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About 15 NAGS (National Association of Gbaramatu Students) students joined us in the hotel for a meeting to discuss the film. Sandy shared the purpose of the film and asked the group what priorities they believe need to be highlighted. They let us know that they support the project and want to be partners in its success.
This afternoon the crew interviewed Sammy Daibo at the Chevron offices in Warri. He oversees all of the new Development efforts in the area. Ibiba (Ibiba Don Pedro, an author and award-winning Nigerian journalist who reports extensively on the Delta and will be a key character in the film) and Sandy both discussed the issues – Sammy is actually a very sympathetic character, clearly committed to the people of the area. It is not lost on him that none of this would be necessary had oil never been discovered here at all. That said, the place is an environmental and political disaster and some leaders must be willing to swim in murky waters to find solutions.
During the afternoon we had a visit from Chief Josephine, someone we plan to interview for the film. She was one of the women who took over the Chevron oil platform several years ago, an amazing act of courage, determination and peaceful protest that made international headlines.