THE Supreme Court judgment ceding the disputed 76 oil wells to Akwa Ibom State, the other day, apparently confirms the notion by many people that the litigation was avoidable in the first place. The disagreement required more of political rather than legal settlement.What is clearly at play is failure of leadership on both sides. The two state authorities failed to show maturity and brotherly consideration that ought to exist by reason of their traditional affiliation. They allowed selfish drive for oil revenue to becloud brotherhood. They need still to exercise caution and embrace dialogue to prevent the court verdict from deepening the animosity between their peoples.The two states were intrinsically one, until Akwa Ibom was created out of the old Cross River State. If the leaders had duly considered this fact, they would have seen the futility of fighting each other in a relationship that is no less than that of a family. They should have sought to resolve the dispute accordingly.The dispute has its origin in the judgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which in 2002, handed over the western part of Bakassi Peninsular (which was part of Cross River) to Cameroon. The judgment essentially wiped out what used to be the estuarine sector of Cross River State going by the new international boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon. The loss of Bakassi was a major historic downturn to both Cross River State and Nigeria.Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had in 2006, at a meeting he held with the two state governments over their boundary dispute, ceded the oil wells to Cross River, possibly as compensation for the loss of Bakassi. Cross River has ever since received federal allocation as an oil producing state based on that action. The 76 oil wells are offshore, upon which the Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, ceded ownership to Akwa Ibom State on the ground that it has contiguous boundary with the sea and not Cross River State. The court emphasised that it is contrary to international maritime law for a non-littoral state like Cross River to lay claim to offshore oil wells.And yet, all things considered, it seemed equitable and politically wise to have ceded the oil wells to Cross River, to mark its new geographical position.Since Cross River cannot be blamed for the circumstance under which Bakassi was lost to Cameroon; and having been a littoral state before then, it deserves to own some oil wells at least by mutual agreement involving the state, the Federal Government and Akwa Ibom State. Moreover, Akwa Ibom is well endowed with numerous other oil wells. Rivers State also lost oil wells to Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa states. The implication of the Supreme Court ruling is that Cross River is bearing the brunt of the loss of Bakassi more than any other state. There is need, therefore, for states to negotiate with each other to ensure peaceful co-existence. President Goodluck Jonathan can still intervene to find a political solution, more so as the two states belong to the same ruling party.In view of the peculiarity of the case, the Supreme Court should have played a more advisory and equitable role, instead of giving a straight legal verdict as it did. Above all, the interest of the nation should have been paramount to the case.This is one case where obvious reliance on oil as a source of revenue generation created desperation for the two feuding states, and consequently, aggravated the dispute. It signposts not just the danger of over-dependence on oil, but also serves as a reminder of things to happen if and when oil eventually dries up. States and indeed the Federal Government should diversify their sources of revenue in order to ensure lasting economic stability.The non-designation of littoral state status to Cross River may have security implication for Nigeria, which the authorities should fully examine, and promptly too. For instance, will the Nigerian Navy now require a form of clearance from Cameroon before patrolling Nigeria's adjoining territorial waters' This and related questions should be resolved before any emergency occurs.
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