The disgraceful acts of Energy lobby (African Energy Chamber) continue even this year. Making things even worse, AEC’s chairman, NJ Ayuk, an educated and sophisticated US-trained lawyer and businessman, has become Fossil Fuels’ black talisman. They are hosting the African Energy Week while touting it as Africa’s foremost energy event, bringing the global energy industry’s core elements to Africa. This is not it as even in the past they’ve gotten a number of Trump administration officials to the mix. This is simply awful!
The African Energy Chamber has received substantial financial, networking, and political assistance from US independents and huge oil giants. However, the industry’s explicit backing for the AEC’s harmful policies, which are counter to the world’s net zero aspirations, is a disgrace.
Mr. Ayuk and the AEC have fought for and received African government subsidies, tax exemptions, fiscal policy changes, and bailouts in exchange for on the one hand — and have used brutal state power to remove resistance to their polluting activities on the other — is a long-standing phenomenon. The AEC has dismissed any notion of environmental sustainability and backed the oil industry, which has benefited from crony capitalism in the form of deregulation, bailouts, and draconian laws criminalizing peaceful protest, such as the peace protesters who came to Cape Town to oppose Mr Ayuk and his gang.
As climate change worsens and public opinion shifts against fossil fuels, the business will be forced to take increasingly desperate methods to stay afloat, including supporting outright fascists like NJ Ayuk, who has no difficulty supporting a white supremacist agenda against black people. We must deconstruct this enterprise as soon as possible, not just for the sake of our planet’s existence, but also for the sake of world democracy.
Ayuk chastised “awake” banks and other financial institutions in an email to senior oil executives, accusing them of “colluding to deny loans and investment in fossil fuel businesses” at the expense of Africans. He says that Africans have the potential to make their own transition and those huge polluters and elitist banks should not lecture them. He opposes divestment from Israel and supports the occupation of Palestine by Israel.
Ayuk boldly declared in a phone call with oil executives that limiting investment into Africa Oil and Gas while trying to decarbonize the energy sector “would destroy the oil and gas business and disrupt the global economy.” He urged Africans to oppose anyone who seeks to push “expensive solar and wind” as an alternative to his preferred fossil fuels.
Acting as Stooge of the Pipeline
A very joyous and jolly NJ Ayuk of the African Energy Chamber said at the signing of the Trans Saharan Pipeline agreement.
“We are delighted to be in Niamey and enthusiastically support this initiative.” “The energy industry and African working people applaud Nigeria, Niger Republic, and Algeria for sending a strong message that the Trans-Saharan pipeline is in our best interests because it will improve energy security, create good-paying jobs, and expand much-needed economic growth,” NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, said. We’ll be working hard to get some significant agreements and milestones signed and announced during African Energy Week in Cape Town in October.”
Mr. Ayuk must know that true leaders stand up to oil companies and safeguard Africans from scams like the Trans-Saharan Pipeline, the West African Gas Pipeline, ROMPCO, the Republic of Mozambique Pipeline Company, and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, which serve as a fuse to Africa’s largest carbon bombs.
But it’s unsurprising that Mr. Ayuk and the African Energy Chamber are unconcerned about the environment or ordinary Africans’ interests. The African Energy Chamber believes that if the earth becomes too hot, Africans can change their physiology to cope. So, I guess there’s no need for them to be concerned about the climate implications of opening up the world’s largest carbon reservoir. For those of us who want to preserve our current bodies, their attack on fundamental environmental review is another more proof that they’re nothing more than a front for the fossil fuel industry.
They’ve supported the pro-fossil-fuel African energy week in Cape Town, which will compete with the London-based Hyve group’s Africa oil week. Africa Oil Week, on the other hand, is more realistic and aims to educate Africans about a sensible Western approach to climate change. Mr. Ayuk rejects them as communist radicals who don’t understand what Africans desire.
It’s no surprise that Mr. Ayuk and the African Energy Chamber are pushing for the Pipeline and other oil and gas projects across the continent, but it does help to clarify what we’ve been saying all along: Pipelines and oil and gas projects are a sham, and Mr. Ayuk and the Chamber are only supporting them because they work for oil firms and rich service companies. They are intelligent and know how everything links since they have a background in backroom politics.
Taking a stand against COP26
One must take a sneak peek into NJ Ayuk’s remarks at COP26 on leaders who toiled hard to make it better for the global climate crisis. On the contrary, he went to COP26 and chastised them for making an attempt towards the betterment of humanity
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nj-ayuk-jd-mba-6658662 cop26-cop26-activity-6861390152632168449-GYU/
“I had mixed sentiments when I arrived at COP26. I’ve been questioned a lot “I’m not sure how you got in here. Who allowed you to enter”
China and Russia, who are not attending #COP26, have my respect. They have no intention of playing games and will expand their energy sector as the West impoverishes its populace by aggressive action. Ironically, not attending is better for the environment than hypocrites arriving on private jets, launching a few million litres of rocket fuel into the atmosphere every 5 minutes to impress their friends, and lecturing Africans on how to go green right away with broken promises about energy poverty. You have China and Russia laughing at you.
Despite the fact that the 400 private jets used by world’ leaders to get to #COP26 pumped out 13,000 tonnes of CO2, they want you to stop eating meat, stop going on vacations, buy a new electric car when we don’t even have electricity to charge a Tesla (600 million Africans have no lights), and spend thousands of dollars on new boilers, they want you to stop eating meat, stop going on vacations, buy a new electric car when we don’t even have electricity to charge Come on, dude.
The elites’ and the awakened crowd’s music was loud, and they saw me wearing an OPEC pin as an insult. They didn’t like it when I wore an OPEC pin and praised the organization. There was a distinct scent of mint julep and condescension in the air. I smiled at them and sat on various panels, where I was booed for supporting oil and gas and discussing energy poverty by the same wealthy individuals who tried to lecture me on ESG. It was enthralling to see their sudden compassion for the impoverished. They presented a rant about the inequities faced by privileged rich people in their beautiful societies, with a jab at the impoverished people who were treated in disdain.
It rang true as a scream for justice, expressing grievances; I sat there thinking about the hypocrisy and buffoonery, and all I could say was that they gave Chutzpah a whole new meaning. Their anti-oil and gas rhetoric sounded like a fast-paced Eminem song. You had to give them credit for their theatrics; their lyrical structure had evolved into a new invention with its own spirit that resonated to these young people, but the majority of their anti-oil campaign horrified me.
I met a lot of really pleasant young individuals. Friends of the Earth kids were great, and they took the time to understand why I support the energy business. I’m hoping they don’t lose their jobs as a result of speaking with me. Too many of us have been bullied into apologizing for standing up for what we believe in when it comes to oil and gas! It’s not just unethical and cheap, but it also doesn’t work. We’re about to enter an energy crisis for which we have no explanation.” NJ Ayuk said.
How can a lawyer schooled in the United States justify China and Russia for now signing on to the Cop 26 climate agreements?
You’re not an idiot of a client if you can have this Machiavelli as a lawyer. Take a look at his clientele. Oil firms, ministries, presidents, and pipeline companies are all involved in this.
Backing dictatorial regimes being a puppet of the oil industry
Most of the members of the environmental community have no idea about what they are fighting for Last year, Africa Oil Week got a hint of the things. This devil is blatantly, even intentionally unapologetic, remorseless, shameless, and completely immune to insult. Mr. Ayuk follows a code of brazen, come-at-me boldness that is only attainable to individuals who are unconstrained by morals. He built his legal and commercial careers in a world where money and power trump rules and laws—indeed, where the ability to get and get away with things that ordinary citizens can’t is what distinguishes elite membership. Activists and opponents will be easily demolished by him. Consider the case of Delfin Mocache, an Equatorial Guinea opposition activist who became a threat to his friend Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima.
He annihilated the man and then persuaded numerous people not to donate to DiaroRombe. He took advantage of the fact that Mr. Mocache’s father was a Minister in the Obiang dictatorship and went for Mr. Mocache with full force. He deliberately exploited Delfin Mocache’s racist and anti-Semitic statements, threatening to expose and prosecute western organizations that donate to the Delfin Mocache. Guess what? The groups disbanded, and the dictatorship in Equatorial Guinea continues to rule. Exxon, Marathon, and Trident Energy continue to operate freely throughout the country, stealing all of the resources. Gabriel Obiang Lima and his father are becoming increasingly affluent.
The oil industry- a Foe disguised as a Victim
Mr. Ayuk has singled out Africa’s oil industry as a sufferer, accusing Europeans of attempting to force their version of climate change on Africans. Opposition against oil and gas development can be seen all over the world. Some Africans may believe that people opposed to pipelines and other fossil fuel infrastructure are unfairly targeting their oil and gas as a result of the African Energy Chamber’s deft manipulation. However, individuals in Europe and throughout the world are coming up with a variety of innovative and successful strategies to fight coal, oil, and fossil gas development in Africa, which will ultimately benefit Africans.
When Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace sought to talk to NJ Ayuk, he requested that they apologize and stop doing the following things.
1. Legal action against oil companies or governments for negligence or dishonesty
2. Giving up on their fight to put oil and gas development moratoriums in place.
3. Put an immediate halt to efforts to persuade financial institutions to shift their investments away from fossil fuels.
Except for Mr. Ayuk and the African Energy Chamber, all of this criticism makes sense. Oil and gas development has a negative impact on human health, contributes to climate change, and violates Indigenous rights on a regular basis. If we want to reduce climate pollution, limiting fossil fuel production is a cheaper, more certain, and more equitable way than trying to restrict the damage caused by greenhouse gas emissions after they’ve been created. Despite the African Energy Chamber’s and Mr. Ayuk’s claims that environmentalists are unfairly targeting Africa, we should expect greater public opposition from Africans than we’ve seen so far.
Governmental retaliation
Once we no longer need social distancing to block the spread of COVID-19, governments across Africa should expect popular mobilisation and opposition to oil and gas extraction to increase. Indeed, it is evident that Mr. Ayuk and the African countries anticipate popular opposition to oil and pipeline projects in the future. That is why he has been travelling around Africa, counseling authorities on how to deal with the threat posed by environmental organizations.
The African Energy Chamber has advocated for boycotts of companies that refuse to invest in fossil fuels, pushed for an anti-democratic law that criminalizes protests on or near oil and gas infrastructure, and taken a strong stance against slowing the development of oil and gas in Africa.
These immediate acts demonstrate that opposition to oil and gas development is spreading like a wildfire, and that we should expect a variety of forms of protest to fossil fuel extraction throughout Africa and around the world. Environmentalists must not give up. Mr. Ayuk’s personality and intelligence have won him a lot of admirers, and Africans do pay attention and listen to him. If we are to succeed in our goal of saving the globe from oil and gas firms, we will need more western backing for African environmental groups.
Our core motive is to achieve a prosperous future for everyone in Africa by advocating for robust climate change acts and a sense of responsibility around.
