Coal generated lots of revenue for Nigeria between the years 1916 and 1970 when it was one of Nigeria’s major revenue earners.
In the south eastern part of the country exploration of the mineral began proper in present day Enugu State in 1909, with production at the mines in Onyeama, Ogbete, Iva Valley and Okpara climbing from 25, 511 tons in 1916 to an estimated 583,422 tons before a decline set in during the Nigerian Civil War which started in 1967 and ended 1970.
At the end of the war most parts of the South east had been ravaged and many expatriate mining experts, mostly from Britain and Poland had left Nigeria.
Read more here: http://igberetvnews.com/1144003/enugu-commemorates-70th-anniversary-fallen-miners-photos/
It is clear that since the end of the Nigeria-Biafra war, there hasn’t been enough political will to resume coal mining.
Coal is the major energy source of the United States and China (in 2019), while Nigeria wallows in darkness. SMH.
This is a post to commemorate the Enugu coal miners that were massacred 70 years ago by British colonial masters.
May your souls continue resting in peace.
