BROKEN LIVES, BROKEN NATION
Black Gold, Black Scorpion is the story of how British oil engineer George Boughton, his wife, and their newborn child survived the chilling events of the Nigerian-Biafran war. The conflict between the Nigerian government and the secessionist state of Biafra ran from 1967 to 1970 and has been described by some historians as one of the worst episodes of African history. Between half a million to two million Biafran civilians are thought to have died of starvation, while Cold War factions used the conflict to battle out their rivalries.
Media coverage of the war was initially limited which to a modern generation of radio, newspaper, and television journalists is shocking. However, it’s worth remembering that the government tried to keep the press away from the conflict hot spots while spinning its own version of events to the outside world. Furthermore, journalists didn’t have the luxury of the internet, mobile phone cameras, or 24/7 news channels to ensure the war would be the lead story on every news bulletin.
George Broughton had a pretty good idea of what was going on via the local grapevine and what he saw with his own eyes, although he was powerless to get involved. As an oil company employee his job was to say nothing, keep his head down and get on with the life of an expat, which to all intents and purposes was a good one.
Black Gold, Black Scorpion lays bare the indifference of the oil industry, with its unenviable record as an environmental polluter, and the callousness of Nigeria’s ruling political elites. Conversely, it also shows that despite being an outsider and a white westerner, Boughton went out of his way to understand what was happening by reaching out to and interacting with the Igboland people.
This is a different African story, one that closes with the overthrow of Nigeria’s government, the demise of industry and European interests, and the start of massive corruption and oil pollution. A fascinating but unsettling read.
Reviewed by Juliette Foster
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