SHELL BP, COLONIAL RULE AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF OWERRI CITY, 1902-1961

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the impacts of Shell BP and the colonial administration on the development of the city of Owerri during between 1902 and 1961. The study looks at the evolution and development of Owerri City, now the capital of Imo State, Nigeria. The town has grown from a farmstead to a modern city. The evolution of the sprawling urban centre was rather slow during the period under study. The slow pace was not unconnected with the low level of economic activities that characterized the town. Owerri is landlocked, yet it was left as a forgotten backyard town during the colonial rule by British officials, this remained unchanged for so long. Other neighboring towns like Aba, Umuahia and Port Harcourt, were preferred to Owerri, railway lines passed through these cities which, boosted commerce and development, sidetracking Owerri. However, the coming of Shell D’Arcy to Owerri in 1946, for oil prospecting and exploration encouraged the colonial administration to pay more attention to Owerri, thus, some level of development was recorded. The method adopted was historical narrative. It was approached thematically and analytically, with the use of oral interviews and written sources. The efforts of Shell BP and the Colonial Administration from the study, show some positive developments which this paper tries to highlight. It concludes that Shell’s exit from Owerri was seen as a blessing by a majority of the people of Owerri.