Synopsis
In a small corner of Nigeria, billions of dollars of crude oil fl ow under the feet of a desperate people. Immense wealth and abject poverty stand in stark contrast. The environment is decimated. The people have had enough. After decades of nonviolent protest, in 2005 a new militancy was born. The Niger Delta is seething. Sweet Crude is a documentary about the Niger Delta. It tells the story of the humanitarian, environmental and economic devastation there in the wake of 50 years of oil extraction; the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND); and the opportunity for the international community to do something about the crisis before it’s too late. It also raises broader issues of oil politics, mass media agendas and the role of independent journalists in getting the truth out.