Kolawole is damn good at what he does. Much respect for him.

highland:

i have just 2 questions:

what are names of the company collecting this subsidy and their directors?


Thanks

Northwest Petroleum & Gas
Tonique Oil Services Ltd
MRS Oil & Gas Ltd.
African Petroleum Plc
Oando Plc
Rahamaniyya Oil & Gas
Sigmund Communnecci Ltd
Total Nig. Plc.
NIPCO Plc
Chevron Nig. Plc.
Triquest Energy Ltd
Mobil Oil Nig. Plc
Capital Oil & Gas Ltd
Folawiyo Energy Ltd
Integrated Oil & Gas Ltd
Imad Oil & Gas Ltd
AMG Petro-Energy Ltd
Conoil Plc

So, where are those NLanders who wanted the the so-called subsidy removed?

Ola one:

So, where are those NLanders who wanted the the so-called subsidy removed?

Arent you surprised to see one of them hailing Simon Kolawole?

Wonders shall never cease!

arsenefc:

Arent you surprised to see one of them hailing Simon Kolawole?

Wonders shall never cease!

OOoops!

I was indirectly referring to him.

He argued in favour of its removal on many occasions.



How I love my Ekt; I really do. We should be nice to him, though. I am really glad we didn't lose him to Stormfront. As far as I am concerned, he is an Omowale.



He means well but he doesn't have the facts.


He's moi boi.



A nice dude, that boi!

^^

LOL

I agree, ekt seems like a genuinely honest guy, unfortunately, everything can't be explained with calculus and spreadsheets.

It's not just ekt_bear tho, the usual sycophants aside, there are many well intentioned folks who supported this Subsidy removal thing initially but are now frustrated by the facts before them.

Most of these extreme capitalistic, free-market evangelists underestimated the corruption within the Nigerian system, they always do. Not their fault though. Economics textbooks can't prepare you for Nigeria. The Nigerian system can embarrass any formula.

Here, until we fix the system and punish criminals, we will always make Nobel prize winners look like idiots.

Extreme corruption and zero will to deal with it is our problem, so simple but so true.



Na pesin wey wear shoe know where the thing dey pinch am.

Kilode?!:

^^

LOL

I agree, ekt seems like a genuinely honest guy, unfortunately, everything can't be explained with calculus and spreadsheets.

It's not just ekt_bear tho, the usual sycophants aside, there are many well intentioned folks who supported this Subsidy thing initially but are now frustrated by the facts before them.

Most of these extreme capitalistic, free-market evangelists underestimated the corruption within the Nigerian system, they always do. Not their fault though. Economics textbooks can't prepare you for Nigeria. The Nigerian system can embarrass any formula.

Here, until we fix the system and punish criminals, we will always make Nobel prize winners look like idiots.

Extreme corruption and zero will to deal with it is our problem, so simple but so true.



Na pesin wey wear shoe know where the thing dey pinch am.

answer is that nigeria defies most economic theories

Na person wey wear shoe know where the thing dey pinch am.

Subsidy removal ko, round tripping ni. Shio!

Underestimate the Owners of Nigeria at your own peril. As long as there is no punishment they will find a way to game your system. You can take that to Goldman Sachs.

Kilode?!:

^^

LOL

I agree, ekt seems like a genuinely honest guy, unfortunately, everything can't be explained with calculus and spreadsheets.

It's not just ekt_bear tho, the usual sycophants aside, there are many well intentioned folks who supported this Subsidy thing initially but are now frustrated by the facts before them.

Most of these extreme capitalistic, free-market evangelists underestimated the corruption within the Nigerian system, they always do. Not their fault though. Economics textbooks can't prepare you for Nigeria. The Nigerian system can embarrass any formula.

Here, until we fix the system and punish criminals, we will always make Nobel prize winners look like idiots.

Extreme corruption and zero will to deal with it is our problem, so simple but so true.



Na pesin wey wear shoe know where the thing dey pinch am.

GBAM!


Some analysis that.

Thanks, man.


**Waiting for Ekt sha **

Lol.

I didn't really believe in free-market stuff as deeply until I started studying Nigeria.

Then the more I looked, the more convinced I became that these kooky policies that ignore supply and demand and human nature just don't work.

In a nutshell, studying Nigeria has stripped me of the last of any left-wing, socialist ideas I've had in the past.

Collectivist, well-meaning ideas that leftists are fond of simply don't work.

Ola one:

How I love my Ekt; I really do. We should be nice to him, though. I am really glad we didn't lose him to Stormfront. As far as I am concerned, he is an Omowale.

Lol.

[img]http://2.bp..com/_1AeaUfWCm1U/Ss14LdHl2KI/AAAAAAAAADA/RIGDhJug7Ew/s320/vlcsnap-410621.png[/img]

Ah. In case it isn't clear, that I have commended this writeup doesn't mean I agree with all of it. For example, I don't agree with most of his first paragraph. And I don't think it is very likely a subsidy can be designed that will be effective. I'm still against the subsidy, despite liking his writeup.

I love that episode of the Dave Chapelle show

ekt_bear:

Lol.

I didn't really believe in free-market stuff as deeply until I started studying Nigeria.

Then the more I looked, the more convinced I became that these kooky policies that ignore supply and demand and human nature just don't work.

In a nutshell, studying Nigeria has stripped me of the last of any left-wing, socialist ideas I've had in the past.

Collectivist, well-meaning ideas that leftists are fond of simply don't work.

This is it, this assumption that Nigeria is one good example of a collectivist, welfarist, Socialist State. It's a lie!

Nigeria is the embodiment of laizzez faire-ism. Ayn Rand will be proud.
Our "capitalism" is so harsh, it is more extreme than what they practice in the USA, at least from where I stand. Ron Paul the libertarian will probably m/ast/urb/a/te at the thougth of Nigeria. I bet he has a Nigerian flag spread out on his bed.

Granted, the government controls a few companies, So what?? To what effect on the people?

Individuals generate their own electricity -I better-pass-my-neighbor Generator

Individuals build their own water supply: kanga, well, e.t.c

Individual provide their own security: High Fence, mai-guard e.t.c

Individuals, any individual idiot can start a private school and run it with no Govt oversight

Individuals buy their own drugs. Even the syringe and drips they use at the hospital. Forget all those free healthcare nonsense these governors mouth on TV. na lie! If you don't take cash with you to the hospital you will just die like chicken!!

Even unions have Little to no government oversight or control, they do as they wish, go to a NURTW office at your local motor park.

We pay little to no taxes, American hardcore capitalists or libertarians will die to have that.

We fix out street roads, even the "mighty" Expressways we have are littered with sections maintained by Private individuals who collect toll from drivers.

Some of us have seen private rich folks on our Streets paying the bill to fix streets leading to their houses.

I don't know what you want to call all that, it's definitely not Collectivism, Welfarism or Socialism. It's as individualistic and as private as anything.

America regulates and does a lot of the stuff listed above on the government level. Yes people pay for some, but collectively The Burden Is Shared via taxes. They even have a Social Security and Welfare Program for the old and poor, what do you have in Nigeria?

Nigeria is not communist China, we don't have the govt control they have in Cuba or in Cold War Russia. In Nigeria, outside our cultural responsibilities, it's Everyman for himself here. There is nothing collective or welfarist about this Nigerian System.

We practice extreme capitalism, of course more like Oligarchy, which I'll define as capitalism for the privileged few.

Kilode?!:

This is it, this assumption that Nigeria is one good example of a collectivist, welfarist, Socialist State. It's a lie!

Nigeria is the embodiment of laizzez faire-ism. Ayn Rand will be proud.
Our "capitalism" is so harsh, it is more extreme than what they practice in the USA, at least from where I stand. Ron Paul the libertarian will probably m/ast/urb/a/te at the thougth of Nigeria. I bet he has a Nigerian flag spread out on his bed.

Granted, the government controls a few companies, So what?? To what effect on the people?

Individuals generate their own electricity -I better-pass-my-neighbor Generator

Individuals build their own water supply: kanga, well, e.t.c

Individual provide their own security: High Fence, mai-guard e.t.c

Individuals, any individual can start a private school and run it with no Govt oversight

Individuals buy their own drugs. Even the syringe and drips they use at the hospital. Forget all those free healthcare nonsense these governors mouth on TV. na lie! If you don't take cash with you to the hospital you will just die like chicken!!

Even unions have Little to no government oversight or control, they do as they wish, go to a NURTW office at your local motor park.

We pay little to no taxes, American hardcore capitalists or libertarians will die to have that.

We fix out street roads, even the "mighty" Expressways we have are littered with sections maintained by Private individuals who collect toll from drivers.

Some of us have seen private rich folks on our Streets paying the bill to fix streets leading to their houses.

I don't know what you want to call all that, it's definitely not Collectivism, Welfarism or Socialism. It's as individualistic and as private as anything.

America regulates and does a lot of the stuff listed above on the government level. Yes people pay for some, but collectively The Burden Is Shared via taxes. They even have a Social Security and Welfare Program for the old and poor, what do you have in Nigeria?

Nigeria is not communist China, we don't have the govt control they have in Cuba or in Cold War Russia. In Nigeria, outside our cultural responsibilities, it's Everyman for himself here. There is nothing collective or welfarist about this Nigerian System.

We practice extreme capitalism, of course more like Oligarchy, which I'll define as capitalism for the privileged few.

Iba ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Gbam! Gbam!! Gbam!!!

Long Live Olojede Kilode?

This is what real intellectuals are made of, combination of book smart and street smart! No sarcasm here.

^^
Lol Onijongbon!!

We know you are way smarter than most people here when you want to be. Me I no know (economics) book o.

Kilode?!:

This is it, this assumption that Nigeria is one good example of a collectivist, welfarist, Socialist State. It's a lie!

Nigeria is the embodiment of laizzez faire-ism. Ayn Rand will be proud.
Our "capitalism" is so harsh, it is more extreme than what they practice in the USA, at least from where I stand. Ron Paul the libertarian will probably m/ast/urb/a/te at the thougth of Nigeria. I bet he has a Nigerian flag spread out on his bed.

Granted, the government controls a few companies, So what?? To what effect on the people?

Individuals generate their own electricity -I better-pass-my-neighbor Generator

Individuals build their own water supply: kanga, well, e.t.c

Individual provide their own security: High Fence, mai-guard e.t.c

Individuals, any individual  can start a private school and run it with no Govt oversight

Individuals buy their own drugs. Even the syringe and drips they use at the hospital. Forget all those free healthcare nonsense these governors mouth on TV. na lie! If you don't take cash with you to the hospital you will just die like chicken!!

Even unions have Little to no government oversight or control, they do as they wish, go to a NURTW office at your local motor park.

We pay little to no taxes, American hardcore capitalists or libertarians will die to have that.

We fix out street roads, even the "mighty" Expressways we have are littered with sections maintained by Private individuals who collect toll from drivers.

Some of us have seen private rich folks on our Streets paying the bill to fix streets leading to their houses.

I don't know what you want to call all that, it's definitely not Collectivism, Welfarism or Socialism. It's as individualistic and as private as anything.

America regulates and does a lot of the stuff listed above on the government level. Yes people pay for some, but collectively The Burden Is Shared via taxes. They even have a Social Security and Welfare Program for the old and poor, what do you have in Nigeria?

Nigeria is not communist China, we don't have the govt control they have in Cuba or in Cold War Russia. In Nigeria, outside our cultural responsibilities, it's Everyman for himself here. There is nothing collective or welfarist about this Nigerian System.

We practice extreme capitalism, of course more like Oligarchy, which I'll define as capitalism for the privileged few.

I agree with you. That said, some have this stupidd idea, lazing around, inefficiency etc as to what socialism is all about, its real essence. No matter how hard our Mr. intellectual tries to mis-characterize socialism, it is the only solution for Nigeria, and  Mark and Engel were right in that with the type of 'extreme capitalistism we practice coupled with how insanely unregulated it is, the rich are getting richer, for the first time in our history we have more than 10 certified  un-innovative billionaires in Nigeria ( at least two made the forbes list) the workers are getting poorer, and the erstwhile middle class has been sliding toward dishonor, (relatively low wage, rising standard of living, increased social vices, break down of public facilities etc), except for the lucky few who are able to get jobs with the few remaining banks and the increasingly 'tribalistic' oil companies.

Karl Marx  called  capitalism "dictatorship of the bourgeoisi, believing it to be run by the wealthy middle and upper classes purely for their own benefit, and predicted that, like previous socioeconomic systems, it would inevitably produce internal tensions which would lead to its self-destruction,"  and  that the workers, fed up  with their dwindling fortunes, would protest, take over the "means of production" and insist on running the show themselves, that was the original pre-Soviet-era idea of socialism, not what people like Mr. Ekt has in mind. The economic revolutionaries are yet to be awaken, at least not yet, not in the Nigeria of today.  Since we started this deregulation crappp, Nigerian workers have sweetly given  to declining fortunes, rising standard of living,  incompetently designed public policies,  government sponsored assault e.g Fashola dismantling shops and kiosk in the name of beautification, and according to Eko-ile , global warming, non-payment of full pensions, thats if they are paid at all,  and non-existent health care. At the same time, income for CEOs of well known brands like Oando, Dangote, MTN,  Zenith, Glo, Intercontinental, RCCG, Winners Chapel skyrocketed, some owning mansions in places even the president of the US couldnt afford to buy real estates even if he wanted to, so-called common Nigerians took on additional jobs, fasted more and bound witches and wizards with increased fervor,  and crowded into multi-generational, dilapidated households with uncomfortably deep wells,  dangerously connected power lines, uninhibited production of generator fumes with deadly, noxious gas, inadequate sewage system, and long waits  for the toilet.


Marx posited that the unconscionable existence of ridiculous amount of wealth for the few and growing poverty for the many is not only ethically  objectionable, it's also intrinsically unstable. When, in the very near future,  the silly greed of our newly minted  Forbes listed super rich severely collide with the needs of the hardworking poor and the lucky few dangling at the edge of the poverty abyss - with respect to standard of life and basic human dignity - the result will look  like what happened in London a few months ago, the global meltdown, and Occupy wall streets et al. It is my hope that this fuel subsidy removal crap stimulate people's consciousness before it is too late.


Obviously, the way to address the crisis in Nigeria is to deal with poverty, from bottom up, with huge job-generating, 'oyel money' funded public investment in quality infrastructures that are well thought out, ( building functioning  and modern refineries, good roads, well funded police, education etc), not the Buhari supervised PTF kind. As for now, the best thing to do for the ordinary Nigerian on the street is to not make his life harder, to leave the so called subsidy as it is  until the govt get her, or abi na him, phocking acts together.

Good one Kilode, some people sit in their comfortable chairs telling us about laws of demand and supply and subsidy free economy, poverty in Nigeria is excruciating and Nigerians are ready to work but there is just no job for them to do. GEJ is just a western stooge and will destroy the economy before four years are up.

@Arsenefc

You are really a brilliant guy when you want to be, abeg leave Buhari alone as he did his best (confirmed Buhari supporter), please help me tell our resident capitalists that Nigeria is a living hell as it is now, the IMF and World Bank always says Government has no hand in business, but, how who do they expect to provide sound education, healthcare and other social services to the people.

Wether people like his NL persona or not Fstranger-Arsenefc actually said it way better. Very smart guy

Like Karl Marx famously predicted, when we are all tired of the greedy oppressive capitalistic system, we will dust him up and read him with clear eye. (My paraphrase)

The Chinese are ahead of the curse with their hybrid State-Capitalism. If they can maintain discipline and stay focused, White House will become a museum in Shanghai by my Grand-Children's Generation.

Simon Kolawole is one of the reasons why we are where we are, just like his brother Ruben Abati. These guys are disgrace to journalism. They analyse issues as if they are in beer parlours and publish it for people to read. Why should anybody with brains take these articles seriously. Imagine basing the change in your opinion by talking to just one person and using that as a basis on commenting on national issues. I bet thats the same way the President of this country is also breifed on national matters by your likes.

Please next time you feel you need to comment on issues that affect the masses base it on verified facts and not some beer parlour gist you had with a source.

The questions i would like to ask is, if there are no names to these companies how do you verify the story you've been told. Did you sight NNPC account or documents on imported fuel? Did u do a stake out to know that truely people are collecting bribes. What form of investigative Journalism did u do to verify your source? None i presume at least ur article doesnt show that. What if your source is also an agent of the government and is only telling you one side of the story??

i think its high time Journalist in this country practice journalism and not shout so that they can get political appointments as settlement from the same people they criticize. Please go and work on this article and feed the Nigerian populace with facts ( Names, Figures, if possible copies of documents) then you can say you've earned your pay.

Failure to do that is the same as the failure of the government. Its about time people really do what they get paid/ known for.

Just my own little opinion.

^

You are very right. Most of the journalists we have are directly or indirectly controlled by the Oligarchs oppressing us.

They can't do all that investigation you speak of, they will rather do pedestrian opinion pieces. Investigative kini? They don't care.

Everybody wan become connected fast fast so they can lift oil or import petrol. Contract and appointment nko? Shopping at the palms, apartment for lekki, right to enter Aso Rock and lick presidential ass.

They don't care about the art and craft of journalism. Too much work. Everybody wan hammer fast! That's Naija for you. Pure capitalism! Money, fame, power and the right to oppress.

Kilode, the problem I have with your post is that it completely ignores what actually caused these breakdowns that cause people to have to provide things themselves.

You rightfully point out that the egg is rotten. But you haven't asked yourself, why is the egg rotten?

It wasn't as if Nigeria in the 70s and 80s was designed to be some ideal free-market jungle where the government was purposefully non-existent.

That would even be better than the current situation in which you are spending lots of money at the federal level and achieving not much more at that federal level than Somalia.

Anyway, let me go into further details:

Kilode?!:

Individuals generate their own electricity -I better-pass-my-neighbor Generator

And how did this happen? Again, which came first? Wasn't it the government deciding that it would arrogate for itself the sole right to generate electricity (at subsidized prices) that have left to massive shortages resulting in people having to generate their own, at paradoxically several times the free-market price?

This to me is a damning example of Nigeria's collectivist mentality and philosophy, not of free-market thinking. Like, this buttresses my point, and hurts yours.

Individuals build their own water supply: kanga, well, e.t.c

I don't know as much about why there isn't as good water supply system, to be honest. Not something I've thought about or looked into.

Individual provide their own security: High Fence, mai-guard e.t.c

Is it not the FGs monopoly of security (even police!) that paradoxially causes a shortage of it, causing many to have to provide their own? This is a function of Nigeria's centralized government and fake federalism. At least where I live, we even have town police, hired and controlled by the city you live in. Is this not likely to be a more effective method of policing than if the police command were run by the FG and managed from Washington, DC?

Individuals, any individual  can start a private school and run it with no Govt oversight

And how is this an example of failure of the private market (minus the gov't oversight)? Keep in mind that those private schools on average completely dominate the public schools of Nigeria academically, if what I've seen is any indication (I'm sure you saw those recent programming contest results I posted, for example.) If a man wants to get a good education for his child in Nigeria, he will go to private school. And this to you is a failure of the private sector

Individuals buy their own drugs. Even the syringe and drips they use at the hospital. Forget all those free healthcare nonsense these governors mouth on TV. na lie! If you don't take cash with you to the hospital you will just die like chicken!!

Even unions have Little to no government oversight or control, they do as they wish, go to a NURTW office at your local motor park.

Don't know enough about these two to comment. . .

We pay little to no taxes, American hardcore capitalists or libertarians will die to have that.

Agreed. The taxes are low. Yet the government is large. There is an independent revenue source (oil) that allows the government to be fairly large. It depends on which way you want to see it. Do I only say that the government is bloated if I pay lots of taxes and it isn't getting much value? Or is it also bloated if it spends lots of money but doesn't do so efficiently?

Personally, I use the latter definition. But I can see (but disagree with) how one might chose your own interpretation.

Let's put it this way, you could probably redo the US tax system in such a way that only corporations pay tax. But obviously they'll shift the burden over to the populace. So despite me technically not paying any taxes under such a system, I'll implicitly end up paying taxes once the corporations shift the burden over to me.

Anyway it depends on how you judge the activities in the oil-producing areas, whether you consider that "taxation" of the wealth of the people or not.

We fix out street roads, even the "mighty" Expressways we have are littered with sections maintained by Private individuals who collect toll from drivers.

Some of us have seen private rich folks on our Streets paying the bill to fix streets leading to their houses.

This isn't really a market failure either, is it? Markets cannot handle public goods like roads and bridges. Not effectively. Anyway, all these bad roads are a failure of government. And a duty even many hardcore right-wing folk think that government should be responsible for. So not sure how this supports your argument.

I don't know what you want to call all that, it's definitely not Collectivism, Welfarism or Socialism. It's as individualistic and as private as anything.

America regulates and does a lot of the stuff listed above on the government level. Yes people pay for some, but collectively The Burden Is Shared via taxes. They even have a Social Security and Welfare Program for the old and poor, what do you have in Nigeria?

Nigeria is not communist China, we don't have the govt control they have in Cuba or in Cold War Russia. In Nigeria, outside our cultural responsibilities, it's Everyman for himself here. There is nothing collective or welfarist about this Nigerian System.

We practice extreme capitalism, of course more like Oligarchy, which I'll define as capitalism for the privileged few.

Like I said, I think you are way off in your post. Nigeria's "every man for himself" is a function of silly policies passed by a too-strong government. The chicken (heavy government interference) gave birth to a rotten egg (lack of electricity, security, quality education, etc).

Most of the failures you listed above are government failures, not market ones.

If we practiced extreme capitalism in Nigeria, the FG would not have a budget of $30 billion/year, let's put it that way (14% or so of Nigeria's economy?)

Lol. A discussion on the internet about Marxism. How many billions of man-hours have been lost in that swampy pit? Probably second only to the # of man-hours wasted discussing religion online.

If one is not convinced by the events of the last 50 years, then nothing will convince you

Anyway, I'm not really interested in discussing the pros and cons of Marxism and capitalism. There are plenty of other places online where you can waste time do this.

With that said, I'll respond to specific points like that of Kilode's especially for the Nigerian context.

arsenefc:

Since we started this deregulation crappp, Nigerian workers have sweetly given  to declining fortunes

Any quantitative evidence for this? The data suggests otherwise.

At the same time, income for CEOs of well known brands like Oando, Dangote, MTN,  Zenith, Glo, Intercontinental, RCCG, Winners Chapel skyrocketed, some owning mansions in places even the president of the US couldnt afford to buy real estates even if he wanted to,

OK. So the rich have gotten richer. But haven't the poor gotten richer too since 1996 or so?

Obviously, the way to address the crisis in Nigeria is to deal with poverty, from bottom up, with huge job-generating, 'oyel money' funded public investment in quality infrastructures that are well thought out, ( building functioning  and modern refineries, good roads, well funded police, education etc), not the Buhari supervised PTF kind.

I don't think anyone would oppose these things. That isn't really what the discussion is about, though. Whether socialist or capitalist, an alien from space or a monkey in the bush somewhere, presumably one will want Nigeria's money spent on useful infrastructure (that incidentally will employ lots of people.)

Man not really trying to tell anyone what to do, but imo let's try for short, punchier posts rather than long essay-like ones. Like if you were having a conversation with a buddy over dinner or something, not a monologue.

Otherwise it tremendously raises the amount of energy/effort required to respond. Then you have to quote and dissect the essay, figure out how to organize things, etc, etc.

They should leave the subsidy there.
All of them are hardened criminals and they won't stop stealing, subsidy or no subsidy.
How much are they stealing from the Presidency, Senate and the House?
How much are they stealing from other sectors?
Why must they remove subsidy to stop only those stealing from fuel importation, while the common man suffers?
If the government is serious, they should repair the refineries, invite American companies (I prefer American companies, there is still some measure of accountability and control from the people and their government) and after the repairs they can remove subsidy.
Then they should move on to cut government spending, the waste there is nothing compared to the subsidy fraud.

But my question is don't this vampires have conscience? Do they ever consider the future of this country, their children and grand children? Do they sleep well in the midst of these atrocities against God and humanity?

Remove it o!!

We no go die!! Pkatapkata we go dey buy only half tank of fuel,

CRAP.So we should remove subsidy just because of a few corrupt people.Everything boils down to a weak government who can not tackle known theives.How then will the money saved from the subsidy removal be used for development when its goin back into d same rotten system.A big thinker will first tackle d main issue not d symptoms.LET THE SUBSIDY STAY. The actual amount that should be spent will not be up to a third of what d govt is claimin if corruption is removed

Don1DeMaco:

Simon Kolawole is one of the reasons why we are where we are, just like his brother Ruben Abati. These guys are disgrace to journalism. They analyse issues as if they are in beer parlours and publish it for people to read. Why should anybody with brains take these articles seriously. Imagine basing the change in your opinion by talking to just one person and using that as a basis on commenting on national issues. I bet thats the same way the President of this country is also breifed on national matters by your likes.

Please next time you feel you need to comment on issues that affect the masses base it on verified facts and not some beer parlour gist you had with a source.

The questions i would like to ask is, if there are no names to these companies how do you verify the story you've been told. Did you sight NNPC account or documents on imported fuel? Did u do a stake out to know that truely people are collecting bribes. What form of investigative Journalism did u do to verify your source? None i presume at least your article doesnt show that. What if your source is also an agent of the government and is only telling you one side of the story??

i think its high time Journalist in this country practice journalism and not shout so that they can get political appointments as settlement from the same people they criticize. Please go and work on this article and feed the Nigerian populace with facts ( Names, Figures, if possible copies of documents) then you can say you've earned your pay.

Failure to do that is the same as the failure of the government. Its about time people really do what they get paid/ known for.

Just my own little opinion.

You are so right the likes of Simon just give us beer parlour gist that makes us scream Ha!

4llerbuntu:

anyway there is a question that i have always wanted to ask:

if per chance i build a refinery, will i buy crude oil at the same international price that every foriegn nation buys it from nigeria?

if that is affirmative, does that not mean that in the long run, the prices i will sell my refined oil will be close to the price it is sold abroad?


and ultimately therefore, it does not matter if i refine it here, or in swahili land, the price difference from locally refined and imported may turn out to be a few naira.

which will inturn mean that we have oil yet do not enjoy any real benefit from being oil producers.
talk about a curse.

Your argument here is flawed in the sense that, If oil is refined within the country at international market price from NNPC. There is no way the cost of petroleum products can be the same with developed countries like US, UK etc. factoring in cost of production, labour and other miscellaneous. Also you must consider the cost of transporting petroleum to Nigeria through importation which would not be needed if we refine locally. All these factors put together would greatly reduce the prices of refined products and we even get more than just petroleum. More refineries would impact the economy a great deal because its going to have a ripple effect on all things production in the country and we can also start exporting petroleum products to our west African neighbors as another form of revenue generation for the country. Its a win win situation with more refineries.

I think our government should grow balls and start taking drastic measures to develop these country and stop whining about subsidy removal. If they are not brave enough to tackle cabals in the oil sector, then they should go ahead and ban importation of fuel out rightly, it would hurt us all for sometime but that would force or encourage all this importers to start building there own refineries. I know ObJ did something similar with food beverages, livestock and second hand automobile industries some years back we all cried foul but see where we are today with the likes of Chi group, Dangote, bigger poultry farms etc. We even have larger number of brand new cars on our road now unlike years back. Stop importation then we start looking inward!!!

Ekt_bear yes Nigeria is centralized but it's not collectivist or socialist, heck it's not even welfarist in any manner. You can call it an Oligarchy i'll agree.

Also I posted that response because I'm tired of people calling this country welfarist or collectivist or what have you when those of us who live here don't see anything remotely similar to the textbook meaning of welfarism. EX: You acknowledged you don't know anything about many of the examples I posted. I think I need to take you around Nigeria on your next visit.

All these textbook ideologies can't fully describe what we have.

BTW, as per the root cause, I bet we've discussed Nigeria more fundamentally before on other NL threads, from my own little knowledge I've identified what I believe the causes are, and I've proffered solutions, it may not be satisfactory to some, but that's just my idea. I bet you've seen them before, I can post links if you need them again.

I don't understand what you refer to as "Nigeria's collectivist mentality". We have traditional cultural practices that promotes caring for extended family. So what? That is not even reflected in this system that we adopted half-heatedly from foreigners.

What else is collective? My G. grandfather's land before the British came still belongs to us. Even the kings did not seize it, actually the British did more stealing. Their generation paid taxes " ishakole " to the king (state) and get to keep their profits. They didn't live collectively or even farm collectively.

Adam Smith did not teach us how to create wealth or own property. There is nothing terrible about collectivism, but it's just wrong to call us collectivist. that's another rather simplistic explanation of the Nigerian society or mentality.