ArodewilliamsT:


This revelations raises more and more questions. Did MTN pay the bribes to powerful people in government? How did they manage to hang on?
He mentioned Lagos and Delta, Who was the governor then in lagos? Why is he walking free while Ibori is in gaol?
There were allegations that MTN paid a certain percentage 'kickbacks' to the President (OBJ) on *1* to stay afloat, why was it swept under the carpet?
The halliburton scandal also comes to mind, OBJ the then president was implicated there as taking kickbacks, why is he not standing trials?

questions, question and more questions.

Pangea:
It’s time to play by a different (ethical) set of rules (Part 7) Nigeria 1 of 5

___Sometimes the price can be very high in the fight against corruption.

I had the privilege of making Nigeria’s first GSM phone call back in 2001 when I called the regulator to say, “We’re live!” Who would’ve believed then that Nigeria today would have more than 167 million mobile phones?!

It all started out as a very exciting new chapter for enterprise in Africa. Shortly after President Obasanjo was elected, the new government announced an incredibly transparent international auction process for three national mobile phone licenses.

To participate in the bid, you not only had to raise money, but there had to be a member of the bidding consortium who was an experienced GSM operator. Econet Wireless met the requirements because of its experience in Zimbabwe and Botswana. Our Nigerian partners, which included state governments, local banks and high net worth individuals, were financial investors. The largest shareholder had only 10%. That was the written agreement.

I managed to assemble a consortium of 22 investors to put up the money needed to bid. Our shareholders were all Nigerian, mostly institutional investors including leading banks and two state governments, Lagos State and Delta State. The license cost us $285m and was the most expensive license ever issued in Africa at the time. This was 2001.

We considered the investment not only about putting together a network, but also about building a nation. We knew it had the potential to transform Nigeria’s entire business and social architecture.

Most of our investors had between 1-10% shareholding. Econet Wireless Nigeria had only 5% of the shares, but that was fine because it was 5% ownership of a very big pie.

As the "technical partner and operator," Econet was the company with the expertise to build and operate such a business. Our financial investors recognised this, and also allowed us to receive 3% of the turnover as our fees. This was standard practice in the industry.

We were one of the winning bidders and they gave us just six months to set up business and get our network operating. We were under a lot of pressure but our network was live two days before the others! Customers were pouring in. We were number one in the market with an estimated 57% market share.

___Then came the fateful day when I was told that our company must pay a total of $9m in bribes to senior politicians (in state government) who had facilitated the raising of the money to pay for the license.

I refused to authorise the illegal payments. Meeting after meeting was held to try to get me to agree, but I would not. The money would not be paid as long as Econet was the operator and I had signing authority.

James Ibori, the Governor of Delta State, was demanding $4,5m be paid to him in his personal capacity. He was one of the most powerful men in the country and had a reputation for violence. When he heard that I was refusing to approve payment he issued an ultimatum:

___"Pay or I will chase you and your people out of the country."

I refused.

The shareholders met and voted Econet Wireless Nigeria out of management. They cancelled our management contract. James Ibori and his colleagues personally attended the meeting to remove us. After the meeting one of them (a prominent local businessman even today) came up to me and said: "Unfortunately for you, God does not have a vote."

I had to withdraw all my staff and their families: 200 people in all. We left Nigeria.

Most of our people had to be retrenched. The loss of the contract almost drove us to bankruptcy as a group.

They invited a big international operator to replace us as technical partner and operator. They changed the name of the company from Econet to V-Mobile.

Within days of their arrival, the managers of the new operator signed off the payments demanded as bribes.

Then what happened?

A few noble Nigerians had both the integrity and courage to carefully collect all the documentation on the movement of the money, and pass it all on to me.

___There’s a saying worth remembering in uncovering the trail of destruction that is corruption: “Follow the money”…

I bided my time... then I wrote a letter to the United States Department of Justice!

It was 2003.

To be continued…

Pangea:
Strive Masiyiwa
Afterthought 2.

As I completed this post, a Nigerian former Minister of Oil has just been arrested in Britain this week, under the same law used against James Ibori. If you as a Nigerian have evidence in such matters, will you stand up, even in court, or are you afraid?

Obrigardo:


Please dont stop oh.

Can you post the fb link of this Guy? i need to connect with him

Pangea:



https://www.facebook.com/pages/Strive-Masiyiwa/496453373762496

Obrigardo:


thanks... Seun this is what should make the frontpage and should be pinned on the front page for the remainder of the year.
If that is your fight towards corruption (which we are all equally yoked in), please do that admin!

lalasticlala front page or you dey sleep?

Paul Okoye of P-square is gradually losing hope in Nigeria but he decided to back it up with prayer.

Paul who’s on tour in the United States shared the below photo of a city in the country and said:

''Dear God even if I know I will never see my country like this..... But at list let my children or grand children see my country like this one day....na beg I de beg,....this na wickedness Haba!!! Asin I taya !!!''

Pangea:


Lols
I've been putting up the articles on this thread for quite awhile, seems many are not too interested because it's quite a long read for our people. They prefers pictures and summary, but they still want the country to change.
We all are joking!
Peter Okoye posted a picture today comparing the country where he has gone for a show to Nigeria and he prayed that even if he will not live to see nigeria becoming like that country that God should please let his children be a witness to it.
I really cry for my country!

Obrigardo:


Even the set up of the forum is swimming in corruption capitalist-style. But there is hope for the rest of us.

ArodewilliamsT:


This revelations raises more and more questions. Did MTN pay the bribes to powerful people in government? How did they manage to hang on?
He mentioned Lagos and Delta, Who was the governor then in lagos? Why is he walking free while Ibori is in gaol?
There were allegations that MTN paid a certain percentage 'kickbacks' to the President (OBJ) on *1* to stay afloat, why was it swept under the carpet?
The halliburton scandal also comes to mind, OBJ the then president was implicated there as taking kickbacks, why is he not standing trials?

questions, question and more questions.

emmatok:
One of the two Governors was Tinubu, I remember these Saga is the Early days of Nigeria telecom history.

These Politicians forcefully collected Econet Nigeria from the owner.

But the man gave them international hell, that was the reason why Econet keeps changing names until the Indians finally bought the company.

ArodewilliamsT:


This revelations raises more and more questions. Did MTN pay the bribes to powerful people in government? How did they manage to hang on?
He mentioned Lagos and Delta, Who was the governor then in lagos? Why is he walking free while Ibori is in gaol?
There were allegations that MTN paid a certain percentage 'kickbacks' to the President (OBJ) on *1* to stay afloat, why was it swept under the carpet?
The halliburton scandal also comes to mind, OBJ the then president was implicated there as taking kickbacks, why is he not standing trials?

questions, question and more questions.

fx45:
Why is James Ibori in jail while Tinubu is currently a Field Marshal of the ruling party?

$9m was initially demanded as bribe.... Ibori's share was $4.5m. The other half was for who? PassingShot, do you have an idea who must have taken the other half?

EMANY01:





Do you need to ask?

Do not ask passing shot and his gang of merry apc cool-aid drinkers that question, he/they will either point to some political character from the south-east or the south-south with some allegations of corruption to answer failing which he/they would immediately develop amnesia. ,go blind and deaf at the same time.

We all know that Obj and Tinubu both have plunged their filthy phaluses into the swarmy hole of corruption that is the story of the telco business in Nigeria.

Those who know know and record it which is why sometimes i have no respect for the US and the UK still giving that idiot (Obj) space to show his face internationally when they have detailed records of his corrupt ridden existence .

As for Tinubu, that thug instituted a regime of state sanctioned robbery in Lagos using thugs barely able to communicate in English our supposed lingual franka and the consequence of which is escalating but we all act like his tenure was the best thing since sliced bread (a generation of agberos who have now come to know easy money by extortion) goverment extortion with the money hardly used by the government in providing the needs of the people.

fx45:
Why is James Ibori in jail while Tinubu is currently a Field Marshal of the ruling party?

$9m was initially demanded as bribe.... Ibori's share was $4.5m. The other half was for who? PassingShot, do you have an idea who must have taken the other half?

mykl01:
.
Hope you are not seriously waiting for his answer.

elookoo:


This my response should not be misconstrued as support for Tinubu , but i just need some answers and clarifications. This article has exposed the corruption in Nigeria telecom industry and many people now know why airtel kept changing names ( im a proud aitel subscriber) my questions are
1. Why is Tinubu still walking free and has never been prosecuted on this matter
2. Considering that tinubu has been in opposition since 1999 how come the Pdp led federal Government have never arrested and prosecuted tinubu while ibori a pdp member and his cronies are in jail .

seunmsg:



If you read strive Masiyiwa's post very well, you will notice he never mentioned Tinubu's name. If he can mention James Ibori's name clearly, I really don't see why he can't mention Tinubu's name clearly as well.

In my opinion, if Tinubu also demanded for bribe like Ibori did, he must have done it through a third party and not directly in a way that it could be traced to him. I came to this conclusion simply because Tinubu has travelled severally to the US and UK without harassment. If Ibori was arrested and prosecuted on the strength of the petition sent to the US and UK by strive, I don't see any reason why they will let Tinubu off the hook if he is also guilty. Curiously again, Strive has refused to mention him directly in the bribery scandal. Tinubu was probably smart enough to cover his tracks.

seunmsg:



If you read strive Masiyiwa's post very well, you will notice he never mentioned Tinubu's name. If he can mention James Ibori's name clearly, I really don't see why he can't mention Tinubu's name clearly as well.

In my opinion, if Tinubu also demanded for bribe like Ibori did, he must have done it through a third party and not directly in a way that it could be traced to him. I came to this conclusion simply because Tinubu has travelled severally to the US and UK without harassment. If Ibori was arrested and prosecuted on the strength of the petition sent to the US and UK by strive, I don't see any reason why they will let Tinubu off the hook if he is also guilty. Curiously again, Strive has refused to mention him directly in the bribery scandal. Tinubu was probably smart enough to cover his tracks.

Pangea:


Lols
I've been putting up the articles on this thread for quite awhile, seems many are not too interested because it's quite a long read for our people. They prefers pictures and summary, but they still want the country to change.
We all are joking!
Peter Okoye posted a picture today comparing the country where he has gone for a show to Nigeria and he prayed that even if he will not live to see nigeria becoming like that country that God should please let his children be a witness to it.
I really cry for my country!