishing through an online library, blog and book reviews.

Archives

RSS carlagirl photo

  • Taking a Break February 6, 2012
    Site visitors will probably notice that I haven’t updated here frequently. I am taking a break from my site(s) for at least the summer. I’ve been working in this field for 25 years and I’m burned out on photography and art, the site(s) are in need of major updates/ revamping/ retooling, social media is exhausting, [...] […]
  • What if there were no more art galleries? February 6, 2012
    6×6 – An Art Version of a Music Festival ABOUT THIS PROJECT What is 6×6? Beginning on September 8, 2011, our roaming gallery Baang and Burne Contemporary will present 6×6, (six by six) a series of six, back to back, one week only art exhibitions in New York City. 6×6 was created by artists, for artists. Essentially 6×6, is [.. […]
  • The Stoop Gallery Call for Submissions February 6, 2012
    The Stoop Gallery is currently accepting submissions for the upcoming show date and theme: Art. Science. Body: How art and science merge to create identity narratives. July 30, 2011 This week, Psychology Today published an article focusing on why African American women are less physically attractive than other women. The methodology of the research was not m […]