The Destruction Of The Black Gold, Its Offspring And Human Development

ABSTRACT

In its ordinary sense, the term destruction usually has the

under current of sadness. Why then would destruction in this

context be beneficial to the socio-economic well being of the

human race? The reasons will crystallize out. I hope, as I

discuss this topic. The black gold simply refers to crude oil or

petroleum, its offspring are the products resulting from its

destructive physical separation. One may then ask why the

name “black gold”? Gold as we know is a very expensive metal. From ancient

times to now, it had always been, it is still a very precious

commodity. It is so important that most major world

currencies are tied to it. Gold had always been sought after.

The rush for gold led nations to wars and individuals to

battles. It made nations that had it to be the super powers of

that era. Spain was such a nation between the 16th and 17th

centuries.One cannot easily forget the forays of the Spanish

conquistadors into Latin (South) and Central America. The

conquest of the Inca empire of Peru and the execution of the

Inca himself by the Spanish General Pizzaro was to acquire

Public Lecture Series Volume 8. 28th September, 2006

the huge gold owned by the “Inca and his people. Another

Spanish general Albuquerque123 exploited Mexico for the

same reason. And one of the remote reasons for the

Mexican American wars3 in the 19th century was to control the

vast gold that abound in California aka The golden State) and

present state of New Mexico, both of which are now part of

the United States of America. That abound in California aka

The golden State) and present state of New Mexico, both of

which are now part of the United States of America.

Coming back home, the various battles of the British with the

Ashanti of present day Ghana4 then the Gold Coast was also

to grab the gold that abounds in this West African country.

Furthermore, the Boer wars in South Africa between the

British and Dutch settlers in the late 19th and early part of the

20th centuries was also to control the vast gold reserves in the

Kimberly and Witwatersrand areas of South Africa.

The Congo Logjam of the early sixties which pitched the

Western world against the Soviet Union and which resulted in

the murder of Congo's first Prime Minister, Patrice Lumumba

and the suspicious crash of the plane of then Secretary

General of the United nations Daag Hammerzold4 was to

control the rich mineral reserves including gold.