The aim of this paper was to examine community perspective to petroleum exploitation and pollution in Ogoni, Rivers State. To achieve this aim, the objective was to determine the extent to which the pollution of the environment has affected the people’s views of usefulness of the resources in their communities. The survey design method was employed. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 21 oil bearing communities from the four Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Ogoniland. The data were collected using interviews, focus group discussions, oral testimonies and questionnaires. Being qualitative; transcriptions, rewriting and coding were employed in data analysis, except for the questionnaires which adopted descriptive statistical methods. Results showed that majority of the people have not benefitted from the petroleum resources in their communities. It was revealed that pollution has changed the people’s views of the usefulness of petroleum resources, as they clearly see the resources in their communities as a curse. However, many communities believed that there was no sincerity on the part of their leaders, as the dividends claimed to be given by the multinational oil companies (MNOCs) for the welfare and benefit of the people were not visible. It is recommended that in order to change the perception of the people toward petroleum exploitation, the MNOCs should massively develop the host communities with basic social amenities and deal directly with the land owners whose portions of land are directly affected and not through the chiefs or the Community Based Organisations (CBOs).

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Cassava products have been introduced to the market in different regions of the world as part of diet, despite containing more than one toxic substance. Roots and leaves of cassava of all varieties contain cyanogenic glucoside, mainly as linamarin, but also as lotaustralin, in different concentrations in their cellular vacuoles. Twenty (20) albino Wistar rats were used for this research and were randomly selected into 4 groups of five 5 rats each. The result obtained from the study showed that there was a significant reduction in weight of the Konzo induced Wistar rats group from week 1 to week 4. A weight gain of 21.7g to 34.7g was observed in the cassava-induced Konzo and complan milk fed group Wistar rats and cassava-induced Konzo and Bambara nut (Okpa) fed group Wistar rats when compared with the cassava-induced Konzo group Wistar rats. There was a decrease in Na+,K+, Urea, Creatinine and HCO3 in cassava-induced Konzo and Bambara nut (Okpa) fed group Wistar rats when compared with cassava-induced Konzo Wistar rat group and control group. In evaluating the motor coordination/impairment using rotarod test, cassava-induced Konzo Wistar rat group, cassava-induced Konzo and complan milk fed group Wistar rats group and cassava-induced Konzo and Bambara nut (Okpa) fed Wistar rats group spent a significantly less mean time 20.65±0.33, 24.93±0.67 and 25.71±0.72 respectively when compared to the control group mean time of 39.45±0.42. Also, a significant improvement in motor coordination was observed in cassava-induced Konzo and complan milk fed group Wistar rats group and cassava-induced Konzo and Bambara nut (Okpa) fed Wistar rats group when compared with cassava-induced Konzo Wistar rat group. From the histological evaluation of the brain of the Wistar rats showed neurons that are vacuolated as a result of bitter cassava and alpha motor neurons. It is hence concluded that the toxic effect of bitter cassava can be ameliorated using proteins or balanced diets such as milk and bambara nuts (Okpa).

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Background: Health and mental related illnesses has emerged as a new challenge in the rural and undeveloped areas in Ogoniland where petroleum exploration activities have devastated the entire ecosystem. Many of the school children are no longer zealous about their academic activities, as their performances in school are always very poor. It has been reported that the children’s poor performance in school is closely linked with several health and mental challenges suffered by these children in the highly polluted areas. Methods: The study comprises of 383 primary school teachers selected from 8 rural communities in the four (4) Ogoni Local Government Areas (Gokana, Tai, Eleme and Khana) in Rivers State where massive environmental pollution has been reported. Structured questionnaires were used to collect the data from the teachers on the children’s exposure to oil pollution; self-rated mental illnesses and behavioural symptoms among the school children, perception to petroleum pollution and mental illnesses. Results: The results revealed that the signs of mental illnesses like anxiety disorder, attention-deficit disorder, autism spectrum disorder, mood disorder, schizophrenia and eating disorder were noticeable among the school children. The children also exhibited behavioural challenges such as extreme fear, difficulty in concentrating, self-imposed injuries, aggressive behaviour, avoiding other classmates and poor academic performances. The field survey further revealed that mental illnesses and behavioural challenges were common in areas of massive petroleum pollution of the environment. Other causes of these illnesses were revealed to be poverty and psychoactive substance use. Conclusion: It was concluded that constant exposures of the children to environmental pollution is associated with decreasing neuroplasticity of the brain.