The Nigerian village of Bodo used to subsist on fishing. But following oil leaks from Shell pipelines in the Niger Delta in 2008 and 2009, the nets have remained empty. People who want to make a living from fishing are forced to go out on the open sea. That means longer working hours and higher costs.

Bodo is located in the Ogoniland region of the Niger Delta, in southeastern Nigeria. Like Bodo, most arms of the Niger are contaminated with oil. This poses a particular problem for the people there since they have always lived on and with the water. Even today, many villages can only be reached by boat.

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) released a report in 2011 about the oil leaks in Bodo and other parts of Ogoniland - recommending that the government and oil companies provide one billion dollars for the clean-up. So far though, the oil streaks that shimmer on the water still haven't been addressed.

Saint Emmah Pii, Chief of Bodo, is angry. "We're all going to die miserably. We drink contaminated water. We breathe in poisonous fumes. It's all because of the oil." But outside of Bodo, no one seems to care. "Until now, neither the government in Abuja, nor the multinational corporations have shown any interest in our problems," the head of the village complains.

Since the beginning of oil production in 1958, Nigeria has risen up to become the world's eighth biggest oil exporter. That makes the country extremely dependent on 'black gold,' which accounts for 90 percent of export profits. That's why people have tolerated pipelines like this one in the Rivers State.

Flames like this one can flare up at any time anywhere in the Niger Delta - be that in the next village over or a few hundred meters away. Burning off gas as part of oil extraction was officially prohibited in 1984, but even 29 years later, no one checks whether Nigerians abide by the law.

Chukwuma Samuel lividly gestures to the towering flame he and the entire village close to the small town of Egbema have to live with. "Look at the people here. They are angry," he says. "We are suffering here. We have to fight to survive and never see any of that oil wealth."

The oil companies do not appreciate being accused of ignoring the people in the region. Shell, for its part, advertises its "Global Memorandum of Understanding" program - in which communities receive funds and can decide themselves how they want to spend them. The Obio Cottage Women's Clinic in Port Harcourt was rebuilt this way. When asked, every single patient praised Shell's good work.

But Bodo hasn't seen any support at all, Kentebe Ebiaridor, of the Environmental Rights Action (ERA) organization, criticizes. The river bank soaked in oil (shown here) is glaring proof of that. "The men and women here feel abandoned," he says.

Many Nigerians see the only share of their country's oil wealth to be the low price they pay for government-subsidized gas. At the end of 2011, one liter cost 65 naira (32 euro cents). However, in early 2012, the government discontinued part of the subsidy. After weeks of protest, the price settled at 97 naira (50 euro cents).

Franziska Zabbey doesn't profit from the low gas price. She subsists from farming and only rarely leaves Bodo. Her work hardly pays enough for her to survive. " If Shell compensated us for the oil damage, I could open a small store," she hopes. There aren't many other options in Bodo.

Even though it's hard to survive on fishing, the fishing boats are maintained. No one knows when they will be able to go out on the water again. The UNEP presumes it will take 25 to 30 years for the waters of Ogoniland to be oil-free.