My first story from Nigeria, done together with my colleague Øystein Mikalsen, is from Goi in southern part of the country. Goi is one of the villages that have paid the highest price for the country’s oil drilling. In 2004 a massive oil-leakage upstream from Goi forced the villagers to move out. Still today everything is contaminated. People have been deprived of the livelyhood. Crude oil is the blessing of the elite, and the curse of the ordinary man and woman in Nigeria.
For the full story and more pictures, go to our blog Untold Stories.
In Flow with Otto 
La foto è molto esplicativa!!!
Molte grazie, Patrizia.
Superb photograph Otto. The multinationals have little regard for anything bar the bottom line and the shareholders. Ordinary decent folk don’t figure if they get in the way of yet more profit. In the west, governments temper their activities with regulation to a degree. In Africa, so long as the president has got a new personal jet, they can do what they like.
Unfortunately you are all too right, Adrian. Yes, for the big money it’s only the bottom line that counts.
Great image, Otto – says it all.
Thank you, Susan.
This is the sad part of it all … great photo. We destroy so much to get what we want .. and we don’t take in consideration what happens to those that has to live it – how their lives change in another direction. Look at all the king prawn farming … and what that do the nature. Here in Sweden they don’t sell farmed king prawns anymore.
Great that you in Sweden have taken steps to hold back on the exploitation of natural resources. But, yes, we do destroy too much in our yearning for more.
Great images, both here and in your other blog, but such a sad sad story… And very shocking.
We had a disaster here too in Quebec last July, nothing to compare with this village, but a train with many wagons transporting crude oil derailed and exploded, destroying half of downtown of Lac Mégantic village, (about an hour drive from where I live) and killing fifty two people.
These stories are so sad…
Unfortunately one doesn’t have to travel far to come across sad stories like this. It must have been quite scary to have wagons of oil go up in fire.
A neverending story. White people, money and power. But…great shot.
Unfortunately that is often the case.
Amazing photograph, dear Otto. Thank you, love, nia
Thank you, Nia.
Just perfect – technically and artistically.
Thank you.
Good photo journalism. Such a crime is being committed here.
Crime is indeed the right word.
Beautiful image of tragedy.
Unfortunately the Niger delta could have been so much more beautiful without the tragedy.
The earth crucified – OhMyGod.
It was quite shocking, indeed.
I really value your Untold Stories. What a terrible story, but I’m glad it was shared. It provides a truer picture than we might otherwise be told.
I am glad I am able to share such stories.
Amazing picture and story!
You´re one of the best photographers i´ve ever seen. really good. compliments♥
Thank you, Luiza.
Your image draws me immediately into it, and your words punctuate its meaning.
It is a strong story which needs to be told clear and vivid.
A stunning image I won’t soon forget.
The site itself it something unforgettable.
Such photos never make the shareholder’s annual reports.
That would have been something, wouldn’t it!?
This is shocking, initially I felt it was beautiful picture (the photograph still is), but was shocked when i read this to see how horrible this must be. It’s an oil leakage, that’s among the worst things that can happen.
Yes, it’s really a shocking story – and oil spill is really destroying everything in its way.
Truly remarkable series. Thanks so much for sharing.
Thank you, the stories need to come out.
Yes and I love reading this kind of stuff. The stories that are “untold” and must be told. So thank you!
Those stories need to be told!
Otto, I am glad that you are reporting about these atrocities and, thus, create more awareness of them! There is so much of this going on around the world. It’s like an epidemic. It’s so huge that the onlooker feels paralyzed by its immensity.
I hope we can create some more awareness. But sometimes it feels like a dead end.
valuable work, Otto. thank you for exposing this tragedy. i hope it starts good changes to happen…
I can only hope for the same.
A striking image, Otto. Now to go and read the full story…
Thank you for taking the time to read the stories, Andrew.
Add to this, (while on a somewhat smaller scale than the big-news oil disasters, but nevertheless just as intense), Duke Energy’s recent coal ash spill in my state, NC. Cause and effect everywhere, large and small. Have enjoyed reading about the smaller farmers and fishermen in Africa, Otto. Great, albeit sad, stories; thanks for sharing.