RURAL WOMEN IN PEACE-BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: THE CASE OF GBARAIN-EKPETIAMA WOMEN IN BAYELSA STATE

The commencement of the Gbarain-Ubie integrated oil and gas project (NLNG) in Gbarain-Ekpetiama Clans in 2005 was to equally bring about the positive transformation of the 47 host communities in Bayelsa and some parts of Rivers State. Accordingly, the parties entered into a global memorandum of understanding (GMoU) in April 2006 to establish nine programmes and projects, but SPDC reneged, leading to series of agitations that eventually resulted in the “rural women revolt” in May 2010. The NLNG was shut down for three weeks. This made the state government and SPDC to sue for peaceful resolution on May 18, 2010, where it was agreed that SPDC faithfully implement the tenets of the GMoU. The study applied David Easton’s theory of “post-behavioural revolution”, and adopted the “participant observation” method to examine the need for rural women to reinvigorate tested indigenous knowledge in peace-building and development in the male dominated vocation. The paper discussed how the revolt unveiled several lessons, including the need for dialogue, adherence to the tenets of GMoU, and swift response of government and SPDC to forestall escalation. It then recommends the sustenance of the micro-credit scheme to continue to impact positively on the rural communities.