Biina again!

4 Play has done enough of laying the facts bare. You either follow your conscience and admit the wrongs in our society, or you join the hordes of people who love feasting on the resources in other peoples lands.

4 Play:

People keep yapping that the Niger-Delta region is getting a fair share of the revenues. That share of revenues had to be extricated from the rest of Nigeria after much haggling, with the occasional outbursts of violence.  

The idea that these people have to haggle with the rest of Nigeria over the proceeds of oil from their territory is ridiculous.  The irony is that they are being bombed with weapons purchased from oil proceeds. What most short-sighted folks don't realise is that we are slowly gearing up for a much larger conflict in the future.

SapeleGuy:

Be careful 4 Play, you are asking reasonable questions and getting close to the truth, these are grounds to be labelled a 'tribalist'

AHF - Why can't we develop other revenue streams, is it fear of hardwork?

they say truth is the first casualty of war.  nigeria has been complacent becos we "won" the biafran war.
how the pepper soup geneerals we have didnt see this coming baffles me.  

living in england in the IRA 90's  taught me how easy it is for a handleful of dissidents to hold a nation under siege and cause untold damage.  we all know how smart and effective our police and security people are.

we are relying on a bunch of useless men who cant investigate armed robbery to bail us out. if we knew we could fight for oil why didnt we send these same trigger happy people to help us secure bakasi?

i hope you all stay in lagos and the northern states when some of these boys take their fight to mainland nigeria.

it is so easy to be a NL tribalist.  the nigerian army needs you guys to go enlist and fight a "just war".

nigeria has got away with this wickedness too long.  next time some of u talk revenue allocation ask yourself what your state brings to the table she is sharing from

4 Play:

It's a red herring. If we recognise in principle that oil proceeds should not be transferred out of the source regions, the Federal Govt(Mother of all Misnomers) should commit itself to spending the bulk of the proceeds within the Niger-Delta region, thereby, bypassing the State Govts. This excuse of corrupt Niger-Delta Governors is nauseating.

i have been asking for a list of nigeria's clean states no one has come up with it.  i keep hearing niger delta chop money as if it is only niger delta that chops money in nigeria.

ono:

Biina again!

4 Play has done enough of laying the facts bare. You either follow your conscience and admit the wrongs in our society, or you join the hordes of people who love feasting on the resources in other peoples lands.

he is in cloud cookoo land. he probably is too young to know this is exactly how insurgency starts.

nigeria is drinking in her last chance saloon

4 Play:

That is why major conflict looms, because of such moronic thinking. When revenues wasn't slanted inordinately from Niger-Delta oil, the regions were keeping the bulk of their proceeds. Once the oil boom took off, mirabile dictu, it becomes ''selfish'' to keep the bulk.

In reality, it's moronic to think we can maintain this parasitic arrangement for long. You simply cannot have the rest of the country bilking one region.  

Simply because you have a different opinion doesn't make mine moronic. You should learn to defend your opinion without resulting to insults.
There is a law in place which is applicable to all of Nigeria. If you feel the current arrangement is unfair, then simply go through the proper channels.  Go and tender your case in the house of rep and/or senate.
Do not seek redress through wrongful means (like MEND attempted), and then cowardly cry foul when you move back fires.
If you feel you are in a position to secede, please do so, but do not cry injustice if your attempt fails.
The ND area is under developed, efforts should be towards making sure that the use of allocated funds is for the benefit of the masses, before you seek to increase said funds.
There is no point in increasing allocations or changing the land act, if it fails to improve the life of the ND people.

Nice insight, JJYOU.

We await, from people who post the revenues accruing to each states, what the other states (aside from the ND states) bring to the table for sharing at the end of every month

At least, the ND states can lay claim to Oil - if nothing at all.

biina:

There is nothing wrong with the land use act, which essentially allocates the supreme land rights to the federal government, as it is in almost every country. The alternative is to have the federal government being subject to the state, a recipe for chaos and disintegration.

As long as the ND is part of Nigeria, they would have to haggle and debate for proceeds from oil or any other income to the federation. This is applicable to every part of Nigeria. A region should not be allowed to pursue its own selfish interests without the consent of the majority of the nation.

Those that feel the average northerner is spending the oil revenue have never been to the north. One cannot say which is in a worse state of development, the north or the ND.

The question of getting a fair share should be determined by the legislature. We are no longer under military rule, and the reps from the ND are free to make their case. They should be prepared to provide a justification for needing more funds, given that their is no evident improvement since the last increase.

The problem has always been corrupt leaders, and misguided masses. The problem will persist until ND is ready to hold to account, people trusted with responsibility.

I have always been against MEND in any thread where the subject is brought up because the main issue being spoken off earlier on was development, an issue I think should be blamed largely at the past govenor of the states in that region (Odilli, Ibori, etc). I always asked why MEND wasn't going after the ex govenors to ensure the new guy gets that its all about development and also lead the way in getting some form of justice which seems to be lacking in Nigeria.

Now with regard to the land use decree, why does it have to be the case that Nigeria seems to borrow idealogies from everywhere and then only implements the worst part of such systems or idealogies in some cases even turning them on their head? The country is supposed to be practising capitalism and free market yet the Federal government wants to control the industries and economic institutions; the county is supposed to be practising Democracy, it takes the idea of a huge government which means more people being overpayed, yet fails to implement the fundamental issue of a fair selection process; the country is meant to be practising federalism yet it is pretty much the opposite. Why can't true federalism be practised and why can't it just then be a simple issue of the federal government collecting taxes as a means of raising revenue? What is this fear of practising true federalism? Isn't the fear as a result of uncertainties and doubts with regards to where funding for other areas of the country is going to come from?

Now if this fear was admitted openly then that is a start, but asking a people to be reduced to begging for a bigger share of resources obtained from their land is nothing short of pathetic. The Nigerian government is indeed arrogant and this whole idea of speaking from high horses and a position of strength obtained from nothing more than military might is quite irritating.

Sky Blue:

I have always been against MEND in any thread where the subject is brought up because the main issue being spoken off earlier on was development, an issue I think should be blamed largely at the past govenor of Rivers State. I always asked why MEND wasn't going after the ex govenors to ensure the new guy gets that its all about development and also lead the way in getting some form of justice which seems to be lacking in Nigeria.

Now with regard to the land use decree, why does it have to be the case that Nigeria seems to borrow idealogies from everywhere and then only implements the worst part of such systems or idealogies in some cases even turning them on their head? The country is supposed to be practising capitalism and free market yet the Federal government wants to control everything; the county is supposed to be practising Democracy, it takes the idea of a huge government which means more people being overpayed, yet fails to implement the fundamental issue of a fair selection process; the country is meant to be practising federalism yet the it is pretty much the opposite. Why can't true federalism be practised and why can't it just then be a simpleissue of the federal government collecting taxes as a means of raising revenue? What is this fear of practising true federalism? Isn;t the fear as a result of uncertainties and doubts with regards to were funding for other ares of the country is going to come from?









Now if this fear was admitted en masse then that is a start, but asking a people to be reduced to begging for a bigger share of resources obtained from their land is nothing short of pathetic. The Nigerian government is indeed arrogant and this whole idea of speaking from high horses and a position of strenght obtained from nothing more than military might is quite irritating.

Where have you been?We have been practising federalism, Nigerian style.

biina:

Do not seek redress through wrongful means (like MEND attempted), and then cowardly cry foul when you move back fires.
If you feel you are in a position to secede, please do so, but do not cry injustice if your attempt fails.
The ND area is under developed, efforts should be towards making sure that the use of allocated funds is for the benefit of the masses, before you seek to increase said funds.
There is no point in increase allocations or changing the land act, if it fails to improve the life of the ND people.

The ND didn't want to secede, we the Biafrans wanted to. The ND actually helped you(the northerners) win the war. Are you just ignorant or you're trying to make a point about betrayal

naijaking1:

The ND did want to secede, we the Biafrans wanted to. The ND actually helped you(the northerners) win the war. Are you just ignorant or you're trying to make a point about betrayal

you may be talking to a teenager so dont be too angry.  you know they dont do these things in history lessons. please be gentle.

asha 80:


Where have you been?We have been practising federalism, Nigerian style.

federalism as instituted by who?

ono:

Nice insight, JJYOU.

We await, from people who post the revenues accruing to each states, what the other states (aside from the ND states) bring to the table for sharing at the end of every month

At least, the ND states can lay claim to Oil - if nothing at all.

you never know we can afford to sell sugar cane and guoro in the middle east if they put on the table.

JJYOU:

federalism as instituted by who?

asha 80:


Where have you been?We have been practising federalism, Nigerian style.

Don't you get the joke?

Sky Blue:

Now if this fear was admitted openly then that is a start, but asking a people to be reduced to begging for a bigger share of resources obtained from their land is nothing short of pathetic. The Nigerian government is indeed arrogant and this whole idea of speaking from high horses and a position of strength obtained from nothing more than military might is quite irritating.

Arrogance
No, it's a sense of entitlement from the spoils of the civil war. When are you guys ever going to understand the northern mind set?

-

naijaking1:

The ND did want to secede, we the Biafrans wanted to. The ND actually helped you(the northerners) win the war. Are just ignorant or you're trying to make a point about betrayal

Typical of the average NL tribalist. You gunned for the tribal angle and assumed I was a northerner. Simply pathetic. You speak of the northern mindset without being a northerner yourself. Makes one wonder where you got your ideas from. The average northerner could care less about the oil from the ND area (that even if he knows what you are talking about)

The ND seceding would not solve the problem as long as they fail to hold their leaders accountable and the greedy developed countries are still around to exploit them. MEND has achieved nothing in terms of improving the standard of living of the ND people, worse they have put innocent lives at risk. Its is futile to pursue a just argument by unjust means against a stronger opponent.

@JJYOU
The majority of leaders are corrupt leading to poor development of most part of Nigeria, but only MEND is seeking redress by criminal means. Do you feel MEND should be left alone or the FG should succumb to the demand of any and all militant groups?

@ono
Nigeria is heavily dependent on oil revenue with it accounting  for 75% of the countries export value. Nobody can deny that. I am sure that some states don't even contribute to the federal revenue.
Do I feel the ND area deserves a larger share: yes. Should they be given a larger share: Not until there is less likelihood it will not just end up in the pockets of a few corrupt office holders. I see no point in making changes, if it wont improve the lot of the ND people.

All this issues should be addressed via proper channels, and not some militant groups holding the rest of the nation to ransom.

One of our failing is not being able to see beyond the tribal lines. It was same short coming that was exploited by the british in their divide and rule campaign.

biina:

Typical of the average NL tribalist. You gunned for the tribal angle and assumed I was a northerner. Simply pathetic. You speak of the northern mindset without being a northerner yourself. Makes one wonder where you got your ideas from. The average northerner could care less about the oil from the ND area (that even if he knows what you are talking about)

The ND seceding would not solve the problem as long as they fail to hold their leaders accountable and the greedy developed countries are still around to exploit them. MEND has achieved nothing in terms of improving the standard of living of the ND people, worse they have put innocent lives at risk. Its is futile to pursue a just argument by unjust means against a stronger opponent.

@JJYOU
The majority of leaders are corrupt leading to poor development of most part of Nigeria, but only MEND is seeking redress by criminal means. Do you feel MEND should be left alone or the FG should succumb to the demand of any and all militant groups?

@ono
Nigeria is heavily dependent on oil revenue with it accounting  for 75% of the countries export value. Nobody can deny that. I am sure that some states don't even contribute to the federal revenue.
Do I feel the ND area deserves a larger share: yes. Should they be given a larger share: Not until there is less likelihood it will not just end up in the pockets of a few corrupt office holders. I see no point in making changes, if it wont improve the lot of the ND people.

All this issues should be addressed via proper channels, and not some militant groups holding the rest of the nation to ransom.

One of our failing is not being able to see beyond the tribal lines. It was same short coming that was exploited by the british in their divide and rule campaign.

Why set those conditions to begin with in the first place like some reward for good behaviour. Is bad governance a Niger Delta thing? The money being shared at the moment, is it being out to better use elsewhere? Why don't we just stick with the basics, should Nigeria practise true federalism?

Sky Blue:

Why set those conditions to begin with in the first place like some reward for good behaviour. Is bad governance a Niger Delta thing? The money being shared at the moment, is it being out to better use elsewhere? Why don't we just stick with the basics, should Nigeria practise true federalism?

and what is 'true federalism'?

biina:

Typical of the average NL tribalist. You gunned for the tribal angle and assumed I was a northerner. Simply pathetic. You speak of the northern mindset without being a northerner yourself. Makes one wonder where you got your ideas from. The average northerner could care less about the oil from the ND area (that even if he knows what you are talking about)

The ND seceding would not solve the problem as long as they fail to hold their leaders accountable and the greedy developed countries are still around to exploit them. MEND has achieved nothing in terms of improving the standard of living of the ND people, worse they have put innocent lives at risk. Its is futile to pursue a just argument by unjust means against a stronger opponent.

@JJYOU
The majority of leaders are corrupt leading to poor development of most part of Nigeria, but only MEND is seeking redress by criminal means. Do you feel MEND should be left alone or the FG should succumb to the demand of any and all militant groups?

@ono
Nigeria is heavily dependent on oil revenue with it accounting  for 75% of the countries export value. Nobody can deny that. I am sure that some states don't even contribute to the federal revenue.
Do I feel the ND area deserves a larger share: yes. Should they be given a larger share: Not until there is less likelihood it will not just end up in the pockets of a few corrupt office holders. I see no point in making changes, if it wont improve the lot of the ND people.

All this issues should be addressed via proper channels, and not some militant groups holding the rest of the nation to ransom.

One of our failing is not being able to see beyond the tribal lines. It was same short coming that was exploited by the british in their divide and rule campaign.

I wonder if the catalan region in spain are interested in how people in andalucian region manage their resources  

I wonder if the person from texas are interested in how the peole from nevada manage their resouces  

I  wonder if people from frankfurt are interested in how bavarians manage their resouces  

Biina,
Tribalism is in the blood of the average Naija man. Much as we try to deny it, shove it aside, behave as if it doesn't exist, I tell you, the stuff is here to stay and wishful thinking will not take it away from us. Live with it.

Now, why should some states - contributing nothing to the common purse of the country, come to get anything in the first place?

Remember the house of rep guy from Kebbi, saying we can wipe out 20 million ND people to please 100million other hungry mouths. Could you please tell why someone from Kebbi state, in the arid region of the country, with nothing in sight - not even arable lands but perched desert lands come to the NA and utter such disgusting words?

Is it not because he's got free billions flowing freely to him and his state from the ND areas?

Biina - True federalism involves resource control for all, not just the niger delta.

“Nigeria is richly endowed with a variety of solid minerals ranging from talc, gypsum, iron ore, lead, zinc, diamonds, bauxite, barytes, gold, bitumen, gemstones, gypsum, kaolin and marble to name a few. Most of these are yet to be exploited. Statistically, the level of exploitation of these minerals is very low in relation to the extent of deposits found in the country.”

Most of these minerals are outside the Niger Delta, This what the rest of the country could be contributing to the federal pot. How is it tribalist to ask for all of us to join hands to make the country better?

biina:

and what is 'true federalism'?

The word "true" had to be put in there because what Nigeria is practising has k leg. The whole point of having a federation is that groups (states) have sovereignty (not just limited to governance but also economically) and hence are self existing units that can decide on the course of their development with a general head that links these self sufficient groups together.

Such a system allows states to take the path they want to. Now is this the case in Nigeria? A country that cannot even allow states run their own police force? What if the Niger Delta region for some reason did not want the oil to be drilled again? Ask yourself that question, what if the region thought the oil was more a curse than a blessing and wanted to leave oil reserves untapped, would the federal government allow it? The asnwer to that question will highlight the degree of freedom states are allowed to operate within. This isn't federalism, it is being run like a one state nation with the federal government deciding how every single thing is done, even with the record of mismanagement, innefficiency and corruption the federal government is notorious for. Is oil the only resource in Nigeria?

ono:


Remember the house of rep guy from Kebbi, saying we can wipe out 20 million ND people to please 100million other hungry mouths. Could you please tell why someone from Kebbi state, in the arid region of the country, with nothing in sight - not even arable lands but perched desert lands come to the NA and utter such disgusting words?

And so what has that single careless statement got to do with the ND cause? yeye

Maisuya - it indicates the mindset of a parasite or a scavenger that is stopping the nation from progressing. A mindset we will no longer tolerate.

Dude,
That's the one we can at least ''hear'' for now. What about the others they're yet to utter

We're going nowhere in this country until we face and correct the evil we're currently practicing in the name of Federalism.

ono:

Biina,
Tribalism is in the blood of the average Naija man. Much as we try to deny it, shove it aside, behave as if it doesn't exist, I tell you, the stuff is here to stay and wishful thinking will not take it away from us. Live with it.
Now, why should some states - contributing nothing to the common purse of the country, come to get anything in the first place?

I can't believe you guys have fallen for this biina guy pretending like he fell off the moon yesterday. He's a northerner who has been caught in his own web of lies/ignorance.
Note how he says that only 75% Nigeria's export come from the ND. That's typical of Hausa men trying to minimize the importance of oil, and their dependence on it. I have seen some arrongant malams quote 'only 50%' as oil's contribution to our export. In 2009, the truth is that oil accounts for more than 95% of our exports, not 75%, not 80%, and not even 85%.
Next, he's going to lie down there and let you guys waste your saliva teaching him about "true federalism".

4Play is the smartest guy on Nairaland. I have had several debates with him and had to back down cos he always buttresses his arguments with facts. On any debate, he is well informed. So as him talk am na so e be! Most Nigerians do not even know what it is like to live in a civilised country. They do not grasp the concept of, and the need for federalism. Their thinking is neanderthal, and frankly barbaric.

The Kebbi rep can utter such as a consequence of democracy, and he is required to withdraw same and apologize as a consequence of same democracy.

People that do not contribute directly to the common purse, should get something as they are part of the nation. What fraction they get is a different debate.

At a point, Kainji and Shiroro accounted for a large fraction of electrical power in Nigeria, and the power was distributed across the nation with Lagos getting the lion share. I cant remember anyone arguing that the power should have been localized in Niger State.

In the days of the western region, despite all the cocoa farms in Ondo, the bulk of development ended up in Ibadan. So I don't see the solution in the proposed regional government.

Resources should be used to improve the standard of living of all Nigerians, irrespective of where said resources were from. Each area should be applied to their best use. Even if kebbi is not suitable for agriculture, it might turn out a viable region for military exercises, which would contribute to the strength of the nation.

I am well aware of the entrenched nature of tribal sentiments, but that does not mean we should encourage it. Tribal lines has gotten us nowhere, in the past, and I am sure it will get us nowhere in the future. After all was it not the same tribal eyes, that saw the tribes of ifeajuna, nzeogwu and co first, and never gave consideration that they could have possibly acted independent of their tribe? Yet those events led us into a civil war that was again delineated along tribal lines.

I have spent considerable time in the Niger delta and in the oil and gas industry. I have also lived in the North and visited most states in Nigeria. The ND is in a bad state, and so are the northern states. The problem we need to tackle is our corrupt leaders, and not waste our efforts on tribal sentiments and superiority complexes.

The sad truth is that there is no tribalism among the corrupt elites. They all live and embezzle like sibling of the same womb. It is only the masses (misguided by same corrupt leaders and their foreign cohorts) that waste their energy bickering over irrelevant tribal differences. To put it in context, one should interact with a Caucasian who sees all of African as black people. Be a Nigerian first and a member of your tribe second. Even the the black people in the US can argue about if they are black Americans or African Americans, they never question being Americans.

We can only become a true federation  when we see our selves as different parts of one body, with each serving its purpose.

biina:


@JJYOU
The majority of leaders are corrupt leading to poor development of most part of Nigeria, but only MEND is seeking redress by criminal means. Do you feel MEND should be left alone or the FG should succumb to the demand of any and all militant groups?

 you are seriously trying to bail out your good for nothing war lords.  have you ever heard the word.  peace is not the abscence o war.

many tribes have been subtyly/violently forcing from the federal govt what does not belong to them for years.  you cant say this is the first act of violence you are seeing in naija.

there is trouble looming ovr nigeria.  trouble is you younger generation will not know how to handle what your fathers put together.  the might of the british govt couldnt stop the IRA so nigeria pepper soup generals will not bail out nigeria if that country erupt again.  go to places like uganda and sudan and see the effects of war.

keeping the status quo is over. that era is gone forever. the non sensical non viable states you guys created in the north is enough reason for these boys to be angry

biina:

The Kebbi rep can utter such as a consequence of democracy, and he is required to withdraw same and apologize as a consequence of same democracy.

People that do not contribute directly to the common purse, should get something as they are part of the nation. What fraction they get is a different debate.

At a point, Kainji and Shiroro accounted for a large fraction of electrical power in Nigeria, and the power was distributed across the nation with Lagos getting the lion share. I cant remember anyone arguing that the power should have been localized in Niger State.

In the days of the western region, despite all the cocoa farms in Ondo, the bulk of development ended up in Ibadan. So I don't see the solution in the proposed regional government.

Resources should be used to improve the standard of living of all Nigerians, irrespective of where said resources were from. Each area should be applied to their best use. Even if kebbi is not suitable for agriculture, it might turn out a viable region for military exercises, which would contribute to the strength of the nation.

I am well aware of the entrenched nature of tribal sentiments, but that does not mean we should encourage it. Tribal lines has gotten us nowhere, in the past, and I am sure it will get us nowhere in the future. After all was it not the same tribal eyes, that saw the tribes of ifeajuna, nzeogwu and co first, and never gave consideration that they could have possibly acted independent of their tribe? Yet those events led us into a civil war that was again delineated along tribal lines.

I have spent considerable time in the Niger delta and in the oil and gas industry. I have also lived in the North and visited most states in Nigeria. The ND is in a bad state, and so are the northern states. The problem we need to tackle is our corrupt leaders, and not waste our efforts on tribal sentiments and superiority complexes.

The sad truth is that there is no tribalism among the corrupt elites. They all live and embezzle like sibling of the same womb. It is only the masses (misguided by same corrupt leaders and their foreign cohorts) that waste their energy bickering over irrelevant tribal differences. To put it in context, one should interact with a Caucasian who sees all of African as black people. Be a Nigerian first and a member of your tribe second. Even the the black people in the US can argue about if they are black Americans or African Americans, they never question being Americans.

We can only become a true federation  when we see our selves as different parts of one body, with each serving its purpose.

the kebbi rep man spoke on behal of majority of you. stop denying what we all know. we were not born yesterday

biina:

The Kebbi rep can utter such as a consequence of democracy, and he is required to withdraw same and apologize as a consequence of same democracy.

People that do not contribute directly to the common purse, should get something as they are part of the nation. What fraction they get is a different debate.

At a point, Kainji and Shiroro accounted for a large fraction of electrical power in Nigeria, and the power was distributed across the nation with Lagos getting the lion share. I cant remember anyone arguing that the power should have been localized in Niger State.

In the days of the western region, despite all the cocoa farms in Ondo, the bulk of development ended up in Ibadan. So I don't see the solution in the proposed regional government.

Resources should be used to improve the standard of living of all Nigerians, irrespective of where said resources were from. Each area should be applied to their best use. Even if kebbi is not suitable for agriculture, it might turn out a viable region for military exercises, which would contribute to the strength of the nation.

I am well aware of the entrenched nature of tribal sentiments, but that does not mean we should encourage it. Tribal lines has gotten us nowhere, in the past, and I am sure it will get us nowhere in the future. After all was it not the same tribal eyes, that saw the tribes of ifeajuna, nzeogwu and co first, and never gave consideration that they could have possibly acted independent of their tribe? Yet those events led us into a civil war that was again delineated along tribal lines.

I have spent considerable time in the Niger delta and in the oil and gas industry. I have also lived in the North and visited most states in Nigeria. The ND is in a bad state, and so are the northern states. The problem we need to tackle is our corrupt leaders, and not waste our efforts on tribal sentiments and superiority complexes.

The sad truth is that there is no tribalism among the corrupt elites. They all live and embezzle like sibling of the same womb. It is only the masses (misguided by same corrupt leaders and their foreign cohorts) that waste their energy bickering over irrelevant tribal differences. To put it in context, one should interact with a Caucasian who sees all of African as black people. Be a Nigerian first and a member of your tribe second. Even the the black people in the US can argue about if they are black Americans or African Americans, they never question being Americans.

We can only become a true federation when we see our selves as different parts of one body, with each serving its purpose.

u wan force nigeria on people head?na by force?

naijaking1:

I can't believe you guys have fallen for this biina guy pretending like he fell off the moon yesterday. He's a northerner who has been caught in his own web of lies/ignorance.
Note how he says that only 75% Nigeria's export come from the ND. That's typical of Hausa men trying to minimize the importance of oil, and their dependence on it. I have seen some arrongant malams quote 'only 50%' as oil's contribution to our export. In 2009, the truth is that oil accounts for more than 95% of our exports, not 75%, not 80%, and not even 85%.
Next, he's going to lie down there and let you guys waste your saliva teaching him about "true federalism".

You seem hell bent in making me a northerner. why do you feel my tribe affects my point of view. Not all are as tribalistic as you are in your analysis.

As to my comment on the fraction of oil in Nigeria exports. The 75% was simply to accommodate the fluctuations in oil prices (I preferred to err on the conservative side as I didn't have actual figures on hand). At the peak of the oil price hike, the oil accounted for over 98% of Nigeria's export earnings.Does that make you happier?

Mai Suya:

And so what has that single careless statement got to do with the ND cause? yeye

NIgeria is not doing well, because its foundation had been badly laid. It was laid on a foundation of deciet, lies, and short term gains. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is a universal law that's been shown to be as constant as the law of gravity----- in most places. Not in Nigeria

If oil had been found in Kaduna, Sokoto, and Benue rivers, nobody would be thinking about going to extract that oil in the name of the federal government.
For the biinas of this World, please remember that b/4 oil was discovered, every region supported themselves via agriculture, industry, and commerce. With oil, all other industries folded up, and we unfolded bribery/corruption, and lack of accountability of the money from the oil, because it was not mined from the backyard of the people in power.
Until Nigeria corrects this basic inequality and injustice, don't expect any real development.

biina:

The Kebbi rep can utter such as a consequence of democracy, and he is required to withdraw same and apologize as a consequence of same democracy.

People that do not contribute directly to the common purse, should get something as they are part of the nation. What fraction they get is a different debate.

At a point, Kainji and Shiroro accounted for a large fraction of electrical power in Nigeria, and the power was distributed across the nation with Lagos getting the lion share. I cant remember anyone arguing that the power should have been localized in Niger State.

In the days of the western region, despite all the cocoa farms in Ondo, the bulk of development ended up in Ibadan. So I don't see the solution in the proposed regional government.

Resources should be used to improve the standard of living of all Nigerians, irrespective of where said resources were from. Each area should be applied to their best use. Even if kebbi is not suitable for agriculture, it might turn out a viable region for military exercises, which would contribute to the strength of the nation.

I am well aware of the entrenched nature of tribal sentiments, but that does not mean we should encourage it. Tribal lines has gotten us nowhere, in the past, and I am sure it will get us nowhere in the future. After all was it not the same tribal eyes, that saw the tribes of ifeajuna, nzeogwu and co first, and never gave consideration that they could have possibly acted independent of their tribe? Yet those events led us into a civil war that was again delineated along tribal lines.

I have spent considerable time in the Niger delta and in the oil and gas industry. I have also lived in the North and visited most states in Nigeria. The ND is in a bad state, and so are the northern states. The problem we need to tackle is our corrupt leaders, and not waste our efforts on tribal sentiments and superiority complexes.

The sad truth is that there is no tribalism among the corrupt elites. They all live and embezzle like sibling of the same womb. It is only the masses (misguided by same corrupt leaders and their foreign cohorts) that waste their energy bickering over irrelevant tribal differences. To put it in context, one should interact with a Caucasian who sees all of African as black people. Be a Nigerian first and a member of your tribe second. Even the the black people in the US can argue about if they are black Americans or African Americans, they never question being Americans.

We can only become a true federation  when we see our selves as different parts of one body, with each serving its purpose.

Apologies but your post seems to contradict itself. If anything you seem to be the person making the issue about tribes. Nigeria is a federation made up off states, right? Should states be allowed to control their own resource and development hence actually making the arrangement a proper federation? So where does tribalism come into play? A lot o states have multiple ethnic groups so again, where does tribalism come into play?

You advocate each part of the country developing its own industry in order to have something to present in the 'national pot' (for lack of a better phrase) yet you are against resource control which is more likely to bring such into fruition more quickly?

You seem to advocate patriotism but it seems you do not realise that you can't force people to be patriotic and that forcing people against their will while showing disdain for their rights and their own thoughts on their own development (like the federal government seems to be doing) is definately not a good way to incite patriotism.

the sooner niger-deltans get their minds off oil,the faster their development.oil was not planted their by them or their forefathers.nigeria was created without knowing if oil was anywhere.amongst all niger deltans,the igbo speaking part(igbo south-east,ikwerre,ndoni,ogba,egbema,ukwuani,etche,ndoki)  which actually produces most of nigerias oil(offshore not inclusive because nobody owns the sea) remains the most peaceful because their minds are off oil.the best way to achieve development is by achieving alternative economjc emancipation free from natural resources.japan,germany,england,france etc. are not dependent on oil.having said this,i would like to suggest resource control on family basis.any family that has oil well on their family land should be the direct beneficiary of such well and not the entire community,lga or state.most of these people making noise about oil do not really have it on their family land.

JJYOU:

 you are seriously trying to bail out your good for nothing war lords.  have you ever heard the word.  peace is not the abscence o war.

many tribes have been subtyly/violently forcing from the federal govt what does not belong to them for years.  you cant say this is the first act of violence you are seeing in naija.

there is trouble looming ovr nigeria.  trouble is you younger generation will not know how to handle what your fathers put together.  the might of the british govt couldnt stop the IRA so nigeria pepper soup generals will not bail out nigeria if that country erupt again.  go to places like uganda and sudan and see the effects of war.

keeping the status quo is over. that era is gone forever. the non sensical non viable states you guys created in the north is enough reason for these boys to be angry

If you are singing war songs, you have obviosuly not witness one, and I doubt you are willing to be an active participant.

the kebbi rep man spoke on behal of majority of you. stop denying what we all know.  we were not born yesterday

It is funny that you are sure the kebbi rep spoke on behalf of the majority of Northerners, while you will not accord same to the reps of your own region.