___New Chancellor of

Wiwa Takes Pli

By Sarah Galashan

The Ubyssey, U of BC

Something compels Dr. Owens Wiwa to strive for change.

Owens home is the Ogoniland of Nigeria. Half a million people live in the area, about one quarter the size of Prince Edward Island, with no electricity or running water, inadequate schools, and one ill-equipped hospital.

There are, however, 96 oil wells, one petrochemical complex and two refineries.

Wiwa wants to address this imbalance by he's taking his message to students in North America.

"We want to make people aware of what multinationals are doing in the

third world," he says during a stop in Vancouver.

What multinationals are doing, Wiwa believes, is ravaging the land and killing the Ogoni. Famine, polluted rivers and gun flares spewing poisonous gases day and night are all commonplace in Ogoniland.

Like many _ other international activists, Wiwa says the Shell Oil is largely responsible for the destruction of his Ogoni homeland.

Wiwa's brother, Ken Saro-Wiwa, was among the most vocal critics of the bond between Shell and the Nigerian government. Saro-Wiwa founded the Movement for the Survival Of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) before being executed last November

House Training PES's Pts Since 1969

Panther Prints

University of Prince Edward Island

November 5, 1996

New Chancellor Installed

by Jennifer Caseley

The sixth Chancellor of the University of Prince Edward Island was installed on November 2.

Norman Webster, former editor of the Globe and Mailis honoured to hold the position.

Born in Summerside, Webster has always felt connected to Prince Edward Island.

Webster is "very interested in higher education." Having graduated from a relatively small school-- Bishops--Webster feels the

IC international calls for

clemency.

"The multi-national company was very worried about the way my brother and others ...were communicating to the outside world," says Wiwa, "and they were not comfortable with that."

Ever since Shell started operations in the Niger Delta, the company has drawn criticism for its practices.

Between 1982 and 1992, more than 1.6 million gallons of oil were spilled from the company's Nigerian operations, according to an independent record of Shell's oil spills. Nigeria accounted for 40 percentof the company's worldwide total for the period.

Shell blames sabotage.

Ogoni protesters, Shell

intimate setting of UPEI isa plus for students. Being able to have professors who know their students personally and the small class sizes make UPEla great place to learn. "I, Norman Webster, hereby accept the office of Chancellor ofthe University of Prince Edward Island and promise that to the best of my ability I will guard its intellectual, material and spiritual interests and promote its academic integrity for the advancement of sound learning so help me God." TheHonourable Gilbert R. Clements, Lieutenant

alleges, are causing the damage themselves in order to make the oil-producing company appear at fault. In addition to oil waste, acid rain and flooding, the Ogoni people live under an oppressive military regime.

Peaceful protests are often met with extreme force, at times resulting in the deaths of innocent people. In 1990, peaceful Etche protestors from a community located 10 miles from Ogoni faced a Mobile Police Force. The confrontation ended in 80 Etche deaths and _ the destruction of 495 homes. The government initiative was based on a request made by Shell that they be given the assistance of such a force in the event of a protest.

Governor of PEI, Visitor of the University, officially installed Webster on Saturday infront of dignitaries from PEI as well as many Presidents other universities from across Canada.

It is interesting to note that the Office of the Chancellor began with the abbot in medieval monasteries or the dean of medieval cathedrals. The person in charge of the "chancel" became responsible for insuring that official ceremonies were carried out with decorum and dignity.

ht to North America

Shell is proud of their wide-ranging programmes of community involvement and sponsorship. Activists, however, say the people of the Niger Delta have received little in return from the oil company.

While the oil companies are the largest employers, Wiwasays, "they don't actually employ the Ogoni people."

And while Shell has extracted over $30 billion from the Ogoni region since 1958, according toa report published in the Wall Street Journal, it has returned only 0.000007 per cent in the form of community assistance.

Wiwa fled Nigeria only days after his brother's execution.

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