1. Does Shell bear some responsibility for the problems in the Ogoni region of Nigeria? I believe Shell is somewhat responsible for the problems. They seem to be taking advantage of a lower classed and less advanced country and its natural resources. If they had practiced better corporate responsibility then things would not have escalated as much.
2. What steps might Shell have taken to nip some of the protests against it in the butt, or even preempt them? Shell should have stepped into the happenings in the Ogoni Region and what the Nigerian government was doing. They should have used their large company business power to enact some type of regulation to make the Nigerian government to change how they were treating the Ogoni people.
3. Could the company have done more to gain clemency for Ken Saro-Wiwa? What? Should it have done more? Yes they could have done something for Saro-Wiwa. As I already stated, they should have stepped into what the Nigerian government was doing in the Ogoni region as well as the arrest and trial of Saro-Wiwa.
4. Was the response of Western governments to the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa about right, too excessive, or too mild? What should have been the appropriate response? I believe their response was correct to an extent. They protested against Shell and trade embargoed Nigaria. However, they did not stop their want of their oil. Since oil is Nigeria’s main money maker, they should have embargoed and boycotted Shell as well as the exported oil of Nigeria.
5. In the wake of Saro-Wiwa’s execution, was Shell correct to push ahead with the liquefied natural gas project in Nigeria? No. Nigeria was partaking in horrible human rights actions and should have been avoided as well as punished for their actions, not somewhat rewarded by a huge deal.
6. Do you think it is possible for a company such as Shell to reform itself from within, or would it have been better